HomeMy WebLinkAboutFire_Map_Book_FinalFire Map Book
City of Bozeman GIS Department
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Project Background: When emergencies occur, the
Bozeman Police and Fire Departments rely heavily
on accurate location data to guide them to the scene.
The City of Bozeman has invested heavily in its 911
system to ensure response times are consistent across
the city and exceed national standards. Once in route
to an emergency, crews must make split second
decisions to account for traffic jams, construction
closures, and environmental factors. Once on sight,
crews must work quickly to identify the specific
business, house, condo, or townhouse in which the emergency is occurring. Often this location process
can be complicated and tick precious seconds off the clock. To alleviate this wasted time, the City of
Bozeman’s GIS and Fire Departments, along with Montana State University, has teamed up to map
densely populated areas throughout Bozeman. Through an effort that has been occurring for over 10
years, students have mapped hundreds of building footprints, addresses, electrical boxes, and gas valves
that have been compiled into 183 page fire map books which are used daily.
Current Work: The City of Bozeman maintains data necessary for the fire map book every year. Each
fall, roughly 10 students take part in the project and GPS additional areas that require further detail. This
information is then compiled into books that sit in emergency response vehicles to ensure the most recent
data is available when someone dials 911.
Future Goals: This program has been recognized by multiple awards since its start including the 2005
International Association of Fire Chiefs Award for Excellence and the 2013 Montana State University
Presidents Award of Excellence in Service Learning. Through continued collaboration with Montana
State University, the City of Bozeman’s GIS department plans to maintain this programs incredible
success into the future with the continued goal of saving lives and making Bozeman a safer community.
Additional Resources: Click the link to view the current fire map book -
http://weblink.bozeman.net/weblink8/0/doc/60437/Electronic.
aspx Contact Information: For more information about this project, emergency response, or the City of Bozeman’s GIS Department please contact: Jon Henderson
GIS Manager
City of Bozeman jhenderson@bozeman.net
(406)582-2250