Citation

Horner MW, Ozguven EE, Marcelin JM, Kocatepe A. Disasters 2018; 42(1): 169-186.

Affiliation

Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/disa.12233

PMID

28452144

Abstract

Recent experience of hurricanes, particularly in the southeast United States, has heightened awareness of the multifaceted nature of and the challenges to effective disaster relief planning. One key element of this planning is providing adequate shelter at secure locations for people who evacuate. Some of these individuals will have 'special needs', yet there is little research on the relationship with shelter space. This study designed a geographic information systems-based network optimisation methodology for the siting of special needs hurricane relief shelters, with a focus on the transportation component. It sought to find new locations for shelters that maximise accessibility by vulnerable populations, given capacity constraints, concentrating on the ageing population. The framework was implemented in a medium-sized metropolitan statistical area in the state of Florida where data suggest a possible deficit in special needs shelter space. The study analysed options for increasing special needs shelter capacity, while considering potential uncertainties in transportation network availability.

© 2017 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2017.

Language: en

Keywords

ageing population; geographic information systems (GIS); hurricanes; shelters; spatial optimisation; special needs