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Fire

News and Updates

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Ground Broken for New Green Technology and Fire Safety Facilities

March 30, 2011

On March 25, 2011, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) held a groundbreaking ceremony at its Gaithersburg, Md., campus for three new

NIST researcher photographing the remains of the Sofa Super Store in Charleston, S.C., on June 19, 2007, the day after the fire that killed nine firefighters.

NIST Releases Final Report on Charleston Sofa Store Fire

March 15, 2011

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released its final report on its study of the June 18, 2007, fire at the Sofa Super Store in

Fiery Video Shows Moisture is Main Ingredient for a Safe Christmas Tree

December 8, 2010

Once ignited, a dry Fraser fir, one of the most popular Christmas tree choices, bursts into flames in less than 7 seconds, and it will be consumed by fire in

NIST Residential Fire Study Education Kit Now Available

September 28, 2010

Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the International Association of Fire Fighters have prepared an educational

New NIST 'Standard Cigarette' Available for Fire-Resistance Testing

September 28, 2010

Cigarettes are the most frequent cause of fatalities from residential fires in the United States. So, it might seem surprising to learn that a cigarette that

Major Residential Fire Study to be Issued April 28

April 27, 2010

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will issue the results of a multi-institutional landmark national study on the effects of firefighter

Smoke Alarms + Sprinklers + Closed Doors = Lives Saved in Dorm Fires

March 30, 2010

Experimenting on a university dormitory that was scheduled to be torn down, fire researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have

NIST Deploys Experts to Assist in California Fires

September 3, 2009

Ongoing Effort Aims to Aid Understanding, Mitigation of Wildfires in Urban AreasThe Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology

High Rise Fire Study Provides Insight Into Deadly Wind-Driven Fires

May 5, 2009

Fire researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have just published two reports providing details of how wind affects fires in

NIST Researcher Dan Madrzykowski Named Fire Service Instructor of the Year

May 5, 2009

Daniel Madrzykowski of the National Institute of Standards and Technology was named George D. Post Instructor of the Year for 2009 by the International Society

During a fire safety experiment, a firefighter ventilates the building to let smoke and heat out to improve conditions inside.

Live Fire Experiments Examine Impact of Changes in Firefighting Resources

February 10, 2009

Minutes after a two-story townhouse caught fire on Feb. 5, engines and crews raced to the townhouse to extinguish the fire and search for victims. No one was

Carbon Nanofibers Cut Flammability of Upholstered Furniture

December 9, 2008

Carbon, the active ingredient in charcoal, is normally not considered a fire retardant, but researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

Fire Videos Dramatize Christmas Tree Safety Measures

October 28, 2008

As the weather grows cold and people start planning for the holidays, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have released two

High Rise Fire Fighting—Effective Use of Positive Pressure Ventilation

June 24, 2008

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) engineers recently released a two-disk DVD set that demonstrates how Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV)

High rise building with smoke coming out of upper windows. Two people in bucket trucks.

NIST Evaluates Firefighting Tactics In NYC High-Rise Test

March 18, 2008

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) fire protection engineers turned an abandoned New York City (NYC) brick high-rise into a seven-story fire

Photo of a mounted fan outside of a building

Fans Clear High-Rise Stairwells of Smoke

June 21, 2007

High pressure fans that direct air flow up the stairway of a burning high-rise building can increase the effectiveness of firefighters and the survivability of

Photo of NIST firefighters performing a positive pressure ventilation test at an abandoned apartment building

NIST Test Fans the Flames for High-Rise Fire Safety

November 22, 2006

The blow-torch-like flames erupting from the windows of an abandoned, 16-story Chicago apartment building on Nov. 10 were certainly dramatic to watch from the

Firefighter Radios May Fail During High-Temp Fires

September 28, 2006

Firefighters sometimes find themselves fighting blazes in temperatures as high as 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Firefighter gear and self-contained breathing

NIST Software Makes Fire Gear Choice Easier

June 8, 2006

Firefighters know that protective "turnout gear" (pants and coats) can save their lives. Yet because there are several different attributes of protective

Fire Panel Changes Offer Real-Time Fire Status Data

February 2, 2006

Fire panels, or "annunciators," are electronic devices that display data on building conditions in one easily accessible location. When used by first responders

Updated Fire Modeling Software Released

November 3, 2005

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released in September an updated version of a popular computer program that fire investigators, safety

NIST Urges Implementation of Recommendations from World Trade Center Investigation Final Towers Report Released Today at Congressional Hearing

October 26, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C.— William Jeffrey, director of the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), today called on the