Journal of Rescue and Relief (امداد و نجات)

INTRODUCTION: Dust storms are among the most significant natural hazards that in recent years have led to a decline in the environmental quality of many urban and rural settlements in Iran. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the impact of dust storms on the urban environmental quality of Susangerd. METHODS: In this descriptive and analytical research, the statistical population consists of 377 citizens of Susangerd aged over 15. The designed questionnaire includes four main components. Data analysis was conducted using statistical methods, including the one-sample T-test and stepwise regression analysis, within the SPSS software environment. FINDINGS: The findings indicate that, based on the one-sample T-test, the environmental component had a mean score of 4.27, the economic component 4.16, the social component 4.00, and the physical component 3.71, all of which exceed the baseline value of 3. This suggests that dust storms have had an adverse impact on urban environmental quality in Susangerd across all studied components. CONCLUSION: According to the results, among the examined components, the environmental component had the most significant impact on urban environmental quality, with a beta coefficient of 0.314. Then, the economic component (0.300), the physical component (0.276), and finally the social component with a beta coefficient of 0.274 had the greatest contribution to urban environmental quality. In summary, the environmental effects of dust storms on Susangerd urban environment were more pronounced than those of the other three components.

INTRODUCTION: Since systemic limitations such as managerial weaknesses, lack of specialized skills, flawed policymaking, and inefficient structures have created serious challenges in the persuasion process. This study aims to design a strategic model for audience persuasion by the national media during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. METHODS: This research uses the grounded theory approach as a qualitative method. Data were collected through open-ended interviews and purposeful sampling of 20 experts and specialists related to the subject. The final model includes 264 codes, 85 concepts, and 78 categories. Data collection and analysis continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. FINDINGS: According to the findings, factors such as flawed policymaking, ineffective interaction between the media and other sectors, lack of efficient managerial structures, and unhealthy competition were among the key barriers to audience persuasion during the COVID-19 pandemic. The final strategic model identifies capacities and suggests solutions to improve the audience persuasion process. CONCLUSION: The results showed that fundamental reforms in structures, strengthening persuasive expertise, clarifying policies, improving interactions, and increasing public trust are necessary for the national media to play a more effective role in future crises. Therefore, paying attention to the values ​​of the audience and utilizing cultural capacities can turn the national media into a powerful tool for crisis management.

INTRODUCTION: Given the increasing natural hazards, there is an increasing emphasis on innovative disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiatives aimed at increasing resilience and recognizing women as key stakeholders in all disaster management activities, although their role remains limited for unclear reasons. Since understanding gender issues and their impact in shaping people's lives is crucial in disaster risk reduction, this study seeks to examine the effective role of women's participation in disaster risk reduction. METHODS: In this descriptive-analytical and library study, factors such as women's empowerment, increasing participation in decision-making levels, improving access to resources and information, and changing traditional attitudes that play a role in reducing women's vulnerability were examined. The necessary data were collected by reviewing relevant parameters in reputable articles, reports and books. The statistical population includes women from disaster-prone countries such as Tamil Nadu (India), Bangladesh, Nepal, Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Ethiopia and other countries. FINDINGS: The findings indicate that women’s vulnerability to disasters is a combination of biological, social, cultural, economic and political factors, and that traditional caregiving roles, gender discrimination and inequalities in access to resources, information and decision-making increase their vulnerability. In addition, disasters impose more severe psychological, social and economic consequences on women. CONCLUSION: According to the results, due to unequal social and cultural structures, women are more vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters. Therefore, disaster management policies and actions must be gender-sensitive. Empowering women, promoting their participation in decision-making, improving their access to resources and information, and changing traditional attitudes can reduce the impact of crises on women and increase the overall resilience of society.

