Since 1974, civilian deaths from fire in the United States have been reduced by more than 50 percent. Unfortunately, injuries and fatalities of firefighters are not being reduced at the same rate. In fact, the rate of firefighter fatalities on the fireground (that’s where a fire is fought) has increased. My research colleagues and I at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are looking into why.
The reasons may be twofold. Research has shown that as the construction and content of our homes has changed, the behavior of fires has also changed. Homes today are a very “fuel rich” environment thanks to more furnishings and belongings overall. As a result, once a fire starts, it will quickly fill a home with toxic, gaseous fuels that only need oxygen to continue burning. Homes today are energy efficient and therefore tightly built to limit unwanted exchanges of air and heat. That means the home can store a build-up of gaseous fuel and heat while the firefighters are en route. This scenario presents the potential for rapid fire growth once the firefighters enter the home.