In this issue . . . .

President's column

Programme reccomended

Fire Protection Industry Training Institutes

Hospital & Residential Care Fire Safety

SFPE Web Site

Our first Newsletter for 1998. Whilst it might seem mercenary, attached is also your annual sub notice. Your early payment would be much appreciated.

Those of you in the know will be aware the BIA have effective from March 9^th appointed a new Chief Executive Dr Porteous from Victoria University School of Architecture where he lectured on building construction. We wish him well in this important post.

Those Members in Auckland who were fortunate to hear Grant Coupland and Cliff Barnett give us their personnel views on work carried out researching possible changes to C2, C3 and C4 of the NZBC were fortunate. This was well received by all members who attended. We shall endeavour in association with the NZFPA to bring the travelling road show to Wellington and Christchurch during the year.

The IPENZ Conference was at Auckland on February 12^th to 16^th the theme is "The sustainable city". Cliff Barnett delivered a paper in the feature session on reducing the effects of fire to sustain a city. The fire section was on Sunday 15^th where there are seven papers presented. The papers are "fire reconstruction and analysis of a fire in a hire storage facility" by Carol Caldwell, "A fire engineering analysis to determine performance requirements for building hydrant systems to safely extinguish fires" by P Bryrne, "Flame spread classification method for exterior claddings" by G Cowles and C Wade, "Predictive modelling of combustion behaviour of upholstered furniture" by P Enright and C Fleishmann, "Step wise corrections in interactive solutions to smoke depth and mean hot layer temperature using Thomas at al’s equation for zone modelling" by Brian Atkinson, "A risk based approach to fire protection in NZ Rest Homes" by Pancha Narayanan, "Limitations of zone models for fire safety design of large spaces" by A Lovatt and "A summary of fire research at the University of Canterbury" by C Fleischmann.

The fire section was attended by about 25 people and there as lively debate on issues raised. The standard of presentation was very good. Cliff Barnetts paper delivered in the feature session was also well received.

It was the SFPE’s intention to peer review all fire related papers before they were forwarded to IPENZ. Due to circumstances of work pressure of all parties this was not possible with most papers going direct to the IPENZ coordinator Allan Winwood. The Society will need to review its policy in this regard during 1998. I should be interested to hear members views on this matter, please write to me.

One of the great difficulties in preparing Newsletters is information. Prior to 1997 Dick Gillespie did a great job as editor of the Newsletter and was also one of the major contributors to it. The Society appreciated that effort but it could not be sustained. I know we are all busy but I’m sure we must all do a job of some special interest from time to time. Please write an article on it for the Newsletter.

We would all like to hear about it and articles are needed. Everyone in the Society should make a contribution we have over 50 Members (all grades of Membership). We produce four newsletters a year, at two maybe three articles per edition it requires each member to write an article once every four years.

This should be a easy target but by last years performance nearly impossible. Lets make 1998 a year with a good newsletter’s again for it to be successful members contributions are essential!

One of the interesting developments that is happening around the country is the commercialisation of Council water supplies. To reduce water loses one of the measures being adopted by these company’s is to reduce pressure and hence loses from leaks. Water pressure is equivalent to voltage with electricity, which is required by law to be with a percentage (5%) of 240volts. There is no such requirement on water supplies. There are a large number of fixed fire protection systems eg sprinklers, drenchers, sprays etc that rely directly on town mains for both pressure and flow. FPIS biennial flow testing will eventually show up any such degradation of the water supply should it occur but who will be responsible for rectifying the protection system requirement. It is something to be aware of and we should be considering the concept of a standard on water supplies. What do members think of this?

Another project we are considering this year is developing a SFPE web page on the Internet which will be hosted by IPENZ. Such a system would offer a number of advantages eg easy and quick communication to and between members, publication of the newsletter are perhaps the most obvious but there will be others also. The web page will have the URL sfpe.org.nz and should be up in a week or three – keep an eye out for it. Now might be the time to consider a Internet connection. Again members, what do you think of communicating through the Internet?

