Firefighters from Across the U.S. Attend First-of-its-Kind Summit to Improve Firefighting Tactics and Safety

NEW YORK, May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) are hosting a first-of-its-kind fire safety summit including fire service professionals from the country's largest fire departments to share best practices and new research on fire behavior, firefighting tactics and health and safety. Commencing today, the summit is being held in New York City at the FDNY's Randall's Island training center through May 22.

This train-the-trainer program, a collaboration between two of the world's most well-known fire safety organizations, is designed to enable fire service leaders and instructors to incorporate new research and tactics into their departments' training programs. The summit will address a variety of topics, including changing fire dynamics, challenges currently facing firefighters, residential and urban fire problems, the modern fire environment, building construction and tactical considerations.

"Training, preparation and education are critical to fighting and surviving fires," said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. "The Department is proud to partner with the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute to produce this training summit which brings together experienced leaders from Fire Departments across the country. Together, we will further improve the safety of our members and of those we are sworn to protect."

Representatives from fire departments in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco will experience hands-on activities including small table-top experiments and reduced-scale trials. The summit culminates with full-scale fire demonstrations, including measurements taken to examine different suppression and ventilation tactics as well as a live burn highlighting UL FSRI's Close Before You Doze campaign and the remarkable difference a closed door can make to increase the likelihood of surviving a house fire.

The boot camp focuses on the "how" and "why" of fire dynamics. Attendees will leave with an improved understanding of fire dynamics and a digital tool kit to support their training efforts at their home departments. More importantly, attendees will develop a strong network of support from instructors who are actively teaching this research and implementing these materials at their training academies.

"Firefighters are often hands-on, visual learners, and this summit will give attendees the chance to see and participate in the concepts being taught," said Stephen Kerber, director of UL FSRI. "By witnessing the research firsthand, they will see it and feel it on a fundamental level which will create a bridge from the classroom to the fireground."

About FDNY

The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the largest Fire Department in the United States and universally is recognized as the world's busiest and most highly skilled emergency response agency. The Department's main goal is to provide fire protection and other critical public safety services to residents and visitors in the five boroughs. The Department also works to continually educate the public in fire, life safety and disaster preparedness, along with enforcing public safety codes.

Since its inception in 1865, FDNY has helped lead efforts to make New York the safest big city in the nation. This accomplishment requires a steadfast and daily commitment to maintaining the Department's core values. To that end, FDNY members are sworn to serve and protect life and property. FDNY not only responds to more than a million emergencies every year, its personnel also strive to prevent them by continually educating the public in fire, life safety and disaster preparedness, along with enforcing public safety codes.

About UL FSRI

UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI) advances fire research knowledge and develops cutting edge, practical fire service education aimed at helping firefighters stay safe while more effectively protecting people and property. Guided by a global advisory board comprised of fire service personnel, UL FSRI investigates residential, commercial, and industrial fires through full-scale testing, field-testing, and modeling to replicate actual fires faced by firefighters. Research results are shared through interactive training courses that have reached hundreds of thousands of firefighters globally. To learn more, visit ULFirefighterSafety.org.

About UL

UL fosters safe living and working conditions for people everywhere through the application of science to solve safety, security and sustainability challenges. The UL Mark engenders trust enabling the safe adoption of innovative new products and technologies. Everyone at UL shares a passion to make the world a safer place. To learn more about our nonprofit work, visit UL.org.

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SOURCE UL

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