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"Fire Proleclion Hondbook"

The new and enlarged l2th edition of the Fire Protection Handbook (NFPA), considered the most authoritative reference and text book on the subject of fire, is now ofi the press.

Completely revised, re-edited and restyled, the 2216-page volume has been expanded by almost 700 pages from the previous edition to give the fullest possible treatment of the latest developments in fire protection and prevention.

Earlier editions of the booko published by the National Fire Protection Association" were issued under the title of the NFPA Handbook of Fire Protection, Crosby-Fiske-Forster.

A practical guide for everyone concerned in any way with the protection of lives and property from fire, the volume contains 2l main sections comprehensively covering a tremendous variety of fire subjects.

The sectionalized arrangement of the Handbook is designed to provide a progressive understanding of fire protection engineering and the aims and methods of promoting fire prevention.

There is extensive treatment of many questions relating to building construction.

Among the subjects covered are fire resistance ratings of all types of building assemblies and materials, flame spread charac' teristics of interior finish materials, the principles of venting smoke and heat from buildings, protection of openings in walls, floors and partitions, life safety requirements for exits, and the evaluation of structural damage from fire.

Of special interest to architects and engineers is the data on fire extinguishing and detection systems? water supplies, aireonilitioning' systans, electrical serviee and the installation of heat-producing appliances. The material given is an invaluable aid in developing solutions to design problems involving safety from fire.

The Fire Protection Handbook explains the reasons for good fire safety practices, rather than merely reciting the rules or standards. Background information is given to provide a sound basis for making judgments on matters of specific concern.

More than four years of work by NFPA stafi engineers arrd many outside experts, under the editorship of NFPA Technical Secretary George H. Tryon, have gone into the preparation of the volume. It is illustrated with nearly 1,000 photographs and drawings, as well as more than 300 tables and graphs.

The Fire Protection Handbook (NFPA) is available, at $17.50 a copy, from the National Fire Protection Association, 60 Batterymarch St.. Boston 10. Mass.

Housing Storls in July 1962

Construction was begun on 133,200 housing units in July 1962, compared with 138,300 in June and 128,500 in July 1961, according to preliminary estimates of the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Privately owned housing units totaled 130,600 units in July 1962, down 3 percent from the revised June total of 135,3(D units, and 4 percent higher than the July 1961 level of 125,200 units. On a seasonally adjusted annual rate basis, July 1962 starts totaled I,407,000 units, virtually unchanged from the revised June rate of 1,415,000 units but 5 percent higher than the July I96f .rate of I,343,000.

Nonfarm housing starts numbered 131,400 units in Jdy 1962, down 3 percent from the revised June total of 135,800 units, but 4 percent greater than the July 1961 total of 126,000 units. Private nonfarm starts of l2B,B00 units in July 1962 were 3 percent below the revised June rate of 132,800 units but 5 per. cent greater than the July 196I total of L22,700 units. Private lnonfarm starts in ldy 1962 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,389,000 units, identical with the revised June rate of 10389,000 units, but 5 percent greater than the July 196I rate .-ofJ3l&0@units,i