Emergency Response Planning: A Framework to Assess Hydrant–Structure Access

Abstract

Accessibility between fire hydrants and buildings is paramount in emergency response, significantly influencing the efficiency and effectiveness of firefighting operations in the event of an incident. However, assessing this relationship within a geographic information system (GIS) framework presents challenges on two fronts. Obtaining the path avoiding building and parcel obstructions to hydrants is not trivial. Further, determining the furthest extent around a building exterior from hydrants is complicated, yet it is critically important given the spatial limitations of equipment reach. To assess furthest extent, an analytical framework is introduced based on the Euclidean shortest path problem. The proposed approach offers a comprehensive, automated GIS‐based methodology tailored to evaluate the dynamic relationship between hydrants and buildings. The developed methods are able to accurately and precisely identify the furthest point around a building structure from hydrant, facilitating risk assessment as well as fire code compliance. This enables a comprehensive evaluation of potential loss and structure vulnerability at property, street, neighborhood, and regional levels.