Fire Protection Research Foundation

Foundation Track at the NFPA Conference Features Results of 20 Foundation Projects

JOin us at NFPA's Annual Conference in Chicago Jun 10-13 as we review the results of the Foundation's research over the past year.  20 presentations will feature recently completed projects on fire fighter tactics and PPE, suppression strategies for hazardous commodities including lithium ion batteries, evacuation strategies from tall buildings, and many other topics.  We are also sponsoring a look ahead at the issues likely to affect fire and electrical safety over the next five years.

Join us!

The next five years in fire and electrical safety challenges - results of Foundation survey

In 2008, the Foundation published its 5 year research agenda, a seven point plan that has guided our work on the emerging issues facing fire and electrical safety. In January of this year we surveyed our stakeholders and NFPA technical staff to identify new issues and the areas where we need to refocus our efforts. The results have pointed us toward some new directions as well as toward someunfinished business. 

Mark your calendars for November 13, 14 in Washington DC as we engage leaders in our industry and beyond in furthering the discussion on the next five years in fire and electrical safety.

Jim Milke talks about safety in commercial, industrial and educational housing

As the keynote speaker at the Fire Protection Research Foundation symposium (SupDet) today in Orlando, Jim Milke, chair of the department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland, delivered a talk on the comparative loss of life and injury analysis in commercial, industrial and education institution housing. Mr. Milke said that following a previous study conducted on residencies, hotels and health care facilities, a new project is evaluating the benefits of smoke detectors and sprinklers in these occupancies.

NFPA's Fred Durso recently talked to Mr. MIlke about the research project. 

 

John Bullough honored at Research Foundation symposium in Orlando

John Bullough of the Lighting Research Center, RPI, receives the Ronald K. Mengel award from Amanda Kimball of the Fire Protection Research Foundation.

John Bullough of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center, was honored this morning in Orlando for having the best presentation in the detection portion of the Research Foundation’s 2012 symposium.

Mr. Bullough, who spoke last March on the “Characteristics of Light-Emitting Diode Sources: Relevance for Visual Signal Detection” during the Foundation’s SupDet event, received the Ronald K. Mengel Award.

The award, voted on by last year’s SupDet participants, was named in honor of Mr. Mengel who was a significant industry contributor to research in support of NFPA detection and signaling codes and standards.

Mr. Bullough will present another paper later today at the Research Foundation’s 17th annual Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Applications symposium (SupDet) here in Orlando. He will be speaking on the “Influence of Visual Signal Flash Intensity and Duration of Perception”. Mr. Bullough has been studying LEDs as emergency signaling lighting, specifically, the intensity of the light and the duration of the light bursts, and how those impact their effectiveness.

NFPA’s Fred Durso recently talked with Mr. Bullough about his research.

Related content: Fire Protection Research Foundation report - "Performance Objectives for Light Sources Used in Emergency Notification Appliances", J.D. Bullough, Y. Zhu, Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, May 2012

Wide range of fire research projects on tap at Research Foundation symposium in Orlando

The 17th annual “Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Applications Symposium” (SupDet) kicked off this morning in Orlando. This event, organized by the Fire Protection Research Foundation, brings together more than 100 professionals in the fire alarm, suppression and emergency communication industries, to hear the latest developments fire detection research, sprinkler protection strategies, clean agent technology research, and other topical issues.

Tomorrow, a special Suppression Research Charette will feature several interactive sessions focused on solutions to protection challenges, including an examination of water mist as an equivalent protection solution to sprinklers for selected suppression scenarios.

The Foundation thanks Siemens Industry, Inc. SimplexGrinnell, and UL for their generous sponsorship and contributions to this event.

About the Foundation

The Fire Protection Research Foundation plans, manages, and communicates research on a broad range of fire safety issues in collaboration with scientists and laboratories around the world. The Foundation is an affiliate of NFPA. See a list of Foundation reports and projects.

Registration is now open for Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Applications Symposium (SUPDET)

Registration has just opened for the Fire Protection Research Foundation’s Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Applications Symposium (SUPDET 2013). It will take place February 26 through March 1, 2013 at Doubletree Orlando at SeaWorld, Orlando, FL

This is the 17^th annual SUPDET, and it features more than 25 papers addressing the latest developments, advances and research. Some of the topics included are detection, sprinkler protection and clean agent technology. Attendees will be able to choose between the Detection and Signaling Program or the Suppression Program.

In addition, a special Suppression Research Charrette is being planned for February 27, which is open to all registrants. There are several interactive sessions focused on solutions to protection challenges, including an examination of water mist as an equivalent protection solution to sprinklers for selected suppression scenarios.

Aimed at professionals in the fire alarm, suppression and emergency communication industries, the symposium also makes attendees eligible to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

 

Read the full press release on the event. 

A preview of the Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Applications Symposium

Amanda Kimball, project manager for the Fire Protection Research Foundation, came down to NFPA's "Studio B" this week to shoot a video for the upcoming SupDet 2013.

SupDet is short for the "Supression, Detection and Signalling Research and Applications Symposium" (that's a mouthful). The annual event, now in its 17th year, will be held in Orlando, February 26 to March 1, will feature more than 25 papers, addressing the latest developments, advances and research on topics including:

• Latest in detection research including cooking fire detection research, a new strategy to address the unwanted alarm issue, and detection of wildland fires
• Latest in sprinkler protection strategies including lithium ion batteries and other high hazard challenges
• Latest in clean agent technology research including a case study on a Halon replacement system at a military jet engine test facility

Learn more and register today for SupDet 2013. And watch for Amanda's video on this blog in the coming days.

3 big takeaways from Dr. Louis Gritzo's presentation

Dr. Louis Gritzo of FM Global highlights the three big takeaways from his talk regarding the integral role of fire protection on sustainability, given at the Fire Safety and Sustainable Building Design Symposium. 

  

View more videos of Dr. Gritzo on this topic.

Sustainability is key to prosperity and well-being

Tom Chapin of Underwriters Laboratories presented at the Fire Safety Design and Building Sustainability Symposium on the impact of new 'sustainable' materials on the fire load of buildings. In his remarks, he shared information on the implications of population growth on sustainability which was a hot topic at a recent international conference he attended.  Watch this video interview with Tom to find out why he says sustainability is the key to prosperity and well-being and how the Fire Protection Research Foundation event taking place in Chicago this week has bearing on this topic.    

 

View other videos of Tom Chapin discussing his conference presentation.

Update from the Fire Safety Design and Sustainable Buildings Symposium

The Foundation’s Fire Safety Design and Sustainable Buildings Symposium kicked off this morning with a keynote presentation by Gordon Gill, Partner of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.  Mr. Gill presented numerous case studies of both buildings and design studies that feature new and innovative sustainable design elements and concepts that provoked thought amongst attendees about how these elements could integrate with fire safety.

These design elements included a high rise building in China where the wind is directed through fuselages at three different levels in the building to run wind turbines to help power the building.  Another building included the incorporation of “wind cones” that span the height of the building and use passive ventilation so that the environment in the cone is 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature without air conditioning while providing courtyard green space in the building.

Mr. Gill also talked about a study that his firm has undertaken called the “Decarbonization Plan of Chicago”, which focuses on reducing the energy consumption of existing buildings instead of continuing to try to find alternative energy means to provide the current energy needs of these buildings.  The plan is available on the firm’s website.