A Framework of Task-Oriented Decision Support System in Disaster Emergency Response Jun Tian, Qin Zou, Shaochuan Cheng, and Kanliang Wang Management School of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China 710049
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Abstract. Based on the analysis of organizing of rescuing process of Wenchuan Earthquake in China, the paper developed a task-oriented management model to deal with the disaster emergency response. The management mechanism of task generating in emergency response has been established. Four kinds of task generation mechanism have been studied and three decision-making patterns have been suggested. The routings to produce task system were discussed, which could dispose the essential task into sub-task and form the task system through the processes of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). A framework of decision support system in emergency response has been proposed, which based on the Hall for Workshop of Mate-synthetic Engineering. It could help the operation team to transfer the predetermined plan to execution plan in emergency response and to assign and dynamic supervise the task system.
1 Introduction The emergency plan systems are the most important links in disaster emergency management, which can prevent the tense, disorder and chaotic situation after the thunderbolt actually happened and guarantee the rescuing activities developing rapidly, orderly, and effectively thus might reduce the nonessential loss and casualties [1, 2]. According to the theory of disaster emergency management, the disaster generally forms a cycle that can be divided into phases of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery [3]. The former two stages are before the occurrence of the disaster, and the latter two stages are behind. The plan established before the disaster occurrence (in preparatory stage) is generally called the emergency predetermined plan [4]. When the disaster occurred, the actual situation might possibly be different with the beforehand tentative, so the predetermined plan is often facing with the questions of whether it can be carried out as well as how to carry it out. There must be an executive plan to put the predetermined plan into actions basing on the actual conditions of the scene and the available resources. From the view of emergency response operation and coordination, there needs a set of method to handl\e and organize the action scheme on which the dynamic execution plan is turn out and the essential tasks are generated and managed in right sequence and effective manner to carrying on. This paper will study the mechanism of task generation and its decision-making pattern according to the analysis of the case of Y. Shi et al. (Eds.): MCDM 2009, CCIS 35, pp. 333–336, 2009. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009
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Wenchuan earthquake relief. A framework of task-oriented decision support system based on the hall for workshop of meta-synthetic engineering will be proposed.
2 Revelations from Wenchuan Earthquake Relief Wenchuan big earthquake brought the tremendous disaster to China. The emergency rescuing work are unprecedented huge, and the process in relief operation facing with complex situation and many unexpected difficulties. But the rapid response and the highly effective reaction Chinese government manifested in the first time has caused gazing of the world. The speedily generation of Emergency task and its deploying had win the precious time for rescues. After receiving the disaster emergency report, Chinese government immediately established general disaster relief headquarters of the State Council to resist earthquakes. Nine Essential Tasks had promptly been clear about the earthquake resistance disaster relief which include: Emergency search and rescue, Hygienic guard, Disaster forecasting and monitoring, Life placement, Infrastructures guaranteeing and recovering, Production restoration, Social security, Social communication and propaganda, Water conservation facility management [5], and so on. Based on the essential tasks, the main correlative duties were made clear and sub-tasks were disposed out. Following the emergency task produced, the big duty groups system have been established take on the nine essential tasks. The management of resisting this natural disaster can be called “task-oriented” process. Its character is to generate, make in order, break down, arrange, carry out, and supervise of all tasks.
3 The Mechanism of Task Generation in Emergency Response Through observing and summing up the operation process of Wenchuan earthquake disaster, as well as the process dealing with the snow disaster occurring in south China at the beginning of 2008, we can conclude and try out four kind of essential task generation mechanisms which are organization leading, resource leading, problem leading and mixed leading. (1) When organization is the restrict factor to essential task production, the mechanism could be called organization leading. The main essential tasks are put out according to the function and duty of organizations existed combining with the needs of disaster rescuing [9]: (2) Resource leading is taking the resources as the main conditions. In this sentiment situation, firstly according to the disaster situation need, analyzes the corresponding resources demand, according to the resources usability condition, the arrangement resources reassignment and the disposition, take the resources disposition as the core, forms the essential duty. (3) The pattern to produce tasks according to the real problems the disaster scene emergency actual needed is called problem leading. The corresponding task system should be established to fulfill the goal of demand of reducing threaten. The problem leading pattern is taking the demands as the guidance. The random factors or the individuality factor hold leadership.
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(4) There may need two or more leading patterns to produce task system. This task production pattern could be called mixed pattern. This may including more than two kinds of essential factors which are interdependence and interactive with each other in the process of the task production. According to FEMA, there are also four styles of decision making based on who makes the decision which includes: individual, consultation, group, delegation[6]. For satisfying the requirement of real situation needs, four kinds of different decisionmaking way could be considered, they are: template based decision, leaders team decision, expert decision, public decision.
4 A Framework of Task-Oriented Decision Support System According to the task-oriented management requirement and task production mechanism in emergency response operation, a framework of task management decision support system can be proposed which based on the Hall for Workshop of Metasynthetic Engineering [8] as shown in Figure 1.
Fig. 1. Framework of task-oriented decision support system in disaster emergency response
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5 Conclusion The task-oriented mechanism and the emergency management decision support system have following characteristic: (1) Integration of information and functions. (2) Dynamic interactivity between people with computer. (3) Serviceability. Although this set of method statement, is in passes on the earthquake relief organization process summary and in the refinement foundation to the article raises, the corresponding rule and the flow have the versatility, definitely may apply similarly other arises suddenly in the natural disaster handling process.
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