National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 267

The new issue of NFPA Journal discusses how data can improve fire inspections and code enforcement

These days, says Kathleen Almand, vice-president of Research at NFPA, it seems that everyone is talking about smart firefighting, particularly the use of data to improve fire inspection and enforcement decision-making. In the November/December issue of NFPA Journal, Almand discusses several projects the Fire Protection Research Foundation is undertaking to further the discussion and inform NFPA’s initiatives and standards. On November 19, for example, the Foundation will bring together fire prevention personnel from 15 jurisdictions to discuss how they use data, such as inspection records, real estate data, population risk factors, and fire department calls, to make enforcement and inspection...

Thanksgiving day presents hidden hazards: three times as many cooking 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. 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. Home cooking fires also spike on other major U.S. holidays, including Christmas Day, Christmas Eve and Memorial Day weekend. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires. Fortunately, there are many simple steps people can take to...

New NFPA Journal article and podcast look at NFPA's efforts to increase safety in the Bangladesh garment industry

Inside a garment factory owned by the Hameem Group in Dhaka, Bangladesh, one of the facilities visited by an NFPA group in August. A 2010 fire in the factory killed at least 28 workers. A series of tragic fires, building collapses, and other calamities in Bangladesh’s enormous garment industry prompted action in 2013 when a coalition of 26 American and Canadian retailers formed the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety. The aim is to improve safety for Bangladesh’s millions of garment factory workers. In August, about halfway through the five-year effort, a team from NFPA visited more than a dozen factories...

New UL research shows how closed bedroom doors can provide life-saving seconds in home fires

New research shows how sleeping with your bedroom door closed can help buy lifesaving seconds in a fire, that can be used to find a way out or to protect yourself until firefighters can reach you. Research is showing how doors can keep smoke out of a room longer as well as change the flow of heat and toxic gases, acting as a shield for someone trapped and unable to get out of a fire. Steve Kerber, director of the Underwriters Laboratories Firefighter Safety Research Institute, and a new committee member here at NFPA, has conducted hundreds of fire studies...

Today in fire history: and accidental fire destroyed most of the Dole Fresh Vegetables plant with an estimated loss of $16 million

On the morning of November 12, 1992, an accidental fire destroyed most of the Dole Fresh Vegetables plant in Yuma, Arizona, and resulted in a loss estimated at $16 million. The building was a noncombustible structure with light-gauge metal exterior walls and roof components. Polyurethane foam insulation was sprayed over the interior surfaces of the exterior walls and roof. In addition, wood-frame walls were constructed throughout the building in front of the foam insulation to permit washing of interior surfaces. Automatic sprinklers were installed and provided protection in the occupiable spaces throughout the facility. On the day of the fire,...

New November/December NFPA Journal cover story takes a big picture look at the 2015 wildfire season

No matter how you look at it, 2015 was a significant year for wildfire in the United States. “The Year in Wildfire,” the cover story in the new November/December issue of NFPA Journal, explores some of the biggest takeaways of this year's season, which will go down in the history books. The article includes charts, graphs and big photos to help you put the historic 2015 wildfire season in perspective. The numbers are staggering. With still more than a month to go in the year, 2015 could wind up being the largest wildfire season on record in terms of acres...

In November's NFPA News: comments sought on two TIAs on NFPA 52 and NFPA 409; potential new project on hanging and bracing of water-based fire protection systems; errata issued on NFPA 13 and NFPA 2001; and more...

The November 2015 issue of NFPA News, our codes and standards newsletter, is now available. Read the latest NFPA News, our free monthly codes and standards newsletter Comments sought on proposed Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) to NFPA 52 and NFPA 409 Errata issued on NFPA 13 and NFPA 2001 Potential new project on hanging and bracing of water-based fire protection systems Standards Council service awards NFPA news in brief Research and Analysis Reports Committees soliciting public input Committees seeking members Committee meetings calendar Subscribe today! NFPA News is a free newsletter, and includes special announcements, notification of public input and...

New issue of NFPA Journal covers the year in wildfire, large-loss and firefighter injuries reports, and more

A special two-part feature package on wildfire headlines the November/December issue of NFPA Journal: a big-picture look at the 2015 wildfire season, and a report on a groundbreaking study on the role of local fire departments in combating wildfire. The new issue of NFPA Journal is available online now. The issue also includes summaries of the 2014 Large-Loss Fire report and the 2014 Firefighter Injuries report, as well as a feature story on the theme of sprinklers and alarms. Our cover story, "Scorched Earth," details six big takeaways from the ongoing 2015 wildfire season, from the number of acres burned...

Following news report questioning state sprinkler requirement, sprinkler activation extinguishes fire on victim

Media outlets in Maryland continue to produce slanted stories on the impact of the state's sprinkler requirement, which fail to give the public the full story on these life-saving devices. Case in point: An article recently appeared on a local news site with a headline stating the requirement will "dampen building." Only a sentence was devoted to sprinkler advocates, including NFPA, who support the statewide sprinkler requirement. The rest of the story focused on builders balking at the requirement, stating that it will "unnecessarily add to the housing market's woes." The state fire marshal disagrees. In an op-ed Brian Geraci...

NFPA Standards Council seeking public comments on a potential new project for hanging and bracing of water-based fire protection systems

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council is in receipt of a New Project Initiation Request for the development of an ANSI Accredited Standard on hanging and bracing of water-based fire protection systems. The following topics of requirements are proposed for inclusion in a new hanging and bracing standard for: Automatic sprinkler systems; Watermist systems; Standpipe systems; Foam-water sprinkler systems; Fixed-spray systems; Fire pumps; Private fire service mains; and Water storage tanks. The proposed project seeks to address hanging and bracing requirements for a myriad of water-based systems, not merely sprinkler systems. Currently, Chapter 9 of NFPA 13 addresses...