New article concerning heavy rainfall events published
Heavy rainfall is difficult to predict and thus often has serious consequences in populated areas. The fire brigade, as one of the active organizations in civil protection, is responsible for dealing with any damage and is exposed to a large operational load during such events. This article deals with the effects of heavy rain events on the operations of the Wuppertal fire brigade and the impact of meteorological and non-meteorological factors on them. This was investigated by using cartographic, spatial and simple correlation analyses as well as surveys for the case study area. A correlation existed with degree of sealing, population size, and topography. No clear correlation with meteorological factors, e.g., precipitation amount, could be found. The results indicate an interaction of different influencing factors. This should be taken as an opportunity to further investigate the influence of relevant factors and to integrate the knowledge gained into practical handling of the issue of heavy rain.