National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 314

IFPS October 2014 board meeting - Guy Colonna presentation

Guy Colonna, Division Manager, Industrial and Chemical Engineering at NFPA provided updates on recent code rulings and covered several topics.  The first was an update on combustible dust. Guy reviewed major combustible dust incidents and the recent

Digging out from the blizzard? NFPA offers free winter fire safety tips.

The statewide travel ban in Massachusetts has been lifted, but the big dig-out from yesterday's storm continues. Here in Boston, schools are closed for a second day and Mayor Martin Walsh is urging residents to work from home, if possible, to allow city workers to continue working to clear roadways. As my colleague Owen Davis outlined on Monday, NFPA, along with the United States Fire Administration, has issued a collection of resources called "Put a Freeze on Winter Fires" that offers up free information on the leading causes of winter fires, including cooking, heating, and candles. We also provide timely...

As Winter Storm Juno fast approaches, NFPA urges public to keep fire safety in mind

As Winter Storm Juno fast approaches, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) urges the public to use added caution when heating their homes in the days ahead. Home heating equipment is the second leading cause of U.S. home fires and home fire deaths, with January being one of the three leading months for home heating fires. In addition, improperly used or malfunctioning heating equipment can create carbon monoxide (CO), a poisonous, potentially fatal gas in the home. Unattended heating equipment is the leading cause of home heating fires. NFPA recommends monitoring all heating equipment carefully, particularly space heaters. Whether portable...

A frank conversation with Fire Marshal Joseph Thomas, chair of America's newest sprinkler coalition

Maine now joins 21 other states that have formalized a sprinkler coalition. Initiated late last year, the Maine Fire Sprinkler Coalition is led by State Fire Marshal Joseph Thomas, who offered candid comments to NFPA about his state's home fire problem, sprinkler opposition, and the coalition's attempt at changing the culture of sprinklers. Maine experienced 26 fire deaths in 2014. Two residential fires were responsible for 10 of these fatalities. Are there any key finds from these tragedies? What we’re finding is that the vast majority of fatalities are associated with fires that are in places that don’t have smoke...

Free webinars from the Research Foundation

The Research Foundation is excited to announce its annual slate of free webinars. In 2015, six webinars will be offered to all those interested at absolutely no cost on the following subjects: February - Assessment of Hazardous Voltage/Current in Marinas, Boatyards and Floating Buildings April – Wildland Fire Ignition Pathways June – Smoke Alarm Nuisance Source Characterization August – PV Update - Insurers Perspective October – Smart Firefighting December – ESFRs and Obstructions The first webinar of the year is entitled Assessment of Hazardous Voltage/Current in Marinas, Boatyards and Floating Buildings. Delivered by John Adey, President of American Boat and...

A frank conversation with Fire Marshal Joseph Thomas, chair of America's newest sprinkler coalition

Maine now joins 21 other states that have formalized a sprinkler coalition. Initiated late last year, the Maine Fire Sprinkler Coalition is led by State Fire Marshal Joseph Thomas, who offered candid comments to NFPA about his state's home fire

Fire Marshal shares personal brush with fire in new NFPA Journal

Fire can happen to anyone—just ask New Milford, Connecticut, Fire Marshal Karen Facey. Facey’s powerful account of her own recent brush with fire can be found in the “Perspectives” feature in the January/February issue of NFPA Journal. Fire “doesn’t care where you live, how much money you make, how much you care about safety, or what you do for a living—even if you’re a fire marshal,” Facey writes in her personal account. “I had certainly felt human, and fallible, when I realized my kitchen was on fire; in that moment, I was less a highly trained fire professional than a...

30 Candidates vie for Research Foundation Medal

The Research Foundation completed 30 projects in 2014. All are candidates for the Research Foundation medal, recognizing the project which best exemplifies the Foundation's fire safety mission, technical challenges overcome, and collaborative approach to execution that is the hallmark of all our projects. See the list of 2015 Foundation Medal candidates (PDF). The review process is underway and the winner will be announced at the NFPA Conference & Expo in Chicago, June 22-25. The winning project of the 2014 Fire Protection Research Foundation Medal was “Best Practices for Emergency Response to Incidents Involving Electric Vehicles Battery Hazards: A Report on...

Smoke alarms on the list of 10 everyday items you probably need to replace

Did you know that for a good night's sleep, you should replace your mattress every 8 years and your pillows every 2 years? And did you know that the American Dental Association recommends replacing your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months? According to an article on HLNTV.com, there are eight other common household objects that need to be replaced on a regular basis, including your homes smoke alarms. "In the event of a fire, a smoke alarm is a key factor in a safe resolution," says HLNTV. "The National Fire Protection Association urges consumers to replace all smoke alarms every...

Introducing Audrey Goldstein, the Fire Sprinkler Initiative's newest blogger

Joining the growing list of writers for the Fire Sprinkler Initiative blog is newcomer Audrey Goldstein. She is an associate fire protection engineer with NFPA, responsible for responding to technical questions on NFPA 13D, Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes, and other water-based suppression documents. We've brought Audrey on board to address topics related to NFPA 13D as well as other technical aspects of home fire sprinklers. If there are any topics you'd like Audrey to address, comment on this blog or send us an email. Audrey proudly hails from Maryland, one of only...