1) By developing localized strategies through the determination of where major hazards are located, which areas hardest to reach in an emergency, and where the most valuable resources are located. This also involves integrating local data with more pervasive technologies, such as global positioning systems.

2) By developing a tactical emergency response based on the conclusions of these strategies, including:

a) the risk associated with an area
b) the available resources of an area

so that

a) fire management can determine how and where to allocate resources when a fire does occur
b) prevention activities & suppression resources can be positioned where they will be most effective

...in this way, department budgets are spent more effectively, and protection of firefighters and civilians is maximized.

3) By helping out during the actual event of an emergency, in which GIS software can help
a) determine vegetation around a structure that needs to be cleared
b) develop appropriate construction standards
see an example of how this is currently being used.

4) By improving fire agency policies and practices through the modeling of variables like terrain, weather conditions and the path of fire.
Click here for one example of this.

See maps created with FireView (developed by the Omega Group, a business partner of ESRI's) here.

Click here to visit the source of this information.