An Optimized Site Selection Method for Human-Life Search and Rescue in Inland Waters

This study proposes a method to select optimal sites for human-life search and rescue operations in inland waters. It was used to bridge the disparity between the distribution of current water search and rescue facilities and the nuanced spatial distribution of risks associated with water traffic accidents. An evaluation model for the demand of search and rescue demand was developed considering regional water traffic flow, wind direction, wind speed, channel depth, and the historical frequency of water traffic accidents. An objective function was formulated to optimize the selection of search and rescue operation sites in inland waters. Finally, the method realized the precise layout planning of search and rescue sites in inland waters using the objective function. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified by taking the Yangtze River as the research area, which improved 22.92% of the capacity to respond to life-threatening search and rescue emergencies.