Fire Attack Full-Scale Experiments: Visitor Day in Northbrook, IL

From February 25th to March 18th, UL Research Institutes' Fire Safety Research Institute completed the full-scale fire experiments as part of the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters-funded project studying the Impact of Fire Attack Utilizing Interior and Exterior Streams on Firefighter Safety and Occupant Survival.

Recognizing the importance for members of the fire service to witness the research firsthand by viewing these experiments in person, we hosted four opportunities for visitors to join them at UL’s campus in Northbrook, IL. The experiments were conducted inside UL’s large fire laboratory that houses two 1620 square foot single-story ranch homes. These homes were constructed solely to examine the questions within the scope of this project.

Each Visitor Day began at 0800 hours and ran through approximately 1400 hours, allowing visitors to view the structures, instrumentation, and test plan before kicking off the experiments. Visitors then witnessed two full-scale experiments examining various suppression tactics from both the perspective of the firefighter and the occupant. With a total of 75 visitors each day, each had the opportunity to interact with one another, as well as with other fire service professionals and FSRI Advisory Board members.