Use of analytic hierarchy process and four-component instructional design for improving emergency response exercises

Emergency response exercises are a common means for improving the preparedness and resil-ience of organizations and communities in the face of disasters. It is important to develop an instructional design that can facilitate evaluation and the learner's approach. This study intro-duced a model based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process to optimize instructional designs for emergency response exercises. This study aimed to propose a procedure to identify the necessary exercise targets and select suitable implementation methods by objectively summarizing the knowledge of emergency management professionals. This model was tested using fire and rescue exercises in a traditional market and an apartment complex in early 2021 in Hai Phong, Vietnam. Our model enables practitioners to determine the need for improvement in any element, allowing for continuous improvements in exercise programs.