Stay ConnectedThe NFPA Podcast is the place for safety professionals to stay up to speed on the fast-paced world of electrical, fire, and life safety. Hear in-depth conversations with people out in the field about how they are confronting new challenges and staying on top of emerging technologies to keep the world safe. Listen the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.
Email jroman@nfpa.org to send feedback or recommend a topic for future episodes.
Nearly all jurisdictions in the United States enforce codes that require two exit stairwells in residential buildings above three or four stories. Housing advocates say that increasing the cap to six stories will lead to better housing options and lower costs. That logic has persuaded lawmakers in some U.S. states to pass laws that raise the allowed height of single exit stair buildings, bypassing state building codes. These changes have alarmed fire officials, who say that having taller buildings with only one stairwell puts the lives of residents and firefighters at risk.
With that as the backdrop, NFPA recently held a symposium where experts from both sides of the debate gathered to make their case and come to a better understanding. Today on the podcast, we talk to an NFPA engineer who helped organize the symposium. She explains the reasoning on both sides of the argument, what was learned from the discussions, and why single exit stair rules are suddenly such a big deal in statehouses and the code development world.
LINKS:
Read the recently released NFPA report detailing the findings from the Single Exit Stair Symposium.
As online retail flourishes, distribution centers are installing new and more advanced automated storage and retrieval systems (or ASRS). These systems are like enormous vending machines that store, organize, and move product around the facility. The systems save time and space but have also introduced several new fire risks into storage operations. Today on the podcast, we talk to a safety risk consultant and engineer who has worked on numerous ASRS projects. We discuss how these systems work, the safety challenges, and some of the new designs that are keeping fire protection engineers up at night (2:46). Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Shawn Mahoney discusses another concern for warehouses: making sure there is enough water supply for their massive fire sprinkler systems (28:52).
LINKS Check out a blog that illustrates the various types of ASRS
When hurricane Ian tore through Florida in September 2022, it left a trail of destruction—but not at Babcock Ranch, a 2,000-home development designed to be both sustainable and to withstand the worst natural disasters. Today on the podcast, we speak to an engineer who lives in and helped design Babcock Ranch about the community’s unique features, as well as the growing trend toward building resiliency and what it could mean for the future of disaster recovery (3:46). This episode first aired in November 2022. Links
NBC News list of local and national charities to help victims of Hurricane Helene
Watch the 60 Minutes segment on Babcock Ranch Read a 2015 NFPA Journal cover story on the concept of disaster resiliency
This month, a comprehensive new survey on smoke alarm use in the U.S. found that 16 percent of households—as many as 53 million people—do not having working smoke alarms. The new report comes just in time for Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 6-12), which will focus on smoke alarm use and maintenance. On today’s podcast, two NFPA experts discuss the findings of the new report, and why it is more critical than ever for residents to be educated about how to keep their smoke alarms working (3:04). Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Shawn Mahoney tells us what the code says about where to locate smoke alarms in residential homes (33:27).
LINKS:
Visit the Fire Prevention Week 2024 homepage.
Read the new U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report on smoke and CO alarm usage in the U.S.
As fire departments increasingly focus on fire prevention and community risk reduction (CRR), several new challenges have emerged. In some cases, firefighters may resist or be apathetic to these tasks. In other cases, less obvious hurdles like hidden biases can cause departments to make missteps. Today on the podcast, a safety and wellness captain from Georgia joins us to discuss the small and big ways these factors can impact prevention work, and how departments can work to overcome them (2:45).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Shawn Mahoney talks about the requirements for integrated system testing in the Life Safety Code· (41:44).
Extras:
Gary Menard’s book list:
For fire safety educators, breaking through the noise to deliver the right messages to the people who need to hear it can be an enormous challenge. Some are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to discover new insights and strategies. Today on the podcast, we talk to Brene Duggins, a former NFPA Educator of the Year and an early adopter of using AI tools to hone and refine fire education messaging (2:00). She tells us what she’s learned, how you can experiment with these tools, and crucially, what you need to know to avoid making mistakes.
Then, on a new Code Corner, electrical expert Dean Austin, goes over some the key guidance in the National Electrical Code• for installing and locating receptacles for whirlpool tubs (23:02).
Links: Read a recent NFPA Journal cover story on how artificial intelligence could impact fire and life safety around the globe
The number of micro-distilleries in the U.S. has ballooned from just 500 in 2014, to more than 2,700 today, according to the American Craft Spirits Association. Like micro-breweries, these small-batch liquor production facilities are often tucked into urban spaces like strip malls, but unlike breweries, the beverages they produce are quite flammable. Today on the podcast, we are joined by an architect that specializes in micro-distillery design. He tells us more about how these distilleries operate, the associated hazards and fire protection considerations, and what AHJs should know (2:55).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA Engineer Brian O’Connor goes into detail about considerations for the storage of alcohol and what guidance NFPA codes offer (37:02).
LINKS: Read a 2018 NFPA Journal feature story about the hazards and protection challenges of micro-distilleries.
Research has shown that doing wildfire mitigation work, like replacing wooden shingles or removing dead leaves from the gutters, drastically reduces the chances of your home becoming a heap of ash when a wildfire strikes. But how much does the public know about these potentially life-saving activities? Today on the podcast, we dig into a comprehensive new survey that asked residents in wildfire-prone areas what they know about mitigation, how motivated they are to act, and what obstacles stand in their way (2:04).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Val Ziavras, talks about the NFPA codes that offer guidance on protecting life and property from wildfire, and details some of the concepts involved (35:55).
LINKS: Read the new report from the Fire Protection Research Foundation Visit NFPA's Outthink Wildfire Homepage See resources from NFPA about wildfire mitigation and how homes burn
Despite overwhelming proof that home fire sprinklers save lives, fewer than 10 percent of all new homes being built in the United States today are equipped with sprinklers, and most states refuse to mandate their use. However, fire marshals and others are finding creative ways to incentivize developers to include fire sprinklers in new housing projects, leading to thousands more protected homes. Today on the podcast, we talk to Thomas Poirier, a fire prevention officer and chair of the Massachusetts Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, about developer incentives and tradeoffs, and what tips he has for other advocates looking to increase the number of sprinklered homes in their communities (2:02).
Then, on a new Code Corner, Shawn Mahoney talks about the NFPA code guidance on water supply for fire sprinkler systems in one- and- two-family dwellings (23:33).
