Field Experiments

The study examined the effects of crew size in three different scenarios: high-rise firegrounds, residential firegrounds, and EMS responses. See the sections below for summaries, results, and findings in each environment.

(Note: The executive summaries are presented in a brochure format to facilitate outreach to decision-makers.)

High-Rise Firegrounds

High-Rise Report Executive Summary / Brochure (PDF)
NIST Report on High-Rise Fireground Field Experiments (Full report: PDF)
Experiment Results
High-Rise Study Video (YouTube)

Residential Firegrounds

EMS Field Experiments

EMS Study Executive Summary / Brochure (PDF)
NIST Report on EMS Field Experiments (Full study: PDF)
Experiment Results

Project Timeline

Click on a year to learn more

2005

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (the Fire Act) provides funding to the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI-RISK) for a multiphase project to develop tools that will help local fire departments better assess the risks in their local communities and plan to respond to them more effectively and efficiently.

The Center for Public Safety Excellence subcontracts with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to conduct the study. Each organization committed a principal investigator to the study to conduct the fundamental study activities. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is brought in as an industry partner.

2006

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (the Fire Act) provides second year of funding to the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI-RISK) to conduct Residential Fireground Field Experiments.

2007

Ongoing preparations are made in anticipation of conducting Residential field experiments.

2008

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (the Fire Act) provides continued funding for the multiphase project to develop the full Residential Fireground Report.

January and February 2009 – The residential fireground field experiments are conducted in Montgomery County, MD at the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Training Academy.

April and May 2009 – The EMS field experiments are conducted in Montgomery County, MD at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy and in Fairfax County, VA at the EMS Simulation Center.

2009

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (the Fire Act) provides continued funding for the multiphase project to develop the Residential Fireground Field Experiment Took Kit.

April 2010 – The Report on Residential Fireground Field Experiments is released

September 2010 – The Report on EMS Field Experiments is released.

2010

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (the Fire Act) provides continued funding for the multiphase project to conduct High-Rise Field Experiments.

April 2013 – High-Rise Report Released

2011

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (the Fire Act) provides continued funding for the multiphase project to develop the High-Rise Field Experiment Report and Tool Kit.

2013

Tool Kit Released.