London Blue Light Collaboration Evaluation: A Comparative Analysis of Spatio temporal Patterns on Emergency Services by London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade

TL;DR

This study analyzes the spatio-temporal demand patterns of London's emergency services, revealing overlaps and peak periods to inform potential cross-agency collaboration for improved efficiency.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of demand patterns between LAS and LFB, identifying key overlaps and factors influencing service demand for better resource coordination.

Findings

Demand peaks align in summer, Fridays, and daytime hours

Significant spatial overlaps in central London and Hillingdon

High temperature weather influences demand patterns

Abstract

With rising demand for emergency services, the London Ambulance Service, LAS, and the London Fire Brigade, LFB, face growing challenges in resource coordination. This study investigates the temporal and spatial similarities in their service demands to assess potential for routine cross-agency collaboration. Time series analysis revealed aligned demand peaks in summer, on Fridays, during daytime hours, and were highly sensitive to high temperature weather conditions. Bivariate mapping and Moran I indicated significant spatial overlaps in central London and Hillingdon. Geographically Weighted Regression, GWR, examined the influence of socioeconomic factors, while Comap analysis uncovered spatiotemporal heterogeneity across fire service types. The findings highlight opportunities for targeted collaboration in high-overlap areas and peak periods, offering practical insights to enhance emergency service resilience and efficiency.