National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 274

NFPA and Domino's kick off 8th annual campaign with Detroit Fire Department

Judy Comoletti, manager of NFPA's public education division, is attended by Detroit Fire Department's Captain Christopher Dixon (left) and Detroit Fire Commissioner Edsel Jenkins (right) as she teaches students about smoke alarms. NFPA's 8th annual Fire Prevention Week campaign with Domino’s officially kicked off yesterday at the Detroit Fire Department’s Fire Engine 27, where 75 second graders from Detroit’s Mayberry Elementary School were treated to fire safety lessons supporting this year’s theme, “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep: Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm”, along with a visit from Sparky the Fire Dog® and a pizza party. The event...

NFPA 350 - guide to confined space entry

Nancy Pearce is the staff liaison to the NFPA 350 Technical Committee and for more than two years she has been working on this document which has the following scope: “This guide is intended to protect workers who enter into confined spaces for inspection or testing or to perform associated work from death and from life threatening and other injuries or illnesses and to protect facilities, equipment, non–confined space personnel, and the public from injuries associated with confined space incidents.” I had a few minutes to talk to Nancy about the history, timeline and importance of NFPA 350. Q: Why...

The new issue of NFPA Journal explains why a code is not a design manual

A code is a code, not a design manual, says Wayne Moore, vice-president at the fire protection engineering firm of Jensen Hughes. In this case, the code is NFPA 72®, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, which contains the minimum requirements necessary to install a reliable fire alarm system. However, it does not include all of the information a fire alarm systems design engineer must know and use. “A qualified fire alarm systems design engineer should know the code’s requirements and alternatives, know and understand basic acoustical principles, and apply common sense,” says Moore. “The code provides guidance, but no...

The new issue of NFPA Journal announces new educational fire safety apps

At NFPA, we realize that many teachers have difficulty finding the right fire-safety materials for different grade levels, says Amy LeBeau, senior project manager in NFPA’s Public Education Division. As a result, we launched a school outreach program that focuses on a blended-learning approach using interactive apps and lesson plans that feature targeted fire-safety messages. We encourage fire safety educators to incorporate digital learning tools into their fire prevention programs as part of this year’s activities for Fire Prevention Week, which runs from October 4 to 10. One of these tools is Sparky’s® Brain Busters, a new single- or multi-player...

NIST highlights value of incorporating patient compartment guidelines in NFPA 1917

NFPA is firmly committed to maximizing the safety of EMS providers at all times, including when they ride in ambulances. This point was powerfully reinforced in a NIST article, which highlights that the latest guidelines for ambulance patient compartments have been incorporated into the 2016 edition of NFPA 1917, Standard for Automotive Ambulances, which went into effect on September 7, 2015. These patient compartment guidelines were developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and its two federal partners, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety...

The First Draft of NFPA 10, 2017 Edition, is now open for public comment.

The First Draft of NFPA 10 Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, 2017 edition, is open for public comment until November 16, 2015. Comments can be submitted through the NFPA website (www.nfpa.org/10next). For this draft, the technical committee passed 64 revisions, including updated references and clarifications of existing requirements. The following revisions incorporate technical changes to the standard: Section 4.2, FIRST REVISION NO. 8 The standard will recognize the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) for extinguishers sold and installed outside the United States. Previous editions referenced the Workplace Hazardous Materials Identification System (WHMIS) Reference Manual. Committee’s...

Phase 2 Research Foundation project tests plan for ESFR sprinklers that are obstructed

Early suppression fast response (ESFR) sprinklers were developed to meet the demands of high challenge storage fire scenarios and are a common choice to protect warehouses. Many aspects of ESFR sprinklers are unique compared to standard spray sprinklers. Paramount to ESFR sprinkler performance is the ability of the sprinkler to provide large amounts of water, in a specific discharge pattern, to the fire source in the incipient phase of fire development. Obstruction of the sprinkler discharge pattern could greatly affect the ability of the ESFR sprinkler to achieve fire suppression. Phase 1 of the Fire Protection Research Foundation's latest project...

'Perspectives' in new NFPA Journal looks at proposed bill in Congress to require colleges to report sprinkler protection

College students get bombarded with information, stats and amenities from their schools when making their housing selections. Conspicuously missing from the material at most schools, however, is information about the dorm or campus housing’s fire suppression system. That could change across the nation under a new bill proposed by New York Rep. Steve Israel. As he explains in an in-depth Q&A in the Perspectives feature in the all new September/October issue of NFPA Journal, Israel’s bill would require schools to inform students several times about whether their rooms have sprinklers. The schools would also be required to report information about...

The First Draft of NFPA 10, 2017 Edition, is now open for public comment.

The First Draft of NFPA 10 Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, 2017 edition, is open for public comment until November 16, 2015. Comments can be submitted through the NFPA website (www.nfpa.org/10next). For this draft, the technical committee

Heck no, we won't go: Safety officials continue push for home fire sprinklers following 'disappointing' vote by code council

A recent decision by the New York Fire Prevention and Building Code Council to not include a sprinkler requirement for new homes hasn't stopped fire officials from speaking out about this life-safety feature. Despite the council's vote, the fire service and other safety advocates are planning on voicing the importance of such a requirement during New York's Department of State public-review process that precedes the new state building code becoming law. The department will finish the review process by early 2016, according to a story in the Watertown Daily News. Regarding the code council's vote, "I'm disappointed they chose to...