BY STEVE KERBER
How has the residential fire environment changed in the past several decades, and what impact does it have on fire service ventilation? Underwriters Laboratories set out to answer these questions. Statistics show that there is a continued tragic loss of firefighter and civilian lives. It is believed that a significant contributing factor to these deaths is a lack of understanding of how natural ventilation in residential structures and using ventilation on the fireground affect fire behavior. Under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program, Underwriters Laboratories examined fire service ventilation practices as well as the impact of changes in modern furnishings and house geometries.
The residential fire environment has changed steadily over the past several decades. These changes include larger homes, more open floor plans, and an increase in synthetic fuel loads. Underwriters Laboratories conducted several room fire experiments and a series of 15 full-scale residential structure fires to examine this change in fire behavior and the impact of firefighter ventilation tactics. This fire research project developed the data needed to quantify the fire behavior associated with these scenarios and immediately develop the necessary firefighting ventilation practices to reduce firefighter death and injury.
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