Fire Fighting Tactics Under Wind Driven Fire Conditions: 7-Story Building Experiments.
Fire Fighting Tactics Under Wind Driven Fire Conditions:
7-Story Building Experiments.
(58118 K)
Kerber, S. I.; Madrzykowski, D.
NIST TN 1629; NIST Technical Note 1629; 593 p. April
2009.
Sponsor:
New York City Fire Dept., NY
Polytechnic Institute of NYU, Brooklyn
Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC
U.S. Fire Administration, Washington, DC
Keywords:
fire fighting; experiments; wind effects; fans; fire
fighters; ventilation; wind velocity; water; floors;
nozzles; air flow; occupants; structures; fuel load;
instruments; uncertainity; doors; test methods; smoke
movement; failure time; fire suppression; corridors;
stairwells; apartments; flashover; high rise buildings;
fire hoses; self contained breathing apparatus;
protective equipment
Abstract:
In February 2008, a series of 14 experiments were
conducted in a 7-story building to evaluate the ability
of positive pressure ventilation fans, wind control
devices and external water application with floor below
nozzles to mitigate the hazards of a wind driven fire in
a structure. Each of the 14 experiments started with a
fire in a furnished room. The air flow for 12 of the 14
experiments was intensified by a natural or mechanical
wind.. Each of the tactics were evaluated individually
and in conjunction with each other to assess the benefit
to fire fighters, as well as occupants in the structure.
The results of the experiments provide a baseline for
the hazards associated with a wind driven fire and the
impact of pressure, ventilation and flow paths within a
structure. Wind created conditions that rapidly caused
the environment in the structure to deteriorate by
forcing fire gases through the apartment of origin and
into the public corridor and stairwell. These conditions
would be untenable for advancing fire fighters. Each of
the tactics were able to reduce the thermal hazard
created by the wind driven fire. Multiple tactics used
in conjunction with each other were very effective at
improving conditions for fire fighter operations and
occupant egress. Fire departments that wish to implement
the tactics used in this study will need to develop
training and determine appropriate methods for deploying
these tactics. Variations in the methods of deployment
may be required due to differences in staffing,
equipment, building stock, typical weather conditions,
etc. There is uniformity however, in the physics behind
the wind driven fire condition and the principles of the
tactics examined. The data from this research will help
provide the science to identify methods and promulgation
of improved standard operating guidelines (SOG) for the
fire service to enhance firefighter safety, fire ground
operations, and use of equipment. The experiments were
conducted by the National Institute of standards and
Technology (NIST), the Fire Department of New York City
(FDNY), and the Polytechnic Institute of New York
University with the support of the Department of
Homeland security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Research and
Development Grant Program and the United States Fire
Administration.
