Term Paper on "Workings of Forest Fire Management Systems and Urban Fire Departments"

Term Paper 63 pages (17324 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Forest Fire Management Systems and Urban Fire Departments

Forest Fire Management Systems

New Technologies

Urban Fire Department

New Technologies

Descriptive Statistics

Suppression Costs for Federal Agencies. Source: National Interagency Fire

Appendix II Figure 2. The tactical priorities of structural firefighting operations

Appendix III Figure 3. Fire Fighter Average Salaries for 2002 (Full Time)

Discussion and Study of Forest Fire Management Systems and Urban Fire Departments

Fire is a destructive force whether it takes place in a the forest or urban setting. A fire of any size causes costly damage to the environment, personal property and even human life. This paper acts as a discussion and study of fire management systems for both the forest and urban style of fire fighting. By studying fire management systems, one can have a better understanding of how to construct better fire prevention and fire fighting strategies. This paper will also examine available technologies and training programs for fire organizations throughout the world. This will also include looking at various case studies and data pertaining to forest and structural fires. It will look to see if such technology and training influences fire fighting ability and success. The bottom line is in order for a fire fighting team to be successful, the must work like a well-oiled machine and this means utilizing fire management systems.

Chapter 1:

Introduction

1.1.Background

This paper will examine fire fighting and fire management systems as fire affects millions globally as a destructive force. It affects not only people, their personal property and belongings but it also affects a country's ecosystem and environments. This will project include looking at this topic from many angles in order to explore different types of fires and fire management systems specific to the type of fire being fought. In other words, it is easier to start this study by examining a broad view of the subject matter and then slowly determine the specifics of the focus of this work. This broad angle will include defining fire and the nature of destruction but also its implications globally. By defining fire one can better understand the force's far-reaching and long-term affects on different populations and discuss possible strategies in which to provide solutions to government agencies and firefighters in different areas of the world. This builds a framework from which one can begin to base specific conclusions.

Specifically, this course of study will investigate forest fire management systems and the technologies used to fight fires on this scale. This study will also investigate urban fire departments and the technologies used to fight fires where city populations are threatened. This investigation will include examining multi-national fire studies in hopes of determining the best course of action for each particular specialty. This will include a close study of different solutions or techniques of fire fighting available to each specialty. This will involve careful study of the management systems utilized. By focusing on technologies available in management systems, one hopes to determine that this technology plays a key role in success for the fire fighter in both environments. This paper will establish that the best strategy to combat and prevent the destruction of fire on both the forest and urban levels begins with training and knowledge of technology. This will promote efficiency in the field and offer fire fighters greater mobility. It would be interesting to see how these technologies coupled with training and team management, how both interventions pay a role in fire fighting in forests and urban settings influence the success rates. That, however, is not the focus of this study but the question remains, isn't it best to be flexible? This is where the International studies perused for this paper have offered a wealth of information that has varied greatly in focus. Still each study returned to the fact that a fire fighter's success rate is greatly affected by the training and technology available to his or her team.

Past experience has shown that the predominant causes of forest and land fires in the tropical region are human-induced fires. Most of the fires are used to dear a tract of land from unwanted vegetation trash and debris during the site preparation. Although fire uses for site preparation on a given piece of land are normally based on the locally existing standards and regulations, controlling an escaped fire that might lead to a large scale and devastating uncontrolled fire is not an easy task. Over the last two decades this situation has been exacerbated, as most tropical forests tend to become more susceptible to fire when a prolonged extreme dry weather known as El Nino occurs with a decreasing time interval.

In order to prevent the occurrence of fire catastrophes and reduce the adverse impacts of fires to forest resources and environment in the future a clear and appropriate policy and regulation on forest and land fire management is inevitable. They become a general guideline, laid down by the competent government agencies, in particular for both individuals and organizations whose activities may potentially cause an uncontrolled fire.

1.2.Statement of the Problem

The issue of fire destruction and fight fighting in both country and urban settings and likely forms of fire fighting technique such as use of GPS technology and early warning systems were assessed in this research to correlate with actual success rates found in different international studies.

As a result of this study, this research presented preliminary findings related to these fire management strategies and rather or not these strategies sustained a change in work style for the fire fighter and fire fighting teams. This study examined multiple international studies and surveys carried out by four countries: the United States, Canada, Indonesia and Switzerland. The study examined the nature of fire, its destruction and techniques in which to combat its spread in both wild and urban fires settings. Examination of differences in these types of settings and the success rates, that may exist, has been examined. The effects of the various factors contributing to fire and destruction were examined relative to how these factors act as variables in determining which technique of fire fighting works best for the specific setting.

1.2.1.Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to better understand fire and its destructive nature upon the forest and urban setting. This requires defining how fires come about, under which conditions and how fires work within these settings. A further purpose of this study is to take a look at fire management systems that are utilized within these two settings. By understanding each step of the fire management system used in each setting, one can better put into place a strategy for fighting the fire. Also another purpose of this study is to look at technologies and training available to fire fighters within these settings. It is also important to look at how these technologies are used and understood by the fire fighters and how this training may or may not influence the outcome of the fire, its path and resulting implications to the environment and community of the setting. This takes into account environmental implications for the ecosystem, its plants, fauna and animals that depend on a healthy balance. This also takes into account the social implications that may result when a fire destroys personal and public property alike.

1.2.2.Importance of the Study

The study of fire and fire management systems is important so that progress and innovation can be included as an elemental part of the fire fighting strategy for fire departments globally. It is also important to study fire and how it acts within different settings to get a better idea of which strategy works best depending on certain variables. This study is important so that one can see how fire impacts different settings but also how management of fire impacts the settings as well. It is important to understand every detail but also it is important to understand how the very action of fire fighting plays the greatest role. From a business stand point, understanding how fire works and the how technologies available to fire departments can influence the outcome of a fire, is important to research. Many government agencies need to understand how technology while expense can be a worthwhile investment in the overall quality of fire fighting service and response. Training, also is important to examine in conjunction with technology as both go hand in hand and supplement each other. In other words, all the technology can applied but will not be effective if not understand fully. This in the wrong hands, can lead to further destruction and catastrophe, even loss of life.

1.2.3.Scope of the Study

The setting types studied were forest and urban fire departments based on data from the international studies focusing a comparison between western case studies and Indonesian case study results currently available. These studies were divided into these two categories according to setting type. From that point, it was important to make note of different variables studied in each case. These variables include… READ MORE

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