National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 252

NFPA's Casey Grant to participate in speaker panel alongside tale of Cocoanut Grove fire on Boston stage during opening weekend

A Texas playwright-actor-director who had never even been to Boston before last year to finally bring to the stage a tragedy that remains one of the most traumatic events in the city’s history. On Wednesday, “Inferno: Fire at the Cocoanut Grove 1942” will begin performances at the Plaza Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts. “Inferno” is written and directed by James Hansen Prince, a Texas playwright-actor-director, who had never even been to Boston before last year. It is also apparently the first theatrical production about the devastating nightclub blaze — “a massive, humongous story about the ’40s and our society...

Legislation jeopardizing Maryland's sprinkler law and the advocates fighting it underscored in new video

Ron Siarnicki with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation stands with the Maryland fire service during a video supporting the state's home fire sprinkler requirement A new video produced by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) highlights Maryland fire service and sprinkler advocates fighting a legislative bill aimed at weakening Maryland's sprinkler requirement. The video features key players in this push, including Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci; Ron Siarnicki, NFFF's executive director and member of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition; and Sher Grogg, who lost her brother, sister-in-law, and three nieces and nephew in a catastrophic Maryland home fire in...

Charlotte Fire Chief fulfills his part of Superbowl wager and installs smoke alarms in Broncos jersey

Last week, Charlotte, NC Fire Chief Jon Hannan fulfilled his part in the "Super Safety Challenge" - installing smoke alarms in a resident's home wearing a Denver Broncos jersey. Chief Hannan and Denver Fire Chief Eric Tade, along with Kidde Fire Safety, agreed to the challenge ahead of the Superbowl. The winning football team's Fire Chief would receive 200 Kidde Worry-Free 10-year sealed battery smoke/carbon monoxide alarms to install in homes of need. The losing city's chief would receive 50 of the same alarms, but must install them wearing the winning team's jersey. Working smoke alarms are important; three out...

Comments sought on proposed Tentative Interim Amendments to NFPA 2 and NFPA 36

The following proposed Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) for NFPA 2, Hydrogen Technologies Code, and NFPA 36, Standard for Solvent Extraction Plants, are being published for public review and comment: NFPA 2, proposed TIA No. 1219, referencing 18.7.2 of the 2016 edition NFPA 36, proposed TIA No. 1220, referencing 8.2.8 of the proposed 2017 edition Anyone may submit a comment on these proposed TIAs by the April 15, 2016 closing date. Along with your comment, please identify the number of the TIA and forward to the Secretary, Standards Council by the closing date.

In the February issue of Fire Break: scholarship opportunities for firefighters, wildfire e-book, grant finding tips & more

The February issue of Fire Break, NFPA’s Wildland Fire Operations Division newsletter, is now available for viewing. Here’s what you’ll find in this month’s issue: Scholarship opportunities for firefighters who want to attend the Assessing Wildfire Hazards in the Home Ignition Zone seminars Our newest wildfire e-book that highlights three steps to building a safer Firewise home, developed by Green Builder Media and NFPA Tips on finding the best grant opportunities for your wildfire projects A blog series that captures our Firewise success stories around the country ...and much more. We want to continue to share all of this great...

Time is Running Out to Register for SupDet 2016!

There is still time to register for the Foundation's 2016 SupDet symposium, which will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton San Antonio Downtown, San Antonio, TX from March 1-4, 2016. This year's symposium will feature 30 presentations on suppression and detection and signaling research and applications. In addition, on the afternoon of March 2 there will be a free half-day workshop on "Big Data and Fire Protection Systems". The goal of this workshop will be to identify and prioritize the opportunities for big data to inform decision making around inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems. An agenda...

Time is Running Out to Register for SUPDET 2016!

There is still time to register for the Foundation's 2016 SUPDET symposium, which will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton San Antonio Downtown, San Antonio, TX from March 1-4, 2016.  This year's symposium will feature 30 presentations on

Today in fire history: natural gas explosion in motel kills four

On Sunday, February 18, 1990, a natural gas explosion and subsequent fire in a motel in Hagerstown, Maryland caused the deaths of four guests and minor injuries to ten others. At approximately 5:20 a.m. two guests reported the smell of gas to the hotel desk clerk. The clerk then confirmed that there was a gas leak, called the gas company, and attempted to stop the gas that was escaping. Neither the gas company nor the clerk called the fire department, and the building alarm was not activated until after the explosion occurred at about 5:30. Hagerstown Fire Department investigators determined...

The IAFC Volunteer & Combination Officers Section invite fire service members to new Symposium in the West

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and their Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS) are holding a two day event, the Symposium in the West, this May in Reno, NV. The event adds on to the current education and networking that is offered by VCOS, by providing education to meet the unique needs of volunteer and combination leaders, to help them further the skills needed to make hard decisions and develop tactics to address tough leadership challenges. Topics being covered at the Symposium in the West include: Leadership skill building Fire dynamics Self-care for the volunteer fire chief Cancer...

Free money for fire sprinkler advocacy! Apply today for NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative Bringing Safety Home Grant

A fire sprinkler demonstration trailer used in Utah was made possible by NFPA's Bringing Safety Home Grant To further the life-saving impact of home fire sprinklers, the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Fire Sprinkler Initiative is once again offering grant funding for sprinkler advocacy campaigns across North America. Following a successful launch in 2015, the Bringing Safety Home Grant will once again assist as many as 10 selected fire sprinkler coalitions and other safety advocates throughout the U.S. and Canada with up to $10,000 apiece to support activities that showcase the importance of home fire sprinklers. Sprinkler advocacy is gaining...