Ambulance Pre-Assignment Problem: A Case Study of Jersey City, New Jersey

Abstract

Pre-assignment is one of the typical operational strategies for an ambulance in service for quick response to a call. By doing so, the ambulance can be assigned in advance for a call to a predicted area in order to avoid traffic congestion depending on the frequency and type of calls. This study proposes a model minimizing total annual travel time from ambulance stations to incidents while considering historical call volume. The propositioned model can accomplish noteworthy results of coverage compared to the classic use of ambulance stations. It will be beneficial especially where the most vulnerable population resides.