GIS method for characterizing fire flow capacity

There are numerous methods currently used to calculate required water flow rates for sprinklered and non-sprinklered buildings. The aim of this study is provide a flexible automated procedure for indentifying locations lacking adequate fire flow. To accomplish this objective, this research uses a GIS procedure to determine the spatial relationships between fire hydrants and historical fire incidences, and integrates the recommended hydrant spacing and building type specifications from the International Fire Code. This method was tested in two communities in eastcentral Michigan, USA. The results indicate an ability to define clusters of fires, determine the availability of hydrants, and assess the suitability of the available fire flow, including areas of potential extra capacity. Using these same data, additional GIS analyses can optimize hydrant location, ascertain the frequencies of different categories of fires, and identify the patterns of building types prone to fires.