National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 48

FPRF Webinar on “Combustible Gas Dispersion and Detector Location Analysis in Residential Occupancies”

This webinar will present the Fire Protection Research Foundation’s project conducted by the research team at GexCon on combustible gas dispersion and detector location analysis in residential occupancies. The research included a literature review of the existing guidance for combustible gas detector location and installation in residential occupancies, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD)...



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Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)

I recently came across an article about the first 3D printed house hitting the market in New York. While I’ve seen a lot of information regarding the benefits of 3D printing structures, mainly that it less expensive and faster than traditional construction methods, this was the first time I had seen a house that was actually 3D printed and being sold. It reminded me how quickly the 3D printing...



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A Guide to Fire Alarm Basics

A fire alarm system is a crucial part of the fire and life safety of a building and its occupants. There are many functions that are served by the fire alarm system and it all may be a bit confusing to someone new to fire alarms, so I decided to create a visual guide to fire alarm basics. The objective of this blog is to share that visual guide and to discuss some of the major components and...



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NFPA 25 provides guidance on maximizing fire safety during sprinkler systems restoration process

Over the past couple of weeks, one of the common themes among news stories and social media posts addressing the recent winter storms has been the impact of plunging temperatures on pipes. Numerous videos and images have shown frozen leaks extruding from systems and burst pipes allowing continuous flow of water from plumbing systems, which included all portions of automatic fire sprinkler...



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Frozen and burst/compromised pipes prompt concern around electrical safety for homes and other occupancies in the aftermath of Texas storm

Last week’s winter storm in Texas left millions of people contending with loss of power and heat, and in many cases, frozen pipes. For residents whose pipes burst, understanding the potential hazards posed by electrical wires and electrical equipment that come in contact with water is critical to safety. 
Power should remain off until a professional electrician has inspected the entire home and...



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2021 Safety Stand Down Theme Focuses on Rebuilding Rehab

Firefighting puts intense strain on firefighters, both physically and mentally, and yet rehab frequently doesn’t get the consideration it should. Many think simply providing food and beverages to firefighters constitutes a rehab program. Thus, the reason that the focus of the 2021 Safety Stand Down campaign will be “Rebuild Rehab.”
During the week of June 20-26, fire departments are advised to...



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Types of Construction and Material Combustibility

It is important to understand how a building will perform in a fire. Minimum construction requirements are established to help maintain structural integrity for the time needed for evacuation or relocation to a safe location in the building. The combustibility of a material gives an indication of how quickly a fire will grow. Both of these aspects are essential to fire and life safety. 

NFPA...



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Construction Types and Material Combustibility

It is important to understand how a building will perform in a fire. Minimum construction requirements are established to help maintain structural integrity for the time needed for evacuation or relocation to a safe location in the building. The combustibility of a material gives an indication of how quickly a fire will grow. Both of these aspects are essential to fire and life safety. 

NFPA...



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A Better Understanding of NFPA 70E: An authority having jurisdiction for a standard not adopted by law

Sorry that I have been away for some time, but 2020 was a year of challenges. I have been writing this blog mostly on a bi-weekly basis for four years. This is the first blog that will be published monthly. I hope you will continue to find the information and views beneficial in your continued effort to increase electrical safety in your workplace.
My last blog (October) pointed out that if a...



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New web version and quarterly print schedule for NFPA Journal

NFPA Journal®, the magazine of the National Fire Protection Association, has launched a new web version and moved to a quarterly print publication schedule as part of a larger plan to expand the magazine’s online presence, extend the association’s global reach, and provide convenient access to a range of content generated by the award-winning NFPA Journal team and the magazine’s many...



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