FDNY Studies the Science of Wind-Driven High-Rise Fires

Wind-driven high-rise fires are some of the most dangerous a firefighter will ever face. They are unpredictable, fast-moving and can exceed temperatures of 2,000 degrees within minutes, making it challenging for firefighters to control.

So, why the FDNY purposefully start one on February 25?

It was part of a week-long series of controlled burn experiments the Department is using to test new firefighting techniques that can be used to battle these dangerous fires.

The study is funded through a $1 million grant from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant for Research. It was unveiled on Governors Island by Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and officials from Polytechnic University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which are participating in the study.

“These tests will enhance our technology and help our members tackle the most difficult fires they confront,” said Commissioner Scoppetta. “We’re looking for revolutionary ways to fight wind-driven high-rise fires.”

Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano added: “When wind whips down the hallway of a high-rise building, you only have seconds to get out. So the results of this study will help keep New Yorkers and our firefighters safer.”

Fire officials used an abandoned seven-story apartment building on Governors Island for the tests, noting the structure is similar to numerous buildings found throughout the five boroughs.

After starting the fire and feeding it with 20 M.P.H. winds from a large fan outside, officials first studied the temperature, pressure and carbon monoxide readings in each of the apartment’s rooms using fireproof wiring and sensors that record temperature changes as well as thermal and real-time video cameras.

Since they purposefully left the apartment’s doors open (which the FDNY urges New Yorkers never to do) the wind pushed the flames and smoke quickly through the rooms and into the public hallway, raising temperatures to more than 2,000 degrees.

Fire officials then engaged a series of new fire suppression tools, the first of which was a fire curtain.

During this test, a fire-resistant blanket was lowered from the floor above the fire to remove the fire’s oxygen supply by covering the window that was feeding the wind to the flames.

The curtain is made from material similar to that of a firefighter’s bunker gear. It can withstand direct exposure to 1,500 degree temperatures for an unlimited amount of time and 2,000 degrees for up to 15 minutes.

Another test included Positive Pressurized Ventilation (PPV). This employed the use of a small gas-powered fan, which was placed at the bottom of the stairwell, pressurizing the area and driving smoke and heat away from stairways and corridors. This allows for temperatures to significantly drop in these areas and creating safer conditions.

Finally firefighters tested a new High-Rise Nozzle to help get water to the fire when conditions are too dangerous for firefighters to enter the fire floor.

To use this specially designed tool - which looks like a 10-foot tall pole that sprays water - firefighters enter the apartment directly below the fire and hook the nozzle over the fire apartment’s windowsill. This feeds water to the fire like a regular hose line and allows firefighters to battle the fire without entering the hazardous conditions of the fire apartment.

During this test officials looked at the type of water stream and quantity of water required to effectively control or extinguish the fire.

All the test results were analyzed six floors below by technicians who will monitor each experiment. Although many more tests will be needed to assess the effectiveness of each of these tools, fire officials said they are encouraged by what they have seen so far.

“We are bridging the gap between science and the art of firefighting,” said Battalion Chief Gerald Tracy. “What we are doing is groundbreaking.”

Representatives from major fire departments across North America will attend the series of burn experiments, including Chicago, Los Angeles County, Boston, Denver, Boise, Washington D.C. and Ottawa.

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