NIST/NBS Fire Research and FRCA: 25 Years of Progress.
NIST/NBS Fire Research and FRCA: 25 Years of Progress.
(643 K)
Gann, R. G.
Fire Safety and Technology: Turmoil - Progress -
Opportunities - 1973-1998-2000+. Proceedings. Fire
Retardant Chemcials Association. March 22-25, 1998,
Atlanta, GA, Fire Retardant Chemicals Assoc., Lancaster,
PA, 77-84 pp, 1998.
Keywords:
fire retardants; flame retardants; fire safety;
technology utilization; reserach facilities; fire
research; fire retardant materials; test methods
Abstract:
The National Bureau of Standards's Center for Fire
Research and the Fire Retardant Chemicals Association
were formed within a year of each other. The former has
undergone major organizational changes, NBS having
become NIST, and fire research now being part of the
mission of the Building and Fire Research Laboratory. A
continuing theme has been a close relationship with
materials manufacturers and their associations in
helping to accelerate the acceptance of materials and
products with improved fire safety performance.
Throughout its history the Fire Research Program has had
a focus on less flammable materials and products. This
talk will present a brief overview of how that focus has
manifested itself through the years, and the major
impacts that have resulted. As both organizations
reached an increasing degree of maturity, their programs
became synergistic. Changes continue to occur. The
fire performance of materials and products will undergo
significant improvement in the next decade. New
opportunities are already arising, and this paper looks
into the future from a fire science perspective.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899