Citation

Hardy M, Irizarry M, Penrice S, Vogt A. Math. Model. 1986; 7(4): 595-602.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1986, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0270-0255(86)90037-0

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper analyzes the problem of locating the optimal positions of two emergency facilities in the hypothetical township of Rio Rancho based on the given data of emergency distributions in the township for 1985. To solve this problem, we designed two models to estimate the expected response time for a given pair of facility locations. One model assumed that the emergencies occured in the center of the blocks, while the other supposed a uniform distribution of emergencies along the streets bordering the blocks. Both models considered only corners as possible locations for the emergency facilities, and neither considered obstacles. However, not accounting for the obstacles did not affect the final solutions because the routes from the points chosen as the optimal locations would not be lengthened by a consideration of these barriers. In the discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the models, it appears that the only serious weakness of the two models is the data upon which both are based. (The data may be incomplete since they cover only the year 1985). Finally, although we believe that Model II is the stronger of the two models, we feel that since both give the same results, our recommendations for the locations were truly the optimal positions for the facilities.