The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) actively use GIS analysis for the following:

• Risk Analysis
• Response Mapping
• Decision Making
• Spatial Planning
• Apparatus Deployment
• Station Relocation

To collect the risk data the team use basic on-paper mapping techniques to classify areas by risk as a function of concentration and distribution. Another form of analysis they use is the identification of proximity loss where incidents are a function of structures in close proximity to one another. This analysis lead to the identification of roads that are too narrow for fire trucks and where the buildings have a high fire risk due to proximity.

By mapping out the locations of oil and gas stations and hydrants, the team have a better understanding of where to situate apparatus and fire stations. Furthermore it is possible to apply a temporal element by analysing the distribution of historical fire incidents. Call and drive fire and medical response times were also mapped out across the city. Fire location analysis can be used alongside potential explanatory variables like population growth and annex lands, and number of firefighters likely to arrive on scene.

These analyses together can help in the proposal of new fire station locations to ensure service provisions to communities based on need from growth and the results of the gap analysis. Indeed, this was implemented to created a new station in northwest Calgary that fulfilled a number of locational requirements.