It's not the flames that kill

Norway ranks high on the statistics when it comes to fatalities in fires. The focus must therefore be on preventive fire safety and wiser material choices, especially in escape routes.  

Jørn Davidsen is chairman of the board of Brannfaglig Fellesorganisasjon (BFO). The members of the organisation work in professional groups to ensure better fire protection in society. The aim is to save lives, reduce harmful emissions and better protect assets. 

There is clearly a great need for BFO's efforts: 

- Experiences from inspections and supervision show a large backlog in the work on fire safety in Norwegian buildings and homes. ‘There is insufficient focus on preventive fire safety when buildings are being rehabilitated and modernised,’ he says. 

‘The challenges are fewer in new buildings, but here too it is important to be aware of the choice of materials. This means choosing products that burn more slowly and emit less smoke.   

- ‘If we remove the smoke before it occurs, we save many lives,’ says Davidsen. 

We are not good at fire safety in Norway 

 The Norwegian government's vision is that no one should die in a fire.   

Every year, an average of 40 people die in fires in Norway. The figures for Switzerland, for example, are seven times lower, according to Davidsen, who says that the reasons for this should be investigated. 

‘There are many myths about fires. No fire happens the way you see it on film.  

- A fire is never a few scattered flames here and there. It's not possible for an everyday hero to run in and out to save people and animals. In a typical fire, there is a lot of dark smoke that leaves you with little or no visibility. This smoke is so toxic that just three breaths can be enough to kill you,’ he says, adding that around 70 per cent of people die from the smoke, not the flames.   

It's all about attitudes 

The solution is to rethink how we build our workplaces and homes.  

Davidsen believes that we have good regulations in place to prevent smoke and gases from escaping from fire compartments, but that there is often a difference between theory and practice.  

That's why you should preferably choose cables in fire class Dca, i.e. those without PVC and halogens. They burn far more slowly and emit almost no smoke or dangerous gases compared to traditional cables. In addition, the cost of decontamination is lower because the fire does less damage. This also has an important effect on reducing negative environmental impact. 

- The total emissions of harmful greenhouse gases that occur as a result of fire and reconstruction are 39 times higher than the emissions from the fire itself. This is approaching a level of emissions equivalent to half of all road traffic in Norway,’ says Davidsen.