Fire dynamics simulator modeling of a line-of-duty death in a firefighting training facility using recent research on materials and firefighter safety

In 2005, a line-of-duty death of an instructor at a firefighter training facility spawned research into both firefighter training and improving firefighter protective gear. Since the incident, there has been additional research into the material properties, firefighter facepiece performance, and the classification of firefighter exposures. This has been in parallel to significant improvements in the ability to model fires and predict, rather than prescribe, fire growth. As this recent body of work was not available at the time of incident investigation, the incident was revisited using the current version of Fire Dynamics Simulator. The full day of training evolutions was modeled in Fire Dynamics Simulator using recent data on wood pyrolysis (the fuel) and facepiece reaction to heat. Fire Dynamics Simulator results were evaluated against the testing done following the incident. Facepiece research was used to develop hole formation criteria that could be evaluated from Fire Dynamics Simulator predictions of facepiece exposure. This was used to compare the performance of facepieces contemporary with the incident to today’s facepieces. In addition, exposure predictions were evaluated in the context of exposure hazard categories developed for firefighter protective gear.