The New Zealand Fire Service Commission has a statutory duty to promote fire safety, better work practices and effective rural fire management. This requires that it supports research into better methods and practices of fire safety. The Commission has made available a contestable research fund of $550,000 for 2011-2012 for research into a variety of areas identified as being of immediate importance.

Expressions of Interest are invited from organisations in a position to carry out such research for projects to start in March/April of 2012. The New Zealand Fire Service Commission seeks to fund research that meets its mission of reducing the incidence and consequence of fire.

The research may be in any field. The Commission has determined the following priorities, but welcomes any submissions that address its mission.

• Targeting Vulnerable Groups
- identification of delivery mechanisms for hard to reach groups
- development of a micro-simulation statistical model for household fire risk identification
- measures of effectiveness for social marketing campaigns

• Built Environment
- cost-benefit studies to support legislative change to improve fire safety
- assessing the true cost of structure fires, in both residential and commercial premises, including cleanup, loss of contents, alternative accommodation, business interruption
- fire risks of imported products, not regulated in New Zealand

• Environment
- change in fire risk to occupants of buildings and firefighters with the trend towards 'green' buildings

• Measuring our effectiveness
- evaluation of our programmes targeted at older children: year 7 & 8 and senior secondary
- identification of a methodology for New Zealand Fire Service to develop a stronger 'line of sight' between expenditure and outcomes for the public

• Incidence and control of vegetation fires in rural areas
- projects in alignment with Rural Fire Research Strategy
- management of emerging change in high country fire hazard as a result of wilding trees
- understanding of rural fire district resourcing needs and matching resources to events
- evaluation of new and overseas technologies to assist with fire suppression
- evaluation of effectiveness of the ‘Bernie’ campaign – community perceptions around fire danger rating boards

Applicants intending to submit expressions of interest on the Commission’s listed priorities are advised to read the relevant briefing documents.

Research must be novel, must address issues in the context of New Zealand legislation, culture, climate, environment, construction practice or lifestyle, or should show how work carried out overseas may be applied in New Zealand.

Particular consideration will be given to providing seeding grants for projects seeking funds from other sources.

Please submit expressions of interest no later than 5.00pm Monday 28 November 2011. Instructions for preparation of expressions of interest, and briefing documents for topics are available at www.fire.org.nz or by calling Abi Davidson on (04) 496 3688

Submissions will be assessed by an independent committee, and suitable applicants will be invited to prepare detailed research proposals.