Fire safety and the ageing population René Hagen, professor of Fire Safety Fire Service Academy, Netherlands European Fire Safety Alliance Nordic Fire & Safety Days 2018 Trondheim, Norway, June 8th 2018
Fire safety in homes for the elderly Dutch research sprinkler solutions René Hagen, professor of Fire Safety Fire Service Academy, Netherlands European Fire Safety Alliance Fire Sprinkler International 2018 Stockholm, Sweden, June 13th 2018
The Netherlands Population: 17.1 million 3.2 million elderly (18,8%) Process of an ageing population Problem of rising costs for elderly care
Fire safety problem Ageing population More elderly will stay in their own house Elderly are more prone to die in a house fire
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Research and reports Fires in buildings for the elderly (independing living) The influence of ageing on fire safety Fires, risks and regulations in buildings for the elderly Smoke spread in those buildings 6
7 https://www.ifv.nl/kennisplein/documents/20161201-ifv- Brandwondenstichting-Fire-Safety-and-the-ageing-population.pdf
Problem detection Percentage elderly from 2.4 million in 2014 (start project), to 3.2 million in 2018 (now), up to 4.2 million in 2030 (most increase in age 80-85) The number of elderly in care homes remains stable (about 113.000). So increase in independent living Elderly are 2.7 times more prone to die in a fire The total amount of elderly fatalities will increase with 62% 8
Why are elderly more prone to fire? (1) 1 The combination of physical limitations, social limitations and illness 2 Social factors such as living alone, social isolation and hoarding 9
Why are elderly more prone to fire? (2) 3 Older homes with often outdated electricity and equipped with escape routes insufficient for elderly 4 Smoking and cooking in combination with physical and mental limitations 10
Why are elderly more prone to fire? (3) Changing living form: Apartments (independng living) with only elderly Not equipped with escape routes sufficient for elderly No additional fire prevention facilities No supervision, no fire wardens 11
Solution directions (1) With elderly fire often starts close to the body Preventing fire is the most important measurement Focus on smoking and cooking Use less flammable materials s.a. clothing, bedding, mattresses, chairs / benches Electric cooking 12
Solution directions (2) In the event of fire, action must be taken quickly Smoke detectors linked to direct action Extinquish the fire automatically Supportive means s.a. escape mattresses 13
Solution directions (3) Building regulations need to be appropriate Prevent smoke spread outside the burning apartment (sprinkler is a good solution) Limit the length of escape routes Avoid escaping via stairs 14
Relevant scenario s Cigarette-ignition Small open flame ignition Ignition by arcing or heat (equipment) Open flame ignition (another fire) Smouldering ignition 16
Research and impression tests (1) Impression tests 375 cm 207 cm Testobject (scale) Testo 1 en 2: CO, O2, NOx (0,5 en 1,8 m) Thermocouple tree 1 (0,5, 1,8 en 2,25 m) Camera 1 Testo 3 en 4: CO, O2, NOx (0,5 en 1,8 m) Thermocouple tree 2 (0,5, 1,8 en 2,25 m) Radiation (facing fire) Radiation (facing smoke layer) 17 Camera 2
18 Research and impression tests (2)
Recommendations (1) Test methods: Cigarette ignition test Ignition by a small open flame Open flame ignition by a wood crib (sommitment) 19
Recommendations (2) Ways of testing: Component Composite Full scale Conclusion: 20 At least composite testing End use combination testing Representative combinations
21 Reports
Fire in buildings for the elderly: regulations and practise 22
Research Period January 2015 - April 2016 127 fires inventoried 77 fires examined 12 fatal fires 9 fires with injuries and evacuation 18 fires with evacuation 13 fires with injuries 25 fires without injuries or evacuation 23
Conclusions The residents (the elderly) are not able to escape without help The residents do not leave their apartment within 1 minute after discovering the fire The fire generally stays in the apartment for 30 minutes, but the smoke does not The residents do not escape through the smoke 24
Fire compartments as barriers against smoke, heat and fire
Rivierduinen, Oegstgeest
Fire prevention system Threatened area = rescue 27
Fire prevention system Threatened area = rescue Potentially threatened area = evacuate 28
Fire prevention system Threatened area = rescue Potentially threatened area = evacuate Unthreantened area = no evacuation 29
30 Shops and apartments (2013)
31 Hotel (2015)
Apartments for elderly (2015)
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Student apartments (2017)
In practise Threatened area = rescue Potentially threatened area = evacuate Unthreatened area = no evacuation 38 Where to rescue? Where to evacuate? Where to extinguish?
Possible solutions Apply stay-in-place principle Use elevators in case of fire First extinguise, then ventilate, then evacuate 39
Stay-in-place Threatened area Potentially threatened area = unthreatened area? How to realize? What is the redundancy? 40
41 Stay-in-place Grenfell Tower Londen
Stay-in-place Smoke-tight seperation Extinguish automatically People have to stay(-in-place) Mensen moeten blijven zitten 42
Use elevators in case of fire The important questions are: What is the alternative for elderly? Can this be realized without sprinkler protection in the building? 43
Dilemma for the fire department: first extinguish or first rescue? Sprinkler will avoid this fire service dilemma! 44
So, sprinkler is a better solution for: Survivability of elderly Preventing smoke spread outside the burning apartment Avoiding fire service dilemma: rescue or extinguish? Use of stay-in-place principle Use of elevators in case of fire 45