Pharos Fire Shelter
Active Fire Protection Backpack Shelter
Fall 2022
SynopsisA 16-week junior-year project to introduce a new product category on natural disasters for acquisition by UST brands
Design a solution for an emergency wildfire scenario that increases the odds of survival for wildfire evacuees and improves search & rescue operations
Core Objectives New Product Category
Natural Disasters
Softgoods and 3D printing
Photography
Why do we need fire shelters?
“Still, the shelters have saved more than 300 firefighters since they began being used in the 1960s”
“While there’s no such thing as ‘fire-proof,’ what we’re trying to do is to buy more time.”
“A typical entrapment lasts from 15 to 90 minutes, and the urge to flee can become overwhelming.”
Wildfire Survival Scenarios + BrainstormingShelter in Place - The evacuee is stuck in a wildfire zone with no other choice but to seek shelter.
Escaping the Fire - The evacuee is narrowly escaping the fire and being rushed by it.
Quick Relief - The evacuee is experiencing high smoke inhalation and blurred vision due to wildfire.
Using the wildfire scenarios to explore different shelter concepts from stationary to pop-up and backpack shelters. Each concept is meant to combat one or more of the scenarios a user may need.
Protection + Oxygen Relief
Shelter Ergonomics
While exploring the final directions toward the proportions and form of the shelter, I found the backpack concept best captured the functional and ergonomic needs of my users
Wildfire Survival Solution
Light-weight materials for Mobility during evacuation
Quick Release built-in shelter
Simple & Easy activation
Prepared to Outlast the unexpected
