Expert Systems in Emergency Response

Abstract

Ensuring the proper response to emergencies is an ideal application for expert systems. Rules can be developed that comprise the appropriate response to either preplanned, site-specific incident scenarios or general incidents at the facility. This allows responders with less experience to make better decisions and fewer errors than otherwise possible without the involvement of a "human expert." An expert system for emergency incident management can allow for better pre-planning, training, and emergency response. An expert system can assist with making critical emergency response and incident management decisions, coordinate and automate emergency notifications, and track and log actions that were taken. As a decision-support system, it can integrate facility drawings and other reference data. Having an interactive expert system as a resource allows emergency information and procedures, and the knowledge and experience of emergency response experts to be captured for easy access and use by all personnel at a facility. This paper discusses the use of expert systems for emergency response, and provides an example of a working system specifically addressing emergency management and incident response.