Examples of Work and Research Projects
Successfully Completed by the Principals of DFPA and VetsSS
- Played a major role in the Department of the Navy Passive Fire Protection (PFP) Program
including, in particular, organizing and managing two Navy PFP Symposiums and the
preparation of plans for the implementation of specific PFP items.
- Organized and managed a successful Navy Composites in Fire Workshop at the U.S. Navy
Postgraduate School, Monterey, California for the Naval Air Systems Command. Assisted in
the development of a plan for implementing the results of this workshop.
- Assisted the Naval Air Systems Command in the development of their Insensitive Munitions
Program
- Prepared a Halon Essential Use Report that outlines issues related to worldwide Halon
essential use applications, under a grant from the U.S. Environmental Agency
(USEPA). [Cooperative Assistance Agreement #CX819632-01-0]
- Developed a Plan to Improve Fire Safety/Survivability and Phase Out Halons in DOD,
under contract with the Office of the Secretary of Defense [Contract DAAD05-91-P-1093].
This plan was the precursor for the Technology Development Plan for Alternatives to ODS
promulgated by DOD.
- Developed a Plan to replace Hand-Held Halon Fire Extinguishers in Vehicles, Aircraft &
Water Craft, under contract with the Department of Defense. [Contract N00140-88-D-1088]
- Conducted detailed system checks and developed Criteria and Recommendations for
Replacing Halon 1301 Hand-held Fire Extinguishers in Aircraft, Water Craft and Ground
Vehicles, under contract with the Department of Defense. [Contract N00140-88-D-1088].
DOD has purchased more than 60,000 of the model of the fire extinguisher recommended by
DFPA.
- Prepared a detailed Evaluation of the Use of Class I Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs)
and Plans for Recycling and Essential Use ODS Reserves in the Department of Defense
under a grant from USEPA and Defense Logistics Agency. [Cooperative Assistance
Agreement #CX819632-01-1]
- Developed a guide to Portable Fire Extinguishers which includes criteria for replacing
portable Halon fire extinguishers and prepared Plans for a Demonstration Project to Replace
Portable Halon Fire Extinguishers under a USEPA grant [Cooperative Assistance
Agreement #CX819632-01-2]
- Developed a Directory of Fire Protection, Firefighting, Emergency Response and Ozone
Layer Protection Technologies under contract with the Naval Command, Control and Ocean
Surveillance Center (NCCOSC) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
- Planed and conducted the January 16, 1997 Advanced Sensors and Sensor
Networks Workshop for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Naval
Research Laboratory. This workshop covered intelligent, MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system)
sensors, wireless communications, and fiber optic technologies, and the plans for demonstrations
of prototype advanced sensors networks (S & SN) to provide situational awareness of the environment in
lightly manned ships under hazards of fire, smoke, and toxic gas.
- Planned and conducted three workshops/Tutorials on Advanced Safety and Survivability
Sensors for Sensor EXPO's in Boston, Massachusetts, San Jose, California and Baltimore,
Maryland.
- Completed a detailed engineering performance analysis and provided a report of the Criteria
for a Multi-criteria Fire Detection and Characterization System (MCFDS) under contract
with the Naval Research Laboratory. The reports provided the recommended technical basis
for fire parameters to be monitored by an MCFDS and proposed algorithms, methodologies
and fire detection sensing technologies that could support an MCFDS.
- Identified, evaluated and provided a report of Safety and Survivability, Non-developmental
Items (NDI) under contract with the Secretary of the Navy's Office for Safety and
Survivability. This task includes identifying off the shelf sensors and sensor networks and
blast protection technologies.
- Identified and evaluated appropriate technologies and assisted in the design of conceptual
fire protection system for DD(X). The DD(X) classes are the US Navy's planned surface
combatant for the 21st Century and will have greatly reduced manning, e.g. - 95 versus
approximately 400 men used in similar ships today. This task specifically included DFPA
providing conceptual designs and drawings of robotic fire fighting systems to help
accommodate reduced manning.
- Conducted assessments and prepared a "Report of the assessment of Vulnerabilities of the Navy
Ships to Multiple Threats and Hazards from Multiple Causes and Sources with
Recommendations to Reduce/Eliminate these Vulnerabilities" under contract with the Office
of the Secretary of Defense. Threats and hazards include fire, smoke, anthrax and other CBR
agents, toxic gases, blast, ballistic damage, flooding, hazardous material, etc. Sources (means)
and causes include combat, accidents, terrorists, saboteurs, arsonists, hi-jacked aircraft,
packages and letters, mishaps, natural causes, etc.
- Planned, arranged and hosted live fire training exercises using a Navy Mobile Aircraft
Firefighting Training Device on Capitol Hill for Washington, DC Metropolitan Firefighters
on April 25, 2001, and April 18, 2002 in conjunction with the CFSI Annual National Fire and
Emergency Services Dinner. Each year trained approximately 30 firefighters who would have
been the first responders to fire/aircraft crashes on Capitol Hill or at the White House.