Geographic information system for traffic management on disaster scenarios

Disasters could result in chaotic and dynamic situations with different actors (general population and emergency responders) performing different tasks over a geographically referenced context. An ineffective response produced by traffic congestions rise an important challenge for disaster management administrators. The purpose of this study is make healthcare administrators aware of a newly proposed information system tool to improve the information exchange between the different stakeholders, and therefore increase the response effectiveness to disasters. A systemic analysis was conducted to understand the dynamic of congestions in metropolitan areas, correlating the general actors of disaster scenes and the different constrains imposed by the space. The actors were grouped according to whether if they are evacuating or they need to get into the disaster scene. The space have the following main characteristics: 1) size, since the space on metropolitan areas can hardly be modified and it has a surge capacity; 2) rules of the space, like entry, exit and the procedures that are performed within that space; 3) the mobility and proximity to other spaces. The results suggest that depending on the severity of the disaster the amount of actors can go beyond the surge capacity of the space and reduce the disaster effectiveness response. The traffic congestions on the early stages of disasters are directly related to the severity of the disaster and the surge capacity of the space where the disaster occurs. In metropolitan areas a GIS could improve the information exchange between the different organizations involved on the response and therefore improve the effectiveness of the response itself if the GIS takes in count the surge capacity of the space and the behavior on real time of the actors over that space. The application of a GIS affords a new opportunity to visualize preparedness and manage disaster.