Robinson welcomes UU Fire Safety Project

East Antrim MLA Ken Robinson has praised the announcement from the University of Ulster that the Fire and Safety Engineering Research and Technology team are to co-operate with Japanese academics to research the management of disaster zones following earthquakes and fires.

Speaking after the recent announcement, Cllr Robinson said, "This is a very timely and important area of research given the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake and the extreme difficulties that residents and relief teams are facing.

"The University, in conjunction with the Tokyo University of Science and Mitsubishi Plastics will be collaborating in areas such as fire protections in the facades of high rise buildings, disaster management, firefighter protection and the evacuation of underground tunnels."

Mr Robinson added, "The staff at FireSERT are drawn from diverse backgrounds such as engineering, psychology and applied sciences while the laboratory facilities provide a unique base in the UK university sector.

"The fact that the University of Ulster's work on Fire Safety has been recognised at a global level is a source of pride for Northern Ireland and emphasises the gold standard that this country still carries in research and innovation that can benefit people around the world."