Smart Fire Fighting for Tactical Decisions

Summary

Data is driving innovative solutions that support better decisions for firefighters. The Smart Fire Fighting for Tactical Decisions Project is developing new technology through experimental fire research and computational analysis. It focuses on improving how data is collected, processed, and delivered to key stakeholders, enabling safer, more informed decisions.

Description

Two images of backdraft phenomenon generated from an experimental procedure (left) and a computational model (right).

Credit: NIST

Objective: Develop measurement science and technology that enables Cyber-Physical systems to enhance situation awareness, operational effectiveness, and firefighter safety.

What is the new technical idea?

Smart fire fighting is the process of using Cyber-Physical systems to gather, process, and deliver data to stakeholders (i.e. communities, firefighters, fire departments, and incident commanders) dealing with hazardous incidents. The proper use of these systems has the potential to reduce the economic cost of fire damage and, more importantly, civilian and firefighter injuries and deaths. This work focuses on establishing measurement science and standards that enable the use of smart fire fighting technology to improve the effectiveness of tactical decisions.

Specifically, this project develops innovative sensor and data processing technology to inform firefighters, team captains, or incident commanders. The technology is developed using a combination of experimental and computation approaches focused on understanding severe fire scenarios. Established measurement techniques are then communicated to invested stakeholders to inform standards development.

What is the research plan?

To establish effective tactical decisions that significantly reduce hazardous risks, severe hazardous scenarios (e.g., battery energy storage system fires, backdraft phenomena, smoke explosions, etc.) are studied from a fundamental approach. From this approach measurement sciences will be developed and tested using computational and experimental methods. Experimental methods include investigating fire scenarios in a wide range of scales such that a robust understanding of a fire phenomenon is established. Computational methods will complement experimental work by resolving detailed components not captured from the implemented instruments. Once a fire phenomenon is well-characterized, smart fire fighting technology that gathers, processes, and delivers critical information can be engineered and developed. Established smart fire fighting technology can then be tested as proof-of-concept and potentially implemented in practice. 

Major Accomplishments

• Established a backdraft forecasting technique that provides its users with a likelihood of risk.
• Developed a fuel-agnostic research tool that measures the fuel-to-air ratio in a variety of fire scenarios .