Finally Cliff Barnett’s Fellow nomination was approved by the SFPE parent Board of Directors in December and will be recognised at the annual meeting in May. Our first fellow – congratulations Cliff.

Enclosed invitation to participate in Human Behavior in Fire from University of Canterbury. This is one Unit of ME Study for enrolled students and will qualify for CPD recognition of IPENZ.

Fire Engineering Newsletter No.4 – December 1997 from University of Canterbury. Do you have any person interested in Fire Engineering as a carreer – if so pass it on.

The Industry have contributed to the development of three Registered Qualifications to be on Framework viz

The first is to Level 3 and others to Level 4 and some additional Level 5 Units are to be added at early date.

The Framework provides for Industry specific Level 5 and 6 Technician Level Units and these will be part of the new National Diploma in Engineering (NDE) which is to be available in 1999 from Providers (Polytechnics). This will be a replacement for NZCE.

All engineering related Industry Training Organisations, the University of Auckland, Canterbury and Massey and other key employing organisations have agreed a ‘Core’ programme for any student wishing to pursue Technician / Technologist qualification in the Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Process and Control disciplines.

This ‘Core’ written in Units format and subject to ‘Assessment’ by Providers will be the underpinning knowledge for Industry or Discipline specific additional Units.

The ‘Core’ studies are expected to require not more than 2 year full time study for school leavers with Form 6 level or less for those with Form 7 level in key subjects of Mathematics and Sciences.

As in past with NZCE the Student will be expected to undertake work experience and concurrent studies in chosen discipline which in case of Fire Industry will include such subjects as;

Active Fire Protection Systems, Fire Dynamics, Human Behavior, Smoke Control, Fire Models, Building Code, Fire Safety and Evacuation Regulations etc.

There will be a minimum number of Credits to be achieved in Level 5 and 6 specific units plus other elective general Units over a period requiring possibly 1500-1800 hours both on job and off job study.

With full Industry support ie both Fire Protection Industry and SFPE – Technical Group of IPENZ there can be an ‘NDE – Fire’ qualification available.

This is expected to qualify for concessional entry to existing University degrees as in past with NZCE.

What we need is support in terms of assistance with development of fire discipline specific Units and everyone to encourage young persons to enroll in 1999 for the Core studies.

We see this Qualification being available as critical for future Fire Engineering Designers, Fire Protection Industry, NZ Fire Service, Territorial Authority Employees etc.

The Ministry of Health and NZ Fire Service have initiated a programme to ensure all the premises offering such services are upgraded to provision of Type 7 system throughout Patient/Resident areas within 6/18 months from last inspection by the NZ Fire Service for scheme certificate.

The philosophy is;

or Remove people from risk by total evacuation.

where no active systems in place to take people away from risk requires extra staff 24 hours/day therefore increase to one staff to six people.

where automatic smoke detectors system connected to NZ Fire Service – 1 staff to 8 people

- where automatic sprinkler system connected to NZ Fire Service – 1 staff to 10 people.

where full Type 7 system minimum standard ratio agreed for operation (normally of order of 1 staff to 15 people).

These staff ratios are subject to satisfactory egress provisions existing.

In addition all smoke stop / fire doors must be closed at all times or fitted with Type 12 magnetic hold open devices released by smoke detectors and other fire systems.

Note - Some Regions the NZ Fire Service are expecting much more prompt response and as evacuation inspections are six monthly Owners must be prepared to respond then.

The application of firecells may be introduced for two reasons;

1. To limit fire spread.
2. To allow staged evacuation ie alternative to total evacuation (to outside building)

The NZ Fire Service are generally addressing (2) which allows the alternative movement of Residents (which reduces stress).

The Building Code Acceptable Solutions will permit up to 40 people in a firecell subject to sprinklers and smoke detection being provided.

but two firecells are necessary when you exceed 20 beds (Ref C3-AS1 Para 2.8.5 and 2.8.10) not withstanding you may have up to maximum of 40 beds in each firecell.

Note - Most existing homes have firecell separation of kitchens / other service areas independent of sleeping spaces.

9 March 1998