Chapter 1 in the book: The Dalmarnock Fire Tests: Experiments and Modelling, Edited by G. Rein, C. Abecassis Empis and R. Carvel, Published by the School of Engineering and Electronics, University of Edinburgh, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9557497-0-4

FireGrid is an ambitious and innovative project, seeking to develop the technology to support a new way of managing emergency response in the modern built environment. Specific novel aspects include the integration of diverse modelling tools for fire, structural response and egress, data assimilation strategies for leveraging these model predictions via real-time feeds of sensor data, exploitation of robust self-organising wireless sensor networks, high-speed processing using grid/HPC infrastructures with ‘on-demand’ access of remote resources, and application of intelligent C&C algorithms. The Dalmarnock fire tests have provided a useful basis for the demonstration and discussion of these concepts and technologies, driving initial integration work and highlighting the potential benefits of such a system.