Note for Guidance

The Fire Safety Advice Centre

What is a Fire Engineer

WHAT IS FIRE ENGINEERING?

It is not an easy task to define fire engineering as can be seen from the explanatory material below. It could be argued that any person involved in the fire protection industry could call themselves fire engineers and because they do not belong to a professional association does not negate this. However there appears to be two groups one with university qualifications and the other with a range of qualifications from other sources, e.g.HNC, Fire Service College. Those with degrees tend to provide solutions to fire safety problems with theoretical solutions [computer models] or are involved in design the other tends to provide practical solutions. However similar to other professions there is an overlap depending on the fire safety field the engineer is involved with.

FIRE ENGINEERING

Fire engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles, codes, and expert judgment, based on an understanding of the phenomena and effects of fire, the reaction and behaviour of people to fire. Which attempts to protect people, property and the environment from the destructive effects of fire.

These objectives will be achieved by a variety of means including such activities as :

• the assessment of the hazards and risks of fire and its effects;
• the mitigation of potential fire damage by proper design, construction, arrangement, and use of buildings, materials, structures, industrial processes, transportation systems and similar;
• the appropriate level of evaluation for the optimum preventive and protective measures necessary to limit the consequences of fire;
• the design, installation, maintenance and/or development of fire detection, fire suppression, fire control and fire related communication systems and equipment;
• the direction and control of appropriate equipment and manpower in the strategy and function of firefighting and rescue operations;
• post-fire investigation and analysis, evaluation and feedback.

A FIRE ENGINEER

A fire engineer, by education, training and experience:

• understands the nature and characteristics of fire and the mechanisms of fire spread and the control of fire and the associated products of combustion;
• understands how fires originate, spread within and outside buildings/structures, and can be detected, controlled, and/or extinguished;
• is able to anticipate the behaviour of materials, structures, machines, apparatus, and processes as related to the protection of life, property and the environment from fire;
• has an understanding of the interactions and integration of fire safety systems and all other systems in buildings, industrial structures and similar facilities
• is able to make use of all of the above and any other required knowledge to undertake the practice of fire engineering.

SUPPORTING COMMENTARY

Research started in early 1998 and over a period of time elicited definitions of Fire Engineering by CEN, by ISO and by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers [SFPE]. The SFPE also have a definition of a Fire Engineer. Other relative information was sought and this included certain sections of the Guide to Membership of the Engineering Council of the UK, Engineering Council Division [ECD] which refer to the Training required of persons seeking to be Fire Engineers. The Institute of Fire Engineers [IFE] have a definition which has been extensively used to produce this page. Other potential definitions being worked on by those responsible for the development of certain National and International Codes were promised but have not so far been provided.

The major problem was to produce definitions which are concise and yet cover the subject matter thoroughly and inclusively. It was considered essential to define Fire Engineering prior to defining a Fire Engineer and it is also important to note that different terminology is used by different people and in different parts of the world and the terms ‘Fire Engineer(ing)’, ‘Fire Safety Engineer(ing)’ and ‘Fire Protection Engineer(ing)’ are synonymous.

The problem is that Fire Engineering can mean many things to many people and covers a wide range of levels of knowledge and competence. The range of this diversity is clearly shown by the following examples -

Fire Engineering can mean -

• the calculation of pipe sizing for automatic fire sprinkler systems
• the calculation of the response to fire of a structural building element such as a beam or column
• evaluating the life safety consequences of a specified fire - involving defining the context, defining the scenario and calculating the hazard
• developing a package of measures which has the objective of reducing the potential for injury, death, property and pecuniary loss to an acceptable level
• use and application of appropriate knowledge, training and experience to undertake manual firefighting and/or rescue operations
• In a paper by Dr. D W Wooley given at Fire 93 in Glasgow he proposed that Fire Engineering could be considered under a number of headings and this concept has been incorporated in ISO/PDTR 13387-1. The 'headings' suggested are:

The PROCESS is about measurements and relationships, backed by scientific study, for engineering application to the required problems, but where experience and judgment can contribute, as in other engineering disciplines.

The CONTEXT is the need to evaluate the fire hazard and risk, and to offer fire safety strategies and designs based on performance and not prescription

The TOOLS are the calculation methods or models which describe the measurements, relationships and interactions

The INPUTS are the physical data for the calculation methods derived from the measurement methods (tests etc.)

