Fire response in Raleigh, North Carolina

A study in Raleigh, North Carolina, area shows why fire response is slower and more costly in the suburbs. The city looked at two fire stations in historic areas with street grids and three stations in the emerging suburbs, examining how many dwellings and businesses can be covered within a 1.5-mile radius. Even accounting for future development in the suburban areas, the urban fire stations cover more than three times as many households (5,591 versus 1,767). More commercial development is also covered in the older city neighborhoods (186 versus 109 acres).