Stunning coastlines and fertile agricultural plains have drawn more than 1.2 million people to Balıkesir, one of Türkiye’s largest provinces. Yet, as the destination has grown in popularity, the Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department has been called to more frequent natural disasters and emergency events. In 2024, the department responded to 10,111 emergency events, including fires, floods, traffic accidents, and search-and-rescue operations.
“The number and variety of incidents that fire departments respond to have increased day by day,” said Nazım Ergelen, head of the Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department.
Geographic information system (GIS) technology helps the department’s 662 personnel across 44 stations strengthen and coordinate its emergency response efforts.
“We believe in the power of GIS for managing incidents effectively and reducing risks,” continued Ergelen. “In line with Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality’s smart city vision, we have built a fire management system based on geographic data that connects all fire units.”
Location data now drives every operation. Using ArcGIS technology and web-based tools, the department has changed how it collects, analyzes, and acts on critical information. With it, firefighters respond faster and work together more effectively.