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Disaster Management Structure of Universities: Case Study of the Central Campus of the University of Tehran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2017

Babak Omidvar ,
Kayvan Karimloo ,
Sadegh Tavakoli Sani  and
Hassan Darabi
Babak Omidvar*
Affiliation:
Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Kayvan Karimloo
Affiliation:
Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Sadegh Tavakoli Sani
Affiliation:
Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Hassan Darabi
Affiliation:
Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Babak Omidvar, Graduate Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, No. 25, Azin St, Qods St Enqelab Ave Tehran, Iran PO BOX 14155-6135 (e-mail: bomidvar@ut.ac.ir).
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Abstract

Objective

Research on the disaster management plans of renowned universities worldwide shows that such plans are generally compiled in 3 categories: structural, nonstructural, and organizational sections. The importance of earthquakes in Tehran and the high vulnerability of the University of Tehran to earthquakes encouraged us to challenge the university’s plans concerning disaster management.

Methods

An initial attempt was made to analyze the disaster management of 23 renowned universities worldwide and their structure compared with the present organizational structure of the University of Tehran. Then an expert opinion study was done to determine the appropriate management structure of the Incident Command System.

Results

These efforts resulted in an adhocratic system as the proper one for emergency situations after an earthquake. Furthermore, the results of the comparative study led to a general management structure that may be considered as a global pattern.

Conclusions

An appropriate organizational structure is proposed for the disaster management of the University of Tehran, which may be used as an appropriate disaster management structure for other universities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:681–693)

Keywords

disaster management structureearthquakeUniversity of Tehranemergency plan
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 11 , Issue 6 , December 2017 , pp. 681 - 693
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

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