A grid-based team distribution model of post-disaster search and rescue considering information available

Performance of post-disaster search and rescue (SAR) is critical to reduce the total number of fatalities. The quality of SAR efforts can be improved by the effective use of the available information. A grid-based model therefore is proposed to help describe how SAR teams cruise in a road network of disaster area to search and rescue survivors, considering the information available in the operation. Through the model we find that the information available helps to optimize the distribution of SAR teams, and thus improve the performance of SAR. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the model and algorithm.