National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 266

In November's issue of Fire Break newsletter: new video on how your home can survive wildfire, free virtual workshop, legislation on drone use & more

The November 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: Details about a free virtual workshop that will focus on how residents and local agencies can build trust as they work together on wildfire preparedness activities A new NFPA video that features Dr. Jack Cohen and provides recent research and shows how homes can survive a wildfire An introduction to Gwen Hensley, a visual information specialist from the U.S. Forest Service who was recently awarded the 2015 Golden Smokey Bear Award Information about proposed legislation...

Responder column in the new NFPA Journal looks at the blurring lines between the fire service and law enforcement

As the fire service is asked to respond to a larger variety of incidents, and the world changes and new threats arise, there has been a blurring of the once sharp line between fire service and law enforcement, writes Ken Willette, the division manager for public fire at NFPA. Willette’s new column, “The Thin Purple Line,” in the new November/December issue of NFPA Journal discusses why this is happening and how NFPA is responding with new and updated codes and standards to reflect this new reality. “NFPA is ready and able to draw on its areas of proven expertise to...

Online training event for fire investigators

We have a new training event on November 19th at 11 AM for Fire Investigators regarding Alternative Fueled Vehicles (AFVs). I was trying to wrap my head around why this event was so important so I contacted someone who is currently in the field. One of my oldest friends is a firefighter with a town North of Boston who has many years of experience. I wanted him to give me an example of a situation where a Fire Investigator would need more knowledge about AFVs. Here’s what he said “Let’s say there’s been an accident at a major intersection in...

NFPA welcomes Nathaniel Lin who will lead solutions-oriented big data and analytics strategy

We welcome Nathaniel L in, who recently joined NFPA as director of data strategy and analytics, and will lead NFPA’s new strategic initiative on big data acquisition, analytics and application. This is a newly created role for us, and in it, Lin will identify, assess and develop resources that enhance the association’s ability to deliver an expanded range of information, knowledge and advice to multiple audiences. We’re thrilled to have Nathaniel on board to guide us toward a whole new strategy for data acquisition, analytics and application to the fire problem. Nathaniel brings an extensive background in business and marketing...

Read the NFPA Standards Council agenda for the December 2015 meeting

The NFPA Standards Council will be meeting on December 8-9, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina. At this meeting, some of the topics the Council will address include: an appeal on a proposed TIA to NFPA 85 the issuance of proposed TIAs on NFPA 30B, NFPA 55, NFPA 59A, NFPA 80, NFPA 85, NFPA 105, and NFPA 5000 consideration of requests from Committees to change revision cycle schedules, committee scopes, and committee titles approval of Fall 2017 and Annual 2018 revision cycle schedules action on pending applications for committee memberships Read the full Council agenda for further information. The NFPA Standards...

Legislation filed to eliminate Maryland's home fire sprinkler requirement

Maryland's fire service and other advocates stand ready to defend the state's sprinkler requirement following the filing of a bill this month to eliminate this feature in new, one- and two-family homes. Maryland is one of two states (California is the other) with a statewide, sprinkler requirement. Sponsoring the bill is Maryland Delegate Chris Adams, who told a local newspaper that this legislation "brings a responsible return of critical decision-making to the local level, where these decisions are best made." Adams also fears sprinklers will halt economic growth, a myth that has been addressed by various reports by NFPA. For...

NFPA 652 - new combustible dust standard

Susan Bershad is a Senior Chemical Engineer in the Industrial and Chemical Engineering division at NFPA® and is also the staff liaison for the Combustible Dust project. Susan has been working diligently on NFPA 652 which has the following scope: “This standard shall provide the basic principles of and requirements for identifying and managing the fire and explosion hazards of combustible dusts and particulate solids.” I had a few minutes to talk to Susan about the challenges and importance of the document and about a training event she is hosting on December 3 about NFPA 652. Q: What was your...

Read about the large-loss fires of 2014 in the new issue of NFPA Journal

NFPA defines a large-loss fire as one that results in at least $10 million in damage. In 2014, there were 25 large-loss fires, which did almost $654.3 million in direct property losses, writes Steve Badger, fire data assistant in NFPA’s Fire Analysis and Research Division, in the November/December issue of NFPA Journal. This represented a 19 percent increase from in the number of large-loss fires from the year before, but a decrease of $190.5 million, or 22.6 percent, in associated property losses. While these fires accounted for just 0.002 percent of the estimated number of fires in 2014, they accounted...

Today in fire history: four residents die in a four-story apartment complex fire

On November 13, 1997, at approximately 6:00 a.m., a fire occurred in an occupied, four-story apartment complex in Bremerton, Washington. Four residents died in this fire, and twelve were injured. The complex was comprised of 142 units, of which approximately 130 units were occupied at the time of the fire. The main portion of the complex was a U-shaped building. The ground floor, which contained storage areas, laundries, parking areas, and utility rooms, was made of noncombustible construction. The upper three floors contained the apartment units and were constructed of wood studs covered with fire-rated gypsum wallboard on each side....

Use extra caution in the kitchen this Thanksgiving: Three times as many fires occur on Thanksgiving as on a typical day

When most of us think about Thanksgiving, images of turkey, stuffing and time spent with loved ones typically come to mind, not fire hazards. However, an increased risk of fire is, in fact, a reality of Thanksgiving. Three times as many home cooking fires occurring on Thanksgiving as on a typical day. NFPA’s latest cooking estimates show that there were 1,550 cooking fires on Thanksgiving in 2013, reflecting a 230 percent increase over the daily average. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of these fires. Here are NFPA’s top five tips for cooking safely this Thanksgiving: Remain in the kitchen...