Fire Station Staffing Simulation: An AI simulation solution for evaluating firefighter staffing levels

The Problem

Decision-makers needed evidence-based insights during a budget process to navigate financial constraints. The goal was to evaluate how proposed reductions in firefighter staffing levels would impact emergency response times, the number of calls affected, and neighborhood safety coverage across specific fire districts, ensuring public safety wasn't compromised.

The Solution

The team built a simulation model using several years of historical data from a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) archive. The model specifically simulated the cascading impact of reducing ladder staffing from four firefighters to two. It demonstrated how dispatching an additional pump to a primary fire event would create a chain reaction, leaving that pump unavailable for other simultaneous emergencies within its coverage area. Developed using open-source tools at no additional cost.

The Impact

The simulation served as an operational tool that provided leadership with data-driven insights. It allowed them to determine the feasibility of proposed staffing changes and balance budgetary realities with the understanding that firefighter safety not just public safety. Reduction in crew numbers can compromise their safety too.

Launch year: 2021