In early May, our colleague Gemma Grant, DFC Senior Engineer, volunteered to assist with a research project titled “Strategies Aiming at Effective Fire Evacuation”. This research is being conducted with the aim to establish the most effective methods of evacuating high-rise residential buildings (HRRBs). The research is being conducted by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) alongside the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and the London Fire Brigade (LFB). The research was funded by the Home Office.

The project explores how both firefighters and residents respond to fire emergencies, which require evacuation from HRRBs.

The results will feed into the National Research linked to GTI (Grenfell Tower Inquiry) Recommendations and will form part of the guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council, the piece is to be completed later this summer.

Gemma’s notes; “The opportunity to be involved as a part of the Phase-2 research on this project was a privilege, I encourage others to seek out opportunities to support research that will no doubt further enhance how we design HRRBs. I also encourage companies to support their staff in attending similar research opportunities, like how DFC supported me in taking time away from my work to attend. It is reassuring that my company has the same values that I do.”