Mapping of Areas Presenting Specific Risks to Firefighters due to Buried Technical Networks

Vehicles or freight cars on fire below a bridge or inside a tunnel are exceptional events and imply difficult intervention conditions for firefighters. A buried technical network like high voltage electricity line, gas or steam pipeline around such a fire causes additional specifics risks. Vulnerability areas for firefighters are defined as zones where both factors exist: a difficult incident area like tunnels or bridges over roads/railway lines – together with a specific risk like buried networks. These areas require intervention teams with specific emergency response capabilities. The present paper proposes a method developed for the Paris Fire Brigade for vulnerability mapping. Results aim at being used by their decision support system dedicated to the mobilization of intervention teams. On the long term, it could improve the allocation of specific responses capabilities intervention teams as soon as the emergency call is treated. Results are debated from an operational point of view.