25 Years of MCDA in nuclear emergency management.

Radiation accidents such as those at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and, more recently, Fukushima have emphasized the need for supporting all phases of emergency management from the early phases in which a threat is detected to years and decades after the accident. Several decision-aiding tools have been developed to prevent and mitigate the effects of a radiation accident. This work reviews a range of mathematical models, computing tools and, particularly, multi-criteria decision-making techniques that have been applied in the last 25 years to help politicians, health officials, local authority representatives and emergency planning officers devise better countermeasure strategies in the event of a radiation accident. The paper discusses all phases of a nuclear emergency as well as emergency training and planning. It highlights what has been achieved in the application of multi-criteria decision analysis, mainly through initiatives such as the EU-funded real-time online decision support projects. It examines how such tools that have been developed fit into the formulation, evaluation and appraisal stages of the emergency management process and discusses the complex socio-technical issues that arise from radiation accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]/nCopyright of IMA Journal of Management Mathematics is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)