A Grid-Based Approach for Ambulance Dispatch in Critical Emergencies Within Static Systems

Victor Sanchez-Anguix

Abstract: Effective ambulance dispatch management is crucial for emergency medical services (EMS), aiming to enhance survival rates by minimizing response times. Traditional strategies often focus on dispatching the nearest available ambulance for critical life risk emergencies (type-1). This paper introduces a novel dispatching strategy specifically designed for this type of emergencies, considering static conditions without ambulance reallocation to emergencies nor stations. The proposed method involves dividing the territory into grids and categorizing them based on historical accident rates, allowing ambulances to be dispatched from lower-risk areas, thereby improving coverage and efficiency. The strategy demonstrates notable improvements, particularly in scenarios with limited resources or geographically dispersed emergencies.