A Multi-Indicator Evaluation Method for Spatial Distribution of Urban Emergency Shelters

Abstract

Evaluation of the spatial distribution of urban emergency shelters can effectively identify defects in the current distribution of urban emergency shelters and weaknesses in the overall evacuation service capacity of the city and provide reference for improving the level of urban emergency shelters and evacuation and disaster relief capacity. At present, evaluation of the spatial distribution of urban emergency shelters is mainly carried out on three aspects: effectiveness, accessibility, and safety. However, there are problems, such as individual evaluation scales and incomplete indicator systems, unreasonable allocation of indicator weights, and ignoring the influence of fuzzy incompatibility between different indicator attributes on the evaluation results. In this paper, we start from two scales, the individual emergency shelter and the regional groups of emergency shelters. Based on the five criteria of effectiveness, accessibility, safety, suitability, and fairness, the evaluation indicator system of the spatial distribution of urban emergency shelters was constructed. It was combined with AHP, CRITIC, the optimal weight coefficient solution method based on the maximum deviation sum of squares theory, and fuzzy optimization theory to construct a multi-indicator evaluation model. Further, the spatial distribution condition of the existing emergency shelter in Shanghai was evaluated. The results show that: among the existing ninety-one emergency shelters in Shanghai, there are nine places with unreasonable spatial distribution; nineteen places are comparatively unreasonable. From the scale of regional groups, there is one district (Pudong New District) with unreasonable spatial distribution: its relative superiority value is far lower than other districts, and there are three districts that are comparatively unreasonable. Further, the evaluation scores of the spatial distribution reasonableness of emergency shelters in each region of Shanghai show a high–low–middle distribution from the downtown area of Shanghai outward. The evaluation indicator system and evaluation method used in this paper can effectively reflect the deficiencies in the spatial distribution of urban emergency shelters, thus providing a reference for the relevant departments to improve and plan emergency shelters.

Improving urban emergency medical service systems through brownfield transformation in Huangshi, China

“…Many researchers have studied the location and layout of EMS parks, focusing on their effectiveness, safety, and accessibility 26 , 27 . They have refined the evaluation indicator system to include metrics such as effective shelter area, service area, open space ratio, proximity to hospitals, fire stations, large supermarkets, and distance from hazards and earthquake rupture zones 28 – 30 . Although these indicators are designed to assess the suitability of EMS parks, most of the existing evaluation factors focus on area and distance, ignoring road conditions during transport.…”

Optimizing Emergency Shelter Selection in Earthquakes Using a Risk-Driven Large Group Decision-Making Support System

“…However, multi-criteria decision making provides a set of methods for analyzing, evaluating, and prioritizing options that can be used to solve decision-making problems [23][24][25][26]. It is relevant to note that criteria selection may vary, but generally include safety (distance from hazardous facilities), accessibility (road network, distance from critical facilities), and operational efficiency (capacity, area) [27][28][29]. According to Xu, et al [30], a multi-criteria constraint location method with GIS support was developed to solve the problem of shelter site selection from the perspective of urban planning.…”

Evaluation of Emergency Shelter Service Functions and Optimisation Suggestions—Case Study in the Songyuan City Central Area

“…The study of the location and layout of emergency shelters focused on the effectiveness, safety and accessibility of the shelters [15,16]. Numerous scholars have used this as a basis for extending and refining the system of evaluation indicators (Table 1), with indicators such as effective shelter area, service area, open space ratio, distance to hospitals, fire stations, large supermarkets and distance to sources of danger and earthquake rupture zones [17][18][19]. These indicators are all designed to assess the suitability of emergency shelters, but it can be seen from them that the evaluation of existing shelters is mostly based on a system of evaluation indicators from the researcher's perspective.…”