Journal of Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas

Journal of Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas

Site Selection for Appropriate Emergency Sheltering Spaces under Crisis Conditions in Mountainous Regions: A Case Study of Jahrom City

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Lecturer at the Applied Science Training Center of the Red Crescent, Shiraz, Iran.
10.22034/gsma.2026.2091992.1167
Abstract
1.Introduction
Experience has shown that preventing the occurrence of managerial chaos during and after a crisis is of great importance in terms of the level and extent of damage caused by the crisis. In Iran, emergency relocation of citizens is usually carried out experimentally and after a disaster, without taking into account the necessary standards by relief organizations. Obviously, the lack of proper relocation may lead to a disaster far more terrible than the initial disaster. Due to its geographical and geological location, Iran is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, and disasters such as floods, earthquakes, droughts, and storms have always caused significant human and financial losses to the country. One of the issues that is always of concern to organizations responsible for crisis management is the selection of a location for the emergency settlement of disaster-affected populations. Selecting a suitable location for an activity in a city is one of the sustainable decisions for carrying out a large-scale project that requires research on the location from different perspectives. Due to its location in a seismic zone, the city of Jahrom is increasingly considering the necessity and importance of careful study and planning to reduce human and social damage caused by earthquakes and other natural disasters. The most important goal of this research is to identify suitable and safe places for emergency housing of the population after a crisis in this city in order to meet the basic needs of the victims and survivors of the crisis. This is done by considering the environmental, social, and physical conditions of the region. Therefore, the present research, considering the stages of crisis management in a crisis-stricken area, attempts to address the issue of locating suitable spaces for the construction of emergency housing sites.

2. Methodology
The research method in this study is descriptive-analytical, the main objective of the research is to locate a suitable space for emergency housing in crisis situations in the city of Jahrom. Thus, first, using theoretical texts related to the issue of locating emergency housing, and with an emphasis on identifying indicators and measurability, materials were extracted. Using the 2000/1 map of the current situation of Jahrom city, studying comprehensive and detailed city plans, as well as field observation, the required information was collected, and using GIS software and with the help of hierarchical analysis, data processing and analysis were carried out in accordance with urban planning criteria and standards. To determine the importance of the indicators, a questionnaire method and a survey of the academic community and experts were used. Finally, the most suitable places for creating emergency housing were determined. The framework of the research methodology process is shown in Figure.

3. Results
In this study, 15 criteria were considered for locating emergency shelters. To implement the AHP method, the Marinoni side program, ext-AHP.dll, is activated in the GIS environment and the desired layers are selected. After selecting the layers, a pairwise measurement matrix appears, in which the criteria must be compared with each other in pairs. After completing the matrix, the program calculates the importance coefficient of each criterion by executing the Compute command and finally displays the compatibility ratioshows the calculated weight for the criteria effective in locating emergency shelters in Jahrom city. If the compatibility ratio is less than or equal to 0 and 1, the judgment in the pairwise measurement of the criteria is correct, and otherwise, the evaluation of the criteria should be reconsidered. the pairwise comparison and weight of each of the information layers obtained using the AHP toolbar, an extension to the GIS software.

4. Discussion
The data required for this study are divided into two categories: spatial (such as analog maps) and non-spatial (such as descriptive tables) and have been digitized using a geographic information system and placed in a database (Malchevsky, 2006: 34), which include:
1- Spatial data includes the 2000/1 map of Jahrom city,
2- Non-spatial data for this study includes a comprehensive and detailed plan of Jahrom city, from which information such as per capita, population, and area of areas has been obtained.
Identifying and selecting factors that affect location is one of the important stages of the study. Although these criteria may vary depending on the factors affecting the selection of a suitable location for emergency shelter, 15 layers were used in this study: 1- Proximity to green space, 2- Proximity to fire stations, 3- Distance from industrial centers, 4- Proximity to the main communication network, 5- Proximity to the regional center, 6- Population density, 7- Land use, 8- Slope, 9- Distance from health centers, 10- Distance from wasteland, 11- Distance from incompatible uses, 12- Distance from military and law enforcement centers, 13- Residential areas, 14- Fire-prone areas, 15- Distance from hospital and emergency room. Preparing information layers and performing spatial analysis
This stage is a process that includes data acquisition, format changes, georeferencing, adjustment, and data documentation In the location finding process, preparing the required information layers is the first stage of the practical research stages, during which the map layers of each of the criteria are extracted and entered into the GIS database for subsequent steps. This stage includes digitizing, georeferencing, and making the information layers usable in the GIS environment. After determining the effective criteria in locating emergency shelters, the information layer of each of the criteria must be extracted and prepared from the urban base map. Preparing a distance map from the information layers and converting the vector map of the required layers to a raster map is done at this stage.

5. Conclusion

Based on the effective criteria for optimal location of emergency housing, 15 existing layers in Jahrom city were used and then a map of suitable locations for emergency housing was prepared. By preparing, managing, and modeling the AHP layers, the final map of optimal location of emergency housing in Jahrom city was extracted and finally the green and open spaces in the city were matched on the final map.
Author Contributions
In the preparation and writing of this article, all authors (first, second, and third) have contributed equally and jointly. All stages of the research, from study design and data collection to analysis of results and final writing of the article, are the result of collaboration and collective agreement of all authors.

Data Availability Statement
Data available on request from the authors.

Acknowledgements
We are very grateful to everyone who assisted us in conducting this research.

Ethical Considerations
All authors affirm that this research was conducted in accordance with ethical standards, with no data fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism.

Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest
Keywords

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