Residential Fire Study Shows Effects of Crew Size and Response Times on Fire Fighting Operations
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will issue the results of a national study April 28 on the effects of fire fighting staffing levels and crew arrival times on residential fire fighting operations.
Performed by a broad coalition in the scientific, fire fighting and public safety communities, the study results show that four-person crews were able to complete 22 essential fire fighting and rescue tasks in a typical residential structure 30 percent faster than two-person crews and 25 percent faster than three-person crews.
This and other scientific data in the report will help educate public officials, fire chiefs and other decision-makers on the importance of adequate staffing and deployment with respect to fire fighter and public safety.
Study investigators from NIST and the IAFF will announce the results of the study April 28 at a press conference scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time at the Hilton Washington in Washington, DC, before the start of the annual Congressional Fire Services Institute meeting of top fire safety officials from the across the nation.
The full report will be posted on the IAFF web site following the press conference.
The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters grant program.
For more information, contact Lori Moore-Merrill at or (202) 824-1594.
