Selecting the best zones to add new emergency services based on a hybrid fuzzy MADM method: A case study for Tehran

The main purpose of this study is to select the best zones to add new emergency services in the non-disaster case or earthquake disaster based on a combination of fuzzy decision making techniques including TOPSIS and AHP methods. A novel algorithm for the optimum location of EMS is proposed to optimize service response time to the people, to fulfill the needs of victims and rescue teams in non-disaster case or after a possible disaster. Two new MADM models with different crisp and fuzzy criteria are introduced for ranking the 22 zones of Tehran city in these cases. Considered criteria for the non-disaster case are zone population, zone traffic, number of people per emergencies and number of serious accidents in each zone while considered criteria in the case of an earthquake disaster are zone population, proximity to a major fault lines and texture of regional construction. The results show that the proposed fuzzy decision making system successfully determines the best locations. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.