GIS-based approach for evaluating a community intrinsic resilience index

Abstract Community resilience refers to the degree which a community can survive and recover following disaster. While itself is well understood, decisions that would enhance are interdependent involve various stakeholders. There indices for evaluating resilience, but these have shortcoming they compare between political entities, such as counties. Therefore, one cannot ascertain county truly resilient. In addition, natural disasters depend on landscape thus no relation boundaries. Our metric aims capture information into Intrinsic Resilience Index (CIRI), embodies level of four critical sectors: transportation, energy, health socio-economic. As case study, we computed CIRI counties within New Jersey. Results showed NJ, ranged from 63 80%. A post-disaster CIRI, scenario flooding, revealed two coastal low values due reduction in road area and/or GDP (local economy shut down) below minimum values. We believe our platform further advance efforts fill gap research applications help decision policy makers integrate planning design phases disaster management.