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Engineering Laboratory

Fire Research Division

News and Updates

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NIST Flammability Reduction Group Commissioned a Second Cone Calorimeter for Use in its Cone Calorimetry Lab

April 17, 2018

The NIST Flammability Reduction group recently commissioned a second cone calorimeter for use in its cone calorimetry lab. Originally developed in 1982 by...

In this illustration, a gas well field has a circle on it. A dual-comb spectrometer at the center sends out laser light which bounces off mirrors, goes through a gas cloud and returns to the spectrometer for analysis.

Mobile ‘Dual-Comb’ Device Significantly Improves Methane Leak Detection

March 22, 2018

Accurately detecting, locating and quantifying leaks of methane, the main component of natural gas and a major fuel source worldwide, is critically important...

2018 Eastern States Section of the Combustion Institute Technical Meeting (ESSCI 2018)

March 4, 2018

The NIST Flammability Reduction group traveled to State College (Pennsylvania State University) for the 2018 Eastern States Section of the Combustion Institute...

Fire Testing of New Building Materials

June 8, 2017

New, lighter, cheaper, sustainable and recyclable building materials are entering the market every day as developers try to lower costs and shrink their carbon...

Image of a wheelchair in front of an elevator

NIST Study Provides Voice for Evacuation Needs of Mobility Impaired

August 26, 2016

A fire alarm sounds. An announcement comes over the office public address system: "A fire has been reported in the building. This is not a drill. Please move to...

NIST, Partners Set Research Agenda for Protecting Firefighters from Harm

March 23, 2016

If there is anything common among the 1.1 million firefighters—both career and volunteer—serving in the United States, it's that at any moment, they may be...

NIST Report: Science-Based Data Collection Key to Better Wildland Fire Defense

February 24, 2016

A new report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) describes how researchers analyzed a major 2011 Texas wildland fire using a rigorous...

NIST Study of Colorado Wildfire Shows Actions Can Change Outcomes

November 9, 2015

GAITHERSBURG, Md.—A new study of Colorado's devastating 2012 Waldo Canyon wildfire demonstrates that prompt and effective action can significantly change the...

Research Roadmap Traces the Path to 'Smart' Fire Fighting

June 18, 2015

When responding to the more than 1.2 million blazes reported annually, the nation's firefighters usually start with a dangerous disadvantage: They often lack...

Why Firefighters Get Steam Burns: Exploratory Study Underway

April 27, 2015

A mystery has raged for decades surrounding accounts of firefighters who receive steam burns through their protective clothing. One ruling theory is that the...

NIST Makes 'Bio Inspired' Flame Retardants in a Jiffy

April 14, 2015

After devising several new and promising "green" flame retardants for furniture padding, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers took...

NIST Modeling Study Reveals the Lethal Dynamics of a San Francisco House Fire

January 30, 2015

A new computer-based fire-dynamics study by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has helped to clarify the circumstances and...

In Tests of Promising Flame Retardants, Opposites Pair Off—And the Challenger Wins

December 19, 2014

In a face-off between two promising flame retardants, the challenger—a nanomaterial that maintains a positive façade while sheltering a negative interior...

NIST Tests: Firefighters Portable Radios May Fail at Elevated Temperatures

December 9, 2014

New test results from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) confirm that portable radios used by firefighters can fail to operate properly...

NIST Report and Video Detail Dynamics of Deadly Chicago House Fire

December 2, 2014

A new National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) computer-modeling study of a 2012 Chicago house fire reveals the conditions that unleashed a surge...

All-Natural Mixture Yields Promising Fire Retardant

June 3, 2014

What sounds like fixings for a wizard's potion—a dash of clay, a dab of fiber from crab shells, and a dollop of DNA—actually are the ingredients of promising...

NIST Improves Performance, Capabilities of Its Computer Fire Modeling Tools

May 20, 2014

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) scientists and engineers recently enhanced the capabilities of NIST's computer fire modeling software, a...

Spartanburg, S.C., Fire Experiments Will Test New Firefighting Tactics

May 13, 2014

Fire researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will return to Spartanburg, S.C., on May 15-21, 2014, as part of a collaborative...

The New York City Fire Department, NIST and Underwriters Laboratories set fire to 20 abandoned townhouses on Governors Island, New York

New Online Course Based on NIST Research Highlights Insights on Modern Firefighting

April 22, 2014

A new, free, online course offered by the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) highlights the tactical application of nearly two decades of research...

Residues of an identical foam-fabric assembly in the current (left) and in the modified (right) smoldering ignition setup (45 min test duration)

NIST Study Suggests Ways to Improve Common Furniture Fire Test

February 10, 2014

The bench-scale test widely used to evaluate whether a burning cigarette will ignite upholstered furniture may underestimate the tendency of component materials...

image of foam coating used to reduce flammability of furniture

Layered Security: Carbon Nanotubes Promise Improved Flame-Resistant Coating

January 14, 2014

Using an approach akin to assembling a club sandwich at the nanoscale, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers have succeeded in...

NIST Fire Protection Engineer Wins Service to America Medal

October 18, 2013

Fire protection engineer Daniel Madrzykowski of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was honored on Oct. 3, 2013, with a Service to America...

A wooded area aflame during the 2007 Witch Creek/Guejito wildfire in Southern California.

Knowing Exposure Risks Important to Saving Structures from Wildfires

September 3, 2013

A recent study of one of California's most devastating wildland fires by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Forest Service...

New NIST Test for Firefighter Breathing Equipment Goes into Effect Sept. 1

June 25, 2013

As of Sept. 1, 2013, standard firefighter breathing equipment cannot be certified to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards unless the facepiece...

The Witch fire, the largest of the fires that occurred during the 2007 California firestorm, burned 80,124 hectares and destroyed 1125 residential structures.

Workshop Identifies Research Priorities to Mitigate Fires in the Wildland-Urban Interface

May 28, 2013

Over 46 million residential structures in the United States are in areas at risk of wildfires. A new publication from the National Institute of Standards and...

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