Integration of GIS and analytical hierarchy process method for locating road emergency medical services station

Abstract

This article describes the application of a well-known multi-criteria decision-making technique called analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to locate emergency medical service (EMS) along US interstate highway I-65 from Montgomery to Birmingham, Alabama. Five weighting methods were applied, including Row Sum, Column Sum, Arithmetic Average, Geo-Mean, and Eigen Vector to determine weights of criteria. A number of experts were asked to evaluate the importance of selected criteria according to a nine-point scale (the Saaty rating scale). Afterwards, a weighted overlay method was applied to evaluate pixel adequacy and to identify areas with highest potential to establish the EMS along the road. After that all alternatives were ranked with the AHP method, and finally, sensitivity analysis of criteria weights was performed. The proposed method shows that locating EMS stations is very sensitive to Distance to City, Distance to Intersection, and Distance to Police Station criteria weights, and it should be considered in selecting experts and criteria weighting process.

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