Process analysis, models and management are considered relevant issues with several benefits to disaster response operations. Thus, the goal of this paper is to analyze the existing process models on disaster response operations and combine their different perspectives to develop a reference process model. A systematic literature review is conducted, and after analyzing 381 abstracts and 98 full papers from the Scopus and ISI Web of Science databases, 19 process models for disaster response are identified. The critical analysis of them is discussed and considered in the development of the reference process model for disaster response, which describes 62 processes at two detail levels. Moreover, the use of the model is discussed by the verification of its adherence according to a real disaster response operation. Finally, the paper explains the suitability of the model to be used and reused as a guide in operations planning and offers a research agenda.