Fire research in Sweden for 1997-99

The Swedish Fire Research Board was established in 1979 to initiate and fund relevant fire research efforts. The Board is responsible for a long term research programme revised every third year, and the Board is one of two major Swedish sponsors of all fire research. Beside the Board we also have the Swedish National Rescue Services, funded by the government. BRANDFORSK gives very high priority for the industry and the insurance company and the need they express for fire research. Research that the Rescue Services Board are funding is mainly focusing the need for the fire department. The Swedish Fire Research Board, BRANDFORSK, is the joint agency of the Swedish government, the insurance industry and the business sector, for the initiation, funding and supervision of different kinds of fire research. Work is directed by a Programme Board and is performed in the form of projects at universities, research institutes, state authorities and private firms. The Secretariat of BRANDFORSK shares the premises of the Swedish Fire Protection Association, SFPA, and the SFPA is the principal and the party which enters into agreement with the State. The programme for the period 1997-1999 has been drawn up on the basis of both damage development and the trends in society which can be noted, and the evident fire problems of the interested parties and their need for fire research. The inputs in the programme have been broken down seven problem areas. In every problem area different project areas are set out, and these primarily specify the aim of the work. Our seven problem-areas are; Costs and benefits of fire protection measure. The role and behaviour of people and organizations Fire In buildings Fire in underground facilities Rescue operations fire in industries Fire and the environment. In comparison with previous fire research programmes, cost/benefit studies have been accorded higher priority, and this is also reflected in other problem areas. Grater Emphasis