National Fire Protection Association Blog

Work in Progress: America Burning at 40 - Federal assistance to local fire departments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the third in a series of posts about the 40^thanniversary of America Burning and the related article, "Work in Progress" in this month's NFPA Journal." While the National Commission on Fire Prevention Control was quite clear that fire prevention and suppression were primarily local responsibilities, they wanted the federal government to play a supportive role with technical and educational assistance, research and data systems, and “providing financial assistance when adequate fire protection lies beyond a community’s means. In recent years, Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFGs) provided local fire departments with funds for training, apparatus, equipment, firefighter health and safety, facility improvements. Staffing for Adequate Fire And Emergency Response (SAFER) grants help fire departments increase their complement of trained firefighters.

These grants have improved fire department readiness, but many needs remain. NFPA conducted three national surveys or needs assessments of local fire departments to compare local resources with NFPA and other requirements. Steady progress has been made, but many fire departments still do not have enough personal protective equipment for all firefighters. And many departments have personnel engaged in activities without formal training.

How have these grants helped your fire department or your community? Listen to Bill Webb, Executive Director of the Congressional Fire Service Institute as he shares some insights into the relationship of Congress to the fire service, and of course, funding. 

Journey with Flat Sparky

Everyone once in a while, most of us roam beyond the confines of our homes and offices and out into the world. NFPA's mascot, Sparky the Fire Dog is asking you to bring him along with Flat Sparky. These paper cutouts can be colored in, photographed and posted at Sparky's Facebook or Twitter (@Sparky_Fire_Dog), or by tagging NFPA on Pinterest. Bring Sparky with you to show off your favorite restaurants, parks, bookstores, modern art installations or just a great view.

  

Download, cut out, color in, and wander freely with Sparky by clicking here. Happy travels!

NFPA looks to hire a Compensation/HR Analyst in Quincy, MA

Do you want to make a difference? We have an ideal opportunity for a Compensation/HR Analyst to work out of our Quincy, MA headquarters. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in data analysis, reporting, development of plans and programs that link to business objectives and be able to drive performance and results. He or she must be accurate, organized, and detail oriented, with the ability to function in a fast paced environment. 

Principal responsibilities and requirements for this position can be found on our Careers webpage. If you think you are a fit, please apply today! 

For a complete list of our current job openings here at NFPA, please take a look at our Careers site. 

NFPA Journal explains two systems of hazard labeling

For years, NFPA 704, Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response, has provided guidance for labeling physical and chemical hazards. The labels, designed to help determine an appropriate response in the event of an emergency, are readily recognized and easily understood. Last year, however, OSHA adopted the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) that, like NFPA 704, provides a standardized approach to classifying and labeling hazardous chemicals. But the GHS guidelines differ from those of NFPA 704. While OSHA allows the NFPA 704 system to remain in workplaces as long as employees understand and can use both systems, concerns have arisen over the possibility for confusion between the two. In his article "Working Together" in the latest issue of NFPA Journal, Guy Colonna describes how NFPA and OSHA are working to avert possible problems.

Read the Report of the Motions Committee on Certified Amending Motions for NFPA 70, National Electrical Code

The Report of the Motions Committee for NFPA 70, National Electrical Code®, addresses the certified amending motions for consideration at the Association Technical Meeting in Chicago, IL on Thursday, June 13, 2013. This Report also identifies a list of NITMAMS not certified on NFPA 70.

This Report is the third of three reports addressing motions submitted for consideration at the 2013
Association Technical Meeting, and is specific to the NEC. A Consolidated Final Motions Committee
Report (the Consolidated Report) will be posted shortly on the NFPA website prior to the Association Technical Meeting. 

See the order of documents to be presented at the Association Technical Meeting.

 

 

 

News report: Were first responders aware of dangers at Texas fertilizer plant?

Nearly one month after an explosion and fire at a West, TX, fertilizer plant that killed 14 people, LDNews, the webiste of the Lebanon Daily News, is taking a closer look at the event, and in particular, if the town's volunteer fire crews were fully aware of the dangers they faced during their response efforts.

"When they saw 30-foot flames licking the sky inside a massive fertilizer plant, firefighters in this tiny Texas town rushed to evacuate nearby buildings and raced to spray water on tanks of chemicals, hoping to prevent a catastrophe.

They didn't know, and probably could not imagine, that the plant would soon explode into a deadly fireball and lay waste to much of the community. Instead, they were more concerned with preventing toxic gas from leaking out of the facility and drifting into nearby homes."

The LDNews report references Associated Press interviews with first-responders that suggeset the primary concern was a poisonous cloud of anhydrous ammonia. But the bigger threat, according to the report, was the huge supply of the common fertilzer ammonium nitrate, which can also serve as a cheap alternative to dynamite.

The report says Tommy Muska, Mayor of West, said he did not know how much the firefighters knew about the chemicals on the property. But, the report says, it's unclear whether simply knowing about the ammonium nitrate would have been enough.

