In 1974, NIST developed and recommended the first standards and guidelines for smoke detector use. Over the next 25 years, smoke detector use in U.S. homes grew from 10 percent to 95 percent, and fire deaths dropped by 50 percent.

NIST has one of the few facilities in the U.S. designed for conducting controlled, whole-room fire experiments for collecting information on fire growth rates.

NIST's fire research and standards recommendations for mattresses, children's sleepwear, carpeting, and upholstered furniture also have reduced fire deaths.

NIST continues to advance fire safety with computer models that predict the growth of fires under different conditions and with different building materials. These models help designers optimize the fire safety of buildings.