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The Relative Role of Smoke Detectors and Sprinklers in Providing Life Safety in Residential Occupancies
Track(s): Detection & Notification, Fire Suppression

James Milke, University of Maryland

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This paper will provide an overview of a recent study intended to indicate the relative performance of detectors and sprinklers in oneand two-family dwellings and apartments, commercial residential (i.e., hotels), and institutional occupancies. In so doing, the important roles of smoke detectors and sprinklers will be illustrated. The studies included in this presentation include statistical analyses of smoke detector and sprinkler performance from fire incident data and data from experimental programs.

James A. Milke, P.E., is a Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland. He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and B.S. degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland. In addition, he has a B.S. degree in Physics from Ursinus College. Dr. Milke has served as a Research Fire Prevention Engineer at the Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, as the Fire Protection Engineer for Fairfax County, Virginia. Dr. Milke is a Fellow and President-Elect of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), American Society of Testing and Materials, American Society of Civil Engineers, UL Fire Council and International Association of Fire Safety Science. Dr. Milke is past chair of the NFPA Technical Committee on Smoke Management Systems and ASCE/SFPE committee on structural fire protection. He is a member of the NFPA Standards Council.