LINKS: Check out the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition
Get Resources, Stats, and Other Information from NFPA About Home Fire Sprinklers
Read an NFPA Journal Feature on Home Fire Sprinkler Incentives
Read a the recent NFPA report: “U.S. Experience With Sprinklers”
In March, NFPA announced the formation of a new for-profit corporation called NFPA Global Solutions, a venture unique from anything NFPA has undertaken in its history. On today’s podcast, Jim Pauley, NFPA’s president and CEO, joins us to explain the vision for NFPA Global Solutions, and why now was the right time for NFPA to branch out in this new direction (2:01).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Shawn Mahoney gives you some valuable information about the code requirements for fire extinguisher inspections (23:41).
Links: Read the NFPA Journal feature on the creation and vision for NFPA Global Solutions
Electric Shock Drowning claims possibly dozens of lives each year, but most people have never heard of it. Our guest today, David Rifkin, is one of world’s leading experts on this hazard and its causes. He explains what ESD is, how it occurs, and what communities, marina operators, and the public can do to lessen the risk of being electrocuted while swimming (1:49).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA electrical expert Dean Austin talks about Electric Shock Drowning from a code perspective, and tells us what guidance is available for installers, maintenance workers, and marina owners (42:38).
LINKS:
Visit the Electric Shock Drowning Prevention Association website
We wrap up Electrical Safety Month with a powerful reminder for anyone doing hazardous work of why you can't afford to be complacent about safety. Veteran electrician Jason Brozen was at a routine job on an ordinary day, when a careless decision while installing a breaker led to an arc flash that changed his life forever. On today’s podcast, Jason shares the story of his accident, and explains in his unique engaging way what others can learn from his mistakes (2:42).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA electrical expert Corey Hannahs, talks about the role of human error in electrical safety and how we can try and eliminate it (59:02).
LINKS: Watch the full NFPA Webinar featuring Jason Brozen Check out the NFPA Faces of Fire Electrical campaign
In February 2023, Chief Brian Nardelli of the Brockton Fire Department in Massachusetts found himself at the helm of one of the most complex operations a chief can face: a hospital fire requiring a full evacuation. The eight-hour incident at Brockton Hospital involved a nasty electrical fire, 91 ambulances, 162 patients evacuated and transferred, 26 pieces of fire apparatus, and resulted in zero deaths and injuries. Chief Nardelli, the incident commander that day, joins the podcast to take us through the incident, including what worked, and lessons learned (2:50).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA electrical expert Corey Hannahs, in honor of electrical safety month, talks about how electrical safety is achieved through the use of NFPA codes and standards (38:04).
Residential hoarding poses numerous dangers and fire risks for residents and firefighters, yet communities have struggled to find meaningful solutions. Today on the podcast, two of North America’s most prominent hoarding researchers join us to talk about the causes and trendlines of hoarding (2:08), as well as the latest risk reduction strategies that communities are implementing to address it (16:27).
Then, on a new code corner, NFPA engineer Val Ziavras tells us about strategies in NFPA 1, Fire Code, for how communities can prevent fires in vacant buildings (43:49).
LINKSNFPA Hoarding Resources Centre for Collaborative Research on Hoarding Resources
In most years, more firefighters die by suicide than from accidents or injuries that happen in the line of duty, according to the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance. It’s well understood that PTSD is a huge contributor to the problem, but recently a new concept called moral injury has also become recognized as a significant factor. Today on the podcast, we discuss moral injury and firefighter suicide with Jeff Dill, a licensed clinician and former battalion chief who is the founder the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (3:15). We also talk about the many factors—good and bad—that play a role in the overall mental health of today’s first responders.
Then, on a new Code Corner, Curt Floyd, the technical lead for responders at NFPA, discusses the new consolidated standard NFPA 1030 and the new guidance it gives on professional qualifications for first responder inspectors (36:00).
LINKS: Read the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance's white paper on moral injury.
Each year, accidental carbon monoxide poisonings cause at least 430 deaths in the U.S., and send more than 100,000 people to emergency rooms, according to the CDC. Studies have found that the number of accidental CO deaths has increased over the last decade.
Today on the podcast, we speak to Richard Roberts, a member of several NFPA committees on carbon monoxide, and an active participant in the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association. He dives into the science of how this deadly gas gets into people’s homes, how CO affects the human body, how CO codes and standards are changing, and what people can do to better protect themselves (2:44).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Shawn Mahoney talks about the requirements for integrated system testing for fire protection systems and why it’s important (19:09)
Links:
Check out NFPA resources for carbon monoxide Learn more about the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association Check out The IFMA Podcast
As the number of energy storage and photovoltaic systems being installed across the world continues to rise dramatically, so does the need for trained professionals to ensure that these systems are reliable and safe for decades to come. Today on the podcast, we discuss the various codes and standards needed for the proper installation and maintenance of ESS and PV; and then our experts give advice on what you should know if you are involved with overseeing and implementing these projects (2:00).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA electrical expert Dean Austin talks about the National Electrical Code· requirements for electrical room dedicated space involving equipment 1000 volts or less (31:21).
We wrap up our two-parter about how AI technologies might impact fire and life safety by talking with Xinyan Huang, a fire protection engineer, professor, and AI researcher at the Research Centre for Fire Safety Engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He tells us about a few of the AI tools he and his colleagues are developing and how they may one day help with everything from designing safer buildings to guiding firefighter robots (2:54).
And then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Shawn Mahoney talks fire alarm design, and explains the differences between the alarm, trouble, and supervisory signals in a fire alarm system (56:15).
LINKS: Read the cover story "Our AI Future" in the new issue of NFPA Journal
Today’s podcast is the first in a two-part series looking at how artificial intelligence technologies could impact fire and life safety. In this episode, we focus on AI’s potential impact on the fire service. How might fire departments use AI? What are the dangers? What guardrails need to be in place to ensure that the technology is reliable and safe?
We pose those questions and many more to Preet Bassi, the CEO of the Center for Public Safety Excellence. She tells us why caution is the operative word, and why she’s skeptical that AI will ever replace human decision makers on the fireground (3:51).
Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Robin Zevotek provides some information about a little-known NFPA standard on fire department data and the role it could play in AI adoption (37:08).
Lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic panels are technologies that may improve environmental sustainability, but also present challenges to fire protection engineers. Conversely, chemical flame retardants may lead to better fire outcomes, but also have potentially serious impacts on human health and the environment. Today on the podcast, we talk about some of the inherent frictions that exist between sustainability and fire protection efforts (2:43). Can we find the right balance to effectively achieve both?
