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Geography can provide a framework for organizing <br /> data from many sources that relate to fire strategy i <br /> development. GIS, with its data integration and <br /> visualization capabilities that foster collaboration , is . ' <br /> the natural vehicle for an intraorganizational and <br /> interagency development of strategic plans . GIS <br /> improves fire response by centralizing data in many <br /> formats and from many sources and integrating it <br /> with other technologies such as GPS . This means <br /> current information is quickly delivered in an easy-to- <br /> grasp format. In addition , powerful modeling <br /> capabilities , available from the desktop as well as <br /> on workstations, let planners model what-if scenarios <br /> to test the soundness of strategies . Fire agencies <br /> b have exploited the power of GIS to their advantage <br /> in all types of settings . <br /> The Cedar City Interagency Fire Center ( CCIFC ) in Cedar City , Utah , dispatches fire <br /> personnel for a number of agencies including the Bureau of Land Management , the <br /> National Park Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs , <br /> and the State of Utah . When responding to a fire, - - 1 <br /> CCIFC dispatchers plot real-time GPS positions and <br /> reference them against the GIS , which contains % <br /> data on ownership ; roads ; wildlife habitats ; slope <br /> w classification ; fire fuels; zones of moderated <br /> • o <br /> suppression ; and other related themes that <br /> consolidate text , tabular, and other data 4 ` <br /> previously available only from wall maps, manuals , <br /> and separate databases . Now dispatchers need <br /> only query an area to obtain concise instructions <br /> on the constraints and objectives for the area in <br /> question . - - <br /> Making a Tactical Fire Plan <br /> With a strategic plan in place , a more effective tactical plan can be developed . By having <br /> information on the risk to an area coupled with an idea of the location of the most valuable <br /> resources in the area , fire management can determine how and where to allocate <br /> resources when a fire does occur. Prior to an event, management can organize fire <br /> prevention activities and position suppression resources where they will be most effective . <br /> This means fire prevention budgets are spent in the most beneficial manner and resources <br /> can be used in ways that maximize protection to fire personnel as well as lives , property , and <br /> natural resources . In a typical scenario involving multiple fires, the agency managing the <br /> event has to allocate resources between competing areas . However, by developing both <br /> strategic analysis and a tactical plan , prioritizing areas and allocating resources will be <br /> optimized . <br /> Improving Response <br /> Responding to a specific incident requires more information than strategic planning . The <br /> analysis of hazard , risk , and value is revisited in much more detail . In the case of wildfires, <br /> data on topography such as slope and aspect as well as vegetation , weather, <br /> transportation , and other factors are used to further assess the risk for on area . Data on <br /> previous fire occurrences coupled with land use patterns and management goals give a <br /> 48 <br /> GIS Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan Chapter I - Departmental GIS Needs Assessment <br />