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Assessing the Reliability of NFIRS Database in Exploring Emergency Response Route-Selection: Using the Fire Department of the City of Lebanon, Ohio as an Example

Liu, Yin
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1250045718

Abstract Details

2009, MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences : Geography.
This study suggests a framework to assess the reliability of using National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) database on studying emergency response. Specifically, this framework quantitatively answers the question that whether and how the “Alarm Time” and “Arrival Time” records in NFIRS database can be used to estimate the emergency response route-selection. The local case used to be examined in this framework is the NFIRS database from the Fire Department of the City of Lebanon, Ohio. NFIRS is the largest and most comprehensive database for fire-related incidents information database. Currently, it has been broadly used to evaluate damage of fire incidents and explore the reasons of the fires. However, compared with the research on the damage and reasons of fire incidences, relatively few studies, either academic or practical, applied the NFIRS database to incidence response. One possible reason is the lack of sufficient information on the response process in the NFIRS database. The only relevant information is the “Alarm Time” and “Arrival Time” recorded for the response to each fire incident. Based on the assumption of optimal-route-selection decision in emergency response, this study aims to seek a framework for quantitatively judging whether the time records can be used to study emergency response route-selection and driving behavior. The framework employs two datasets, the local NFIRS data from the Fire Department of the City of Lebanon, and ride-along survey data in the same study area. The study first evaluates the accuracy of the records by descriptive statistics between data collected by ride-along and the NFIRS records. Then regression models are developed to compare the response time derived from NFIRS versus theoretical response time with different spatial and temporal factors derived from GIS. Detail analysis on the residuals of the regression model indicates the temporal and spatial usability of the data on emergency response study. Results in this study indicate that the NFIRS data is not reliable for estimating the practical emergence response route and driving behavior in the study area. Such failure, from another hand, demonstrates the success of the framework in assessing the reliability by using local NFIRS data to study the emergency response process. The framework can be further applied into other local cases for this evaluation work.
Lin Liu, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Robert South, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Kevin Raleigh, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
53 p.
Geography
NFIRS; Emergency Response; Fire Station; Emergency; response time; NFIRS data

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Liu, Y. (2009). Assessing the Reliability of NFIRS Database in Exploring Emergency Response Route-Selection: Using the Fire Department of the City of Lebanon, Ohio as an Example [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1250045718

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Liu, Yin. Assessing the Reliability of NFIRS Database in Exploring Emergency Response Route-Selection: Using the Fire Department of the City of Lebanon, Ohio as an Example. 2009. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1250045718.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Liu, Yin. "Assessing the Reliability of NFIRS Database in Exploring Emergency Response Route-Selection: Using the Fire Department of the City of Lebanon, Ohio as an Example." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1250045718

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1250045718
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.