Location selection of fire stations with fuzzy logic and analysis hierarchy (AHP) in a location-based environment (case study of one urban area of ??Bandar Abbas)

Dissertation for Master's Degree in the field of

Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System

Abstract

Optimum distribution and location of fire stations is very important due to the increasing importance and attention to the issue of safety in cities and providing measures in the field of preventing and dealing with fires and accidents. Urban planning has a significant contribution in reducing human and financial losses and ensuring safety for citizens in the long term through the establishment of relevant standards and regulations. The most important problem in the service of fire stations in Bandar Abbas region is the insufficient number of existing stations and their limited functional radius; Therefore, the quantitative and qualitative distribution of the stations is examined scientifically and professionally. The indicators mentioned in the present research, in the order of priority, include proximity to parameters (communication network - population density - commercial centers - industrial centers - educational centers - administrative centers - medical centers) and distance from functional coverage, the effect of each of which is presented in relation to location selection in the form of a map in the GIS environment. Information layers were created in the ArcGIS environment and the results of the integration of the information layers, the best places for creating fire stations in the area of ??a municipality of Bandar Abbas have been introduced. In this research, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to estimate the relative importance of each parameter. For this purpose, based on experts' opinions, pairwise comparisons between criteria were done. Then, the inconsistency values ??of the judgments were calculated, and an acceptable level of 0.06 was obtained. After determining the weights of the criteria, the information layers were fuzzified in the GIS environment, and by analyzing and overlapping the weighted fuzzy layers, the final map of the location of fire stations was prepared. The results showed that the stations in the area were placed with priority. The priority areas for establishing fire stations include parts of the northeast, northwest, west, and south of region one. The southern and northwestern parts are within the functional radius of the existing stations, but the western and northeastern regions of the region are outside the functional range of the stations. Therefore, there is a need to build two new stations in these areas in order to functionally cover the entire area. Finally, using the Google Earth environment and field visits, a number of places with appropriate dimensions in the northeast and west of Region 1 have been introduced as proposed locations for the construction of a new station.

Keywords: fire stations, GIS, fuzzy logic, hierarchical analysis (AHP), Region 1 of Bandar Abbas Municipality

1-1.  

The planning process is an attempt to create a suitable framework through which the planner can act to reach the optimal solution (Lee [1], 1973). The establishment of each urban element in a specific physical-spatial position of the city is subject to certain principles, rules and mechanisms that, if followed, will lead to the success and functional efficiency of that element in the same specific place, otherwise problems may arise (Shehabian, 2016). Optimal distribution of users and service centers is a problem that planners often deal with. Because due to the rapid growth of the population and the size of the cities, problems such as the lack and lack of suitable spatial distribution of uses have arisen (Ahdanjad[2], 2016). Among the uses and services available in the city, the distribution and optimal location of fire stations is of considerable importance due to the increasing importance and attention to safety in cities and providing measures in the field of preventing and dealing with fire and accidents. Undoubtedly, among all the available methods to prevent and reduce casualties and damages caused by fires in urban areas, urban planning through the establishment of relevant standards and rules and regulations can make a significant contribution to reducing life and financial losses and providing safety for citizens in the long term. tissues, relief operations should be carried out on time (Pour Eskandari, 2010). The general policy of creating fire stations in Iran has been a policy without a specific and codified plan. In such a way that the most important principle for establishing any station in the city limits is the land being empty, without its owner or other factors due to which the land should have no value.In such a way that the most important principle for establishing any station in urban areas is the empty land, without its owner, or other factors according to which the land should have no value, which has influenced the location of fire stations in cities (Imani Jajermi, 1375).

1-2. Statement of the problem

Today, the excessive population density in the city and their growing trend from a physical point of view has caused an increasing demand and attention to the issue of urban development. The demand for urban development is one of the most important problems and obstacles facing humanity in the future; Therefore, to solve these problems and obstacles, the safety system of the city should be developed in the same direction so that it can have sufficient coverage over the entire city. In fact, city safety is a set of measures to prevent or reduce damages caused by unfavorable life and financial effects, natural and unnatural events such as floods, fires, earthquakes, traffic accidents, etc. It takes place (Ezri [3], 2007).

The use of fire stations is one of the basic uses in cities, and its optimal location will lead to the safety and well-being of citizens. Paying only attention to the construction and deployment of fire stations in terms of quantity and not paying attention to nearby uses and other important factors in locating them will reduce the efficiency of the station in terms of providing timely aid. In addition to the issues mentioned in relation to the lack of fire stations, incorrect location and lack of coordination with the urban fabric and appearance are common issues and issues of many Iranian cities. Therefore, the most important problem in providing services to the fire stations in Bandar Abbas region is the lack of proper distribution of the stations and the limited functional radius of the existing stations; Therefore, the quantitative and qualitative distribution of the stations is examined scientifically and professionally. Using traditional methods of planning fire stations for service means waste of paper and time; But today, the use of the geographic information system serves as a tool to create a suitable and efficient database (Hoverton[4], 2006).

Choosing the location of fire stations requires several criteria such as the traffic network, proximity to population densities, proximity to main roads, proximity to commercial, educational, administrative, medical centers, etc. In the Hierarchical Analysis Process model, the pairwise comparison method is used to weight the criteria. In this way, the decision makers only compare the criteria and sub-criteria of each parameter two by two, and there is no need to weight all the criteria at the same time. In this method, all parameters are not compared at once and the criteria are compared two by two, as a result, weighting is done more accurately. In addition, these criteria should be mechanized and in the form of integrated maps and a database connected to the map. Therefore, a powerful tool for data preparation and analysis is needed, the most important and appropriate of which is the Geographical Information System (GIS). Until now, the location priorities based on the model for the establishment of fire stations in an urban area of ??Bandar Abbas have not been determined; Therefore, the capability of the geographic information system and multi-criteria decision-making methods in managing spatial information and creating a suitable platform for decision-making has attracted a lot of attention in operations such as location priority of fire stations. This study intends to present a practical example of the application of this tool to determine the appropriate locations of fire stations according to the needs of the people of Bandar Abbas urban area; Therefore, the main questions of the present research are as follows:

Research questions:

Is the number of fire stations in the urban area of ??Bandar Abbas sufficient?

Are the existing fire stations in the urban area of ??Bandar Abbas according to city standards?

1-3. Importance and necessity of research

Among the uses and services available in the city, the distribution and optimal location of fire stations is of considerable importance due to the increasing importance and attention to the issue of safety in cities and the provision of measures in the field of preventing and dealing with fire and accidents. Undoubtedly, among all the available methods to prevent and reduce casualties and damages caused by fires in urban areas, urban planning through the establishment of relevant standards and rules and regulations can make a significant contribution to reducing human and financial losses and providing safety for citizens in the long term.