Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Models for Emergency and Disaster Management

Abstract

Disasters are events that exceed a society’s ability to use its own resources, resulting in physical, economic, social, and environmental losses, and serious disruption to community functioning. A risk- and community-based approach to integrated disaster management is a concept that has become increasingly important in recent years. It is also very important for decision-makers to make effective decisions at each stage of emergency and disaster management, where there are many criteria. Therefore, decision-makers should make the best decision not based on their experience and intuition, but using analytical and quantitative tools. The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the use of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques in emergency and disaster management. This study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocol. Accordingly, 199 articles were included in the study. The results showed that MCDA techniques have gained importance in emergency and disaster management, especially in 2016. Moreover, they are mainly used in the mitigation and preparedness phases of emergencies and disasters. The importance of MCDA methods in developing risk-reduction strategies and building disaster-resilient cities and societies has been increasingly recognized in recent years.