Fire Safety Research

In its broadest sense, the regulatory research program sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) encompasses experiments, technical studies, and analyses. These research endeavors help the agency make realistic decisions, assess the safety-significance of potential technical issues, and prepare the NRC and the nuclear industry for the future by evaluating potential safety issues involving new designs and technologies. This program is designed to improve knowledge where uncertainty exists, safety margins are not well-characterized, or regulatory decisions need to be confirmed.

Within the context of fire protection, research addresses fire-related issues in the three arenas of nuclear reactors, nuclear materials, and radioactive waste, particularly where those issues are of potentially high safety or security risk or significance.