Pre-positioning of Emergency Supplies for Disaster Response

We describe a two-stage stochastic optimization model for determining locations of emergency supplies and allocating quantities of those supplies. The model includes uncertainty in what the demands for various types of supplies might be, and the locations where those demands might arise. It also includes uncertainties in the capacity of the transportation network to allow movements of supplies from pre-positioning locations to demands, and the possibility that some of the pre-positioned supplies might be destroyed by the event. The formulation can include multiple supply types, including equipment (e.g., portable electric generators), non- consumable supplies (e.g., tents, blankets, etc.), and consumable supplies (e.g., food, water, medicine, etc.). A case study for the southeastern United States illustrates the use of the model.