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 Quincy,
MA, March 8, 2002-The Research Advisory Council on Post-Fire Analysis
of NFPA's Fire Protection Research Foundation has issued a white paper
on post-fire analysis in an effort to help improve the technical aspects
of fire investigation. The paper, available at no cost from the Foundation,
is the first in a series of recommendations that will be issued from several
other advisory councils, each convened by the Foundation to examine one
area of fire-related activity.
The
paper, developed by an independent 14-member panel from industry, research,
insurance, government, and the fire service, reviews the status of the
techniques and knowledge base of post-fire investigations and presents
recommendations addressing the research and development needs that the
Council has identified. The Council's aim is to prompt industry, insurance
groups and researchers to move forward on initiatives to improve the technical
aspects of fire investigation and analysis.
Post-fire
analysis comprises a wide range of activities, aiming to identify where
and how a given fire or group of fires started and the factors contributing
to fire loss. Traditionally, most post-fire analysis efforts have been
focused on origin and cause with emphasis on civil and criminal litigation.
The basis for identification of fire origin and cause has evolved mainly
from practical knowledge rather than scientific research.
White
paper on post-fire analysis now available from NFPA's Fire Protection
Research Foundation
Page 2 of 2 .
"The
fire investigation community has just begun to benefit from scientific
validation that supports traditional interpretation of fire patterns,"
says Daniel Churchward, president of Kodiak Enterprises, Inc., chair of
NFPA's Technical Committee on Fire Investigations, which develops NFPA
921, Guide to Fire and Explosion Investigation, and a member of
the Council.
The Council
identified five broad areas where progress is needed in post-fire analysis.
These are:
- origin
and cause investigation methods,
- deaths,
injuries, property losses and building costs,
- education,
training and dissemination,
- environmental
impacts of fire and fire protection, and
- business
impacts. The white paper addresses impact, research/development and
benefit to groups from advances in these categories
Research
undertaken as a result of the white paper's recommendations could subsequently
be incorporated into proposed new fire codes and standards or into the
appendix of NFPA 921.
The white
paper is available, in hard copy by contacting the Research Foundation
at 617-984-7283.
The Fire
Protection Research Foundation is an independent, public, nonprofit foundation,
providing practical, usable data on fire risk and state-of-the-art fire
safety methods. The foundation collaborates with laboratories throughout
the world on projects that are overseen by broad-based technical committees.
NFPA has
been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, and life safety
to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization
is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality
of life by providing and advocating scientifically-based consensus codes
and standards, research, training and education. Developer of the National
Electrical Code®, the Life Safety Code®,
and 300 other codes and standards through a full, open-consensus process,
NFPA is currently developing NFPA 5000, Building Code™,
the first consensus-based building code. NFPA also produces educational
curricula, including the Risk Watch® community-based
injury prevention curriculum and the Learn Not to Burn®
fire safety curriculum. NFPA headquarters is in Quincy, MA, USA. Visit
NFPA's Web site at www.nfpa.org.
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