The ISFSI “Understanding and Fighting Basement Fires” 8-hour classroom curriculm addresses types of basement access, fire attack tactics, nozzles and appliances, and tactical cosiderations based on research and real life experience. The ISFSI partnership with UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute under an AFG grant brings the research to the classroom and from the classroom to the streets.

Over the past several years, the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute has been working with the fire service to examine fire dynamics and firefighting tactics. More than 300 experiments have examined the changes in the fire environment over time, the impact of ventilating ventilation-limited fires, and the implications of flow control and effectiveness in suppression tactics.

The ISFSI “Understanding and Fighting Basement Fires” 8-hour classroom curriculm addresses types of basement access, fire attack tactics, nozzles and appliances, and tactical cosiderations based on research and real life experience. The ISFSI partnership with UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute under an AFG grant brings the research to the classroom and from the classroom to the streets.

The UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute has just completed a project on the impact of using interior and exterior fire streams on firefighter safety and occupant survival. This class discusses the tactical considerations involved and describes the cold flow experiments conducted to determine how the type of hose stream and its method of application moves air within a structure given various ventilation openings and interior vs. exterior deployment. Flow experiments were conducted to determine water distribution within compartments based on the type of tactic chosen, and a series of live-fire experiments were conducted to determine the interaction of the hose streams with the modern fire environment and the potential impact on firefighter safety and occupant survival. This first of its kind study is fully discussed.         

"Bringing the science to the streets" by placing attendees in the action at specifically designed skill stations. Small-scale props will be used in combination with full-scale flow-path simulation stations that will position participants inside the learning environment to develop and enhance knowledge of modern fire development, flow path management, proper TIC usage, and basement fire attack. Participants will not only receive all learning materials, but a foundation to deliver the knowledge within their own organizations.

Firefighting is a very hands on activity, so it makes sense that teaching fire dynamics to firefighters should include hands on activities. UL FSRI has developed a fire dynamics boot camp for fire service instructors. The objective of the boot camp is to share information and experiments that instructors can use to effectively teach essential fire behavior concepts and how they apply to the fire ground. This presentation will provide an overview of the topics and experiments included in the boot camp.

Understanding fire dynamics in residential structures strengthens a firefighter's ability to operate effectively on the fireground. Although every fireground is different, there are some key fire-dynamics principals all firefighters should know. This class will review these key principles and discuss how they can be employed tactically on the fireground. Topics will include ventilation-limited fires, forcible entry, horizontal/vertical or PPV, search operations, and hose stretches. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how tactical choices will impact the fire dynamics within a residential structure.

This program will introduce the attendee to the best practices regarding rescue squad operations on the modern fireground. A UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute groundbreaking study has provided the fire service with cutting edge information about varying suppression tactics on the modern fireground, specifically, the impact of different tactics on the burn risks of potential trapped occupants. As those responsible for searching the fire building, rescue squad firefighters must incorporate these best practices into their operations for a safe and successful, coordinated fireground. This program will discuss searching in the fire flow path, VEIS procedures, as well as proactive rapid intervention measures.

The Close Your Door safety initiative comes as the result of over 10 years of research by the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI). After proving that a closed door could potentially save lives in a fire, UL FSRI has committed to share this finding with the world. This presentation will cover the research data associated with this initiative along with the steps taken for sharing the message with the Fire Service and general public.

Firefighter tactics research has highlighted a need for a more in-depth understanding of fire dynamics. Although live fire training has the potential to provide experience with fire dynamics the training environment and fuels permitted make this difficult. This presentation will look specifically at the challenge of creating realistic fire behavior using wood based fuels.