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Data Processing
Data Processing running a list of hydrants inspected. | In the past fire station sites were chosen based on how far a horse could run at top speed pulling a fire wagon. Today with the use of a computer fire stations in Wichita are located by using critera such as, street networks, potential hazards, city growth patterns, speeds of apparatus, demand on resources and traffic conditions.
The computer also assists firefighters in code enforcement inspections of commercial buildings by scheduling businesses due for inspection, recording hazardous conditions and fire code violations and by maintaining updated information on all buildings pertinent to firefighting operations. A similar system is used for the inspection and maintenance of fire hydrants. Utilitizing the U.S. Census Bureau's files the geographical location of all buildings and hydrants are stored in the computer. The Inspection System is also used to maintain a list of some 400 Invalids. A dispatcher can check the location of an alarm and notify the firefighters enroute if the system indicates an invalid lives at that address.
The Uniform Fire Incident Reporting System (UFIRS) is another computerized system used by the Wichita Fire Department that plays an important role in the decision making process at both the local and national levels. Data is collected by fire officers at the scene of each incident. This data is entered in the computer and various management reports are produced. Each year the National Fire Data Center is sent a copy of the UFIRS Data Tape. Other cities computer tapes are merged with Wichita's thus enabling the fire problem to be analyzed at the national level.
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