Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for Fire Brigades and Fire-Fighting Actions
Wilhelm G. Coldewey
Abstract
In making effective decisions on fire-fighting actions on major fires, such as the choice of appropriate extinguishing agents, detailed knowledge about possible risks to people, buildings and the environment are essential. Thus, advance information about the potential emissions of various pollutants that are generated as a result of these actions, is particularly important. This is because the overall emissions can depend on various combustion processes and on the tactics adopted in fighting the fire.
The evaluation of the environmental risks requires data on both the nature and amount of potentially harmful emissions and the pathways followed by those emissions. Thus, to achieve effective preventative actions, both in temporal and practical terms, information on the following factors is essential:
• materials being combusted;
• combustion conditions;
• pathways of emitted pollutants; and
• site factors.
Recent research at the University of Münster has highlighted the importance of pollution effects with respect to vulnerable soils, surface water and groundwater regimes. Information on topography, drainage and hydrogeological parameters can be noted on a digitised map (the so-called Environmental Protection Map) and can then be assessed from a fire engineering point of view. This map would, therefore, give the fire service an additional powerful design tool for helping minimising possible secondary damage to the relevant soil and water bodies.