Distributed Coordination of First Responders

In a disaster scenario, first responders must be able to perform multiple functions in a coordinated way. At all levels of the task - from integrating heterogeneous systems to addressing response tasks and allocating resources - responders must be able to make decisions in a globally optimal fashion. Automated coordination mechanisms can help, but they still face several challenges that researchers must address to make them effective and useful. This article discusses the application of distributed constraint optimization in disaster management coordination.