GIS-based emergency response planning in a Mexico-U.S. border community

Recent public interest in the environmental problems faced by communities in the Mexico/U.S. border region has led to increased efforts to assess technological hazards and emergency response capabilities. This research explores the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to evaluate emergency response capabilities relative to risk zones in Nogales, Sonora and Nogales, Arizona. The GIS allows capability assessment at a detailed level of spatial resolution, allowing planners to identify areas in the community with inadequate emergency-response facilities. Civilian evacuation scenarios, based on simulated hazardous material releases, identify network bottlenecks and other vulnerabilities. Finally, GIS allows easy visualization of these problems, thus aiding planners in identifying areas for improving emergency capabilities.