75 Years of Fire Technology

Over the last decade, fire deaths have increased by 32 percent following three decades of relative decline. One contributing factor may be the rise in wildfires, which are escalating in both frequency and ferocity. Four of the 10 deadliest wildfires in U.S. history, including the devasting 2023 Lahaina Town fire that killed 98 people on the Hawaiian island of Maui, happened in the last decade while all other fires listed occurred prior to 1933.

Another contributing factor could be the increased use of synthetic materials, which burn hotter and produce more toxic gases than fires from natural materials such as wood, leather, cotton and wool. Today’s open-concept floor plans allow fire to spread more readily and are more dangerous from a fire-safety standpoint when compared with the compartmentalized homes built prior to the 1950s.

Even with a flurry of technological advancements, including computer fire modeling, improved building materials and standardized testing methods, fire remains a threat to human life and property. With a shift toward new technologies and energy sources such as hydrogen, compressed natural gas and lithium-ion batteries, Southwest Research Institute’s advanced fire technology research is as relevant today as it was 75 years ago.

THE SPARK

In 1949, SwRI established a fire technology program, currently a department within the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Division, in the interest of public welfare after a report showed a serious need for such services. At that time, more than 10,000 people died annually in fires, with property losses exceeding $700 million. No other industrial research institute had a focused fire research program, in a time before standards and regulations provided basic fire protections for the public.

SwRI’s first president, Harold Vagtborg, wrote, “In establishing the division, the trustees and staff of the Institute hope to contribute materially toward reducing the appalling loss of human life and suffering, and the property destruction caused by fire — a toll which continues to mount steadily year after year.”

Fire department chiefs, industry leaders and government officials from across the country signed on to help the efforts by serving on a board of counsellors for the new division. The newly formed program had several mandates. First, SwRI’s new fire technology program needed to advance the fundamental understanding of the chemical and physical aspects of fire, combustion and explosions.

Based on this new knowledge, the team was charged with helping industry develop better firefighting equipment and chemical extinguishing agents as well as fire protection technology, to fireproof and create flame-resistant materials.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a U.S.-based, international nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. As of 2023, the NFPA cites 50,000 members and 9,000 volunteers working with the organization through its 250 technical committees.

SwRI provided fire technology services to industries with fire or explosion hazards as well as equipment manufacturers interested in developing more effective firefighting or fire-prevention equipment. Fire technologists sought to help manufacturers develop fireproof and fire-resistant materials for the consumer goods, transportation and construction industries.

The post-World War II era gave rise to new technologies and materials like alloys, plastics and other synthetic fabrics. One early project experimented with a variety of formulations to quickly combat fires involving magnesium alloys, used in the construction of railroad cars and aircraft. New materials all possessed unique fire characteristics that required evaluation.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karen Carpenter, P.E., started her Institute career in Fire Tech in 2003. She is now the department director, overseeing standard, nonstandard, and large- and small-scale fire performance evaluations.