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Governments often plan multiple fire stations simultaneously to improve firefighting capabilities, but constructing them within limited resources and time remains a challenge. A spatial decision support model is proposed in this study to determine the prioritized construction sequence of urban fire stations. Two simulation environments were established: one with only existing fire stations and another with both existing and proposed stations as fire service supply points (FSSPs). Response times were simulated using real-time traffic data. The construction urgency of the proposed fire stations was assessed using the construction sequence scoring equation. To validate the model, a case study of Shaoyang City, China, was conducted. A total of 30,968 fire service demand points were gathered, with 20 existing fire stations and 13 proposed fire stations designated as FSSPs. Twenty-five evaluation scenarios were established, resulting in 1,297,025 valid simulation results. The scoring results revealed a maximum score of 119,320, a minimum of 23,420, and an average of 61,412. Based on these results, recommendations for the construction sequence of proposed fire stations in Shaoyang City were made, and the improvements in fire protection levels were calculated. By prioritizing the construction of higher-performance fire stations, this model maximizes resource efficiency and enhances public safety.

Platoon leaders in the fire services are responsible not only for firefighting and rescue operations but also for a wide range of administrative and managerial duties (for example, personnel supervision). However, existing competency models and guidelines for fire service leaders often fail to account for the dual role these leaders play—balancing frontline operational demands with organizational and personnel-related responsibilities. To identify the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) we first conducted 25 in-depth, semistructured interviews with active platoon leaders applying the critical incident technique. The analysis of behavioral anchors derived from the interviews resulted in 38 highly-specific competences. We collapsed this initial list of competences into a more streamlined model of 21 competences to increase its applicability for fire services. Survey data from a follow-up study with N = 601 firefighter leaders confirmed the importance of the final model’s competences. In addition, to account for a continuously changing firefighting environment, we asked participants to rate the future importance of competences in a five-year scope and identify potential future challenges for platoon leaders within the same time frame. Our research provides valuable insights into the wide-ranging requirements of dual-role leaders in high-reliability contexts by addressing both operational and managerial competences. Implications for fire services, their official guidelines, and the potential benefits of incorporating the competency model into selection and development processes are discussed.

The measurement of spatial accessibility of fire services is a key task in enhancing fire response efficiency and minimizing property losses and deaths. Recently, the two-step floating catchment area method and its modified versions have been widely applied. However, the circle catchment areas used in these methods are not suitable for measuring the accessibility of fire services because each fire station is often responsible for the fire incidents within its coverage. Meanwhile, most existing methods take the demographic data and their centroids of residential areas as the demands and locations, respectively, which makes it difficult to reflect the actual demands and locations of fire services. Thus, this paper proposes a fixed-coverage-based two-step floating catchment area (FC2SFCA) method that takes the fixed service coverage of fire stations as the catchment area and the locations and dispatched fire engines of historical fire incidents as the demand location and size, respectively, to measure the spatial accessibility of fire services. Using a case study area in Nanjing, China, the proposed FC2SFCA and enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) are employed to measure and compare the spatial accessibility of fire incidents and fire stations. The results show that (1) the spatial accessibility across Nanjing, China is unbalanced, with relatively high spatial accessibility in the areas around fire stations and the southwest and northeast at the city center area and relatively low spatial accessibility in the periphery and boundary of the service coverage areas and the core of the city center; (2) compared with E2SFCA, FC2SFCA is less influenced by other fire stations and provides greater actual fire service accessibility; (3) the spatial accessibility of fire services is more strongly affected by the number of fire incidents than firefighting capabilities, the area of service coverage, or the average number of crossroads (per kilometer). Suggestions are then made to improve the overall spatial access to fire services.

Volunteer firefighters play an important role in the provision of emergency services in Slovenia, where most of firefighters work on a voluntary basis. In many countries, however, volunteering is in decline due to demographic, social and organisational constraints. To maintain this important function, it is important to understand the motivations that drive individuals to join and stay in the volunteer fire service. This study examines the motivational factors that influence Slovenian volunteer firefighters, with a particular focus on fire service support, leadership practices and demographic differences. A quantitative survey was conducted among 244 volunteer firefighters from 22 fire brigades. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, Spearman’s rank correlation and binary logistic regression. The results show that many volunteer firefighters are motivated by the challenge of working under stress and in situations of controlled risk. However, this motivation decreases with age, as older members show less interest in adrenaline-driven tasks. Men show a greater preference for action-oriented tasks, including emergency response, equipment handling and physical engagement. In contrast, women place slightly more emphasis on social connections within the brigade. Volunteers who feel included in decision-making processes and experience cooperative, participative leadership are more likely to remain engaged. Those who are motivated by physical activity are more likely to stay, while those who are primarily motivated by social recognition or status are more likely to leave. These findings contribute to the literature on volunteering in high-risk contexts. Tailored recruitment and retention strategies that take into account age, gender and leadership dynamics can help fire services build more engaged and sustainable volunteer teams.

