Emergency volunteer deployment model considering public health emergency risk levels

Volunteers are crucial in delivering emergency supplies during public health emergencies. Effective management of public health events, which involves categorizing and grading risk zones, is essential for the optimal deployment of volunteers. This study establishes a model for deploying volunteers across multiple risk zones by analyzing the optimal number of volunteers and delivery hours required for each zone. It identifies thresholds at which relief organizations must decide whether to recruit additional volunteers or organize overtime shifts. These decisions are based on factors such as the number of residents, available volunteers, and protective equipment. Adjusting delivery methods in zones with insufficient capacity can reduce the thresholds for recruiting additional volunteers or organizing overtime shifts. The findings provide theoretical support and practical decision-making guidelines for relief organizations, enabling them to deploy volunteers more effectively during public health emergencies.