The FRAMEWORK basically comprises the essential core, and transfer, of knowledge, which permits an engineering approach, the education and training of users, and the professional recognition of the discipline.

In addition to all of the above, the ‘Training’ section of the Guide to Membership of the ECD provides a list of 14 subject areas within Fire Engineering and there is an expectation that applicants for the Division will have a knowledge of at least some of these, at an appropriate level, to that for which they are seeking registration as an Engineer.

These 14 subjects are -

1. Fire Science (Fire Chemistry)
2. Fire Science (Fire Dynamics)
3. Fire Protection Engineering (Active)
4. Fire Protection Engineering (Passive)
5. Smoke Control
6. Interaction between Fire and People (inc Means of Escape)
7. Fireground Operations
8. Fire Investigation
9. Fire Risk Assessment and Measurement (including Fire Insurance)
10. Fire Safety of Consumer Items and Energy Sources
11. Fire Safety Design and Management of Buildings
12. Fire Safety Design and Management of Industrial Processes
13. Fire Safety Design and Management of Transport Activities
14. Fire Safety Design and Management of Cities and Communities

The Training references also state that whilst it is not reasonable to expect applicants to have a thorough knowledge of all 14 subject areas, they are expected to possess a working knowledge on Fire Safety of Consumer Items and Energy Sources (10) and to show a wider knowledge within the branch of the subject in which they specialise, e.g.

• Fire Science (1, 2, 8),
• Fire Protection Engineering (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
• Fire Risk Assessment & Fire Safety Design and Management (9, 11, 12, 13, 14).

Furthermore, applicants to the Division also need to show that they have :-

1. Acquired a basic understanding of how to deal with a fire emergency
2. Acquired the ability to identify and quantify fire hazard scenarios in fire risk situations
3. An appreciation of the relevant regulations and legislation affecting their areas of specialisation, as well as a working knowledge of codes and standards and the state of the art in their field of operation. These will need to include requirements for installation, maintenance and reliability of appropriate fire protection systems and structures.
4. Where computer programmes are used by the candidate, or on his behalf, a critical understanding of the assumptions and limitations of computer programmes, in so far as they affect fire safety.

Fire Engineering also has many benefits to the community at large and particularly to the construction industry and those concerned with the mitigation of the effects of fire on people, property and the environment. Among its many benefits, it can :

• form the basis of design, especially of major projects such as airport terminals, stadiums and large atrium buildings which are of such magnitude that they cannot be designed using present technical guidance overcome the restraints of design imposed by prescriptive regulations/codes
• determine how safe buildings are by enabling a comparison of safety levels for alternative designs
• identify topics for fire research and assist in the development of fire tests facilitate more cost effective design whilst maintaining safety levels
• enable specialists to acquire and maintain leading edge expertise in fire safe design assist the management of fire safety for a building during its whole life cycle
• identify fire protection measures which have the greatest impact on fire life safety and fire loss reduction, preferably without extra cost.

Today the profession of Fire Engineering encompasses topics such as :

• Science :- Mechanics of ignition of fuel/air mixtures, chemistry of reactions within a flame, inhibition of combustion and toxicity etc.
• Technology :- Use of electricity in flammable atmospheres, structural fire protection of buildings, design of fire detection and alarm systems, fire appliances, sprinklers and other automatic fire fighting systems, professional fire fighting, operational command in the fire service, hazard assessment of industrial plant and chemicals, arson investigation and fire insurance. etc.
• Psychology & Physiology :- Behaviour pattern of persons faced with emergencies e.g. their reaction to alarms, design of escape routes, reaction to stress and its mitigation.
• Management :- In the public or industrial fire brigades - command, leadership, emergency planning, cost/benefit analysis and management, in commercial fire engineering management, financial control, motivation of staff, etc
• Law :- Drafting, implementation and enforcement of fire safety legislation, litigation arising from fires, e.g. acting as an expert witness in both civil and criminal cases, etc.

This handout provides a general overview and basic information on this topic. It may not apply to everyone, consequently to find out if this guide applies to you and to get more information on this subject, study all the relevant legislation, guides and British/European Standards. Also you should seek advice from an expert on the subject or your local Fire Safety Officer or Fire Safety Professional.

Merseyside Fire Liaison Panel. Permission is granted to print and photocopy this material for nonprofit educational uses.

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This page was last checked and modified on Friday, 28 March, 2008 16:14