- Author
- Buchbinder, L. B.
- Title
- Human Behavioral Patterns VS. Injury Severity for Apparel Fire Victims.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Book or Conf
- Information Council on Fabric Flammability. Annual Meeting, 7th. December 5, 1973, ICFF, New York, NY, New York, NY, 236-253 p., 1973
- Keywords
- fabric flammability | human behavior | injuries | garments | flammable fabrics | burns (injuries) | effectiveness | fire statistics
- Abstract
- This study is based on information from 1,126 fire accident cases in the NBS computerized data base, FFACTS. The defensive actions taken by persons involved in apparel fires are described and the effect of these reactions on the severity on the resultant burn injuries is discussed. In general, "running" was the most frequent first reaction with "beating flames with hands" and trying to remove clothing" ranking second and third in frequency. However, the relative frequency of reactions varied with age, sex and type of accident. The effectiveness of various reactions was analyzed considering both the extent of injury incurred, measured by the pe4rcent total area of body burned, and the number of additional reactions required to extinguish the fire. The victim's defensive capability (i.e., his ability to recognize danger and take appropriate action) was also found to have an effect on the level of injury severity.