On June 18, 2007, a Sofa Super Store fire in Charleston, SC ended in the deaths of nine firefighters and the loss of a 42,000-square-foot showroom and a 17,000-square-foot warehouse, according to “NIST Study on Charleston Furniture Store Fire Calls for National Safety Improvements” on NIST.gov.
In the aftermath, investigators and fire prevention engineers managed to reconstruct the reasons why the blaze got out of hand so quickly. A panel of experts, including fire protection engineers, then met to discuss what might be done in the future to prevent such catastrophes.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) employs fire scientists and engineers to help improve building design, occupant safety, and emergency responder guidelines. In the case of the Sofa Super Store disaster, NIST fire prevention engineers recommended warehouse sprinkler systems (the sofa warehouse had none), comprehensive risk management plans, new guidelines for the ventilation of burning structures, and improved fire barriers in buildings.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety may work with government or private sector agencies as a fire prevention and protection engineer. Occupational health and safety careers can be rewarding and offer a chance to affect society in a positive way.
To improve society’s ability to safeguard life, property, and the environment from the ever-present threat of fire, highly trained individuals are needed to apply the principles of science and engineering to developing better fire safety technologies and guidelines.
Other suggested strengths include communication, logic, deduction, and visual understanding.
Construction teams and similar projects can benefit by including a fire protection engineer. Without one, they would have to depend on a mechanical engineer, who might not have up-to-date knowledge of fire prevention and protection.
“While it does take a team to produce the whole network of fire protection systems, a fire protection engineer can be the glue that holds it all together,” fire protection and mechanical engineer Mike Lehner, P.E., writes in “Should You Have a Fire Protection Engineer on Your Project Team?” for WoodHarbinger.com.
Students interested in learning how to become a fire protection engineer should first earn a bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety with a concentration in fire prevention and protection sciences. Some may also choose to pursue a master’s in a related field.
Salary for fire protection engineers ranges from about $50,000 to just over $130,000, depending on the area and the employing agency, according to EnvironmentalScience.org, with a national average of $84,600.
Looking back on some of the worst disasters in history, from the Chicago Fire of 1871 to the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, clearly shows the need for fire protection professionals. Qualified engineers advocating for better prevention technologies can make the difference between fires that are easily contained and those that burn out of control.
Eastern Kentucky University’s online bachelor degree in occupational health and safety program is designed to teach students how to identify and analyze potential workplace hazards, infractions and risks.
Industry-experienced safety professionals guide students through environmental health and safety classes online, covering modern trends in employee engagement and the establishment of a safety culture in the workplace. For more information, contact EKU today.