Roof collapse studied to help protect firefighters - News Briefs

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Jan, 2002

NIST, in cooperation with the Kinston, NC, fire department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, conducted a house fire test in part to measure the deflection of the roof from ignition to collapse. The feasibility study, funded by the U. S. Fire Administration, examined the potential to measure changes in roof position as an early warning technology for structural failure. Data from the tests are being analyzed and compared with other visual observation of fire conditions to determine if position measurements provide any significant additional information for making decisions about the safety of firefighters who might be on roofs to provide fire ventilation. Venting smoke though roofs is a common practice in fire fighting. It helps clear the smoke from structures to aid other firefighters entering the building. This study follows another conducted in cooperation with the Phoenix fire department to look at the use of thermal imaging as a means to warn about unsafe roof structures.

CONTACT: David Evans, (301) 975-6897: dave.evans@nist.gov.