Title: The role of GIS technology in assessing critical infrastructure resiliency during emergencies in the City of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Authors: Rifaat M. Abdalla; Salim M. Alharbi

Addresses: Faculty of Maritime Studies, Department of Hydrographic Surveying, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia ' Faculty of Maritime Studies, Department of Hydrographic Surveying, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Road networks and healthcare facilities are among the key critical infrastructure sectors in the City of Jeddah. A considerable portion of these sectors requires verification of the possibility of being at risk or being influenced by various catastrophes, for example flash floods, earthquakes or because of terrorism or operational failures. This paper presents a proposition of how the concept resiliency of these critical infrastructure sectors can be modelled and visualised using geospatial information systems (GIS). The paper will lay a foundation cornerstone in emergency management operations for the City of Jeddah. It will add to the advancement of this research domain in light of a pilot exploration venture of the state-of-the-art innovation. It will also add to providing an answer to the fundamental question of how GIS technology can be best used to provide an answer of how best to protect life and property in extreme situations.

Keywords: GIS; geographic information systems; critical infrastructures; infrastructure resilience; KSA; Saudi Arabia; disaster management; emergency management; Jeddah; visualisation; modelling; resiliency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2017.083121

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2017 Vol.13 No.2, pp.183 - 191

Received: 06 Jun 2015
Accepted: 17 Nov 2015
Published online: 21 Mar 2017 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article