Criteria for Site Selection of Temporary Shelters after Earthquakes: a Delphi Panel

Conclusion This study developed a list of criteria which could be used in selecting proper sites for temporary sheltering after an earthquake. Community planners could use these criteria in related models or systems to choose suitable sites for emergency situations. Developing and applying such models should be done in the preparedness phase. The consent of the affected people and cost reduction of the operation would be the minimum benefits of such an approach. This approach also allows the researchers to start making objective and reproducible assessments of sheltering site selection and helps to improve the outcome ultimately. Corresponding author Ali Ardalan, MD, PhD. School of Public Health, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences ; Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University. Email: aardalan@tums.ac.ir, ardalan@hsph.harvard.edu Competing Interests The authors have no competing interests.
Source: PLOS Currents Disasters - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Source Type: research