Introduction: Emergency evacuation is one of the most important pillars of crisis management, which must achieve the greatest impact on preserving people’s lives in the shortest possible time. On the other hand, central urban fabrics, due to high density and compactness as well as the instability of parcels, experience more difficult conditions when facing crises. A review of the literature indicates that previous studies have mainly focused on physical vulnerability or shelter site selection at the metropolitan scale. In contrast, the identification of safe emergency evacuation centers through the simultaneous integration of land use-activity characteristics and physical-environmental characteristics in dense central fabrics has been less investigated. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of “identifying safe and supportive emergency evacuation centers in the central fabric of Urmia city, as well as monitoring the conditions of neighborhoods in this area when facing a crisis.”



Methodology: In this study, using a deductive strategy and a quantitative method, a field survey was employed with Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, the Index Overlay technique, and a questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 45 urban planning specialists in both theoretical and practical domains in order to refine the research model and determine the score of each variable. First, by examining the concepts of crisis and emergency evacuation, the dimensions of the subject were identified. Then, the conceptual model of the research was presented based on the variables influencing this subject so that it could be evaluated in the case study.



Findings: Based on the conducted studies and the conceptual model of the research, the characteristics of safe emergency evacuation centers comprise two main axes: “land use-activity characteristics” and “physical-environmental characteristics.” In total, 20 variables were identified. The findings show that the central fabric of Urmia city, due to the unstable characteristics of parcels and deterioration, has a high vulnerability coefficient and low resilience. However, on the other hand, the existence of spaces and buildings such as the Imam Khomeini Square complex, existing parks and green spaces, open and public spaces, fire stations, and educational and religious centers plays a key role in emergency evacuation.



Conclusion: Equipping these spaces with basic facilities for public presence can significantly reduce the severity of damages. This requires special attention from urban planners and city managers. Therefore, the rearrangement and organization of safe and supportive centers should be considered one of the main policies of urban crisis management in the central fabric of Urmia. Moreover, the simultaneous integration of land use-activity and physical-environmental criteria within the presented model can serve as a practical tool for prioritizing interventions and optimally allocating resources for urban planners.