Inefficient and ineffective fire management practices are common to most urban areas of developing countries. Nigerian cities are typical examples of high vulnerability and low preparedness level for fire disaster. This study examined the institutional framework for fire disaster risk reduction (FDRR) and explored the roles of key actors in fire disaster preparedness in Ibadan, a large traditional city in Nigeria. The study was anchored on the concept of urban governance. A case study research design was adopted using primary and secondary data. Primary data were obtained through field observation aided by a structured checklist and key informant interview. Interviews were conducted on key officials of the major organs for FDRR—Oyo State Fire Service (OSFS) and Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA). The study identified a disjointed and fragmented approach to fire management. Matters relating to fire risk reduction and disaster recovery were domiciled under the OYSEMA, while emergency response to fire disasters was the prerogative of the OSFS. The results show that only five out of 11 local government areas had public fire stations; only three fire stations had an on-site water supply; three fire stations lacked firefighting vehicles; and distribution of fire stations and facilities was uneven. Two fire stations responded to 80% of all fire cases in 12 years. The study concluded that the institutional structure and resources for fire risk reduction was more empowered to respond to fire disaster, rather than facilitating preparedness capacity to reduce disaster risk.

The ability of the fire service to save lives in building fires has a profound impact on planning. However, very little empirical data are available on how different factors affect this capability—or even how many that are rescued annually. The current paper aims to partly fill this gap with an assessment of all rescues performed by the fire departments in Sweden during 2017. A combination of incident reports and a large number of post-event interviews yielded a total of 51 rescues (to be compared to 88 fatalities) during that year, which show that the fire service has a great potential to reduce the number of fire fatalities. In these cases, the call to the dispatcher most frequently came from a neighbor (55%) or the victim (26%). The rescue was in 71% of the cases performed with interior attack with a breathing apparatus. The cases were also compared with fatal fires revealing that the odds of successful rescue increased, for example, if the fire occurred in an apartment building or if the response time was short. The joint data set of rescues and fatal fires was used to develop a methodology to calculate the probability of successful rescue depending on the capability of the fire service. This methodology provides the first fully empirical method for organizing the fire service in relation to saving lives in fires. A similar approach should be pursued for other accident types and consolidated for an evidence based assessment of the capability of the fire service.

Background Emergency service vehicle crashes (ESVCs) are a leading cause of death in the United States fire service. Risk management (RM) is a proactive process for identifying occupational risks and reducing hazards and unwanted events through an iterative process of scoping hazards, risk assessment, and implementing controls. We describe the process, outputs, and lessons learned from the application of a proactive RM process to reduce ESVCs in US fire departments. Methods Three fire departments representative of urban, suburban, and rural geographies, participated in a facilitated RM process delivered through focus groups and stakeholder discussion. Crash reports from department databases were reviewed to characterize the context, circumstances, hazards and risks of ESVCs. Identified risks were ranked using a risk matrix that considered risk likelihood and severity. Department-specific control measures were selected based on group consensus. Interviews, and focus groups were used to assess acceptability and utility of the RM process and perceived facilitators and barriers of implementation. Results Three to six RM meetings were conducted at each fire department. There were 7.4 crashes per 100 personnel in the urban department and 10.5 per 100 personnel in the suburban department; the rural department experienced zero crashes. All departments identified emergency response, backing, on scene struck by, driver distraction, vehicle/road visibility, and driver training as high or medium concerns. Additional high priority risks varied by department; the urban department prioritized turning and rear ending crashes; the suburban firefighters prioritized inclement weather/road environment and low visibility related crashes; and the rural volunteer fire department prioritized exiting station, vehicle failure, and inclement weather/road environment related incidents. Selected controls included new policies and standard operating procedures to reduce emergency response, cameras to enhance driver visibility while backing, and increased training frequency and enhanced training. The RM process was generally acceptable to department participants and considered useful. All departments reported that the focused and systematic analysis of crashes was particularly helpful. Implementation of controls was a commonly cited challenge. Conclusions Proactive RM of ESVCs in three US fire departments was positively received and supported the establishment of interventions tailored to each department’s needs and priorities.