Then, on a new Code Corner, for those who have ever wondered how NFPA codes and standards are developed and revised, NFPA engineer Shawn Mahoney offers an excellent overview of the process and how the public can get involved (31:40).
From elevators that can decapitate you to grills that can explode in your face, short-term rental properties aren’t short on things that can hurt you—or worse. In fact, short-term rental safety expert Justin Ford calls these properties the most dangerous sector of the travel and hospitality industry. In this episode, we sit down with Ford to discuss a brief history of the short-term rental market, what safety hazards can exist in these properties, and, importantly, what owners and renters alike can do to maximize safety. This episode first aired in June 2022.
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
Read Justin Ford's feature story, "Renter Beware," from the Fall 2023 issue of NFPA Journal
As destruction from wildfire in the U.S. continues to set records, it’s become abundantly clear that the country’s current strategies are not working. But what should we be doing differently? Over the past year, a wildfire commission, comprised of 50 experts from a range of fields, met to try and answer that incredibly complicated question. In September, the commission sent Congress its final 300-plus page report, containing nearly 150 separate recommendations. Today on the podcast, we are joined by one of the commission members, NFPA wildfire expert Michele Steinberg. She gives us an inside look at how the report was crafted, what changes might come from it, and why she’s optimistic that the effort will bear fruit (3:30).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA first responder tech lead Curt Floyd provides information for departments about some recent changes to the NFPA standards regarding fire apparatus (45:32).
It’s well understood that childhood trauma can have dramatic effects on a person’s adult life, and in recent years, risk prevention experts have started to recognize it as a sizeable contributor to both individual and community risk. Today on the podcast, we talk to a director at the University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center about the role that childhood trauma plays in increased community risk, and the programs that are starting to pop up to try and treat the problem at its source (2:03).
Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Robin Zevotek looks at the problem of wood pallet storage, a seldom discussed issue that played a huge role in the recent fire that shut down the I-10 in Los Angeles (34:08).
Links:
For tools and resources on this topic, check out the Centers for Disease Control's Veto Violence Program
Learn more about the effects and societal costs of adverse childhood experiences by visiting the Michigan ACEs Dashboard
At budget time, fire departments are listed as a cost on the city ledger, but that’s only part of the story. Firefighting and fire prevention also provide huge returns on investment by saving lives, buildings, businesses, and jobs. Is there a way to quantify these economic and social impacts? On today’s podcast, we talk to a Montreal fire chief who has conducted economic impact studies at several fire departments. He explains how he did it, and why the data gives chiefs a valuable tool during budget time (2:15).
Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Shawn Mahoney looks at some of the residential fire sprinkler system requirements found in NFPA 13D, and why they sometimes differ from NFPA 13 (31:44).
Heatwaves aren't just uncomfortable; they are deadly for millions of people around the globe each year. Recognizing this growing threat, governments and safety departments are starting to reconsider their vulnerabilities to heat and are taking action to protect their populations and infrastructure. Today on the podcast, we talk to Eleni Myrivili, who was appointed as the first ever World Chief Heat Officer by the United Nations last year. Her job is to help cities think harder about heat and come up with plans to mitigate its effects (3:30).
Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Val Ziavras answers specific questions about how to calculate occupant load in the Life Safety Code· (47:00).
LINKS
Read the heat action plans for Ahmedabad, India and Miami-Dade County
Heat action platform to help create a heat action plan in your community
We are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning podcast series that NFPA first published in 2017. In the final episode, the van Dijks and other survivors want their experience to be the catalyst for the inclusion of fire sprinklers in all new homes. However, a powerful group has spent serious dollars preventing that from happening.
We are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning podcast series that NFPA first published in 2017. In Part 4, upsetting his family, Feike joins the fire service and places himself into one of America’s deadliest places for fire: homes. Fire service and safety advocates discuss today’s home fire problem and why the fire dynamics of new homes are a cause for concern.
We are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning podcast series that NFPA first published in 2017. In Part 3, the van Dijk's emotional scarring from the fire seems to have taken a larger toll on the family than their physical injuries. They learn new coping tactics, as have many others impacted by home fire. But everyday has its challenges.
For the next five NFPA Podcast episodes we are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning podcast series NFPA first published in 2017. In Part 2, impacted by the death of their two boys, the van Dijks go through the painstaking process of healing their physical injuries from a home fire. U.S. burn care experts weigh in on the prevalence and outcomes of these injuries and underscore a disconcerting trend across the nation.
For the next five NFPA Podcast episodes we are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning five-part podcast series that first ran in 2017. In part 1, Feike and Noelle van Dijk’s sense of normalcy is shattered when a home fire killed two of their children in 2014. Three years after the incident, the family gives a rarely seen look at the lingering effects of American home fires, which claim seven people each day and injure 13,000 yearly. What’s discovered during a trip to their hometown is a family reminiscent of the past, but changed by their loss.
Few topics are as hot right now in the fire service as consumer lithium-ion batteries. While electric vehicles and e-bikes still get the bulk of attention, residential energy storage system (ESS) installations are also starting to skyrocket as homeowners realize the value of storing their solar power and having a reliable source of backup electricity. But when these large home batteries fail, it can present a host of difficult challenges for responders, and urgency is building to develop better guidance and tactics.
On today’s podcast, we talk to Adam Barowy and Sean DeCrane, two leading experts on lithium-ion battery hazards and the fire service. We discuss what researchers are learning by burning these batteries, and how that knowledge is helping to improve the fire service’s tactics and safety during incidents (4:50).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Val Ziavras answers your questions about another green trend that’s raising fire safety questions: Mass Timber construction (43:51).
Incredible advancements are being made around using virtual reality to bolster firefighter training. Some fire departments are even using VR to educate the public about fire safety. Today on the podcast, we talk to Ken Willette, executive director of the North American Fire Training Directors, about what’s available on the market now, where the technology is headed, and how fire departments can best implement this technology into their training programs (3:03).
LINKS:
Visit the Firefighter Immersive Learning homepage to read the Fire Protection Research Foundation reports and learn more
Read a 2022 NFPA Journal feature story about firefighter immersive learning
Watch a Learn Something New NFPA video about immersive learning and firefighter training
In the United States, when someone calls 911 the call is routed to an operator at a public safety answering point, or PSAP. But news outlets across the country are finding that local PSAPs are struggling, and that 911 callers are waiting longer to get help. Today on the podcast, we speak to a researcher who just surveyed dozens of PSAPs to find out how well they are able to meet the call answering and processing times required by NFPA standards (2:44). The results were eye-opening.
