Fire Station Location Study - City of Oklahoma City

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Oklahoma City Fire Department Fire Station Location Study I. Introduction area. According to the 2000 Census, over 133,101 residents over the age of 3 were enrolled in an Oklahoma City school. The city also boasts many colleges and universities including Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City, and the University of Central Oklahoma. The University of Oklahoma is located just south of the city in the suburb of Norman. The area also has many community colleges and vocational schools. Over 80 percent of the population 26 years and older have obtained a high school diploma or higher. Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of the residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Education has been related to fire risk; people with lower levels of education tend to be at a higher risk for fire injury or death. Those with lower education also tend to have lower income, another risk factor. Economy – The city has a varied and diverse economy. Oil and gas still play a major role as well as the service industry. The stockyards are the largest in the world and many of Fortune 500 and 1000 companies call the city home. Tinker AFB and its associated contractors, such as Boeing and Northrop Grumman, employ many of the cities residents. The city’s unemployment rate stays rather steady at around 3.3 percent though this might change due to a recent closing of a General Motors plant. This is lower than the national rate of 5.4 percent. According to the 2000 Census, the median household income was $34,947. Although this is less the than the national median of $41,994, city residents enjoy the second lowest cost of living Transportation – Oklahoma City is a major regional hub in the Great Plains. It is bisected by Interstate 35, Interstate 40, and Interstate 44. Like other large cities, the city is served by an extensive network of major highways and freeways, however, due to a smaller population that is spread out most roads are less congested than most comparably sized cities. The city is home to several airports, including Wiley Post airport and the Will Rogers World Airport that processes almost 9,000 planes and 300,000 passengers a month. 5 Tinker Air Force Base, located in eastern Oklahoma City, is the largest air depot in the nation and the second largest military installation in the state. Base closures in other areas have solidified Tinker’s future as a major USAF installation. The city is also a major passenger and freight rail stop. Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer runs a daily service to and from Fort Worth, TX. Several freight lines, such as the Burlington Northern- Santa Fe and the Union Pacific, run trains in the area. Each day several thousand tons of cargos, including hazardous materials, run through the city’s suburbs. Due to the rejuvenation of the downtown area, the city is making a push towards mass transit. It currently runs a large bus and trolley system and the city government is reviewing a 5 www.flyokc.com/releases Aviation Activity Report, January 2006 TriData, a Division of 12 September 2006 System Planning Corporation
Oklahoma City Fire Department Fire Station Location Study I. Introduction study to implement light-rail in the region. City planners are also adding many pedestrian and bicycle paths that will make the city accessible no matter what transportation you take. Tax Base 6 – The majority (54 percent) of the city’s fiscal year 2004-2005 General Fund Revenue of $267,485,261 was from the city sales tax. This is broken down into a two percent general sales tax, a one percent public schools tax, a 0.75 percent public safety tax, and a .125 percent zoo sales tax. Other revenue is raised through fines, franchise fees, licenses and permits, and service charges. The General Fund Revenue is expected to grow 3.3 percent over the next five years, which might not be enough to keep up with the growth in city expenditures, public safety consumes 55 percent of this budget each year. Housing 7 – Home ownership, type of residence, and structure age are all factors that contribute to fire risk and the need for emergency services. Older homes tend to be at higher risk for fire, particularly if they are not properly maintained. Some newer homes, mainly multi-unit structures are constructed with built-in fire protection, such as sprinklers. Of the city’s 228,188 housing units, 65 percent are single-family, detached homes, followed by multi-family dwellings with 20 or more units (8.1 percent). Over 30 percent of Oklahoma City’s homes were built before 1959. These homes are at a higher risk for fire if not properly maintained. Since 1990, about 15 percent of the areas houses were constructed and each year an average of 2,000 to 3,000 homes are built. The majority of the homes (67 percent) are valued below $99,999 and 26 percent valued between $100,000 and $150,000. Less than 0.1 percent of homes are valued over $1,000,000. Climate – Summers can be extremely hot with an average temperature of 82°F and daily highs above 90°F. The Great Plains can suffer from massive droughts and heat waves that place a strain on water and energy consumption. Average lows in the winter are below freezing and the city receives around nine inches of snow annually. Oklahoma City’s biggest threat comes from its location in Tornado Alley. Each year when warm air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cold air from the north violent thunderstorms are spawned which produce torrential, flooding rains, hail, and tornadoes. Figure 2 shows the area known as “tornado alley”, where tornadoes have a relatively high occurrence. 6 Five Year Forecast 2006-2010, City of Oklahoma City 7 Table DP-4. Profile of Selected Housing Characteristics. 2000 Census TriData, a Division of 13 September 2006 System Planning Corporation
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Fire Station Location Study - City of Oklahoma City

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