Cel: The aim of the article is to analyse the recording of false alarm cases using the Decision Support System of the State Fire Service (SWD PSP) in terms of certain requirements for a firefighter creating information from an incident. The cases under consideration belong to one of the types of incidents involving fire protection units. Wprowadzenie: Since 1993, when PSP began recording incidents using a database system, the scope of information on false alarms has not changed. To this day, in the incident sheet constituting Annex No. 5 to the regulation on the detailed organization of the national rescue and firefighting system, there is no false alarm as a separate type of incident apart from fire and local emergency. A detailed analysis of the data on false alarms was created in connection with the need to prepare a speech by representatives of KG PSP during a scientific conference organized by CNBOP-PIB entitled “False alarms generated by fire alarm systems”. The authors did not limit themselves to the analysis of alarms from detection installations, and the material was expanded to include a spatial analysis of the occurrence of such events. Metodologia: The results of the authors’ own analyses performed on the basis of data collected in SWD PSP and software from the geographic information systems (GIS) were used. In their deliberations, the authors also relied on years of experience in creating and revising the rules for recording incidents in SWD PSP and building a new information system for fire protection units. Wyniki: Zakres danych gromadzonych przez PSP w zakresie alarmów fałszywych jest niewystarczający do przeprowadzenia dokładnych i wnikliwych analiz, w szczególności w zakresie przyczyn wystąpienia, szczegółowych informacji o obiekcie (miejscu zdarzenia) oraz wyposażeniu budynków w systemy sygnalizacji pożarowej oraz inne ułatwiające lub utrudniające prowadzenie działań jednostkom ochrony przeciwpożarowej. Istnieje pilna potrzeba rozbudowania minimalnego zakresu danych niezbędnych do ewidencjonowania w bazach danych PSP. Przedstawione wyniki analiz wskazują również na niedostateczne rozgraniczenie pomiędzy miejscowym zagrożeniem a alarmem fałszywym. Najbliższa nowelizacja zasad ewidencjonowania zdarzeń ma zawierać zapisy, które powinny poprawić jakość danych. Dokładniejsza analiza będzie jednak możliwa dopiero po wdrożeniu nowobudowanego SWD PSP, uwzględniającego między innymi moduł operacyjnego katalogu obiektów. Wnioski: The scope of data collected by PSP on false alarms is insufficient to carry out accurate and thorough analyses, particularly with regard to the causes of occurrence, detailed information about the facility (site of the incident) and the equipment of buildings with fire alarm systems and others that facilitate or hinder the activities of fire protection units. There is an urgent need to expand the minimum scope of data needed to be recorded in PSP databases. The presented analytical results also indicate that there is insufficient distinction between a local emergency and a false alarm. The upcoming revision of the rules for recording events is expected to include provisions that should improve the quality of data. However, a more detailed analysis will be possible only after the implementation of the newly built SWD PSP, including, among other things, an operational module of the object catalogue. Słowa kluczowe: false alarm, Decision Support System of the State Fire Service, principles of recording incidents, State Fire Service, spatial analysis

Aim: The aim of the article is to present the method of dispatching the units of the Volunteer Fire Service of the national rescue and firefighting system (OSP KSRG) to long-term rescue operations and to characterize the logistic protection of the units during such operations. The example of the 2010 floods in the Świętokrzyskie region was used as the basis for the analysis. Methodology: During the preparation of the article, the method of analysis was used to explore in more depth the issue of logistic protection of units in long-term rescue operations. A critical analysis of the literature on the subject proved important. Also used was a case study of the logistic protection of OSP KSRG units during the 2010 floods in the Świętokrzyskie region. Conclusions: OSP KSRG units involved in a long-term rescue operation do not have their own logistical facilities, additional equipment or stocks of propellants and grease in sufficient quantities. Therefore, there is a need to implement new solutions aimed at modifying the procedures for logistical security of OSP units participating in long-term rescue operations. The analysis of the case study showed that the autonomy of OSP KSRG units in long-term rescue operations should include securing basic supplies: water, food, liquid fuels and grease, as well as the ability to create their own welfare facilities, including their own sleeping bags, as and tents, field beds, blankets, which will allow firefighters to rest on an ad hoc basis during the action. The use by OSP units of logistic protection capabilities based on local field resources requires the development of guidelines and procedures for the use of the resources in question, as well as an indication of the type of services needed. During the development of rescue plans, entities providing specific logistic services to OSP units should be listed. Keywords: Volunteer Fire Service, State Fire Service, national rescue and firefighting system, logistic protection, action logistics, long-term rescue operations

PurposeThe rapid development of urban areas in Sleman District, Indonesia, has created new challenges for firefighting response services. One of the primary challenges is to identify the optimal locations for new fire stations, to improve service quality and maximize service coverage within the specified time.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposes a method for precisely calculating travel time that integrates delay time caused by traffic lights, intersections and congestion. The study highlights the importance of precise calculation of travel time in order to provide a more accurate understanding of the service area covered by the fire stations. The proposed method utilizes network analysis in ArcGIS, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and simple additive weighting (SAW) to accurately calculate travel time and to identify the best locations for new fire stations. The identification of new site was based on service safety, service quality, service costs and demographic factors and applied to the Sleman district in Indonesia.FindingsThe results showed that the total area covered by old and new fire stations decreased from 61% to 31.8% of the study area when the adjusted default speed scenario was implemented.Practical implicationsThe results indicated that the default speed scenario could provide misleading information about the service area, while the adjusted default speed scenario improved service quality and maximized service coverage.Originality/valueThe proposed method provides decision-makers with an effective tool to make informed decisions on optimal locations for new fire stations and thus enhance emergency response and public safety.