Then, on a new Code Corner, with construction season in full swing, engineer Shawn Mahoney talks about the role of the fire prevention program manager on construction sites (31:08).
Links: Read the Fire Protection Research Foundation report on PSAPs See various NFPA resources related to construction fire prevention and safety
An estimated 75 million households in the United States will fire up their grills this Memorial Day weekend. For most, the worst that will happen is a few burned hot dogs. But each year, about 22,000 people in the U.S. go to hospital emergency rooms with injuries related to grilling. Today on the podcast, we talk to NFPA’s director of public education about what can go wrong, and what fire prevention educators should be telling their communities about grilling and cooking safety as we head into summer (1:09). Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA electrical expert Corey Hannahs wraps up Electrical Safety Month with an in-depth look at what makes a person qualified to perform various types of electrical jobs (17:14).
Last month, the U.S. federal government launched the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer—the largest project ever undertaken to better understand and reduce the risk of cancer among firefighters. Today on the podcast, we talk to the leader of this effort, Dr. Kenny Fent (2:40). He tells us what the Firefighter Registry is, how it will work, and how it could eventually lead to reforms that help keep future generations of firefighters cancer free.
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA electrical expert Corey Hannahs kicks off Electrical Safety Month by discussing changes to the rules on kitchen island receptacles in the 2023 National Electrical Code (34:14).
LINKS:
Participate in the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer
Fact sheets, videos, promotional materials, and more regarding the registry
Read an award-winning NFPA Journal feature from 2017 about cancer and the fire service
Falls and fires kill and injure more older adults than many people realize. Not only are seniors twice as likely as the general population to experience a fatal fire, they suffer an estimated 36 million falls each year in the U.S., resulting in 8 million injuries.
On today’s podcast, we talk to Dori Krahn, a community relations coordinator with the Saskatoon Fire Department, and an expert on senior fall and fire prevention education (2:50). She tells us why senior falls have increased across North America, why fires are so dangerous for this population, and talks about an updated NFPA program aimed at teaching older adults how to be safer in their homes.
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Val Ziavras answers a question about how to make sense of occupancy classifications (34:34).
LINKS
Learn more about the new NFPA program, Steps to Safety
Read a 2022 NFPA Journal feature exploring the growing problem of falls and fires among older adults
Dampers are usually hidden away in ducts or ceiling cavities and seldom get much attention, but they’re a critical part of the fire protection strategy for many buildings. In a new Code Corner, NFPA Engineer Shawn Mahoney gives us a rundown of the different types of dampers, how they work, and what NFPA standards say (1:31). Then, we are joined by two experts from the National Energy Management Institute who tell us about the installation and maintenance of dampers, and some of the common problems that inspectors encounter out in the field (8:36).
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are three words that have quickly risen priority lists at fire departments across the world in recent years. While most agree on the importance of having a diverse and inclusive workforce, what do those words actually mean in practice for the fire service? Why has DEI increasingly become such an emphasis, and what does success in this area for the fire service ultimately look like? On this podcast we ask Kwame Cooper, who after 38 years with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, returned home to New York to become FDNY’s chief diversity and inclusion officer last November (3:55).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA Engineer Brian O’Connor answers questions about requirements in NFPA 855 for mobile energy storage systems (43:16).
LINKS:
Drexel University research project on DEI in the fire service
Urban Fire Forum position statement on DEI in the fire service
The latest data from NFPA shows that the number of fires in buildings under construction has been steadily rising over the past several years. On average, US fire departments respond to nearly a dozen such fires every single day. In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Carr, the NFPA staff liaison to NFPA 241, Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations, to discuss why construction sites are so prone to fires and what can be done to address the problem. On March 21, Kevin and other construction fire safety experts will present on this topic in a webinar for NFPA titled "Tackling the Construction Fires Crisis." Register for that event here.
About 80 percent of female firefighters say that their personal protective clothing doesn’t fit right, and studies show that ill-fitting gear puts women at greater risk of being injured on the job. Today on the podcast, we talk to two textile researchers who measured dozens of female firefighters as part of a multi-year project on turnout gear for women. They tell us why designing protective clothing for women has historically been such a challenge, and how we can fix this widespread problem (2:51).
Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Shawn Mahoney answers your questions about height requirements for wall-mounted manual pull-stations for fire alarm systems (32:31).
LINKS:
Watch a webinar with researchers Cassandra Kwon and Meredith McQuerry
Read an new NFPA Journal feature story about the project to understand and solve the problem of ill-fitting PPE for female firefighters.
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach the NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
In his stunning new book, American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America’s First Paramedics, former paramedic Kevin Hazzard explores the largely forgotten history of the Freedom House Ambulance Service. Hazzard joined the podcast to talk about his book, the early beginnings of EMS, and how a dedicated group of men from a downtrodden section of Pittsburg paved the way for a revolution in emergency medicine (1:56). Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Robin Zevotek answers your questions about how to safely conduct live fire training (47:40).
Today on the podcast we examine one of NFPA’s oldest and most significant publications, the Fire Protection Handbook. Guests Nick Dawe, a fire marshal in Georgia, and Casey Grant, a fire protection engineering consultant and longtime NFPA employee, discuss what the FPH means to them and what’s new in the new edition. It’s been 15 years since the last edition of the handbook was published. Copies of the new, 21st edition of the Fire Protection Handbook are available for pre-order at nfpa.org/fph. The FPH is expected to be in stock by early March. In this episode’s code corner segment, NFPA engineer Shawn Mahoney addresses some misconceptions about fire alarm strobe lights.
As cold weather begins to move into the northern latitudes, families all over the world are struggling with high heating bills, leading some to make desperate choices that can dramatically increase fire risks. On today’s podcast, a prevention officer and public health expert from the United Kingdom’s National Fire Chiefs Council share the work being done in the UK to help firefighters reduce these risks in the vulnerable communities they serve. They also tell us what fire departments across the globe should keep in mind as they embark on what could be a difficult winter fire season. Then, on a new code corner, engineer Shawn Mahoney addresses some misconceptions about the code requirements for residential smoke alarms. LINKS: See the assets created by the UK National Fire Chiefs Council for Cost of Living: Steps to Stay Fire Safe
We are ringing in the New Year by rerunning one of our favorite episodes of all time, which originally aired in January 2017. It might seem strange now, but firefighters dying from falling off fire trucks used to be a huge problem—from 1977 to 1987, an average of nearly four firefighters died this way each year. That all changed after the 1987 publication of NFPA 1500, the first fire service occupational safety standard. In this episode, we talk to fire service veterans who used to “ride the tailboard,” to learn how a few sentences in a big standard changed 200 years of tradition in the fire service and likely saved dozens of lives. Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Robin Zevotek talks about the building evacuation strategies outlined in NFPA 101Ò, Life Safety CodeÒ.
