Dutch developments on Fire Safety in Metropolitan Areas René. R. Hagen BSc, MPA Netherlands Institute for Fire Service and Disaster Management (Nibra)

Figures about fires in dwellings in the Netherlands Facts: 7600 fires (55% of all fires) 60 fatalities (2/3 of all fatalities) 700 serious injured (2/3 of all fatalities) 130 mln euro damage (15% of all fires)

Facts about fires in dwellings in the Netherlands Dwellings are: In the Netherlands the highest risk category In Europe Dutch dwellings are the safest category Goal Dutch government: Less than 44 fatalities Less than 380 serious injured

Fires with multiple fatalities in the Netherlands since Wagenborgnursery12 death 1970Amsterdamstudent house8 death 1971Roldenursery13 death 1971Eindhovenhotel11 death 1977Amsterdamhotel33 death 1980Rotterdamdwelling11 death 1983Amsterdamnightclub13 death 1992The Haguestudent house11 death 1997The Haguedwelling6 death 2000Groesbeekdwelling6 death 2001Volendampub14 death 2002 Roermonddwelling6 death 2005Schiphol Airportprison11 death

What did we do to reach the goals Regulations: Fire safty concept single and multiple family homes Building code: smoke detectors in dwellings (since 2003) But still: Multiple family homes with one staircase No domestic sprinklers No regulations for fire safe consumer products

Recent research from Nibra about fires safety in dwellings 1997 Fire safe behaviour in dwellings (Dutch association of fire brigades) 2001 Causes of fire and firespread in dwellings (National Fire Prevention Week) 2003 Domestic sprinklers (Nibra) Optical smoke detectors in dwellings (Ministery of the Environment) 2005 Fatal fires in dwellings (Nibra) Fire safety and consumer products (Minisetry of Health)

We need a European approach Biggest concern is to educate the people in fire safe behaviour and the fire safety of consumer products, such as –Tv-sets –Upholstered furniture –White goods We need a European approach because it is an European market Coorporation with governments (European and national) and manufacturers is necesserry EFA is the academy for this

Thank you all for joining this conference and roundtable to help us to improve fire safety Nibra Netherlands Institute for Fire Service and Disaster Management