Multi-criteria decision model for the selection and location of temporary shelters in disaster management

Manuela Marques Lalane Nappi,João Carlos Souza,Vanessa Nappi

doi:10.1186/s41018-019-0061-z

Manuela Marques Lalane Nappi, João Carlos Souza + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-019-0061-z

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Abstract

The occurrence of natural or anthropic disasters in Brazil and the world emphasizes the importance of humanitarian logistics. Scholars and practitioners have developed modeling approaches to support aid delivery planning, but little attention has been given to the selection of community or collective temporary shelters. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel multi-criteria decision model focused on the principles of humanitarian logistics for the selection and spatial location of community or collective temporary shelters. This model not only incorporates evaluation criteria from documents published by humanitarian aid organizations and related literature but also the expertise of 23 experienced humanitarian logisticians from the Brazilian Civil Defense. The results quantify the importance of each criterion and enable the development of a decision tool, the ShelterPro software, that can be used to support the decision-making process of selecting temporary shelters. The results also indicate that safety of the facility, cultural adequacy, and location accessibility are the most valuable criteria. With these insights and the decision supporting tool, better humanitarian decisions can be made by humanitarian logistics managers, local authorities, or designated officials in the selection and location of temporary shelters in emergency response.

Highlights

Recent natural and human-made disasters have highlighted the importance of humanitarian logistics in emergency response
Research method This study aims at proposing a novel multi-criteria decision model based on relevant criteria for the selection and location of temporary shelters to support humanitarian logistics managers, local authorities, or designated officials in the decision-making process
Organizations in the humanitarian aid sector are beginning to acknowledge the importance of multi-criteria decision models for improving their operations and management of disasters, including the selection of temporary shelters

Summary

Introduction

Recent natural and human-made disasters have highlighted the importance of humanitarian logistics in emergency response. The research explores analytical models focusing on lessons learned and conceptual boundaries of operational and rescue issues for the humanitarian supply chain (Gralla et al 2014). A collective or community temporary shelter is defined as a place where temporary roof, food, clothing, drinking water, health, and protection is provided to a large group of displaced people for a short period (UNICEF 2008). Existing facilities, such as schools, multi-sports gyms, public buildings, among others, can function as temporary shelters for emergency situations if given the necessary resources.

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