LINKS: Read ‘We Drove Like We Were Crazy,’ an oral history of the creation of NFPA 1500, published in the January 2017 issue of NFPA Journal.
Believe it or not, a reported home fire in the US today is more likely to be fatal than it was in 1980. In fact, a new NFPA report reveals that the number of fire deaths per 1,000 reported home fires has risen 13 percent over the last 40 years. On today’s podcast, we talk to NFPA’s director of research and its vice president of Outreach and Advocacy about why home fires are more dangerous now, why so few people seem to know these surprising numbers, and what we can do to reduce home fire fatalities (2:10). Then, on Code Corner, NFPA engineer Val Ziavras answers your questions about the door locking requirements in NFPA 101Ò, Life Safety CodeÒ (27:50).
LINKS:
Read NFPA’s Fire Loss in the United States During 2021 report
Shockingly, cooking fires now kill more people on average per year in the US than they did in the 1980s. As Thanksgiving nears, we are re-airing this episode from November 2020 looking at this growing problem. First, Jesse talks to an NFPA communications manager about cooking fire causes and the resources available for prevention educators (1:57). Then we explore the science behind those viral videos of turkey-fryer fireballs (25:09). In a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Brian O’Connor talks about the different letters and numbers on fire extinguishers and what they mean (37:33).
Links:
Watch turkey frying gone wrong
When hurricane Ian tore through Florida in September, it left a trail of destruction—but not at Babcock Ranch, a 2,000-home development designed to be both sustainable and to withstand the worst natural disasters. Today on the podcast, we speak to an engineer who lives in and helped design Babcock Ranch about the community’s unique features, as well as the growing trend toward building resiliency and what it could mean for the future of disaster recovery (1:06). Then, we debut a new segment on the podcast called “Code Corner,” where NFPA technical experts answer your burning code questions. In the first installment, engineer Shawn Mahoney talks about protection strategies and requirements for atriums (35:58). Links
Watch the 60 Minutes segment on Babcock Ranch Read a 2015 NFPA Journal cover story on the concept of disaster resiliency
For years, flame retardant chemicals have presented a catch 22. When applied to furniture they can help prevent fire ignition and potentially save lives, however, many scientists believe the chemicals are harmful to both human health and the environment. Today on the podcast, we talk to pair of experts about the ongoing debate over the use of flame retardants, as well as some exciting breakthroughs that could result in fire-resistant furniture without the health concerns.
Links: Read more about the Chemical Insights Research Institute
A new book called California Burning details Pacific Gas & Electric’s 117-year rise to becoming one of the largest utilities in the United States—as well as how the company’s negligence, a changing climate, and state energy policy have all contributed to devastating wildfires in California. Today on the podcast, we welcome the book’s author, Wall Street Journal energy reporter Katherine Blunt, to discuss these trends, and why California’s experience could be a harbinger of things to come across the globe.
Learn more about California Burning Learn about NFPA’s initiative, Outthink Wildfire
Thirty years ago, NFPA released NFPA 921, the world’s first comprehensive guide on fire and explosion investigation. Since then, the profession has advanced leaps and bounds. However, a recent report on the profession argues that fire investigation can still be more art than science, with a lack of consistency, no system of peer review, and no higher-education requirements for investigators. On today’s podcast, we talk about fire investigation with one of the experts who helped write that report. We discuss where the profession has been, where it should go, and how NFPA is at the center of many of the proposed changes. Links: Read the NFPA Feature “Work in Progress” about the fire investigation profession Read the OSAC report, “Strengthening Fire and Explosion Investigation in the United States: A Strategic Vision for Moving Forward”
On January 19, 2000, Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, then 18- year- old freshman roommates at Seton Hall University, were severely burned when the residence hall they lived in caught fire. The blaze, one of the worst at a college campus in US history, killed three students and injured more than 50 others. Shawn and Alvaro now travel the country speaking to students and responders about their journey. Today on the podcast, we chat with them about the Seton Hall fire, their grueling recovery, and what parents, students, and first responders need to know as students return to campuses this month.
LINKS: NFPA assets and information on campus fire safety and Campus Fire Safety Month The Center for Campus Fire Safety Learn more about Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos and see clips from the documentary, “After the Fire”
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
For more than 50 years, firefighters have relied on aqueous film forming foam—better known as AFFF—to quickly and effectively put out dangerous liquid fuel fires. However, due to health and environmental concerns, AFFF is now being rapidly phased out across the world. On today’s podcast, we talk with one of the world’s leading researchers on firefighting foams about why AFFF is going away, the work that has gone into finding suitable replacements, and what fire departments need to know as they make the transition. LINKS: Read “The New Foam,” the cover story of the Fall 2022 issue of NFPA Journal Read the 2022 Fire Protection Research Foundation report, “Firefighting Foams: Fire Service Roadmap” Read the 2020 Fire Protection Research Foundation report, “Evaluation of the Fire Protection Effectiveness of Fluorine Free Firefighting Foams”
As the number and severity of wildfires increase in many parts of the world, experts have concerns over what the health impacts of wildfire smoke inhalation might be. In today’s episode, we hear from three researchers who are studying that topic by exposing mice to wildland fire smoke. So far, their research suggests inhaling wildfire smoke can lead to serious lung, heart, and even reproductive issues.
Learn more about NFPA’s Outthink Wildfire™ program: https://www.nfpa.org/outthinkwildfire
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
In May, journalists Madison Hopkins and Cecilia Reyes were awarded a Pulitzer Prize for their investigative series, “The Failures Before the Fires,” which exposed dangerous systemic flaws in how Chicago handles building code enforcement. On today’s podcast, Hopkins and Reyes join us to discuss the details of their award-winning investigation, how the enforcement process can be biased in favor of landlords, and what lessons other cities can take from Chicago. Read the series, “The Failures Before the Fires,” a collaboration between the Chicago Tribune and Better Government Association
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
SMART fire sprinklers, which use less water and can employ a range of sensors to target exactly where a fire is happening, have potential to be a game changer, according to some experts. Today on the podcast, Jesse talks to Dr. Yibing Xin, a research manager at FM Global, who has conducted numerous fire tests on these devices. He discusses how the technology works, and what these and other SMART innovations could mean for the future of fire protection. LINKS: Read a report on SMART fire sprinklers and water cannons by FM Global Read an article on SMART sprinklers by Dr. Yibing Xin
From elevators that can decapitate you to grills that can explode in your face, short-term rental properties aren’t short on things that can hurt you—or worse. In fact, short-term rental safety expert Justin Ford calls these properties the most dangerous sector of the travel and hospitality industry. In this episode, Angelo sits down with Ford to discuss a brief history of the short-term rental market, what safety hazards can exist in these properties, and, importantly, what owners and renters alike can do to maximize safety.
