Abstract:
This study has explored the relationship between the University of Alabama football games and 911 calls in the City of Tuscaloosa, Alabama from 2006-2012. The main research objective was to use variables defined by the magnitude of the football game to explain the spatio-temporal patterns of 911 calls relative to the game weekends. The study did show the spatio-temporal pattern of 911 calls and the variation of the requests for EMS services around the football game. Two different datasets, one provided by the Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue Service and the other by NorthStar EMS were utilized for the study. By use a of kernel density mapping the spatio-temporal pattern of 911 calls was geographically depicted as a view to the movement of a population to Bryant Denny Stadium and then it's dispersal following the game. A line graph was then utilized for a time line analysis of 911 call volume compared to the time of the football game. The line graphs define the pre-game spike in run volume, decrease to normal call volume during the game and then a post-game spike following the event. A chi square and chi square cross-tabulation was employed to evaluate the relationships between categorical variables. The outcomes of these statistical tests were not significant. To further evaluate the distribution of 911 calls across the City of Tuscaloosa, all 911 calls from the NorthStar EMS dataset were re-classed into four call natures and then were tested for their spatial distribution using Getis Ord G from ArcMap. Hot spot maps were then used to identify concentration of calls to the census tract.
