Status of spatial analysis for urban emergency management

Abstract

This paper provides multidisciplinary coverage for the use of geospatial information systems for urban emergency management with emphasis on selected common types of emergencies. The paper presents selected urban emergencies that are globally known and pose a high risk for considerable parts of the world. The review addresses the application issues of how spatial analysis can be utilized in addressing emergency management issues by defining its usability and limitations in dealing with the questions of vulnerability and risk assessment as well as the state of the art of approaches that can be used for risk mapping and visualization. The objective is to provide conceptual coverage to timely solutions for emergency preparedness and response. The paper emphasized that among issues that may face accurate utilization of spatial analysis, is the accuracy of data and time of processing, as well as shared coordination among stakeholders. This research concludes that a challenge to effective risk reduction is providing disaster managers with access to data and approaches that may help them in analyzing, assessing, and mapping risk models.