| BFRL | Building and Fire Research Laboratory (a part of NIST) |
| Class A Foam | Foam intended for use on Class A or woody fuels; made from hydrocarbon-based surfactant, therefore lacking the strong filming properties of Class B foam, but possessing excellent wetting properties. (from FIREWISE) |
| conflagration | A raging, destructive fire. Often used to describe a fire burning under extreme fire weather. The term is also used when a wildland fire burns into a wildland/urban interface, destroying many structures. (from FIREWISE) |
| dry hydrant | An arrangement of pipe permanently connected to a water source other than a piped, pressurized water supply system that provides a ready means of water supply for firefighting purposes and that utilizes the suction capability of fire department pumpers. (from FIREWISE) |
| duff ( or duffage) | The layer of decomposing organic materials lying below the litter layer of freshly fallen twigs, needles and leaves and immediately above the mineral soil. (from FIREWISE) |
| FEMA | Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| fire resistant roofing | The classification of roofing assemblies A, B or C as defined in the Uniform Building Code (UPC) Standard 32.7. (from FIREWISE) |
| fire resistant tree | A species with compact, resin-free, thick corky bark and less flammable foliage that has a relatively lower probability of being killed or scarred by a fire than a fire sensitive tree. (from FIREWISE) |
| fire retardant | Any substance except plain water that by chemical or physical action reduces flammability of fuels or slows their rate of combustion. (from FIREWISE) |
| fire proof | 1. (adj.) proof against or resistant to fire (Date: circa 1638) 2. (transitive verb) : to make fireproof (Merriam-Webster's Unabridged at www.m-w.com) (date: 1867) |
| fire-resistive rating | The time that the material or construction will withstand fire exposure as determined by a fire test made in conformity with the standard methods of fire tests of building, construction and materials. (from FIREWISE) |
| flame-retardant | (adj.) made or treated so as to resist burning fireproof (Merriam-Webster's Unabridged at www.m-w.com) (date: 1947) |
| intumescent | (adj.) of paint : swelling and charring when exposed to flame (Merriam-Webster's Unabridged at www.m-w.com) (date: 1953) |
| metrology | (noun) 1 : the science of weights and measures or of measurement; 2 : a system of weights and measures - metrological (adj.) - metrologist (noun) (Merriam-Webster's Unabridged at www.m-w.com) (date: 1816) |
| National Fire Danger Rating System |
A uniform fire danger rating system that focuses on the environmental factors that control the moisture content of fuels. (from FIREWISE) |
| NFPA | National Fire Protection Association |
| NIST | National Institute of Standards and Technology (see BFRL) |
| Nomex� | Du Pont's registered trademark for a nylon related manmade fiber. Nomex is an inherently flame resistant fiber (i.e., it's not a treatment that can wash out). (from http://www.fireclothing.com) |
| Proban� | A flame-retardant treatment applied to fabrics of 100% cotton. (from http://www.fireclothing.com) |
| retardant | A substance or chemical agent which reduces the flammability of combustibles. (from FIREWISE) |
| SFI SEMA Foundation, Inc. SEMA | Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association. Organizes and manages an industry specification program for racing car driver garments. Includes tests for measuring garment material flame resistance, heat resistance, and thermal insulation. (from http://www.heatrelief.com/tpptest.htm) |
| TPP | Thermal Protection Performance - test results are reported as a time-to-second degree burn. (from http://www.heatrelief.com/tpptest.htm) |