Holy Family University Magazine Summer 2008

The inferno is over almost before it starts. Fumes fill the room. Flames lick the ceiling. Intense heat radiates through the walls. Just when it appears out of control, a burst of water extinguishes the fire, leaving behind wispy plumes of smoke.

The most remarkable aspect of the fire is not its size or intensity, but its origin.

This fire was deliberately set—by Mark Noval ’01, Instructor of Fire Protection Engineering Technology at Delaware Technical and Community College (DTCC).

Far from being an arsonist, he is one of a growing number of public safety professionals who study the mechanics of fire. By understanding the different types of fires and what makes them tick, these engineers can design products or equipment—such as automatic sprinkler systems—that may avert loss of life and property.

The fire above represents a typical grease fire burning at 1800–2000 degrees.

Water alone typically will not extinguish such a fire. But as Noval demonstrated, a sprinkler system can be designed to do exactly that—with proper pressure and a few other mechanical tweaks.

Fighting Fire Before it Starts

Robert Foraker, Chair of the Fire Protection Engineering Technology Department at DTCC likens his job to being an “evangelical fire safety minister.”

“If you have to call 911, it’s too late,” he says. “Our job is to prevent the problem in the first place.”

These days, more and more students are attracted to the public safety specialty.

According to Thomas Garrity, a Deputy Chief in the Philadelphia Fire Department and Coordinator of the Fire Science and Public Safety program at Holy Family, most graduates use their degrees to advance careers with local fire departments. But a growing number start or advance careers in other areas.

“The program is opening up a lot of doors,” says Garrity. “Every year we see graduates going into new professions.”

Some, like Noval, enter fire protection engineering. Others pursue code enforcement, emergency planning, or risk management careers.

Inspiration from Tragedy

The infamous One Meridian Plaza fire of 1991 was all the motivation Noval needed to enter the field. One of the worst fires in United States history, the fire claimed the lives of three Philadelphia firemen and gutted eight floors of a 38-story Center City building. The blaze burned for 19 hours before a sprinkler system installed by a tenant on the 30th floor extinguished the flames.

“I happened to be watching the news and I just saw a ball of flames,” Noval says. “The news report basically said it was because of something called a ‘fire protection system’ that the fire was controlled. They were able to salvage the building and prevent others from being injured. It got me thinking.”

He went on to earn an associate of applied science from DTCC, a bachelor of arts from Holy Family University, and a master of science in Public Safety from St. Joseph’s University.

Although he attended three separate institutions, Noval credits Holy Family as “the glue that holds my tech experience together.”

“I have to confess, I’m not running around with a Holy Family shirt on,” he laughs. “But my goodness, when someone asks me about it, I absolutely know what I’m telling them when I say that the University changed my life.”

In particular, Holy Family’s Major Incident Analysis class left a major impression on Noval. He often tells his students about the guest speakers he heard discussing the Pier 34 collapse, the Rising Sun Baptist Church fire, and of course, One Meridian Plaza.

“To hear from the incident commanders, the lieutenants, the people who were on the front lines—it was invaluable,” he says.

Garrity believes Major Incident Analysis is what sets Holy Family’s program apart from its peers.

“There is no other course like this in the region,” he says. “It really gives students an appreciation for large-scale emergency operations.”

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