Emergency Response System for Dangerous Goods Movements by Highways

Artificial intelligence, using a prototype expert system, was applied to transportation issues. The specific issue dealt with improving the quality of the dispatch information in emergency situations involving dangerous goods. The system provided, upon notification of a highway traffic accident involving dangerous goods, a weighted probability list of possible dangerous goods expected to be transported over that part of the arterial highway network and instructions for handling the situation. The importance of quick and effective emergency response was addressed, and methods of assisting those directly involved were examined. Following the analysis of all input data, the program displays the given conditions and a complete list of possible commodities, ordered by highest probability and the appropriate emergency response procedures. Once emergency response personnel arrive at the scene of the accident, they may provide further information to the dispatcher or perhaps update earlier conditions since the initial respondent cannot be expected to recall every detail exactly. The system can then reevaluate the new set of conditions and output an updated list of commodities and procedures.