Analyzing the Spatial Distribution of Fuel Stations in Harare, Zimbabwe: Leveraging OpenStreetMap for Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation and Recovery.
Room: Tsavo Hall
Sunday, 11:30
Duration: 10 minutes (plus Q&A)
This event will not be recorded.
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- Kingsley Chika CHUKWU
Whether they are man-made or natural, disasters pose serious risks to communities all over the world. A comprehensive evaluation of gasoline station infrastructure is necessary to ensure public safety and reduce fire dangers. This research, which focuses on Harare, Zimbabwe, uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to examine building patterns and access building footprints, road networks, and public facilities using the OpenStreetMap Database. Fuel station mapping and dataset overlaying allow to define fire risk levels that are susceptible to fire hazards and identify danger zones. This study supports risk management, public safety, disaster preparedness, and mitigation initiatives in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Natural or man-made disasters pose serious risks to communities all over the world and frequently have dire repercussions, including the loss of life, destruction of property, and disruption of social order [1]. Fire occurrences are particularly dangerous among these calamities, especially when they include infrastructure such as gasoline stations [2]. The potential for large-scale fire catastrophes underscores the need of ensuring the safety of gasoline station infrastructure, as evidenced by occurrences documented in Zimbabwe [3]. Petroleum derivatives, such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and LPG, have the potential to ignite fires when handled improperly [4]. It is clear that a comprehensive fire danger assessment is necessary, which highlights the need for proactive fire management planning [4]. Between 1993 and 2004, there were around 243 fire-related incidents at fuel service stations worldwide that were recorded. it’s evident that these sites present significant risks Geospatial technology has become an invaluable instrument for disaster preparedness, response, and mitigation as a result of these issues [5]. By offering open data necessary for disaster response and mitigation, initiatives such as Humanitarian OpenStreetMap and the utilization of platforms similar to OpenStreetMap have made substantial progress in these efforts [6]. These systems ensure the availability of high-quality data for efficient mitigation measures and provide quick and open access to geospatial data, facilitating prompt disaster response activities [7]. The OpenStreetMap data consists of many datasets that use points, lines, polygons, and area attributes to represent real-world features. These databases include characteristics that are useful for study, mitigation, recovery, and preparedness for disasters. Through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, mapping into and querying the OpenStreetMap Database, this project seeks to overcome the difficulties presented by fire dangers, namely in gasoline station infrastructure. In order to identify danger zones and potential vulnerabilities, the research specifically aims to perform a thorough examination of building footprints, conventional construction standards, and public spaces such as marketplaces, parks, schools, hospitals, houses of worship, and road networks in Harare, Zimbabwe. Additionally, it seeks to map gas stations, obtain exact locations, and extract pertinent data from OpenStreetMap and other sources by utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) approaches. The study also aims to categorize areas at risk of fire danger according to a number of factors, such as proximity to fuel stations and the position of LPG filling stations according to Zimbabwean government rules and retail premises, as well as other factors identified through spatial analysis. Additionally, it seeks to offer practical suggestions and solutions for improving public safety and lessening the effects of fire disasters in Harare, Zimbabwe, offering insightful information for initiatives related to disaster preparation, mitigation, and recovery. to advance resilience and sustainable development in the area while also adding to the scientific understanding of the dangers of fire hazards related to gasoline stations. This study’s methodology combines spatial analytic methodologies, data extraction from OpenStreetMap and other sources, and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis. To fully comprehend the gaps that now exist, we will first start by gaining access to the data that is already available on the OpenStreetMap Database. The gasoline stations will then be mapped into the OpenStreetMap database, where pertinent data such as locations and infrastructure aspects will be recorded. This information will then be taken out of OpenStreetMap. The procedure involves extracting comprehensive information on the locations of buildings, roads, and public spaces including playgrounds, marketplaces, hospitals, and schools from the massive OpenStreetMap database. A thorough examination of the geographic distribution of filling stations, public buildings, and fire service stations will be done using a geographic information system. The objective of this research is to categorize areas at risk of fire hazards according to the Zimbabwean government’s standards for the placement of retail and LPG filling stations. These rules include factors such as the distance from fuel stations and other infrastructural concerns. To fully comprehend the spatial distribution of fuel stations in relation to fire stations, residential buildings, and public amenities like schools, hospitals, places of worship, markets, parks, and more, techniques like Euclidean, nearest neighborhood analysis, and geoprocessing analysis will be used. In order to do the study, the number of buildings in each of the four fire danger risk zones—very high, high, medium, and low risk—will be grouped and examined. In order to determine the number of structures in each of these designated zones, a query to the OpenStreetMap dataset will be made. This will yield important information on the possible effects of fire hazard events on different regions within the research area. This study seeks to give crucial information for risk and disaster management (preparedness, mitigation, and recovery) by undertaking a thorough investigation of fire hazard threats linked with petrol stations in Harare, Zimbabwe. By employing Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques and utilizing geospatial data from OpenStreetMap, the project aims to improve public safety, lessen the effects of fire disasters, and advance scientific knowledge of fire hazard hazards. Additionally, this study’s conclusions and suggestions aim to promote resilience and sustainable development in Harare and beyond.