Fire Protection engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to protect people, property, and their environments from the harmful and destructive effects of fire and smoke. It encompasses fire protection engineering which focuses on fire detection, suppression and mitigation and fire safety engineering which focuses on human behavior and maintaining a tenable environment fo
r evacuation from a fire. In the United States fire protection engineering is often used to include fire safety engineering. The discipline of fire protection engineering includes, but is not exclusive to:
Fire detection - fire alarm systems and brigade call systems
Active fire protection - fire suppression systems
Passive fire protection - fire and smoke barriers, space separation
Smoke control and management
Escape facilities- Emergency exits, Fire lifts etc. Building design, layout, and space planning
Fire prevention programs
Fire dynamics and fire modeling
Human behavior during fire events
Risk analysis, including economic factors
Wildfire Management
Fire protection engineers identify risks and design safeguards that aid in preventing, controlling, and mitigating the effects of fires. Fire protection engineers assist architects, building owners and developers in evaluating buildings' life safety and property protection goals. Fire protection engineers are also employed as fire investigators, including such very large-scale cases as the analysis of the collapse of the World Trade Centers. NASA uses fire protection engineers in its space program to help improve safety.[1] Fire protection engineers are also employed to provide 3rd party review for performance based fire engineering solutions submitted in support of local building regulation applications.
