Dec. 30, 2013
Curtis Massey, MEI CEO and former fire officer, published an article in the December 2013 issue of Fire Engineering. The article on the little understood topic within the fire service – air balance and its effects on high-rise building fires – is one of the most intricate, detailed stories written to date on firefighting tactics and strategy. Stack effect plays a huge role in multi-story fires, yet to a great degree it can be controlled along with smoke spread to floors remote from the immediate fire area. Massey explains how you can actually predict where fire casualties are likely to occur and how FD command can implement proactive (rather than reactive) measures to prevent smoke contamination in occupied areas where the fire is not burning. This is the first article of its kind to touch on an unusual phenomenon with such detail and comprehension.
Click here to read The Impact of Air Movement on High-Rise Commercial Fires