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
Battery-powered electric bicycles and scooters, collectively known as micromobility devices, have exploded in popularity in recent years, but so too have fires involving these devices. From New York City to India, e-bikes and e-scooters batteries have sparked fires that have killed dozens of people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars of property. Today on the podcast, Angelo interviews an FDNY chief about New York’s experience over the past two years with electric micromobility devices (2:40), as well as a technical advisor at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (27:00). If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
In 2011, longtime electrician Brandon Schroeder was involved in an accident on the job that left him severely burned and without the use of his hand. After a long and grueling recovery, Schroeder became a vocal advocate for electrical worker safety and now travels the country to offer his own story as a warning.
In honor of Electrical Safety Month, we invited Schroeder on the podcast to discuss his accident, the realities of safety culture on job sites, and what he sees as some of the main challenges to improving safety for workers.
Links:
See NFPA’s Electrical Safety resources
Watch videos detailing the experiences of other burn survivors
Check out Schroeder’s website, believeinsafety.com
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
For more than a decade, the small, wooded town of Grizzly Flats, California has participated in Firewise USA, an NFPA program where residents voluntarily work together on community projects to lessen their risks from wildfire. In August 2021, however, the Caldor Fire tore through Grizzly Flats, putting its mitigation efforts through a major test.
Today on the podcast, we talk to Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan, the manager of the Firewise USA program, about what she discovered on her recent visit to the fire-ravaged community, and what lessons Grizzly Flats’ experience could provide to residents in other fire prone areas.
Links:
Read Fitzgerald-McGowan’s essay in NFPA Journal about her trip to Grizzly Flats
Read more about the Firewise program and see a map of Firewise communities
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) has taken on an unrelenting burden since Russian forces invaded more than two months ago. Among other tasks, the SES’s 60,000 responders put out fires, search for survivors buried under rubble, clear landmines, and recover the dead—all while being shot at and shelled by the Russian military.
On today’s episode, we speak with a top SES official about the situation for responders in Ukraine, how they are persevering, and how the global community can help (1:53). Then, we talk with a Canadian firefighter who founded the organization Firefighter Aid Ukraine, which since 2015 has delivered many tons of much-needed equipment to Ukrainian responders (16:08).
LINKS:
See photos and read more about the experience of Ukrainian first responders in this online feature from NFPA Journal
Learn more about Firefighter Aid Ukraine.
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach the NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
Research suggests that two-thirds of US adults aged 65 and older use at least three prescription medications. Meanwhile, older adults are twice as likely as the general population to experience a fatal fire, and deaths and injuries from accidental falls have skyrocketed in this age group over the last decade. It begs the question: Do certain prescription drugs increase the fall and fire risks for older adults?
Our guest Jamie McAllister spent months working on a Fire Protection Research Foundation project to analyze existing research on the relationships between drugs, falls, and fires. Today on the podcast, we talk to McAllister about what she and her team discovered and what it could mean for public-safety educators.
Links:
Read the Fire Protection Research Foundation report, “Review of Impact of Medications on Older Adult Fall and Fire Risk”
Read an NFPA Journal feature article on NFPA’s new fire and fall prevention program for older adults
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach the NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org.
Since 1982, the Fire Protection Research Foundation, the research affiliate of NFPA, has been instrumental in answering countless important questions about how best to protect the world from fire and electrical dangers. Its research has improved safety in countless industries and led to numerous changes to codes, consumer products, fire test standards, and more. Today on the podcast, we celebrate the Foundation’s 40th anniversary by speaking with its two most recent executive directors to learn more about its work and impacts, and what emerging topics will dominate the next decade of fire research.
Links:
Read Amanda Kimball’s NFPA Journal Feature on the Research Foundation
Visit the Foundation’s homepage
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hi, you can reach the NFPA Podcast atpodcast@nfpa.org.
Dr. Denise Smith, who has spent decades researching the physiological impact of firefighting, joins The NFPA Podcast to discuss how firefighters who have been infected with COVID-19 could struggle for weeks or even months following acute illness as they return to work. Smith and other researchers are currently working on a project supported by the Fire Protection Research Foundation to study long COVID in the fire service.
LINKS
If you are a member of the fire service, help Smith and other researchers complete their study by sharing your experiences with long COVID here: https://ndri1.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1YzSu9QjIlIwSeW
Watch a video about the study: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zF3OAQ-nHs&
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org
Static electricity doesn’t usually get a lot of attention, but maybe that should change. One tiny spark, many times smaller than what a human can perceive or feel, can cause huge industrial accidents with deadly consequences. And the findings of a new study by the Fire Protection Research Foundation suggest that incidents involving static are much more common than most experts previously believed.
On today’s podcast, we talk to an expert about the science behind static, what causes it, how can we mitigate it, as well as the significant revisions now taking place to an under-the-radar NFPA document NFPA 77, Recommended Practice on Static Electricity.
LINKS:
Read the Spring 2022 NFPA Journal Feature on Static Electricity
Read the Fire Protection Research Report on Static Electricity
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions or just want to say hello, you can reach the NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org
Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, who was appointed as the US fire administrator in October, joins The NFPA Podcast to discuss her priorities for the US Fire Administration in 2022 and beyond—from the need to focus on first responder health and safety to the need to better train our nation’s firefighters on a wide range of emerging hazards.
LINKS:
Watch Moore-Merrell, NFPA President Jim Pauley, and others discuss last month’s tragic fires in the Bronx and Philadelphia: https://nfpa.org/er-track
Learn more about the US Fire Administration: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org
In early January, two of the deadliest residential fires of the past 40 years in the US happened just days apart in Philadelphia and the Bronx. A total of 29 people died, including more than a dozen children. On today’s podcast, we look at the factors that led to such a tragic loss of life (0:52) and ask what we might learn from these incidents. NFPA experts on codes, firefighting, fire investigations, and public safety education, share their observations and takeaways from the Bronx and Philadelphia blazes, and consider what changes could come as a result. Interviews: Kristen Bigda and Bob Duval (6:41) Andrea Vastis: (34:47)
LINKS: Nfpa.org/education Sparky.org If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org
January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. In today's episode of The NFPA Podcast, we revisit an interview NFPA Journal Executive Editor Scott Sutherland conducted with Jeremy Inglis in October. Inglis, a Canadian fire chief, discusses how firefighters, building inspectors, and others can learn to better identify and help prevent human trafficking.
