National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 284

New law encourages homebuilder action on home fire sprinklers

Delaware Governor Jack Markell (seated) signs new sprinkler bill. He's sporting an NFPA Fire Sprinkler Initiative lapel pin. In front of more than 100 fire sprinkler advocates and key politicians, Delaware Governor Jack Markell signed legislation on August 6 aimed at improving fire safety for homeowners. The new law requires builders of new, one- and two-family homes to give buyers a cost estimate for installing fire sprinklers and requires that homebuyers receive information from the State Fire Marshal's Office about sprinkler benefits. Upon request of the buyer, the builder would be required to install sprinklers in the home. The new...

NFPA and Green Builder Media host free webinar to focus on wildfire mitigation for buildings and communities

As wildfires burn in California and across many communities in the U.S., Green Builder Media will host a free webinar presented by NFPA on Wednesday, August 19, 2015 at 2:00 pm EDT to help builders, remodelers, architects and consumers make better choices in design and materials that are environmentally sound, and safer from wildfire. The webinar, “Building Safer in Natural Areas – Firewise and Wildland Fire,” will be hosted by Michele Steinberg, NFPA’s Wildland Fire Operations Division Manager, who will discuss concepts and techniques around siting, designing, building and maintaining homes and neighborhoods to resist ignition from wildland fire. She...

NFPA exclusive: How an entire country secured legislation to sprinkler all of its new homes

Across the pond in Wales (population three million), home fire sprinklers suffer the same myths and homebuilder opposition that is prevalent in North America. Yet, a historical measure was signed into law in 2011 following a unanimous vote by the Welsh Assembly to sprinkler the country's new homes starting next year. How did that happen? NFPA recently interviewed Ronnie King, former chief fire officer in Wales and secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety & Rescue Group, which brings fire-related topics to the Parliament's attention. King discusses how the sprinkler measure was passed, how the opposition was addressed, and why...

BFD and neighboring fire departments participate in NFPA’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) safety training

NFPA Electrical Vehicle Safety Instructor Chris Pepler provides hands-on demonstration of a propane-powered school bus during an all-day AFV training hosted by the Boston Fire Department. With more alternative fuel vehicles entering the roadways each year, firefighters increasingly need to learn how to identify those vehicles and properly handle them when responding to emergency situations. The Boston Fire Department (BFD) clearly recognizes that need – for their own department and beyond. Yesterday, they hosted NFPA’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) “Train the Trainer” Emergency Responder Safety Program on Moon Island in Quincy, MA, for BFD personnel, and generously opened up the...

NFPA launches updated Alternative Fuel Vehicles Training Program for U.S. Emergency Responders for free online

You all may remember this program we launched a few years ago, the Electric Vehicle Safety Training course, designed to provide emergency responders with the information needed to respond safely and effectively to emergencies involving hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, and to emergencies involving vehicle charging stations. Well, we have now launched a new, updated program; Alternative Fuel Vehicles Training Program for U.S. Emergency Responders, which is now available online. This free, self-paced course teaches emergency responders how to safely deal with emergency situations involving alternative fuel passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, and commercial fleet vehicles. This course provides response...

NFPA President Jim Pauley meets President of Costa Rica at 150th anniversary of Costa Rica Fire Department

NFPA’s President, Jim Pauley, visited the Latin American region for the first time this week, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Costa Rica Fire Department. A big congratulations goes out from all of us at NFPA for reaching this milestone! During the celebrations, Jim was able to meet Costa Rica's President, Luis Guillermo Solis as well as representatives from the fire service in other Latin American countries. Costa Rica has adopted all over NFPA's codes & standards, and has always been a big supporter of NFPA's work, so Jim wanted to be sure to attend and thank everyone for...

Today in fire history: fire in a restaurant caused by 20-pound LP-Gas cylinder

Shortly after 7:00 p.m. on July 30, 1985, a fire erupted from beneath a steam table located inside the main dining room of the Bayview Restaurant in Seaside Park, New Jersey. At the time the fire broke out, between 75 and 80 patrons were in the room of fire origin, and all of them, including employees, and two occupants of the second floor narrowly escaped. Upon fire department arrival, flames were coming out of the window openings, and an adjacent two-story residential unit was beginning to burn. Fire fighters successfully provided exposure protection and extinguished fires in the adjacent residence....

NFPA issues errata on NFPA 408, Standard for Aircraft Hand Portable Fire Extinguishers, and NFPA 409, Standard on Aircraft Hangars

NFPA has issued the following errata on NFPA 408, Standard for Aircraft Hand Portable Fire Extinguishers, and NFPA 409, Standard on Aircraft Hangars: NFPA 408, Errata 408-10-1, referencing 1.2.3 of the 2010 edition, issued: July 14, 2015 NFPA 409, Errata 409-16-1, referencing 7.5.3 of the 2016 edition, issued: July 14, 2015 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.

Latest Fire Sprinkler Initiative newsletter details home fire that forever altered a family's life

The home fire took so much from Lionel Crowther. It killed his captain and burned 70 percent of his body. But what seemed to impact the firefighter most was the long-lasting effects the fire had on Crowther's wife and two children. Crowther's impactful story is featured in the latest issue of NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative newsletter. Also in this issue are stories on: a fire chief who broke NFPA blog records and will be offering regular commentary for the Fire Sprinkler Initiative a resident now living in a sprinklered home who opens up about losing three family members in a...

Boston's FOX25 covers potential risks of rooftop solar panels to firefighters

Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston As homes and buildings are increasingly powered by renewable sources of energy, Boston’s FOX25 news station aired a story on the growing use of rooftop solar panels and the risks they can present to firefighters when fighting a fire. Ken Willette, NFPA division manager of public fire protection, was interviewed for the segment and reinforced those potential hazards. He noted that more widespread training is needed to better protect firefighters in fire incidents where solar panels are present. For more information on solar energy and firefighter safety, take a look at...