National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 256

Deadly fire in cluttered home draws attention to dangers of hoarding

photo courtesy of the Boston Globe A man died in a house fire on Boston’s South Shore after fire fighters could not access his extremely cluttered home due to hoarding.. Sean Gorman, 42, died Tuesday night after fire consumed his Scituate, Mass. home. The home, which was already enveloped by flames by the time fire services arrived, was so cluttered that fire fighters could not immediately enter it, according to officials. Ultimately, they pulled Gorman through a window of the single-story structure. He was pronounced dead two hours later. The victim lived with his mother, who was not at home...

'Wildfire Watch' column looks at the challenge of learning the lessons of wildfire in the new NFPA Journal

In the aftermath of the Black Forest Fire in June of 2013 near Colorado Springs, which resulted in the loss of 488 homes, a local newspaper, The Gazette, ran a series of articles finding fault in the response by county commissioners who both tabled wildfire code adoption and relaxed existing structural fire code requirements following the Black Forest Fire. Local officials claimed they made the decision to relax requirements on residential sprinklers to help homeowners better afford rebuilding. The “Wildfire Watch” column in the new January/February NFPA Journal looks at the issue of what happens in the aftermath of a...

Following a bill that would weaken the state's sprinkler requirement, Maryland advocates respond in full force

Fire demonstrations. Opinion editorials. TV appearances. These have been some of the tactics used by Maryland's safety advocates to defend the life-saving capability of the state's sprinkler requirement. Threatened by recent legislation to weaken this requirement, advocates have ramped up their effort to promote sprinklers in new homes. Their efforts seem to be working. An editorial that appeared in the Carroll County Times stated that it hopes the legislation goes "up in smoke." "We understand the burden on developers, particularly in recent years as the real estate bubble burst with ever-increasing federal and state regulations on homebuilding have cut into...

'Perspectives' in new NFPA Journal features NFPA's data scientist Nathaniel Lin on big data and NFPA's future

Big Data is now being used to affect changes and find efficiencies seemingly everywhere you look, and even in many places you would never suspect. Data sets help fight the spread of malaria, grow better crops, and even identify ways to improve world happiness. In September, NFPA took a decisive step further into the world of big data analytics by hiring former IBM data scientist Nathaniel Lin as director of data strategy and analytics. Shortly after being hired, Lin sat down for a long form interview with NFPA Journal Staff Writer Jesse Roman for the “Perspectives” feature in the new...

New NFPA Journal looks at emerging trend of community paramedicine and what it means for first responders

There is a dramatic shift beginning to happen with how healthcare is delivered in the United States, and fire departments could have a big role to play, according to Thomas Breyer, the director of Fire and EMS Operations at the International Association of Fire Fighters. In the feature article “Community Coverage” in the new January/February NFPA Journal, Breyer writers about the rise of community paramedicine, or mobile integrated healthcare as it’s sometimes called, where non-emergency medical care is provided outside of a hospital setting, usually in patients’ homes, by fire-based paramedics or emergency medical technicians. These types of home services...

Over 15,000 NFPA definitions for free!

The 2016 edition of the NFPA Glossary of Terms (GOT) has been published and is available for FREE online. Visit www.nfpa.org/got to download your copy. The GOT is a list of the defined terms in all of NFPA's published codes, standards, guides and recommended practices. Over 15,000 terms are listed alphabetically and assembled into a free PDF available on the NFPA website. The document is used in a number of ways. It helps NFPA Technical Committees who are looking to define new terms or compare existing terms. It also helps members of the public who are interested in learning about...

Design with wildfire in mind: NFPA and Green Builder® Media provide three steps to a safer new home in an e-book featuring Firewise principles

How can home builders and developers address the daunting risk of wildfire? A beautiful new e-book from Green Builder Media and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) shows how in just eight pages. “Design with Fire in Mind: Three Steps to a Safer New Home,” is based on principles from NFPA’s Firewise Communities Program, which addresses site design, construction and landscaping, as well as property maintenance and wildfire safety education of residents. These principles are based on solid fire science research into how homes ignite, and comes from the world’s leading fire experts (we’re looking at you, Drs. Jack Cohen...

In January's issue of Fire Break: applying for Prep Day funding, 2015 wrap up, tips for cleaning out gutters, & more

The January 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: Information about how to apply for a funding award from State Farm and NFPA for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day A year-end wrap up focusing on the new communities that became recognized Firewise sites Tips for cleaning out gutters to help resist ember ignition during a wildfire Four ways to take compelling Firewise photos ...and much more. We want to continue to share all of this great information with you, so don’t miss an issue! So...

NFPA President Jim Pauley recounts the successes of 2015 in new NFPA Journal

In his “First Word” column in the new NFPA Journal, NFPA President Jim Pauley reflects on his first full year at the helm of the organization. There was a plethora of highlights for NFPA in 2015, Pauley writes. That includes big organizational changes, such as introducing a new vision and mission for NFPA and reorienting the organization’s strategy, to important ongoing work such as the Fire Protection Research Foundation’s completion of nearly two-dozen projects, and the 20 reports produced by NFPA’s Fire Analysis and Research Division. “NFPA has accomplished much in its 120-year history, and we have much yet to...

Dispelling myths about home fire sprinklers at the International Builders' Show

Tom Clark of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition invites attendees at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas to play the "Built for Life" game. By answering a question about sprinklers - and addressing some of the most common myths about sprinklers (ie. did you know that smoke cannot make a sprinkler operate? Only the high temperature of a fire will set it off), attendees get a chance at the slot machine, where they can win a cap, a commuter cup, a tool tote bag, and a Smart TV.