LINKS:
Read the NFPA Journal feature article and explore resources on human trafficking prevention: https://www.nfpa.org/plainsight
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org
Two important figures in the US Fire Service, Russ Sanders and Gregory Cade, have announced they will be retiring at the end of 2021 after a combined 105 years of service to the fire profession.
In today’s Part 2, we talk to Greg Cade, who rose from a volunteer firefighter to big city fire chief, and eventually to US Fire Administrator, the top-ranking fire officer in the nation. Cade has also served in leadership roles at the International Association of Firefighters and at NFPA. He shares his thoughts on the plight of the US volunteer fire service, why leaders can never stop learning, and what it’s like to have Secret Service agents knocking on your door.
Links:
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org
Two important figures in the US Fire Service, Russ Sanders and Gregory Cade, have announced they will be retiring at the end of 2021 after a combined 105 years of service to the fire profession.
In today’s Part 1, we talk to Russ Sanders, who has helped guide the influential Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association for the last 26 years. Before that, Sanders was a firefighter at the Louisville (Kentucky) Division of Fire for 27 years, including nearly a decade as its chief. He shares his thoughts on leadership, how the fire service has evolved since he started his career in 1967, and the challenges and opportunities he sees for the profession’s next generation of leaders.
Links:
If you have questions, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hello, you can reach The NFPA Podcast at podcast@nfpa.org
A significant effort is underway to combine and consolidate dozens of NFPA emergency response standards; the aim is to streamline the number of documents that departments need to consult on a given topic. In this episode, we talk to the leaders of the consolidation project (1:08) to learn how and why it’s happening, and how it will improve the lives of those who use the codes. Then, (10:02) we talk to the chair of the newly consolidated document, NFPA 470, Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Standard for Responders, to learn how three standards were merged into one, how NFPA standards are created in the first place, and why it’s critical for the fire service to engage in the process.
Links:
Read an NFPA Journal article on the Emergency Response and Responder Safety Consolidation Project
When the Richard Spring Fire tore through southwestern Montana in August, Clint McRae, a 4th generation Montana cattle rancher, feared he’d lose not only his home, but possibly hundreds of animals and the vital grasslands they depend on for survival. On the podcast, McRae talks about that fire, his role as first responder on his property, and the desperate strategies he and other ranchers use to try and keep their cattle alive as fire approaches (1:17).
Then, we speak to Michele Steinberg (20:15), the director of the Wildfire Division at NFPA, about the 2021 wildfire season, and the significant efforts underway to reverse the destructive trends we’ve seen from wildfire over the last five years—a situation Steinberg calls a “rolling disaster.”
Links:
An estimated 1 billion people worldwide currently live in informal settlements, including slums and shantytowns. Experts believe that number could double or even triple over the next 30 years. In today’s episode, Professor Richard Walls of South Africa’s Stellenbosch University discusses his research on the fire problem in informal settlements and some of the proposed solutions to address the problem. The cover story for the Winter 2021 issue of NFPA Journal will examine how global urbanization trends are expected to impact urban fire safety challenges—including informal settlement fires; building construction, inspections, and code compliance; and more—in the coming decades.
Links:
Watch the full version of the short film heard at 3:23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z5SkDZtA3U
The theme to this year’s Fire Prevention Week is “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety,” but what if you can’t hear, or have a mobility issue that makes it difficult evacuate? For the estimated 1 billion people with disabilities worldwide, being notified of a fire and getting out of a building in an emergency often requires much more preplanning.
Mark Larson, a former Idaho state fire marshal who has become an advocate and consultant for the National Disability Rights Network, explains common misconceptions about the disability community, why it is important for safety agencies to plan with rather than for people with disabilities, and how the fire service and disability community can better work together (1:05).
To learn more and find contacts, visit the National Disability Rights Network
Fire Protection Research Foundation report, “Review of Alarm Technologies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Populations.”
Fire Prevention Week tip sheet, Safety for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
In 2019, a massive explosion rocked an energy storage facility in Surprise, Arizona, sending four firefighters to the hospital. With ever more powerful energy storage systems, or ESS, being installed across the world, researchers, firefighters, and manufacturers immediately understood that Surprise could be a seminal moment for the safety of this emerging technology.
Today on the podcast, we go over the details of the incident with the fire chief of the responding Peoria (Arizona) Fire-Medical Department (2:05). Then, we speak to the authors of an extensive UL report on the Surprise ESS explosion about lessons learned, and what advancements in research, training, and technology need to occur to ensure that firefighters are safe during future ESS incidents (16:11).
Links:
On October 5, NFPA is hosting a workshop titled “Keeping Hazardous Environments Safe,”which will include a detailed discussion about the Surprise battery explosion with those who were directly involved. To learn more and to register, visit:nfpa.org/conferenceseries.
Read a detailed NFPA Journal feature story on the Surprise incident
Read the UL after-incident report, “Four Firefighters Injured in Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System Explosion – Arizona.”
It’s hard to believe that the September 11 terrorist attacks happened 20 years ago this month. Of the nearly 3,000 people killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in rural Pennsylvania, more that 400 were emergency responders, including 343 firefighters. On today’s podcast, we consider how that day forever changed the US fire service. First, we’ll look at the dedicated responder network FirstNet and how incident communications have been revolutionized since 9/11(1:02). Then, we’ll talk to two national leaders in the US fire service, who reflect on their own experiences in the aftermath of the attacks and tell us what they think are 9/11’s lasting legacies (23:44).
As the flying taxi industry readies for takeoff, critical fire, electrical, and life safety questions remain about the ground infrastructure needed to make commercial use of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft a reality. On today’s episode, we discuss how NFPA is working to answer those questions with Rex Alexander, a veteran helicopter pilot and technical committee member for NFPA 418, Standard for Heliports.
