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Publications

The Fire Fighting Technology Group has several publications available on CD or DVD.

Holiday Fire Safety - Impact of a Residential Sprinkler
on the Heat Release Rate of a Christmas Tree Fire

Although the number of Christmas tree fires is low, these fires carry a higher level of hazard than other fires that occur in a residential structure. This study, supported by the U. S. Fire Administration, had the following three objectives: 1) characterize the heat release rate of dry Fraser fir trees 2) demonstrate the ignition resistance of a tree with a high moisture content and 3) examine the impact of a residential sprinkler on the heat release rate of a dry tree that is on fire in a compartment.
Flashover
This video highlights the phenomenon of flashover in 3 different experiments: Sofa in Living Room, Dry Scotch Pine Tree, and Open Floor Plan Office Module. Cherry Road
Simulation of the Dynamics of the Fire at 3146 Cherry Road, N.E., Washing DC, May 30, 1999

 

Keokuk
Simulation of the Dynamics of a Fire in a Two Story Duplex -- Iowa, December 22, 1999

 

Houston
Simulation of the Dynamics of a Fire in a One-Story Restaurant -- Texas (YouTube)

Residential and Warehouse Structural Collapse DVD
A series of fire tests was conducted in Phoenix, Arizona to collect data for a project examining the feasibility of predicting structural collapse.

Station Nightclub Investigation DVD
A fire occurred on the night of Feb. 20, 2003, in The Station nightclub at 211 Cowesett Avenue, West Warwick, Rhode Island. A band that was on the platform that night, during its performance, used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the platform. The fire spread quickly along the ceiling area over the dance floor. Smoke was visible in the exit doorways in a little more than one minute, and flames were observed breaking through a portion of the roof in less than five minutes. Egress from the nightclub, which was not equipped with sprinklers, was hampered by crowding at the main entrance to the building. One hundred people lost their lives in the fire. Of the fatalities, 95 were due to the inability of the occupants to evacuate before being overcome by the untenable conditions along the egress path. On Feb. 27, 2003, under the authority of the National Construction Safety Team (NCST) Act, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) established a National Construction Safety Team to determine the likely technical cause or causes of the building failure that led to the high number of casualties in that fire.

Cook County Administration Building Investigation DVD
69 West Washington, Chicago, Illinois, October 17, 2003: Heat Release Rate Experiments and FDS Simulations

Positive Pressure Ventilation Research: Videos and Reports DVD Set
Two DVD Set covering NIST's 6+ years of research on this subject, focusing on PPV in high-rise buildings. Includes over 28 hours of video.

Evaluating Fire Fighting Tactics Under Wind Driven Conditions: Reports and Videos Dual DVD Set
Two DVD Set covering NIST's research in the area of wind driven fires, done in collaboration with the Fire Department of New York City, the Chicago Fire Department, and many others. Includes an 86 minute overview along with hours of the test video.

Impact of Sprinklers on the Fire Hazard in Dormitories:
Day Room Fire Experiments and
Sleeping Room Fire Experiments
Two DVD set covering experiments performed in conjunction with the US Fire Administration (USFA) and the University of Arkansas. The objective of this study was to compare the levels of hazard created by room fires and sleeping room fires in a dormitory building with and without automatic fire sprinklers in the room of fire origin.

Created January 13, 2011, Updated August 25, 2016