Code Fund

The Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF)/NFPA Code Fund was established in 2006 and is supported each year by a generous financial contribution from NFPA of $150K/annually. The purpose of the Code Fund is to stimulate and provide a mechanism for facilitating research to support the work of NFPA Technical Committees.

The FPRF is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to plan, manage and communicate research in support of the NFPA mission. The mission of the NFPA is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education 

Selection criteria/Process
All are encouraged to submit a project idea using the project statement form (docx, 409 KB). Project submittals for the Code Fund are reviewed on an annual basis at the end of the calendar year. The deadline for 2013 submittals was November 30, 2012. However, the Foundation would like to keep the idea generation process on-going throughout the year, so please fill out and submit the project statement form at any time. Submitters are encouraged to submit their project ideas soon after they are considered by TCs or TCCs, such as following an ROP or ROC meeting. As project ideas are received, the Foundation will consider how to best pursue. For example, this could mean traditional fund raising to support a project or submission to the pool of Code Fund project ideas for the upcoming year. If you have questions, please contact Amanda Kimball.

The review process is conducted based on recommendations provided by a project review panel, with consideration of factors including but not limited to the following: magnitude of problem, relevance to mission, available other funding, likelihood of success, required time frame, relation to strategic research agenda, and balancing projects across the broad spectrum of NFPA subject areas. Each year the Code Fund seeks to partially or fully fund the top prioritized projects based on the available resources.

• Assessment of Rescue Tools for High-Strength Metal Alloys (PDF, 100 KB) 
• Elevator Messaging Strategies (PDF, 88 KB) 
• Evaluation of Equipotential Bonding Means for Pool Areas (PDF, 59 KB) 
• Marina and Boatyard Indoor Rack Storage Sprinkler Protection (PDF, 92 KB) 
• Testing Image Quality of Fire Service Thermal Imagers (PDF, 95 KB) 

Current Year Projects
Summary of the 74 Code Fund project submittals for 2012. (PDF, 3 MB) 

Selected projects (still being finalized):

• Determining the Appropriate Emergency First Responder PPE for Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Fires (NFPA 70E, 1851, 1855, 1951, 1971, 1975, 1999)
• Guide to Applying Reliability Based Decision Making to ITM Frequency for Fire Protection Systems and Equipment (all NFPA standards that have inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements) (PDF, 98 KB) 
• Development of Quantitative Risk Assessment Examples for Operating Rooms (NFPA 99) (PDF, 190 KB)
• Defining Emergency and Non Emergency Use of Buildings by Occupants (NFPA 1, 101, and 5000) (PDF, 182 KB)
• Assessment of Emergency Responder Performance Characteristics for All Hazards Response Environments (NFPA 450, 610, 1001, 1003, 1006, 1021, 1026, 1035, 1051, 1061, 1081, 1091, 1201, 1221, 1250, 1404, 1410, 1500, 1521, 1581, 1600, 1620, 1710, 1720, 1851, 1852, 1855, 1951, 1971, 1975, and 1999
• Community Paramedicine and the Integration of Health Care (PDF, 184 KB) (New Project)
• Assessment of Total Evacuation Systems of Tall Buildings (NFPA 101) (PDF, 76 KB)
• Sprinkler Protection for Cloud Ceilings (NFPA 13) (PDF, 51 KB)
• Combustible Metals Case Studies (NFPA 484) (PDF, 107 KB)

Prior Projects 
The following are the Code Fund projects from prior years: 

2011 Selected Projects

• Residential Sprinkler Insulation Study (NFPA 13D)
• WUI Regulatory Effectiveness Study (NFPA 1144)
• Assessment of Rescue Tools for Current and Future High-Strength Metal Alloys (NFPA 1936)
• Evaluation of "Alternate Equipotential Bonding Means" to Reduce the Voltage Gradients in Pool Areas (NFPA 70)
• Elevator Messaging Strategies (NFPA 1, 101, 5000)
• Analysis of Ambulance Crash Data (NFPA 1917)
• Extinguishing Agent Test Methods for Ethanol  Blends (NFPA 1, 30)
• Testing Image Quality of Fire Service Thermal Imagers (NFPA 1801)
• Fire Pump Data Collection and Analysis (NFPA 20, 25)
• Combustion Air Requirements for Large Input Appliances (NFPA 54)
• Sidewall Venting into Screened Enclosures (NFPA 54)

2010 Selected Projects

• Evaluation of Health Care Operating Rooms as Wet/Dry Locations  (PDF, 1 MB) (2010;  NFPA 99)  
• Developing Friction Loss Coefficients for Modern Fire Hose (NFPA 1002 & 1961)
• Research Planning on Emergency Responder Respirator Thermal Characteristics (NFPA 1981)
• Validation of Methodologies to Determine Fire Load for Use in Structural Fire Protection (PDF, 723 KB) (2011; NFPA 557)
• Evaluation of the Impact of Non-Linear Power on Wiring Requirements (NFPA 70)
• Advisory Service to Assessment of Non-Metallic Cable Arcing (NFPA 70)
• Glovebox Fire Protection: A Literature Review (PDF, 431 KB)  (2010; NFPA 801)  

2009 Selected Projects

• Fire Safety in Theatres - A New Design Approach  (PDF, 4 MB) (2009; NFPA 101 & 5000)
• Quantitative Evaluation of Fire and EMS Mobilization Times (2010; NFPA 450, 1221, 1710, & 1720) Part 1 (PDF, 8 MB) Part 2  (PDF, 4 MB) Part 3  (PDF, 8 MB)  
• Profiles on Residential Power Consumption: Phase 1 Final Report  (PDF, 1 MB)  (2010; NFPA 70)
• Measuring the Impact of Fire Extinguisher Agents on Cultural Resource Materials – Final Report  (2010; NFPA 10 & 914) (PDF, 1 MB)  

 2008 Selected Projects

• The Transition of the Hazardous Materials Codes and the Emergence of the Threshold Quantity System to NFPA 1 UFC  (PDF, 5 MB) (2008; NFPA 1) 
• Marina and Boatyard Indoor Rack Storage Sprinkler Protection Literature and Data Review  (PDF, 2 MB) (2008; NFPA 13 & 303)
• Quantifying Smoke Barrier (Fire Stop) Performance (2008; NFPA 80, 101, & 5000)

2007 Selected Projects

• Clearance Distance for Gas Appliance Sidewall Venting final report (PDF, 1 MB) (2007; NFPA 54)
• Explosion Venting Data and Modeling Literature Review (PDF, 3 MB) (2008; NFPA 68)
• Respiratory Exposure Study for Fire Fighters and Other Emergency Responders - segment 1 (PDF, 2 MB) segment 2  (PDF, 5 MB)  segment 3 (PDF, 5 MB) segment 4 (PDF, 4 MB) (2007; NFPA 1500) 

 2006 Selected Projects

• Single Point Sprinkler Design Criteria vs Traditional Density-Area Curves (PDF, 1 MB) (2007) 
• Sprinkler Design Criteria for the Protection of Compact Mobile Shelving Systems (PDF, 1 MB) (2007)
• Review of NFPA 13 Dry System Water Delivery Provisions (PDF, 2 MB) (2007)
• Public Perceptions of High-Rise Building Safety and Emergency Evacuation Procedures (PDF, 890 KB) (2007)