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more refined view of risk for this area . Value is determined by standard inventory types such as inhabited places or timberlands . The Mapping Services Section for the Ventura County Fire Protection Agency, managed by Jim Kniss , has integrated GPS data with GIS to rapidly get crucial information info the hands of incident commanders . The agency has created a series of custom ArcView GIS extensions that import GPS data gathered by flying the perimeter of the fire and use standard Incident Command System symbology . These standard extensions can generate an initial attack map within 30 minutes of acquiring the incident data . The Mapping Services Section , which is responsible for all mapping products and services , also generates emergency response map books for all fire companies and cooperating agencies , wall maps for each fire station , and special tactical maps . Tactical response planning in an urban setting requires -, street network data , information on hazardous materials locations , and prefire survey information such as floor plans or hydrant location and capacity data . The Winston-Salem Fire Department in North Carolina implemented a system that uses ruggedized PCs mounted on emergency vehicles that run a custom GIS application built using MapObjecfs and NetEngine . The application ' displays a map showing the optimal route to the emergency . This route can be instantly modified to take into account streets that are blocked . The application also provides information on all available fire hydrants, any known hazardous materials in the area , the locations of special needs populations, and other pertinent information . A touch screen lets firefighters pan and zoom on the map and use icons that link the GIS application to additional information such as floor plans , diagrams , or other prefire survey information . Developing Mitigation Procedures Determining where and how much vegetation must be cleared around structures and developing appropriate construction material standards are just two methods for mitigating the effects of fires . The City of Laguna Beach , California , has used GIS to pursue both policies . In 1993, a fire driven by high wind conditions caused extensive damage to the City and resulted in the loss of 286 homes . The City has used GIS to help rebuild the portions of the community that were destroyed in the fire . GIS proved so useful that if has been adopted as a tool to improve City operations . As a result of the 1993 fire , Laguna Beach extensively updated the safety element in the General Plan . The availability of mapping , aerial photographs , and analysis tools in GIS helped speed and improve the revision process . The new safety element includes an emergency routing program and fuel modification specifications and requires an emergency preparedness plan that is updated on an annual basis. Zoning Analyst , a custom ArcView GIS extension developed by ESRI business partner Geographic Information Services , Inc ., assists planners in providing public information , processing cases , generating public notification letters, and producing maps . Better Policies Not only is GIS used to develop and implement fire mitigation policies for local governments , but it can also help improve the policies and practices of fire agencies . Using GIS to model the terrain , path of the fire, weather conditions, and personnel movements during a fire incident illustrates the interaction of these factors in a way that is impossible with written reports . 49 GIS Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan Chapter 1 - Departmental GIS Needs Assessment