A NIST Initiative for the Fire Service 

March 25, 2008 – The U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed and launched a new web site that outlines the Institute’s efforts to develop and apply technology, measurements and standards to better understand fire behavior, control and prevention and to improve operations, equipment, fire suppression, fire investigations and disaster response.

In addition to investigation reports and research summaries, the site offers an overview video of all of its available training videos, including CDs and DVDs of flashovers, ignition propensities of materials and other challenges. Users can also subscribe to a quarterly newsletter.

Other areas of the web site address specific topics, including turnout gear, Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) devices, thermal imaging, structural collapse and fire fighter training. For each topical area, the NIST site explains projects, lists research report citations and links to software tools. NIST also continues to develop computer-based tools to improve training opportunities while lowering the cost and risk of death and injury. These resources, NIST Fire Dynamic Simulator (FDS) and Smokeview, will be used as a basis for developing irtual reality-based fire fighting training tools.

Visit the web site for up-to-date information about NIST research methods and technologies intended to save responder lives, inform physical asset procurement decisions, and improve operations.