| For those who are involved in the life and death | | | | all the data collected by various first responder |
| career path of emergency response, they realize | | | | teams. Why not integrate it all. |
| that who survives and who perishes is often in | | | | Another challenge is the one about human |
| their hands when seconds count. And as long as | | | | obstacles, such as blocked intersections, grid lock, |
| we are counting, let me tell you what I've | | | | drivers who do not hear sirens or will not move |
| recently counted. I've observed a number of very | | | | over? "As at the minute people can only start to |
| alarming articles of needless deaths from slow | | | | move once they see or hear the emergency |
| emergency response times. Worse, most of | | | | vehicle, quite often meaning they have to slow |
| them are due to budget cuts of staff, new | | | | down repetitively en route," states Jonathan Reed. |
| equipment, and/or the latest GPS/GIS | | | | Indeed, his comments makes sense to me, like |
| technologies to speed things along while | | | | "packet" routing on the Internet. A smart grid for |
| maintaining safety. | | | | traffic flows, with artificial intelligence timing how |
| Not long ago, I had the chance to interview | | | | best and most efficient to get the emergency |
| Jonathan Reed on this topic of the response | | | | vehicles to their destination quickest, setting a |
| times of emergency vehicles. And worked to | | | | priority. We could use the same algorithms used in |
| identify some of the problems and he reasoned | | | | Finite Capacity Scheduling Models for |
| that we need to pay more attention to; | | | | manufacturing with regards to emergency |
| "Probability Zone" and the needs and prediction of | | | | expediting - after all - really it's the same basic |
| needs which "have been well mapped and are | | | | theory. Kind of putting in a "Rush Order" without |
| studied/reviewed often." | | | | screwing up traffic flows, which is what happens |
| Perhaps, you do not realize, but Los Angeles has | | | | now. |
| some great software which is able to predict | | | | So, I agree this needs fixing especially in urban |
| about how many crimes will occur where on any | | | | areas such as LA, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, San |
| given date, and it is scary how accurate it really | | | | Francisco, Phoenix, Denver, Portland, KC, OKC, |
| is, meaning they can use this to schedule police. | | | | Baton Rouge, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, J-Ville, |
| Well, the same thing can be used for fire and | | | | Atlanta, Boston, NYC, Philly, Cleveland, Columbus, |
| ambulance teams. Jonathan proposes that we; | | | | Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Memphis, Chicago, |
| "integrate these systems; real-time information of | | | | Detroit, Indianapolis, Green Bay, etc. And all the |
| volumes of cars from traffic cameras so crews | | | | second tier cities of 400-500K pop. |
| can avoid traffic jams. Integrating traffic lights | | | | As we speak the City of Los Angeles, CA is |
| with GPS positions of crews so that intersections | | | | cutting 10-ambulance crews and has made drastic |
| can be cleared, and roads prepared for services | | | | cuts in police and fire. This article is not speaking |
| to decrease their journey time." | | | | to union grievances or even the political firestorm |
| Think about what he is saying and all the | | | | that has created - rather it speaks to reality. It |
| information we already have - first let's look at | | | | speaks to getting the job done more efficiently |
| Google Maps, GIS data gathering companies, ESRI | | | | when seconds count, and life and death hang in |
| software, Battelle traffic research, not to mention | | | | the balance. Please consider all this. |