Please use the topic you selected in Unit IV and prepare a well-organized and thoughtful five- to seven-page research paper. This paper should demonstrate a higher level of learning with examples to show that you can analyze the information and apply it to other situations. A title page and reference page are required but not included as part of the paper length. CSU requires that students use the outside sources. All sources used, including the textbook, must have accompanying citations, and may include Internet sources, books and professional journals, or resources related to the course. Your research paper must contain at least three references. APA rules for formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed. A document titled “APA Guidelines Summary” is available for you to download from the APA Guide Link, found in the Learning Resources area of the myCSU Student Portal. It may also be accessed from the Student Resources link on the Course Menu. This document provides links to several internet sites that provide comprehensive information on APA formatting, including examples and sample papers.  BELOW IS THE TOPIC I HAVE CHOOSEN:

For my Unit VIII paper I have chosen to research smoke movement in buildings.  While we know fires are deadly it is important to understand that smoke is a significant killer of occupants that are trapped or trying to escape structure fires.  As I have learned throughout this course and other classes I have taken towards my degree in fire sciences hot air and smoke rises, while cooler air is forced down by gravity and in the case of a closed compartment the accumulation of hot air and gases at the upper areas of the room will displace the cooler air which pushes it down to lower levels in the room.  Corbett & Brannigan (2015) mention that if smoke is not ventilated , it will remain inside the building, even after the fire is out.  For this reason it is important we understand how smoke travels throughout structures in all phases of fire growth as well as overhaul.  During my 20 years at LFR we have learned about flow path and adjusted our tactics to try and control the the spread of fire and smoke to prevent further danger to both the public and the ff’s on scene.  Not only are we focusing on loss of life but we also most focus on property conservation as well. I will look at smoke movement in different types of buildings such as single family residences, multi-family dwellings, and high-rise fires. Smoke management plays a key role in today’s structural fire fighting since today’s construction and fire loads are much more susceptible to rapid growth and quicker collapse due to the the materials and construction methods.  For these reasons it is vital to understand what makes smoke move and how we can prepare ourselves to professionally and safely battle todays structure fires.