NFPA contributes $50,000 to research project
The National Fire Protection Association has contributed $50,000 to a study sponsored by the National Fire Protection Research Foundation. The two-year project, International Fire Sprinkler-Heat and Smoke Vent-Draft Curtain Fire Test Project, will analyze the interaction between sprinklers, vents, and draft curtains. The project will be directed by the Building and Fire Research Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which will donate analysis and modeling to the project. The Research Foundation and its advisory committee will select the fire laboratory that will conduct the testing.
Code writers, members of the fire protection industry, and insurers will serve on the project`s advisory committee. Final results of the study will be reflected in several related NFPA codes and standards, including NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems–1996; NFPA 204M, Smoke and Heat Venting–1991; the storage standard; and the model building code.
In addition to the NFPA, the following are also principal sponsors of the study: the American Architectural Manufacturers Association; Colt International; General Motors; Industrial Risk Insurers; Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.; the National Fire Sprinkler Association; the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Tomes, Van Rickley and Associates. Additional information is available from the NFPA; call Susan McKelvey at (617) 984-7270 or Julie Reynolds at (617) 984-7274.
