A key focus of location analysis is the accessibility of built-up areas, incident sites, and—particularly for volunteer-based services—the accessibility of locations by emergency personnel.
Built-up areas include both residential zones and commercial or industrial areas. These zones are typically the most relevant for time-critical emergencies and must be reached quickly by emergency services. Therefore, ensuring maximum accessibility to these areas is one of the central criteria when assessing the suitability of a potential property for use as a new station site.
To estimate personnel availability, location analyses for volunteer fire departments include anonymous surveys on the home and work locations of active personnel, as well as their expected availability. This data is gathered through the Personnel Availability Analysis.
Using GIS technology, the spatial distribution of personnel's home and work locations is visualized. This allows for the identification of daily patterns in personnel availability and enables travel time simulations to assess how accessible a new potential station would be to active personnel. Based on these results, conclusions can be drawn regarding expected turnout times.
In addition to spatial coverage and personnel availability, further factors such as population density, geographic or topographic conditions, and the traffic infrastructure should also be considered. For example, changes in the road network—such as the construction of bypasses—can significantly influence response times. Regular reviews and adjustments of location strategies are therefore recommended to ensure timely and effective responses to changing conditions.
Thorough planning and continuous optimization of site distribution can significantly enhance the efficiency of emergency services and ensure public safety.
As part of our location analyses, we also offer the development of customized spatial and functional programs.
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