"The National Fire Protection Association has codes on handling ammonium nitrate, but it does not advise how to fight such fires because circumstances vary, said Guy Colonna, the division manager of the industrial and chemical engineering group.

Related NFPA codes and standards

• NFPA 400, Hazardous Material Code: This document applies to the storage, use, and handling of hazardous materials in all occupancies and facilities, including ammonium nitrate solids and liquids. Free access to NFPA 400.
• NFPA 472, Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents. This document identifies the minimum levels of competence required by responders to emergencies involving hazardous materials/weapons of mass destruction. Free access to NFPA 472.
• NFPA 1620, Pre-Incident Planning. This document provides criteria for evaluating the protection, construction, and operational features of specific occupancies to develop a pre-incident plan that should be used by responding personnel to manage fires and other emergencies in such occupancies using the available resources. Free access to NFPA 1620.

Also see

• Storage of ammonium nitrate was the subject of a case study at a 2010 Fire Protection Research Foundaiton symposium.

Related articles

New CSB video provides an up-close-and-personal look at damage from the recent Texas plant explosion

News reports fertilizer plant fire in Texas

UMD launches Fire Protection Engineering Legacy Campaign for a Professor of the Practice

Fire Protection Engineering graduates from the University of Maryland are rallying around their department to support the Legacy Campaign for a Professor of the Practice, a new initiative to help ensure students stay current on the latest technologies used in the field. According to Fire Protection Engineering Department Chair James Milke, the professor of the practice will bring hands-on field experience to the undergraduate curriculum and will strengthen the school’s ties with industry.

“This department has been recognized for many years for producing outstanding young engineers and more recently for the high quality of research we conduct,” he explains. “The main purpose of the professorship is to preserve the connection of the department to the profession and to the applied side of the field.”

Already, the Department has raised close to $500,000 of its $2.5 million goal. Support has come from alumni and industry.  Andrews Group, LLC, Poole Fire Protection and Tyco have each made $100,000 gifts to the campaign. A naming opportunity for the professorship is still available.

For more information on how you can contribute to the Legacy Campaign for a Professor of the Practice, contact Allison Corbett at 301-405-5841 or acc@umd.edu.

NFPA Journal examines the top proposed changes to the 2014 NEC

NFPA's electrical experts helped NFPA Journal staff comb through the 3,500 proposals and 1,600 comments submitted for the 2014 edition of NFPA 70 ^®, National Electrical Code^®. The outcome was a recent Journal article highlighting the top proposed changes to the code that is already generating a healthy buzz. 

For instance, the expanded use of arc-fault circuit interruptors, devices designed to detect electrical arcing and de-energize a circuit before a fire occurs, has prompted a healthy debate among safety advocates and the National Association of Home Builders. Safety concerns surrounding green technology has led to proposals to increase the NEC's voltage threshold. Even electrial safeguards at recreational vehicle parks have initiated some serious discussions.

Learn more about these issues in the latest issue of NFPA Journal. And mark your calendar: NEC topics receiving a Notice of Intent to Make a Motion will be discussed at NFPA's Conference & Expo, June 13, in Chicago.

Work in Progress: America Burning at 40 - We need data!!

This is the second in a series of posts about the 40^th anniversary of America Burning and the related NFPA Journal article. The National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control was frustrated by how little was known about the causes and circumstances of fires. In the very first chapter, the Commission recommended “that a national fire data system be established to provide a continuing review and analysis of the entire fire problem. USFA’s National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), the source of detailed information in most of NFPA’s statistical analyses, was the result.

The country also needed a better understanding of fire behavior and fire department productivity. This led to NIST’s Center for Fire Research and fire.gov – “Better firefighting through research.”

We still have data needs. Currently, NFPA is entering the public comment phase for the second draft of the proposed NFPA 950: Standard for Data Development and Exchange for the Fire Service and seeking input or proposals for the proposed NFPA 951: Guide to Building and Utilizing Digital Information.

What kinds of data or information do you use or need about fire? Where or how do you get it? What are the obstacles? How could we get better data?

 

 

Global retailers take landmark action after deadly Bangladesh building collapse

The New York Times reports that several apparel companies with a stake in Bangladesh's garment industry have agreed to help pay for fire safety and building improvements following the Rana Plaza factory complex collapse last month that killed more than 1,100 people.

Swedish retailer H&M, PVH (parent company of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Izod), and others endorsed a safety plan this week that would develop factory inspections with public accountability as well as mandatory repairs and renovations. "Fire and building safety are extremely important issues for us, and we put a lot of effort and resources within this area," Helena Helmersson, H&M's head of sustainability told the Times. "With this commitment we can influence even more in this issue." More than four million people work in Bangladesh's 5,000 factories, states the article.

Read the full story, and keep abreast of NFPA's international efforts by checking out the latest issue of NFPA Journal.