Lab 7

For lab this week, I chose to analyze the relation of the Station Fire to nearby roads and hospitals.  Fires in the Los Angeles area often put whole communities at risk of destruction.  They also put people in danger.  During the Station Fire, two firefighters died and 11 people were injured.  Having knowledge of the highway system to get to the nearest hospitals would maximize the chance of survival for those severely injured.

("Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones & Tedmund D. "Ted" Hall were killed in the line of duty fighting the Station Fire.")

These firefighters gave their live in the line of duty when their truck plunged off a mountain road.  A key component to any nation is its infrastructure, particularly transportation.  Transportation is important in bringing water and firefighters in to fight the fire, as well as letting people safely evacuate the perilous area.  Thus, the placement of roads and highways are important resources for fighting fire and escaping it.

Fire is often thought of as dangerous catastrophe, as it can often burn and incinerate victims.  But that is not the only negative effect on health fires can have.  They can have other indirect effects as well.  For instance, the air quality could be significantly worsened by the fire as carbon monoxide and particulate matter fill the air.  Also, fires can facilitate the occurrence of mudslides in the area during the rainy season following a major fire.  Some of these hazards, in particular fires and mudslides, can obstruct the mode of transportation needed to get to the hospital.  That is why knowing where the nearest hospitals are and how to get there is important during emergencies. 

Smoke from the Station Fire can also be hazardous to health

Hospitals often play a pivotal role during times of disaster like fires or hurricanes.  Therefore, my map looks at the distance from the fire along major highways and freeways to nearby hospitals.  In the particular  case of the Station Fire, I examined the rough distance from the center of the fire to each hospital along major highway lines.  

In the chart at the bottom, I found the four closest hospitals and also noted UCLA's location.  These distances to the hospitals show that the fire was in a pretty remote area.  Therefore, it didn't harm too many people (although harming anyone is too many).  A lot of buildings were lost in the process of extinguishing the fire, though.  So hopefully, for next time, the roads are known so that the firefighters can optimize their safety and civilians can optimize their escape and ensure treatment if necessary.  

 

 

Hospital	Distance on Highways to Fire
VERDUGO HILLS HOSPITAL	3.9 Miles
GLENDALE ADVENTIST MEDICAL CENTER - WILSON TERRACE	6.5 Miles
HUNTINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL	8.1 Miles
ST. LUKE MEDICAL CENTER	10.9 Miles
LOS ANGELES COUNTY OLIVE VIEW-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER	19.5 Miles

References 

"Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones & Tedmund D. "Ted" Hall were killed in the line of duty fighting the

Station Fire.." Web. 23 Nov 2010. <http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-picture-firefighters-   killed,0,453570.photo>.

 "How Forest Fires Affect Air Quality." British Columbia: The Best Place on Earth. KTLA, n.d. Web. <http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/topics/forest-fires-air-quality.html>. 

"Image" <http://www.examiner.com/wildfire-in-national/firefighters-make-progress-on-station-fire>.

"Report: Number of Firefighters Reduced Before Station Fire." KTLA: 02 10 2009. Web. 23 Nov 2010. <http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-angeles-fire,0,4969494,full.story>.

"Sudden Downpour Triggers Mudslides in Burn Areas." KTLA 5. KTLA, 13 11 2009. Web. 23 Nov 2010. <http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-la-canada-mudslide,0,3855382.story>.