National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 258

IAAI Visits NFPA

On January 11th, 2016 NFPA welcomed a guest visit from the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI). There was a great discussion about some of the challenges ahead of the fire investigation community and how each organization can continue to support the industry. See below Dan Heenan, IAAI president ’15-16, George Codding, IAAI 1st VP, Scott Bennett, IAAI 2nd VP, Randy Watson, IAAI Director and NFPA 921 Chair, Deborah Keeler, IAAI Executive Director and COO, Kenneth Willette, NFPA Division Manager, Public Fire Protection, Michael Wixted, NFPA Emergency Services Specialist, Edward Conlin, NFPA Emergency Services Specialist, Ryan Depew, NFPA Technical Lead...

Have you ever wondered what it takes to produce a new edition of the National Electrical Code?

Have you ever wondered what it takes to produce a new edition of our National Electrical Code?! In the most recent issue of NFPA Journal, our President Jim Pauley comments in his First Word column that he "want[ed] to offer a special thanks to the National Electrical Code® technical committee. As many of you know, this is our largest standards project. As [he] writes, the committee just completed its second-draft meetings. We wanted to show everyone just how much work actually does go into the standard development process for the NEC, our largest standards project, and created the infographic above...

The new NFPA Journal explores the fast-emerging technology of big battery energy storage. Are we ready?

According to the U.S. government, market research groups, industry experts, and almost everyone else who is paying attention, battery energy storage systems (ESS) are on the verge of becoming a ubiquitous part of modern life. They will soon be installed everywhere from homes, factories and businesses, to high-rise buildings, homes, urban neighborhoods, business parks, substations, and all manner of spaces and occupancies in between. The cover story “Power to Spare” in the January/February issue of NFPA Journal, peers into the world of ESS, why the systems are coming into prominence, their uses, and how NFPA, emergency responders, researchers, and others...

In the new NFPA Journal: Energy storage systems, issues related to home healthcare, and much more

Energy storage systems, NFPA’s new forays into big data, issues around home healthcare and independent living, and much more—it’s all in the new January/February 2016 issue of NFPA Journal. Our cover story, “Power Packed,” by staff writer Jesse Roman, offers a big-picture look at the burgeoning field of energy storage and its potential for reshaping how electrical power moves around the world. While energy storage systems hold great promise for users ranging from industry to individual homeowners, they also raise technical and safety issues for building owners, inspectors, first responders, and many others. NFPA is playing a critical role in...

Reserve Your Spot Now at the Foundation's 2016 SupDet Symposium!

Registration is open 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. The suppression session, which will take place March 1-2, will feature a keynote on the "History of Fire" by Dick Gann from NIST, presentations on the latest research on warehouse sprinkler protection, research on the protection of lithium ion batteries, and more. The detection and signaling section will take place March 3-4 and includes research on...

What are the "Red Books" and what can they tell us about the Paris Bon Marché fire 1915

The British Fire Prevention Committee, founded in 1897, was established with the goal "to direct attention to the urgent need for increased protection of life and property from fire by the adoption of preventative measures." Another objective of the committee was "to publish from time to time papers specially prepared for the Committee, together with records, extracts, and translations." Reports and records prepared include essays such as What is Fire Protection or updates on construction methods: "Fire-Resisting" Floors used in London, or reports on key fires. The papers and records were published in pamphlets with red covers, and are more...

In January's NFPA News: reorganization of Supervising Station Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems Committee; new project on energy storage systems; one day Tech Session; and more...

The January 2016 issue of NFPA News, our codes and standards newsletter, is now available. Reorganization of Supervising Station Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems Committee Comments sought on proposed Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) to NFPA 30B, 69, 400, and 1977 One day session for NFPA Technical Meeting Potential new project on stationary energy storage systems TIAs issued on NFPA 30B, 55, 59A, 80, 105, and 5000 Errata issued on NFPA 921 Standards Council service awards NFPA news in brief Committees soliciting public input Committees seeking members Committee meetings calendar Subscribe today! NFPA News is a free newsletter, and includes special...

Barn fire in Canada highlights the importance of key fire safety elements

photo courtesy of BBC Earlier this week, CBC reported over 40 racehorses perished in a fire that consumed a stable in Ontario, Canada reminding us how extreme weather can significantly hamper fire response and lead to catastrophic results. Although dozens of firefighters labored to extinguish the flames, temperatures in the single digits froze water lines, hindering the fire service’s efforts. Additionally, a lack of fire hydrants close by meant firefighters had to truck water in from surrounding areas. The barn did not have fire sprinklers. The result was that every horse inside the stable perished. Along with debilitating factors like...

Barn fire in Canada highlights the importance of hydrant access and pet preparedness

photo courtesy of BBC Earlier this week, CBC reported over 40 racehorses perished in a fire that consumed a stable in Ontario, Canada reminding us how extreme weather can significantly hamper fire response and lead to catastrophic results. Although dozens of firefighters labored to extinguish the flames, temperatures in the single digits froze water lines, hindering the fire service’s efforts. Additionally, a lack of fire hydrants close by meant firefighters had to truck water in from surrounding areas. The result was that every horse inside the stable perished. Along with debilitating factors like cold weather and insufficient hydrant placement, addressing...

Fire sprinklers to the rescue: Series of recent activations save lives and property

Burnt, but not destroyed: the aftermath of a grease fire following a fire sprinkler activation In no particular order, here are examples of fire sprinkler activations that have occurred over the past few months. For those doubting the necessity of these devices in new homes, pay close attention to the fire officials' statements in each anecdote: Maple Ridge, British Columbia Two recent home fires in this town had starkly different outcomes. Firefighters arriving to the first one reported heavy smoke and flames. They immediately performed an interior rescue involving a wheelchair-bound man and his daughter. Firefighters also had to rescue...