Influence of Climatic and Geographical Features of the Subjects of the Russian Federation on the Activities of Fire Departments

Abstract

Introduction. When determining the number and technical equipment of fire departments, regulatory documents on fire safety do not take into account natural, climatic and geographical features of the subjects of the Russian Federation in an explicit form. At the same time, there is some information in scientific literature about the influence of certain natural and climatic factors on the effectiveness of fire protection actions in extinguishing fires. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the system of natural, climatic and geographical characteristics of the subjects of the Russian Federation on the rapid response indicators of territorial fire departments. The results obtained are recommended for further use in rationing the number and technical equipment of fire departments.Materials and Methods. A factor analysis of statistical data for 2020–2022 was carried out. The statistical data were obtained from the Federal State Information System "Federal Database "Fires", from the website of the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation and from other sources. For the analysis, the authors selected ten indicators characterizing natural, climatic and geographical features of the subjects of the Russian Federation, two indicators of the rapid response of territorial fire departments and four indicators of the fire situation.Results. Five significant factors were identified, the change of which explained the change in the observed indicators. The first factor characterized the relationship of climatic conditions with fire situation indicators. The second factor connected the indicators of the rapid response of fire departments with the terrain features of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The third factor described the relationship between fire situation indicators and rapid response indicators with population density and forest cover of the territory. Other factors did not significantly contribute to the indicators of fire situation and rapid response.Discussion and Conclusion. By means of mathematical analysis and factor modeling, the authors investigated the interdependence of natural, climatic and geographical features of the subjects of the Russian Federation, fire situation indicators and indicators of rapid response of fire departments. The most significant factors influencing these indicators were identified. They included the average air temperature, the area covered by forest, the presence of mountain ranges, and population density. These indicators should be taken into account when determining the number and technical equipment of fire departments to increase the efficiency of their functioning.