TY - JOUR
T1 - Location of Emergency Treatment Sites after Earthquake using Hybrid Simulation
AU - Kadosh, Simona Cohen
AU - Sinuany-Stern, Zilla
AU - Bitan, Yuval
N1 - Funding Information:
This simulation was formulated as a hybrid simulation, incorporating many stochastic parameters that characterize an earthquake event. By averaging multiple cases of earthquake scenarios, we conclude that the flexible concept yields better results regarding the average walking distance index. The analysis in the study shows that there is substitutability between the two indices – the average distance and the proportion of treated casualties – and, therefore, a decision must be made on the weight of each index, and this remains an open question for policy makers. We emphasize that the proposed flexible model should be adapted, and it can be utilized both as part of the preparation phase before an earthquake, and as an autonomous decision support system that supports local authority real-time response to a disaster. The proposal to develop an applicable decision support tool was recently approved by the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology, and a grant was awarded.
Publisher Copyright:
© University North. All Rights Reserved.
PY - 2023/1/1
Y1 - 2023/1/1
N2 - A mass-casualty natural disaster such as an earthquake is a rare, surprising event that is usually characterized by chaos and a lack of information, resulting in an overload of casualties in hospitals. Thus, it is very important to refer minor and moderately-injured casualties, that are the majority of casualties and whose injuries are usually not life threatening, to ad hoc care facilities such as Emergency Treatment Sites (ETSs). These facilities support the efficient use of health resources and reduce the burden on permanent healthcare facilities. In our study, a hybrid simulation model, based on a combination of discrete events and an agent-based simulation, provides a solution to the uncertainty of positioning temporary treatment sites. The simulation methodology used compares between "rigid" and "flexible" operating concepts of ETSs (main vs. main+minor ETSs) and found the "flexible" concept to be more efficient in terms of the average walking distance and number of casualties treated in the disaster area.
AB - A mass-casualty natural disaster such as an earthquake is a rare, surprising event that is usually characterized by chaos and a lack of information, resulting in an overload of casualties in hospitals. Thus, it is very important to refer minor and moderately-injured casualties, that are the majority of casualties and whose injuries are usually not life threatening, to ad hoc care facilities such as Emergency Treatment Sites (ETSs). These facilities support the efficient use of health resources and reduce the burden on permanent healthcare facilities. In our study, a hybrid simulation model, based on a combination of discrete events and an agent-based simulation, provides a solution to the uncertainty of positioning temporary treatment sites. The simulation methodology used compares between "rigid" and "flexible" operating concepts of ETSs (main vs. main+minor ETSs) and found the "flexible" concept to be more efficient in terms of the average walking distance and number of casualties treated in the disaster area.
KW - earthquake
KW - emergency
KW - humanitarian logistics
KW - hybrid simulation
KW - temporary emergency facility
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85166520385&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.31803/tg-20230511184836
DO - 10.31803/tg-20230511184836
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85166520385
SN - 1846-6168
VL - 17
SP - 391
EP - 396
JO - Tehnicki Glasnik
JF - Tehnicki Glasnik
IS - 3
ER -