Introduction.
Introduction.
(1046 K)
Madrzykowski, D.
NISTIR 6191; Chapter 1; July 1998.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB98-146293
Keywords:
class A fires; class B fires; class D fires; compressed
air foam; fire extinguishing agents; fire suppression;
large scale fire tests; small scale fire tests
Abstract:
The Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL) of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
under the sponsorship of the United States Fire
Administration (USFA), has conducted a series of
experiments to demonstrate the suppression effectiveness
of water-based fire fighting agents. Accepted test
procedures for suppression effectiveness do not
currently exist. Therefore, the results of these
experiments are a first step toward establishing
standardized tests for evaluating the fire fighting
effectiveness of water-based agents. Because issues of
toxicity and environmental effects of commonly used
agents are of paramount concern to the fire fighting
community, this report includes as an appendix, Wildland
Fire Form Characterization. This characterization study
includes methods of demonstrating environmental safety
and toxicity as developed by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA). The work reported
here addresses a broad range of tests in order to
determine those parameters that most critically effect
firefighting performance. This project was a result of
Public Law 103-27 which provided funding to the USFA, to
demonstrate biodegradable, environmentally safe,
nontoxic fire suppression liquids which are effective on
Class A, B and many D fires. Since no standardized test
methods or protocols were available to demonstrate the
effectiveness of water-based fire suppression liquids,
USFA tasked BFRL with devloping a methodology for
conducting a demonstration. This task is consistent
with NIST's mission to advance measurement science and
develop standard test methods and with BFRL's program to
improve fire safety.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899