Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
On March 18, around 100 firefighters from the U.S. and Canada gathered at Underwriters Laboratories in Northbrook to explore new, potentially safer strategies for tackling residential fires. The event aimed to challenge traditional firefighting methods and introduce alternative approaches that could save lives.
Steve Kerber, director of UL’s Firefighter Safety Research Institute, explained that the conventional method of fighting house fires has long involved quickly entering a building with hoses and aggressively attacking the fire room by room. This approach, he said, often pushes flames toward exterior walls, but it can also cause superheated water to "steam" occupants, posing a serious risk.
A newer technique called the transitional attack involves first attacking the fire from the outside through windows before moving inside. Though still controversial among many departments due to its reliance on exterior operations, this method was demonstrated in a specially equipped test house filled with hundreds of sensors.
"We’re not telling you how to fight a fire," Kerber emphasized. "We’re giving you more options." UL has been testing this method about two dozen times over the past month as part of a three-year study funded by a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The findings will be published next year.
During one demonstration, a team of UL-hired firefighters attacked a fire in two separate rooms by spraying water upward rather than horizontally. This prevented the fire from spreading further and allowed them to cover multiple surfaces without introducing more air into the room. Within 15 seconds, the flames were gone, and temperatures dropped from 1,800°F to 250°F. When they entered, they found only a small spot on a chair left to extinguish.
However, the method isn’t foolproof. Northbrook firefighter Lt. Ryan Lee pointed out that if windows are closed, the fire becomes trapped, and breaking a window could lead to rapid fire spread. In such cases, Kerber advised that if enough personnel are available, firefighters should go inside. If not, breaking a window is still the best option.
Proponents argue that transitional firefighting reduces the time firefighters spend inside burning buildings, which is crucial for their safety. One observer at the event was Lionel Crowther, a senior firefighter from Winnipeg, who suffered severe burns in a 2007 fire that claimed two lives, including one he couldn’t save.
This study marks the first time the transitional method has been tested with extensive electronic data collection and an analysis of its effects on human skin. UL has partnered with the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute, which is using pig carcasses and rats to simulate heat exposure during the process.
Gavin Horn, the institute’s research director, noted that it’s a misconception that water significantly increases the steaming effect on trapped people. “The fire itself produces a lot of moisture,†he said, surprising researchers.
The event was monitored through eight cameras placed both inside and outside the test house. A fire was started with a dropped match and allowed to burn for several minutes before firefighters were called in. Kerber mentioned that flashover—the point where everything in a room ignites—typically occurs within four minutes.
Fire Chief Brad Shull of Jefferson Twp., Ohio, noted that many departments don’t arrive until seven minutes have passed, suggesting they're often responding too late. While the transitional method helps limit oxygen to the fire, some critics argue that the test setup didn’t reflect real-world conditions in suburban homes, which can be much larger and more open.
McCulloch pointed out that in a typical suburban home, closing doors when evacuating can help reduce the amount of oxygen feeding the fire. “When people leave, they should close the door,†he said, highlighting the importance of simple yet effective prevention measures.
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