Operations Research Models for the Deployment of Emergency Services Vehicles; EMS Management Journal

This paper is a review of the development and current state of the art in operations research for deployment and planning analysis pertaining to Emergency Medical Services and Fire Departments. These public safety systems have received a great deal of attention in the operations research community since they provide important services to people and the problems are amenable to mathematical modeling and solution. The concentration here is on both analytical work and applications. Modeling and problem assumptions are emphasized rather than clever solution procedures and mathematical derivations. This paper is organized both chronologically and by modeling approach / problem issue, so the interested reader can easily trace the chain of modeling improvements that are most closely applicable to their particular problem. The bibliography contains over 115 relevant books, articles, and web sites that represent over 35 years of work from all of the leading operations research analysts and practitioners in the field.