National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 99

My generator was installed and previously approved, why am I being cited now?

Many health care facilities have recently been cited because their generators are not provided with emergency stop stations. Some have questioned whether existing installations should be "grandfathered" since they were previously accepted. Many

Retired FEMA EFO: “We need to change the way people think and feel about fire death”

In a recent TV interview, retired Fire Officer and FEMA Executive Fire Officer, Dr. Burton Clark shared insights about the state of fire safety today. A TV host with NewsChannel5 in Nashville, Tennessee opened up the discussion by pointing out a quote in

NFPA 1: Understanding the application of requirements to protect areas with hazardous materials, #FireCodefridays

Over 200 pages of NFPA 1 (including Annexes) are dedicated to the storage, use and handling of hazardous materials.  We receive many questions asking hazardous materials-related questions from fire inspectors, AHJs, and others, trying to better

Over 16,900 definitions for free! View the 2019 edition of the NFPA Glossary of Terms

The updated 2019 edition of the NFPA Glossary of Terms (GOT) has been published and is available for free. The GOT is a list of the defined terms in NFPA's published codes, standards, guides and recommended practices. Over 16,900 terms are

Journal NOW: New Cars, New Garages, New Threats

The aftermath of the King's Dock car park fire in Liverpool in January 2018.   When I began researching for the upcoming cover story of the March/April issue of NFPA Journal on parking garage fires, I had no idea how much the average vehicle had

#TBT From the NFPA Archives: Philadelphia Oil Barge Fire, 1925

Two men lost their lives and six others were injured on February 21, 1925 when an explosion occurred on an oil barge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The barge contained 150,000 gallons of crude oil and was located at the municipal garbage disposal plant

Soliciting comments on proposed Tentative Interim Amendments to NFPA 1981

The following proposed Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) for the 2019 edition of NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, are being published for public review and comment: proposed

Recent Fire in Bangladesh Reminds Us: Put Safety First

NFPA was saddened to learn of the recent tragic fire that swept through Dhaka, Bangladesh claiming the lives of nearly 70 people and injuring scores more. While a specific cause for what started the fire has yet to be determined, we do know that the

A Better Understanding of NFPA 70E: Verifying PPE Ratings Revisited

There still seems to be a misunderstanding about the responsibility of the purchaser when is comes to personal protective equipment (PPE). As explained in my blog, Who verifies that personal protective equipment (PPE) meets the correct standards, it is

Journal NOW: Experts say government shutdown could spell trouble for 2019 wildfire season

Getty Images Although the longest-ever partial federal government shutdown is over, having spanned from late December through late January, wildfire experts still fear it could have an impact on the upcoming wildfire season in America. A new NFPA