A Logistical Relief Distribution Preparedness Model: Responses To A Probable Tsunami Case Study In West Sumatra, Indonesia

Preparedness to establish an efficient and effective relief response is essential in reducing severity and fatality in a disaster. This study presents a two-stage mixed-integer programming model applied in a 3-tier of a relief distribution network consisting of permanent warehouses, local distribution centers, and refugee camps for a disaster relief operation at the operational level. A mixed delivery strategy is considered in order to obtain an efficient logistics planning strategy to respond to a disaster. Stage-1 is a location-allocation model to determine the sites of local distribution centers setup in the initial response period, together with the aggregate amount of relief items that should be delivered during the response period. It has an objective to minimize the total logistics cost as well as unfairness cost regarding unfair distribution among affected people. Stage-2 develops further the relief distribution plan that minimizes total route travel cost according to outputs of the previous stage. The model is tested on a fictitious but probable tsunami in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The proposed model should be helpful to disaster relief managers in employing it to increase performance of such a disaster relief operation, should there be a need.