National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 53

What are the differences between guards and handrails and when are they required

For many of us, walking up and down stairs is a routine part of our day. We may use stairs at work, at entertainment venues, and in our home without thinking twice about how their design and function contribute greatly to life safety in both emergency and non-emergency situations.
Stairs can be dangerous if not designed properly and in compliance with the many dimensional and design criteria...



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Nominations for James M. Shannon Advocacy Medal Now Open

NFPA is calling for nominations for the 2021 James M. Shannon Advocacy Medal, which recognizes fire and life safety advocates who have made significant contributions in lessening losses from fire, electrical, and other hazards.
Named for former NFPA President James Shannon, the award honors individuals or groups that champion cost-effective efforts and collaboration, while furthering NFPA’s...



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Are You Up to Speed on Warehouse Fire Safety? Download the New Fact Sheet and Find Out

NFPA has created a downloadable Warehouse Fire Safety Fact Sheet that provides statistics, safety benchmarks, and best practices for keeping storage structures, contents and occupants safe from harm. The piece was developed following last month’s popular NFPA Considerations for Warehouse Fire Safety webinar for contractors, installers, engineers, facility managers, and code officials....



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Despite New Circumstances Caused by COVID19 the Key to Holiday Fire Safety is Consistent Action

The holiday season is well on its way, meaning more at-home festivities and cooking due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other than holiday cheer, this time of year also brings an increase in home structure fires, with Thanksgiving and Christmas consistently being the peak days for cooking fires. Also, nearly three times as many fires caused by candles are reported on Christmas than the daily...



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Fire Alarm Supervision

A key element to the effectiveness of fire alarm systems is the monitoring of the systems which includes how alarms are ultimately relayed to the emergency forces who will need to respond to the incident. Here we will look at the different supervising arrangements which are allowed and the differences between them.
What is a Fire Alarm Supervision?

Before we get too far into this, let’s define...



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Three Considerations for Electrical Professionals to Help Educate Consumers about Outdoor Decorative Holiday Lighting Safety

Normally, I would not be so excited to acknowledge the fact that the year is coming to a close. But this year is not a normal year. I think I speak for all of us when I say I am glad to be closing out all these months of craziness. With that being said, the end of the year can only mean one thing, it’s the holiday season. I can’t think of a better way to take my mind off what’s happening than to...



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Keeping Food Truck Safety at the Forefront during COVID Times

With an uptick in COVID cases in many areas of the country, communities are once again revisiting social distancing and business protocols. California, the most populous state in the nation, elevated 41 of the state’s 58 counties to purple status two weeks ago – the most restrictive level of lockdown. The recent round of pandemic constraints in California mandates the shutdown of indoor food...



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Webinar panel discussion will feature local officials discussing ways sustainable wildfire risk reduction can be achieved

Join us for a free webinar on Wednesday, December 9 to discuss lessons learned from local officials charged with cultivating long-term wildfire risk reduction and sustainability.
The Fire Protection Research Foundation, the research affiliate of NFPA, has arranged for a domestic and international panel to delve into the ways that nine global wildfire-prone communities are engaging residents and...



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NFPA 101, Life Safety Code Newest Addition to NFPA LiNK Digital Reference Tool

With December upon us, NFPA is pleased to announce the addition of the 2021 edition of NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®, to  NFPA LiNK™, the Association’s new information delivery platform that will include all NFPA codes and standards, supplementary content, and visual aids for building, electrical, and life safety professionals and practitioners.
NFPA 101 now joins the four most recent editions of...



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Turkey Fryer Fire Thanksgiving Day Burns Three Homes, Displaces 27 Residents

When it comes to deep frying turkeys on Thanksgiving, NFPA takes a firm stance: don’t do it. Deep frying turkeys presents significant fire hazards that make it way too dangerous to be done safely.
An incident that occurred on Thanksgiving Day in New Bedford, MA reinforces this point. A turkey that was being deep fried on a back deck of a multi-family home caught fire, igniting the homes on each...



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