Philadelphia airport on 2/7/2006. An in-flight main deck cargo fire of the main deck of a UPS DC-8 – the accident is still under investigation

And that is where we wanted to pick up the story. The Fire Safety group has had a long and distinguished record of accomplishment in making aircraft safer. The group was responsible for recommending the process of inerting, to protect aircraft from accidental fuel tank explosions using inert gases . They have also completed research here at the Center on the fire safety implications of pre-packaged self–heating meals (MREs) designed for military use. They have done work on lithium batteries, which were in the news recently with a nation-wide recall of lap tap batteries. The UPS fire in Philadelphia last year had implications as to the severity of that issue . Members of the group have been instrumental in solving crimes though investigation and expert testimony. They were also successful in banning the shipment of flammable Chemical Oxygen Generators along with cargo.