IFC-based information exchange for multi-agency response to indoor fire emergencies

During fire emergencies, inadequate and inefficient information provision may delay life-saving activities. To support emergency response, this study proposes an industry foundation class (IFC) based information exchange approach for multi-agency response to indoor fire emergencies. First, information required by occupants, facility managers and firefighters is identified and examined through a literature review and questionnaire surveys. The importance and familiarity of information are then assessed to clarify information sharing and collaboration in the practice. Next, this study extends properties of IFC4 Add2 by adding emergency information to support standardized information exchange. An add-in is created to enable automated parameter processing for information enrichment. The approach is validated through a case study, where relevant properties in an IFC data model are exchanged and supplied to emergency participants in real-time to facilitate response activities. The study's findings may shed light on role-centered emergency system prototyping, data-driven emergency simulations, and collaborative fire emergency response.