News Alert: Bentley’s Inaugural Chief Donald J. Burns Memorial Research Grant of $25,000 Awarded to University of Texas Group Sponsored

EXTON, Pa., U.S.A. – Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure, announced that the Chief Donald J. Burns Research Grant for 2012 has been awarded on its behalf to Dr. Ofodike Ezekoye and Austin Anderson, of the University of Texas Fire Research Group (UTFRG), by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) Scientific and Educational Foundation. The $25,000 grant is named in memory of FDNY Assistant Chief Donald Burns, who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, 2001, while setting up his command post to direct the evacuation. The purpose of this grant is to help advance the integration of information modeling as a means of improving infrastructure safety and first-responder preparedness.

Dr. Ezekoye, UTFRG director, said, "We are deeply honored to accept this award dedicated to Chief Donald Burns, who was among the 343 firefighters and paramedics that gave their lives in the collapse of New York City's Twin Towers. With this grant, UTFRG hopes to produce software and hardware solutions to better predict fire hazards and mitigate their impact in commercial and governmental buildings, thereby reducing both civilian and firefighter deaths and injuries caused by fires."

Bentley PR, Ron Kuhfeld, Public Relations Manager, 610-321-6493, Contact Bentley PR

Read more here: Bentley Systems