|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer Issue -- 2001
Page 1
Quantity of Liquid Fuel Related to Burn Pattern
New Zealand Fire Service Funds Research ProgramPage 2
NIST Video Aids in Education About Flashover
U.S. Army Needs Input to the Design of Infrared Imagers for Fire FightersPage 3
Fire Safe Structures Tests for the UWI
European Partners Study Extinguishing Tank Fires
Page 4
Motorcycles Get You There Faster
From the Editor
To help fire investigators determine fire origin and cause, the National Institute of Standards and Technology/Building and Fire Research Laboratory (NIST/BFRL) with funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), has investigated burn patterns on flooring. For nonporous flooring the quantity of spilled gasoline can be related directly to the area of the burn pattern. For carpeted floors, the burning was more complicated. Significant quantities of the spilled gasoline remained in the areas where the carpet materials melted. The study also produced measurements of heat release rate not found elsewhere that are useful to investigators in modeling fires.
A report on this study including the results from large-scale experiments may be downloaded here: "Flammable and Combustible Liquid Spill/Burn Patterns." Many photographs from the tests are included. Spill fire burn patterns in enclosures are currently being studied with joint support from NIJ and the U.S. Fire Administration.
For additional information contact Anthony Putorti at
(301) 975-6172 or via e-mail: anthony.putorti@nist.gov.
Gasoline spill fire under the calorimetry hood in the large fire facility at NIST.
New Zealand Fire Service Funds Research Program
New annual funding for research was established by the New Zealand Fire Service Commission in 1998/1999. The fund's purpose is to encourage experts to apply knowledge gained elsewhere to particular fire service problems in New Zealand.
Some thirty projects have been funded to date. They have covered the whole range of fire problems faced in the country, including environmental issues (such as like the toxicity of fire water runoff) to social issues (such as attitudes to fire). Nineteen final research reports are posted on the website, http://www.fire.org.nz/more_info/ reports/fund/index_num.htm, and are available in hard copy.
Experience with the program has shown that best results come from projects that have well designed and usable outcomes. It is important when administering a fund of this kind that an expert group of fire service, engineers and academics is
formed to carefully assess the research proposals. The group needs to look hard at the scope and method of proposals to make sure that each has a good chance of being achieved within time and budget.
As an example, a current research project looking at ways to decrease risk, death and injury from fire, while being sensitive to the heritage and cultural values of the Mäori, New Zealand’s indigenous people. Mäori meeting houses, known as Marae, often are very old timber structures, beautifully decorated inside with fine wood carvings and intricate woven grass panels. On certain festivals during the year, the whole building can be used for large numbers of people to sleep. The challenge: to maintain the use of the buildings and their heritage while providing for fire safety.
For additional information contact Dr. Paula Beever, Principal Fire Engineer, at paula.beever@fire.org.nz,
(64) + 4 496-3717, FAX (64) + 4 472-9707.
Marae, a New Zealand Mäori meeting house.
