Protecting Fire Fighters Exposed in Room Fires. Part 1. Comparison of Results of Bench Scale Test for Thermal Protection and Conditions During Room Flashover.
Protecting Fire Fighters Exposed in Room Fires. Part 1.
Comparison of Results of Bench Scale Test for Thermal
Protection and Conditions During Room Flashover.
(2419 K)
Krasny, J. F.; Rockett, J. A.; Huang, D.
Clemson University. Protective Clothing--An Update and
Overview of Personal Protection Against Chemical,
Thermal and Nuclear Hazards. 1st Annual Conference.
May 27-28, 1987, Clemson, NC, 1-28 pp, 1988.
Fire Technology, Vol. 24, No. 1, 5-19, February 1988.
Keywords:
protective clothing; fire fighters; room fires;
flashover; burns (injuries); escape means; heat flux;
thermal protection; turnout coats
Abstract:
Heat flux conditions measured in seven room fires are
discussed. The conditions varied from just below
flashover in a sparsely furnished bedroom to flashover
and severe postflashover fire in a typically furnished
recreation room. These heat flux conditions are
compared with the protection level provided by fire
fighter turnout coats conforming to NFPA 1971,
"Protective Clothing for Structural Fire Fighting."
This standard requires that the turnout coat or pants
assembly must protect the wearer against second degree
burns when a heat flux of 84 kW/m2(2 cal/cm2-.s) is
applied to its outside surface for a minimum of 17.5
seconds ["thermal protective performance (TPP) of 35"].
The results imply that fire fighters have only ten
seconds or less to escape under most flashover
conditions. However, the turnout coats provide good
protection in many other fire situations. Practical
definitions for flashover are given, and possible means
for making the TPP test more relevant for research and
devlopment work are discussed.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899