Archive for February 11th, 2012

Guardians of the Ribbon help young girl

The Guardians of the Ribbon, Northern Illinois Chapter, are picking up Lily, an eight-year-old girl that is battling cancer, (see below) in Island Lake tomorrow and escorting her to Lindy’s Landing in Wauconda at approx 1000. They will be receiving a police escort from the Wauconda and Island Lake Police Departments. If you use Facebook they have two different pages. Love for Lily and Love for Lily Benefit Brunch.

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Fire Behavior Study at UL

The Fire Safety Engineering area at Underwriter’ Laboratories was conducting research last week in Northbrook.

Under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program, UL examined fire service ventilation practices as well as the impact of changes in modern house geometries.  There has been a steady change in the residential fire environment over the past several decades.

This series of experiments examine this change in fire behavior and the impact on firefighter ventilation tactics.  This fire research project developed the empirical data that is needed to quantify the fire behavior associated with these scenarios and result in immediately developing the necessary firefighting ventilation practices to reduce firefighter death and injury.

Two houses were constructed in the large fire facility of UL in Northbrook, IL.

A summary of the testing along with the complete report can be accessed HERE.

Tim Olk was on hand during some of the burning and submitted some images.

Impact of Ventilation on Fire Behavior in Legacy and Contemporary Residential Construction

One of the houses that was built for the testing inside the Northbrook facility of UL. Tim Olk photo

Impact of Ventilation on Fire Behavior in Legacy and Contemporary Residential Construction

Firefighters apply water into a window during one of the burns. Tim Olk photo

Impact of Ventilation on Fire Behavior in Legacy and Contemporary Residential Construction

A firefighter stands by as the fire rages in one of the test structures. Tim Olk photo

Tim has more images from the testing HERE.

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