National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 259

Winter weather months prompt heating and carbon monoxide safety warnings

With the winter months upon us, we want to remind homeowners about the fire dangers associated with heating equipment. Improper use of such equipment like portable or stationary space heaters, wood burning stoves and fireplaces can be incredibly dangerous, and their misuse is a leading cause of U.S. home fire deaths. Half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January, and February. More than half of the home heating fire deaths resulted from fires that started when something that could burn, like upholstered furniture, clothing, blankets and bedding, was too close to heating equipment. During...

Emerging consumer technologies underscores value of Smart Home Summit

New and emerging consumer technologies are popping up everywhere, with the goal of making our lives easier, healthier and more efficient than ever before. A segment on The Today Show covered many of them at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which kicked off yesterday. Overall, it’s exciting to see what’s on the horizon for our homes and lifestyles. Meanwhile, an app showing how people can preheat their ovens or turn off a burner when they’re away from home, which may sound like a true convenience to the average consumer, presents concerns that need to be carefully considered...

NFPA Technical Meeting will be one day - You asked and we listened!

June 16, 2016, 8:00 a.m. - completion Mandalay Bay Convention Center Ballroom EFGHIJKL If you are a frequent participant of the NFPA Technical Meeting (Tech Session), you have certainly noticed that the amount of motions presented has declined over recent years. In 2015 we ended the first day after only two hours. Before concluding, we asked what you thought of the many changes within the process and the Tech Session. Many of you expressed that you would have preferred to have a single, extended day session rather than two short days for Tech Session. We listened!!!! With the new Standards...

New NFPA 25 hands-on training and Matt Klaus

As a "frequent flyer" to 2nd floor of NFPA headquarters I am consistently seeking out engineers for advice, technical review of material and to maintain relationships. I've visited Matt Klaus, NFPA's Technical Lead for Fire Protection, multiple times and we always seem to focus on one subject during our conversations. As a fire protection guy Matt always said it would be ideal for NFPA to host a "hands-on" training program where attendees would be able to alternate between the classroom and a lab. "Wouldn't it be great if our students could learn on actual equipment and take that experience back...

Comments sought on proposed Tentative Interim Amendments to NFPA 30B and NFPA 1977

The following proposed Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) for NFPA 30B, Code for the Manufacture and Storage of Aerosol Products, and NFPA 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting, are being published for public review and comment: NFPA 30B, proposed TIA No. 1198R, referencing 7.2.1, 7.2.2, 7.2.2.1, 7.2.2.1.1(new) and Table 7.2.3.1 on the 2015 edition NFPA 1977, proposed TIA No. 1216, referencing various sections of the proposed 2016 edition Anyone may submit a comment on these proposed TIAs by the February 19, 2016 closing date. Along with your comment, please identify the number of the TIA and...

NFPA issues errata on NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations

NFPA has issued the following errata on NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, on January 5, 2016: NFPA 921, Errata 921-14-3, referencing Table 5.6.3.1 on the 2014 edition An errata is a correction issued to an NFPA Standard, published in NFPA News, Codes Online, and included in any further distribution of the document.

NFPA publishes proceedings from Smart Home Summit

Below are the proceedings of a Summit we held last October that addressed planning for the application of Smart Homes. This day and a half Summit was hosted by the Fire Protection Research Foundation, and is a supplemental effort to the earlier NIST funded project to address the “Research Roadmap for Smart Fire Fighting.” Here, “Smart” is understood to be the use of emerging technology relating to cyber-physical systems, and “Homes” is interpreted as where people sleep. This effort focuses on the emerging trends in safe living where technology and fire safety intersect. The intent is to promote technological solutions...

Reorganization of Supervising Station Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems Committee

The NFPA Standards Council, upon request, at its December 2015 meeting has decided to reorganize the Technical Committee on Supervising Station Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems to include broader regional diversity and representation from all affected technologies. Representation is sought in all member classifications; specifically applicants with expertise and experience related to performance based communication technologies (e.g. digital alarm communicator systems, two-way radio frequency (RF) multiplex systems and one-way private radio alarm systems) and operation professionals with experience in central, proprietary and remote supervising stations. All existing members of the Committee, as well as other interested individuals, are asked to...

Ever wonder how you could help us develop new educational safety messages?

Have you ever wondered where NFPA gets their educational safety messages? Or how often they are updated? Well, we have a new infographic that details out the whole process! It's just in time too, because we are looking for your input! Accurate messaging is the heart of safety education. NFPA and life safety experts in the field work together to build strong messages that can be shared. We are currently looking for input and feedback on the 2015 Educational Desk Reference as we work to produce the new 2016 edition. After you have looked through the 2015 edition, please download...

Industrial and Chemical Engineering Team Seeks New Leader!

We’ve got it all….(almost)! We have a great group of chemical and fire protection engineers who are highly motivated and work well as a team. We work hard, support and encourage each other-and we have fun! Since we cannot clone our previous boss, we are on a mission to find a new leader who will continue to inspire our team to achieve and take on new challenges. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. (John Quincy Adams). If you are that person, please apply to our Industrial and...