Uncovered Witness: Fire Science Revelations
In this podcast, I am joining HALLIWELL Fire Research to provide a fundamental insight into fire science. With content that does not require any prior knowledge, we hope to guide the listener from the basics into the real fire science revelations. With an in-depth discussion of past catastrophic fires and the most impactful research, we build a sound foundation on where the knowledge on fire comes from. We also take a look into the future and how the field may change in the coming years.
"Uncovered Witness" aspires to foster a deeper appreciation for fire science, highlight the critical role of fire safety in architectural and engineering design, and encourage a multidisciplinary approach to improving fire safety standards. By making fire science accessible to a diverse audience, including lawyers, investors, architects, and others, the podcast underscores the universal relevance of fire safety knowledge and its impact on society. Through education and awareness, it aims to inspire improvements in fire safety practices and designs, contributing to the prevention of fire-related tragedies.
Uncovered Witness: Fire Science Revelations
Means of Escape pt. 2 - The Building Automation
In this mini-series of the Uncovered Witness - Fire Science Revelations, we cover the subject of the means of escape - the technical solutions in our buildings meant to allow for human evacuation in case of a fire.
In the second episode of this mini-series, we cover the fire engineering solutions for building automation that influence the evacuation processes in the buildings. Reflecting on the Beverly Hills Supper Club tragedy, where the systems were not present, we try to evaluate what tools the engineers have in their toolbox.
In this episode, we cover some fundamental approaches to fire safety engineering, such as evaluating Available and Required Safe Egress Time, calculating tenability and using computer modelling. We briefly discuss detection, suppression and smoke control. More information is provided on evacuation elevators and the challenges related to two-way communication that may be necessary to get the most out of them. Finally, we end the episode by discussing how sometimes legislation leaves too much space for free interpretation by the engineers and cases in which this may backfire.
Guests featured in this podcast episode:
- Prof. Daniel Nilsson, University of Canterbury, Halliwell Fire Research
- Dr Coleen Wade, Halliwell Fire Research
- Josh Gibbons, Halliwell Fire Research
Relevant Fire Science Show episodes:
- Fire Fundamentals on Building Automation
- Fire Safety Engineering with Dr Ricky Carvel
- Smoke toxicity Part 1 and Part 2 with prof. David Purser
This show is produced by the Fire Science Media for Halliwell Fire Research. Executive producer - Monika Węgrzyńska, scripting and production - Monika and Wojciech Węgrzyńscy, sound engineer - Mikołaj Jarząbek. All rights reserved. 2024.