Past News

Report on Positive Pressure Ventilation in Schools is Completed

The report from the experiments completed in a retired high-school in Toledo, OH is now available. The report and all of the experimental video can be viewed and downloaded here. The report includes many tactical considerations covering both positive pressure and natural ventilation operations.

New Report and Videos Available on Impact of a Residential Sprinklers on the Heat Release Rate of a Christmas Tree Fire

In February 2008, NIST, partnering with FDNY and Polytechnic University conducted experiments in order to improve the safety of fire fighters and building occupants by enabling a better understanding of wind driven firefighting tactics, including structural ventilation and suppression. Further Although the number of Christmas tree fires is low, these fires carry a higher level of hazard than other fires that occur in a residential structure. This study, supported by the U. S. Fire Administration, has the following three objectives: 1) characterize the heat release rate of dry Fraser fir trees 2) demonstrate the ignition resistance of a tree with a high moisture content and 3) examine the impact of a residential sprinkler on the heat release rate of a dry tree that is on fire in a compartment. See the Sprinkler section for the report and videos.

NIST Releases DVD Set on Positive Pressure Ventilation Research

This new DVD set includes a presentation video that explains PPV, examines the results of NIST's PPV research, and closes with a focus on the use of PPV tactics in high-rise buildings.  All of the NIST PPV reports referenced in the presentation are included on Disc 1 of the set.  All of the videos from the high-rise fire experiments are also provided with a user-friendly, graphic menu that can be used on a PC or a DVD player.  NIST, with support from USFA, DHS, and fire departments across the country, has taken engineering principles and applied them to fire service PPV tactics in order to improve fire fighter safety.  To receive a copy of the DVD, send email to daniel.madrzykowski@nist.gov with your name and mailing address.  

NIST Shares Research With the Fire Service at FDIC

The crew from NIST that attended the Fire Department Instructor's Conference (FDIC) April 7-12, 2008, had good impact over the course of the conference.  Dan Madrzykowski taught an 8 hour workshop on "Fire Dynamics For the Fire Service" and shared results from a couple of recent training fire line of duty deaths.  Steve Kerber and Dan Madrzykowski presented preliminary results from their experiments examining Firefighting Tactics Under Wind Driven Conditions with colleagues from FDNY, Chicago, Toledo and Ottawa fire departments.  At the NIST booth, Nelson Bryner and Roy McLane handed out over 25,000 discs to fire fighters from around the world to use for training and public education.  If you would like a copy of any of these discs, see the Available CD/DVD's section for more information.

NIST Completes Experiments on Governor's Island and Begins Data Analysis

In February 2008, NIST, partnering with FDNY and Polytechnic University conducted experiments in order to improve the safety of fire fighters and building occupants by enabling a better understanding of wind driven firefighting tactics, including structural ventilation and suppression. Further objectives include developing technical information that will enhance our understanding of the dynamics of fire phenomena and prediction of fire intensity and growth under wind driven conditions. The data from this research will help to identify methods of improved standard operating guidelines (SOG) for the fire service to enhance firefighter safety, fire ground operations, and use of equipment.  Results from these experiments should be available by November 2008.  See the Wind Driven Fires section for a compilation video of one of the experiments.

* This research is funded through a Research and Development Grant from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

NIST Firebrand Device Could Save U.S. and Japanese Homes

Crackling embers and glowing firebrands might make for a romantic evening in front of the fireplace, but for homeowners in high fire-risk areas, windborne fire material is the stuff of nightmares. To learn how to mitigate such threats, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers have built a firebrand generator that can be used to study the way firebrands ignite structures.  Details...

Fire Tests Examine Structural Collapse Hazards and Warning Devices

Approximately 20 percent of the deaths of fire fighters in structure fires over the past 10 years have been as a result of structural collapse. Predicting a potential collapse is one of the most challenging tasks facing an incident commander at a fire scene. The test burns, carried out in cooperation with the Delaware County (Pa.) Emergency Services Training Center (ESTC), are part of a multi-year NIST project to investigate potential tools and techniques for predicting structural collapse.  Details...

NIST Begins Technical Study of South Carolina Warehouse Fire

Within 36 hours of the fire, NIST had a reconnaissance team of fire experts on site to assess the situation and gather data about the fire as well as the subsequent collapse of the Super Sofa Store building. Based on that reconnaissance, NIST has determined that additional study is warranted.  Details...

NIST Prepares to Examine Tactics Under Wind Driven Fire Conditions with FDNY on Governor's Island

Starting in February, NIST, partnering with FDNY and Polytechnic University will conduct experiments in order to improve the safety of fire fighters and building occupants by enabling a better understanding of wind driven firefighting tactics, including structural ventilation and suppression. Further objectives include developing technical information that will enhance our understanding of the dynamics of fire phenomena and prediction of fire intensity and growth under wind driven conditions.The data from this research will help to identify methods of improved standard operating guidelines (SOG) for the fire service to enhance firefighter safety, fire ground operations, and use of equipment. Details...

NIST Partners With the NFPA Research Foundation

A series of experiments was conducted in our Large Fire Laboratory to examine the impact of wind control curtains and externally applied hose streams on a wind driven fire.  The results from these experiments will allow us to better understand the fire dynamics within a structure and provide guidance as to the important measurements needed in the future experiments in a high-rise on Governor's Island in New York City.  Details...

NIST Releases Second Report on High-rise Experiments Conducted with the Chicago Fire Department

The report that details the experiments conducted with the Chicago Fire Department, "Evaluating Positive Pressure Ventilation In Large Structures: High-rise Fire Experiments,"  is available for download in the PPV section.  There are short video clips for download and a training DVD set including over 25 hours of test footage will be available in April.Details...