Understanding the Present and Designing the Future of Risk Prediction IT in Fire Departments
An NSF-funded research project investigating how fire departments identify, translate, and manage risks – and how data-intensive technologies can transform emergency services.
What We Do
Fire departments across the U.S. are facing a growing challenge: 911 calls keep rising while budgets stay flat. Our project studies how fire personnel do risk work – the practices through which they assess, manage, and mitigate potential harms – and how emerging technologies can support this work responsibly.
Our Approach
Understand
- Ethnographic fieldwork in fire departments
- Document current risk work practices
- Map data resources and workflows
Co-Design
- Collaborate with fire department partners
- Prototype data-intensive tools
- Iterate on sociotechnical practices
Evaluate
- Gather broad feedback from EMS personnel
- Test prototypes at national conferences
- Assess impact on future visions
Why It Matters
Emergency services are at an inflection point. New data tools offer enormous potential to prevent emergencies before they happen – like connecting opioid overdose patients to treatment to prevent recurrence. But these tools must be designed carefully to avoid unintended consequences for workers, work practices, and the communities they serve.