INTRODUCTION: Road traffic accidents are a critical global issue, especially in developing countries such as Iran. Mazandaran and Alborz provinces, due to their diverse climatic and topographic characteristics, experience a high rate of fatal accidents, especially on mountainous roads that are often affected by weather and traffic conditions. Therefore, in this study, a spatiotemporal analysis of the relationship between fatal road accidents and environmental factors was conducted to improve RCS rescue and relief operations in the two provinces of Mazandaran and Alborz. METHODS: This study analyzed fatal road accidents from March 2017 to January 2024 using data from the Red Crescent Society (RCS) and the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization. Accident data were converted into monthly raster files via Kernel Density Estimation and examined using the Space-Time Cube model and Hot Spot Analysis in ArcGIS Pro to identify spatial-temporal accident patterns and their relation to environmental and traffic factors. FINDINGS: Four hot spots and three cold spots patterns were detected across 83 months. Rainfall and flooding significantly affected 16.04% of oscillating and sporadic hot spots. Smooth and semi-heavy traffic conditions were associated with the highest accident percentages (19.45% and 14.01%), while blocked and heavy traffic showed lower accident intensity. Major accident hotspots appeared along the Chalous and Haraz roads and in specific rural districts. Emerging hot spots revealed new risk areas, demonstrating the dynamic nature of accident patterns. CONCLUSION: The Spatio-temporal analysis highlights high-risk areas and provides important insights for improving road safety. These findings can help the Red Crescent Society optimize rescue and relief operations and inform policymakers on infrastructure and traffic management strategies to reduce casualties

INTRODUCTION: Every year, a number of citizens, especially workers, lose their lives or are injured in fires, and many assets are destroyed by fires. In fact, the dimensions of these losses are also increasing with urban and industrial development. The purpose of this research is to identify and rank the supervisory and instrumental criteria of firefighting and rescue in controlling the risk of accidents in construction projects in Tehran. METHODS: In this applied-descriptive research, library and questionnaire methods were used and then the main criteria were prioritized using the Analytic Network Process (ANP) technique. About 10 construction experts (mass builders) in Tehran were selected and studied based on available sampling. FINDINGS: In this research, in the first stage, based on the opinions of experts, 42 sub-criteria were screened and selected as appropriate sub-criteria, and in the second stage, the main research criteria were prioritized. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, the criteria of "safe emergency evacuation instructions", "appropriate and sufficient emergency exits", "management of electrical equipment", and "safe emergency evacuation instructions" with normalized weights showed that the sub-criteria of "gas welding and flame cutting work must be performed by skilled workers", "adequate emergency lighting", "prevention of generator overheating", and finally "location of emergency signs" are in the first priority.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed major shortcomings in healthcare data systems worldwide, particularly the need for accessible and transparent data sharing. In Iran, these shortcomings were particularly visible due to the lack of a structured open data network in the healthcare sector. Hence, this study addresses the barriers to open data networks in healthcare. METHODS: This study used Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) supported by MICMAC analysis to examine and prioritize barriers to the establishment and use of open data platforms in the Iranian healthcare system. Data were collected through expert consultations with eight experts in the field of health information and policy. FINDINGS: The analysis revealed significant barriers to implementation, including lack of government coordination, high startup costs, and inadequate technology infrastructure. For use, the most prominent barriers included the lack of data standards, poor data management, and uncontrolled growth of unstructured data. Many of these barriers were interrelated, and some acted as root causes that hindered systemic progress. CONCLUSION: Addressing these challenges requires coordinated strategic efforts focused on increasing ICT competencies, upgrading infrastructure, and strengthening institutional support. Establishing a functional open data network is essential to improve public health outcomes and enable faster responses to future health crises in Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Well-established guidelines and standards are essential for effective disaster management and relief operations. The aim of this study was to review the existing documentation in Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies regarding disaster relief guidelines. METHODS: This narrative review was conducted using a documentary research method in 2023. In order to find articles related to standardization of relief and recommendations, extensive searches were conducted in relevant databases, with a special emphasis on the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) database. The identified documents were analyzed using document analysis and classification techniques. FINDINGS: The most important point in the IFRC review was that the guidelines are divided into two parts: general and specific. It is not necessary to use general guidelines, but specific guidelines are important. IFRC guidelines are usually developed in cooperation with the 190 member states. However, it is recommended that each country adapt these guidelines to its own specific circumstances. CONCLUSION: The results showed that when it comes to specialist areas such as housing and aid workers safety, IFRC recommendations are a valuable resource for countries when developing and updating national disaster relief protocols. While the IFRC principles provide a useful starting point, their successful use requires careful review and modification to meet the unique local conditions and requirements of each country.