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Fire Suppression & Cultural Property

Fire Suppression & Cultural Property. Catherine Nicholson Document Conservation National Archives. Weighing Risk of Fire vs Water. Fires seemed unlikely Fires seemed easy to extinguish Sprinkler leaks seemed more likely Leaks harming collections seemed more likely.

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Fire Suppression & Cultural Property

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  1. Fire Suppression & Cultural Property Catherine Nicholson Document Conservation National Archives

  2. Weighing Risk of Fire vs Water • Fires seemed unlikely • Fires seemed easy to extinguish • Sprinkler leaks seemed more likely • Leaks harming collections seemed more likely

  3. Museum fire control ca. 1978 • No sprinklers in exhibits • Halon® suppression in museum storage • Concern for harmful gasses from Halon® • Carbon dioxide in library/archives stacks

  4. Fire control ca. 1998

  5. Materials that must stay dry • Parchment • Parchment or tawed leather bindings • Paintings • Collodion negatives and prints • Artifacts made of diverse materials • Electronic records

  6. Handheld extinguishers • Letters ABCDK code for different types of fires • Powder and chemical residues can harm cultural property • Clean agents = gas

  7. Sprinkler systems • Wet pipe • Dry pipe • Pre-action • Discharge water may contain: • Corrosion inhibitors • Rust & sediment • Recalls

  8. Specifying sprinkler systems • Sprinkler pipe specification • Verify written specifications • Verify what is ordered • Verify what is installed

  9. Sprinklers and storage • Get expert advice on capacity and placement • Compact storage level floors don’t drain well • Compact storage overnight safety mode ensures sprinkler water access

  10. Environmental concerns • Changing regulations • Phase out of chemicals • Increased cost • Market responds with new options

  11. Newer fire suppression gasses • Ansul® Inergen® (mix of natural, inert gasses N2, CO2, argon) • DuPont™ FM-200® (halogenated) • Ansul® Sapphire® uses 3M™ Novec™ 1230 (halogenated)

  12. Staff training with clean agents

  13. Water mist for fire suppression • Suggested for use for cultural property • Fire tested including at University of Maryland School of Engineering • Reduced volume of water released

  14. Dual fire systems: Gas & Water • National Archives Electronic records storage vault • Gas suppressant releases at 150 F • Back up sprinklers release at 285 F

  15. Making informed decisions • Know new approaches • Knowledgeable recommendations • Additions, renovations, storage facilities • Know vulnerable collections

  16. The World in a Drop of Water • Courtesy of Tanakawho, Flickr • Creative Commons

  17. Acknowledgements • The dedicated staff of the National Archives • Working together to accomplish great things • Especially the conservation staff who have helped in so many ways

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