Location Analysis of Karaj Central Disaster Management Support Bases via Geographic Information System (GIS)

Extended Abstract
Introduction
Throughout history, nature has always exhibited its harsh face to human beings via destructive phenomena like avalanches, floods, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc. These disasters and dangers are part of life, always threatening humankind. With the human societies’ intellectual growth as well as the understanding of the causes of accidents, human being strived to find ways to deal with and reduce risks.
Given its proximity to the active fault in the north of Karaj metropolis (Iran) and its unbalanced development, as well as its migrability, this city has old, worn-out, and marginalized structures, particularly in the areas adjacent to its potential northern fault.
In recent years, the establishment of crisis management support bases has been placed on the agenda of the metropolises’ organizations for crisis prevention and management. One of the significant things prior to establishing these bases is to study, check, and select the suitable geographical location for establishing this type of application. This is an applied research in terms of purpose, carried out by descriptive-analytical method.
In the present research, it is tried to examine the effective factors and criteria to identify the suitable place for the establishment of the central crisis management support base in city of Karaj through using the available resources.
The current research is mainly aimed at investigating the feasibility of establishing a central crisis management support base in Karaj metropolis and selecting the most appropriate place to establish this base.
This study seeks to answer the questions below:
1- What are the effective parameters and factors of location to optimally select the location of the central crisis management support base in Karaj metropolis?
2- Where is the most suitable place to establish the central crisis management support base in Karaj metropolis?
 
Methodology
In the present study, we were aimed at finding the best location for establishing the central crisis management support base in Karaj metropolis.
Initially, the current situation of Karaj metropolis was investigated from the physical and social viewpoints. Subsequently, using library studies as well as the crisis management experts and scholars’ opinions, the factors and parameters effective in the optimal location of the central crisis management support base in Karaj metropolis were identified. Moreover, the privacy and criteria for each of the identified layers in locating the bases were considered to accordingly identify the appropriate locations for the establishment of the central crisis management support base in Karaj.
Furthermore, AHP model was employed to specify each of the criteria’s importance and value and effective elements in decision-making; the weight of each of the decision elements was also determined by Hierarchical Analysis Process method and Expert Choice software. Finally, combining the layers led to obtaining the general location map of the central crisis management support bases in Karaj metropolis.
 
Results and discussion
After specifying the effective natural and human criteria, these criteria were weighted through using the pairwise comparison technique (analytical hierarchy process/AHP) and the Expert Choice software.
In the following step, all information layers were combined in the Geographical Information System (GIS) and the location map of the central crisis management support base in Karaj was classified into five classes (strongly suitable, suitable, medium, unsuitable, and strongly unsuitable) and five positions were introduced as the recommended places to establish this base.
The eastern region of Karaj was classified in the unsuitable to medium range in terms of creating the crisis management support base.
The base location is among the considerable important parameters in the location of bases. The base location should be located in the geometric center of the region so that it is quickly and easily accessible throughout the region.
 
Conclusion
According to the expert opinions and reviewing the available documents and studies, the following five criteria were determined to select the ideal location:

Road access network
Gravity and geographic centrality
Land with a larger and more appropriate area (more than 2000 m²)
Distance from the fault
Proximity to the hospital

Besides, using AHP method, after determining the hierarchy levels including the purpose, criteria, and options, a pairwise comparison between the sets was performed for weighting. The criteria were compared two by two according to the purpose, and pairwise comparisons were performed based on the 1-9 range of scores.
The overall comparison of the options was performed with respect to the goal and after weighting all the criteria and options; the comparisons’ results were then presented in the form of weight charts; ultimately, the final location map was determined through selecting the option having the most weight among the five options.
Investigation of the five final options based on the determined indicators resulted in the selection of an area near Shahid Kalantari Terminal of Karaj as the best location to establish a support base for the central crisis management support base in Karaj metropolis.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
 We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.