National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) News

Chemicals broadly labeled as PFAs provide important properties to turnout gear used by firefighters, including better resistance to heat, water, and other hazards. Unfortunately, human exposure to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) has also been linked to heightened cancer risk. Research on the concentration of PFAs The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 directed the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to identify the prevalence and concentration of PFAs...

Preparing for all fire exposures, not picking and choosing only one, is vital for improving the home and building survival chances. What the community needs to know Wildfires spread primarily by: Ember generation and deposition. Burning or smoldering pieces of material generated during a wildfire event can land on combustible material. Radiant heat. The heat from the fire raises the temperature of a combustible material until that material reaches ignition temperature and burns....

Community members and business owners must understand the importance of protecting their structures from ember and fire exposures (radiant, conductive, and convective heat). Preparing for all fire exposures, not picking and choosing only one, is vital for improving home and building survival chances. Information for the community Wildfires spread primarily by: Ember generation and deposition: Burning or smoldering pieces of material generated during a wildfire event can land on combustible...

NIST released the WUI Structure/Parcel/Community Fire Hazard Mitigation Methodology (HMM) to provide guidance for homeowners and communities to protect themselves from wildfires. Integrating the latest post-fire field observations and fire science research, this report defines dozens of clear, measurable and cost-effective protective actions homeowners can take to defend their homes. Most vulnerable components Wildfires can spread through a community very quickly, especially one with dense h...

NIST released the WUI Structure/Parcel/Community Fire Hazard Mitigation Methodology (HMM) PDF to provide guidance for homeowners and communities to protect themselves from wildfires. Integrating the latest post-fire field observations and fire science research, this report defines dozens of clear, measurable, and cost-effective protective actions homeowners can take to defend their homes. Wildfires can spread through a community very quickly, especially one with dense housing. Often, the progr...

While wildfires can be beneficial and necessary for some species and ecosystems, there are various negative impacts on our air, water, and land, as well as, subsequent impacts for human health. Given the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) mission to protect human health and the environment, the EPA’s Wildland Fire Research focuses on the impacts these fires have on human health and ecosystems. Examining ambient air quality EPA researchers are examining the worsening of a...

Airborne International Response Team (AIRT), the 501(c)3 organization supporting Drones For Good™ for emergencies and disaster response has been awarded a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to support drone operations within federal, state, and local public safety agencies and emergency services organizations. The grant funding will be used by AIRT’s DRONERESPONDERS program to help implement standard test methods for sUAS developed by the National Institute of Standa...

In 2016, the fast-moving Chimney Tops 2 Fire in Tennessee killed 14 and injured over 200 people. This type of wildfire is not common in the region. The community was largely unprepared to respond or evacuate. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) surveyed affected residents of Sevier County, the county most impacted by the fire, to identify factors related to their decision to flee or stay behind. The survey looked at risk perception, gender, warnings from trusted...

In the fire industry, standards across the world are constantly updated and changed. It is Apollo’s duty, as leading fire detection manufacturers, to adapt to these revised standards and develop smart devices that keep people safe from fire, every second of every day. Soteria UL range of detectors In response to the UL 268 7th edition update, Apollo has developed the new Soteria UL range of detectors, culminating in over 30,000 hours in research and development, 186 hours in UL fire labs...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has received just shy of a million dollars in Fire Prevention and Safety Grant money from FEMA to develop a free public safety drone compliance program that includes educational training and a searchable knowledgebase that tracks fire service drone programs and usage. Fire departments have rapidly expanded the use of drones as more communities have realized the lifesaving impact that aerial technology can have in response to structural fires, wild...

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released its first unmanned robotics guidance for first responders and others. NFPA 2400, Standard for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Used for Public Safety Operations was developed by representatives from public safety departments with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including the fire service, law enforcement, and emergency medical services. NFPA 2400 is an all-encompassing standard that applies to all public safety departments that...

Prominent Edge LLC is proud to announce its graduation from the NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program - the first such company to do so. Through a grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Prominent Edge developed StatEngine, a real-time open source data analytics and visualization platform for public safety organizations.  StatEngine currently powers NFORS, the National Fire Operations Reporting System. NFORS is a fire service analytical system, the...

Recent reports that detail the origin of the deadly Grenfell Tower fire in London suggest that an automatic fire sprinkler system could have prevented the tragedy. According to the London police, the fire that killed at least 79 individuals on June 14th started in a refrigerator within a 4th story apartment, then spread to the building’s combustible exterior cladding. If an automatic fire sprinkler system had been installed in the building, it would have been expected to intervene and pre...

The High Volume/Low Speed Fans and Sprinkler Operation won the 2012 Fire Protection Research Foundation Medal The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) presented four awards to recognize achievements in fire and life safety at the 2012 NFPA Conference & Expo. The recipient of the 2012 Harry C. Bigglestone Award for Excellence in Communication of Fire Protection Concepts is Dr. Gregory T. Linteris for his paper, “Clean Agent Suppression of Energized Electrical...

Cooking equipment-related fires are a leading cause of U.S. fire loss The Fire Protection Research Foundation is addressing ways to reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and property losses from home cooking fires. The Foundation recently released a report with the results of a study commissioned by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The study identified major cooking fire scenarios and focused on the types of prevention technologies suitable for use o...

The NIST has issued a report on its study of the fire at the Sofa Super Store, Charleston, S.C NIST’s final report on its study of the fire at the Sofa Super Store in Charleston, S.C states the major factors involved in the rapid spread of fire. The fire trapped and killed nine firefighters, the highest number of firefighter deaths in a single event since 9/11. The final report is strengthened by clarifications and supplemental text based on comments...

Home fire sprinkler incentives underscored in new Fire Protection Research Foundation study Overall value and impact of home fire sprinkler incentives underscored in new Fire Protection Research Foundation study. Incentives for sprinkler installations in new U.S. homes are becoming increasingly common due to building codes and ordinances, and in recognition of the life safety benefits these systems provide. That’s according to “Incentives for the Use of Residentia...

Smart Grid Intiative focusses on next generation of power distribution NIST and other government agencies are undertaking a comprehensive series of programs to develop technology and information to enable the rapid transition to the next generation of power distribution through the Smart Grid initiative. The Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF), an affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), was awarded $250,000 from the National Institute of Standards...

A new study shows residential fires cause much damage to life and property  A landmark study issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows that the size of firefighting crews has a substantial effect on the fire service's ability to protect lives and property in residential fires. Performed by a broad coalition in the scientific, firefighting and public-safety communities, the study found that four-person firefigh...

A firefighter adjusting her SCBA. USFA and NIST are investigating whether SCBA facepieces can be made safer Study follows incidents of SCBA face piece failure The United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have started a research study to examine the enhancement of thermal performance of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) face pieces to increase the protection of firefighters. "There have been incidents o...