Optimization of the deployment of search and rescue forces and resources in the water area: A winter period model

The article considers the issues of optimal placement of rescue units of St. Petersburg search and rescue service in order to improve the safety of people on the water area. A new approach to solving the problem of optimal placement of forces and means of the search and rescue service on the water area is proposed, which has a universal character as can be applied to different water areas. The analysis of the related scientific works and literature shows that scientific research has not been carried out. No mathematical models were created to solve questions of optimal placement on water area of rescue units. Questions of mutual arrangement of rescue forces and means in existing international and domestic scientific works, international conventions and literature are considered only in relation to the search process, i. e. directly in the course of search and rescue operations on water areas. The developed mathematical model is focused on maximizing the probability of rescue of people in distress on water bodies in winter. The specific model is built on the example of St. Petersburg. To build the model, the statistical data on the deaths of people on water bodies of St. Petersburg since 2014 was collected and statistical analysis of the indicators of deaths on water bodies and occurrence of accidents with people was carried out. Based on the mathematical model, a computer program was developed, which is an archive consisting of several files written in Python3 using third-party libraries and folders with the necessary resources. On the basis of the performed calculations the recommendations for improving the infrastructure of the search and rescue service of St. Petersburg are obtained.