Safety analysis and prioritization of urban areas in order to allocate urban relief service centers (Case study: Ardabil city)

Subject Areas :

SEPIDEH NOORI ¹ (Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Faculty of Social Sciences, , University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran)
Alireza Mohammadi ² (Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, , University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran)
ATA ghafarigilandeh ³ (Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili)

Received: 2021-11-16 Accepted : 2022-01-25 Published : 2024-02-20

Keywords: GIS, Spatial analysis, Ardabil city, Fuzzy Topsis, Fire Stations,

Abstract :

Today, fires represent a significant hazard stemming from both natural occurrences and human activities, presenting multifaceted challenges across urban settings. Fire stations emerge as pivotal service hubs within cities, necessitating strategic placement to ensure timely and dependable response, unimpeded by urban constraints. This study endeavors to devise a suitable model for the establishment and distribution of fire stations in Ardabil city. The research methodology is predominantly descriptive-analytical, employing a combination of documentary studies, library research, and field surveys for data collection. The Moran index is utilized to assess the distribution pattern of existing fire stations, while the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method, facilitated by Super Decisions software, is employed to weigh 16 criteria determining optimal station locations. Subsequently, the Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (Fuzzy TOPSIS) model, within the ArcGIS software framework, is utilized to identify suitable zones for new fire station placement. Findings reveal gaps in coverage by existing stations concerning functional radius and population density, indicating a need for 11 additional stations to adequately serve Ardabil's population of 516,277. The Moran index underscores the randomness of the current station distribution pattern. Ultimately, the study delineates suitable areas for new station deployment across five distinct levels on a map. This research serves as a valuable resource for crisis management in Ardabil, offering insights into the current state and distribution pattern of fire stations, as well as delineating areas for new station establishment.    
Extended Abstract
 
 
Introduction
 
At present and in the future, ensuring safety in life is essential for human beings. Fire stations are one of the most important and vital centers for providing security in the city in critical situations. Fire stations can provide their services in a timely and safe manner if they are located in suitable places and can reach the accident site in the shortest time and without facing obstacles and limitations of the urban environment. The most important problem in servicing these centers is the lack of proper distribution of stations and the limited operating radius of existing stations. This has also been true of locating fire stations in the city of Ardabil; and every year, many people lose their lives and property due to various accidents, including fires. It is involved in the spatial distribution of municipal services, including fire stations. As 7 fire stations in the city are not able to serve the whole city. Therefore, in this research, spatial distribution and suitable zones for locating fire stations in Ardabil city are done using Fuzzy Topsis model in GIS software.
 
Methodology
Stations in Ardabil by the end of 1399 were extracted from the official statistics of the fire department and transferred to the GIS environment and the necessary analyzes were performed using spatial statistical techniques. By determining the status of existing stations and research objectives, we have identified suitable areas for locating fire stations. In general, the location selection process in this research can be expressed in four general parts: 1. determining the study area, 2. Determining the evaluation or decision criteria, 3. determining the weight of the criteria, and 4. Weight and overlapping criteria maps. Accordingly, after selecting the study area, the criteria affecting the location of fire stations were selected from different sources and in the next step, the criteria were weighted based on the opinions of experts using the network analysis method in Super Design software. After determining the weight of the selected criteria, using the Fuzzy Topsis model in the GIS software environment, the criteria were evaluated and finally, a combination map of the criteria that showed the best place to build a fire station was extracted.
Results and discussion
This study achieved its main goal, which was to determine the appropriate locations for the location of new fire stations. However, in order to complete the issue in the next step, based on the appropriate zones for locating fire stations, suggested sites for constructing new fire stations have been proposed. According to the population of Ardabil and the standard of one fire station for every thousand people, 4 fire stations are required for the city. In this research, in order of priority and based on the set of research criteria, stations in the priority of location selection are marked with numbers. There is no certainty in choosing the location of new stations and it depends on economic conditions, managerial decision making, traffic conditions, budget and facilities of municipalities and other dynamic and difficult conditions in terms of forecasting. In the proposal of new stations, attention has been paid to building density and highway network. The proposed stations cover the city well. The obtained results are in line with the findings of Nazari et al. (2015), based on the need of the city to create new stations. It also confirms the results of Warsi et al. (2015) that the number of available stations is not enough to cover the entire city. Moreover, the results of this study are consistent with the findings of Noheghar et al. Except for these cases, the results of the paper are based on Murray (2013) findings that the existing stations are located in an inappropriate position. And is consistent with the results of Janek (2013) on the need to use new methods and especially the new scientific and executive approach to the problems of fire stations in the city.
 
Conclusion
One of the most important factors influencing the construction of fire stations is the location, and determining the optimal location maximizes the efficiency of fire stations and provides better services to users. With this in mind, fire stations should be properly located throughout the city. In this research, in the first step, the status and distribution pattern of existing fire stations in Ardebil city were analyzed using spatial analysis techniques in GIS environment. The results showed that fire stations do not completely cover all areas of the city and only cover part of the city of Ardabil and part of the east and west and the suburbs of the city are outside this radius of operation. In the second step, the pattern of distribution of existing stations was analyzed and the results showed that the pattern of distribution of stations in the city is random. Due to the need of the city for new stations or their spatial rearrangement, in the third step, suitable locations for the location of new fire stations were identified using the main criteria affecting the location

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