Smoke alarms and the need for flame retardants

Fires in peoples homes have changed over time – with the increased use of plastics and other flammable materials, fires nowadays develop faster, and you may only have less than 5 minutes to leave the room or flat. Smoke alarms are currently promoted in Europe to improve domestic fire safety. While this measure is undoubtedly of effective, it may be advisable to consider limiting the flammability and fast heat release of certain high risk items in dwellings. To address these questions, EFRA has sponsored a project carried out by the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin, to develop a model of fire development and escape times reflecting European residential buildings.

> BAM Presentation
> BAM Poster
> BAM home fire model website