LINKS
Read more from NFPA Journal: https://www.nfpa.org/takeoff
When home fire sprinklers are present, residents are 80 percent more likely to survive a fire, and yet they are installed in only a fraction of new homes. For the past 25 years, a group called the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition has worked to increase sprinkler use in North America, despite fierce opposition from various home builders. On today’s podcast, we talk to the president of HFSC about its successes, the ongoing challenges, and new strategies for getting fire sprinklers installed in more new homes (1:38). In the second segment, we talk to the director of the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Policy Institute about a free new online tool that aims to help communities assess their safety ecosystem, and correct safety gaps before they lead to bigger problems (30:37). Links:
For much of the past year, NFPA researchers have been working on a gigantic project to collect and analyze the last four decades of residential fire statistics in the United States. While they found that fires and fire deaths have been cut in half since 1980, there are some aspects of the fire problem are actually worse now than 40 years ago. On this podcast, we talk to researcher Birgitte Messerschmidt about the successes, what these numbers tell us about fire in the US, and why some major challenges linger despite our best efforts. Links: Read the full report: nfpa.org/fireprogress
Safety departments are awash with valuable community data, but figuring out how to use this mountain of information can be daunting. We talk to former Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer, one of the leading experts on Community Risk Reduction, about how fire departments can better use their data to create impactful programs to reduce risk. He also discusses a new digital tool out this month to help departments make sense of CRR.
ALSO: A full day virtual workshop called, “Community Risk Reduction: Insights to Action,” takes place July 20, as part of NFPA’s 125th Anniversary Conference Series. To see a list of presentations and to register, visit nfpa.org/CRR-track.
Last week was the four-year anniversary of London's deadly Grenfell Tower fire. In today's episode we interview Kate Lamble, host and producer of a BBC podcast that for the past three years has followed the United Kingdom's government investigation into the fire, which killed 72 people. Plus, a conversation with NFPA researcher Birgitte Messerschmidt on the risk of facade fires globally and what resources NFPA has to offer.
Links:
Listen to the BBC's Grenfell Tower Inquiry Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p066rd9t/episodes/downloads
Explore NFPA resources related to facade fires: http://www.nfpa.org/exteriorwalls
In the United States, there's a fire in a building under construction or renovation every hour and a half, according to NFPA data. Today on the podcast, Angelo speaks with Kevin Carr (4:15), NFPA staff liaison to NFPA 241, Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations, to learn more about construction site fires and how to prevent them. Plus, a safety executive with a large Maryland-based construction company and the chair of the NFPA 241 technical committee weigh in on why they think NFPA 241 is underutilized and how that could change (22:24).
Links:
Read more about the 2022 edition of NFPA 241 and NFPA trainings related to construction site fire safety: https://www.nfpa.org/safetyfirst
There are nearly 2,000 fires in recreational vehicles per year, according to a recent report from the Fire Protection Research Foundation; meanwhile, RV use in North America hit an all-time high in 2020 due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode, we talk to Doug Mulvaney, a director at Kampgrounds of America, and the chair of NFPA 1192, Standard for Recreational Vehicles, about what these trends mean, what the new Foundation report reveals, and how RV users can help prevent fire incidents (1:37).
Then, we offer a primer on how to inspect your grill for gas leaks to ensure it’s safe and ready to go for the summer season (26:57).
Links:
View the NFPA Journal article and the Foundation report:
May is National Electrical Safety Month. Today on the podcast, Derek talks to Electrical Safety Foundation International President Brett Brenner (3:01) about what the data says on who most often experiences electrical injuries and how, as well as electrical safety considerations in the age of electric vehicles and smart home technology. Plus, a conversation with NEC Correlating Committee Chair Larry Ayer (31:45) about how terminology remains consistent and coherent in the NEC. On May 18, NFPA hosts a daylong conference on electrical safety. Learn more at nfpa.org/conferenceseries.
Today on the podcast, we look at how fire and life safety messaging is developed and spread. Who creates these important messages about cooking, candles, and changing the batteries in your fire alarms? How is the guidance updated as new information arrives and new threats emerge?
First, Robby talks to Kelly Ransdell (2:05), the NFPA staff liaison of the group responsible for crafting and updating safety messaging. Then he and Kelly speak to a representative from the NFPA Public Education Network about how these messages are spread to states and local communities (25:20).
Links:
More than a year after the COVID-19 virus closed buildings around the world, many large facilities are preparing to reopen in the coming months, including universities, gyms, theaters, and office buildings. It’s a unique situation, perhaps unprecedented, to have so many facilities all coming back to life at the same time after such a long hiatus. On today’s podcast, we speak to fire protection engineer and code expert Bill Koffel about what the reopening looks like from a fire and life safety perspective, as well as the many ways that the pandemic may permanently alter safety standards and our built environment.
Links:
In recent years, new insights into how structural fires behave have led to some of the most significant tactical changes the fire service has seen in decades. All of these lessons have been collected in a new document, NFPA 1700, Guide to Structural Fire Fighting, which was published last fall.
Today on the podcast, we talk to the two researchers who are perhaps most responsible for our current understanding of structural fire dynamics: Dan Madrzykowski and Stephen Kerber, both of the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute. They discuss what their extensive research has revealed and how this knowledge has been collected and distilled into the new NFPA 1700.
Note: Later in March, look for free training on NFPA 1700 at nfpa.org/1700news. In April, look for a new NFPA Journal article on this topic at nfpa.org/journal. To read past coverage on this work, visit nfpa.org/firetactics.
Links:
As cannabis legalization expands, hundreds of grow and processing facilities have emerged across North America in recent years, introducing a variety of new equipment and unfamiliar processes that regulators have had little time to prepare for.
Today on the podcast, we talk to Chris Witherell, a Colorado-based engineer and a leading expert on marijuana extraction equipment. His company has conducted thousands of inspections of cannabis processing facilities, giving Witherell unique insights about the state of safety in the industry and why regulating it can be such a challenge.
ALSO: Should NFPA pursue a new standard on cannabis grow and processing facilities? Public comment on a new standard proposal is being accepted here through March 31.
Links:
On February 23, NFPA unveiled a new initiative called Outthink Wildfire, a comprehensive strategy that challenges policymakers on all levels to take action to reduce loss from wildfire. Its ambitious goal is the complete elimination of community wildfire loss in the United States by the year 2050. What prompted NFPA to take this big step? How will it go about achieving it? What will it take to make this goal attainable? NFPA CEO and President Jim Pauley stops by the podcast to answer those pressing questions and many others. Learn more about Outthink Wildfire at nfpa.org/Outthinkwildfire.
Across the world, dozens of people each day suffer injuries from electrical hazards such as shocks and arc flashes. Survivors of these incidents list a range of devastating symptoms, from burns and chronic pain, to insomnia, muscle spasms, depression, and various other mental health issues. Many of the full effects of these injuries are still not fully understood. Today on the podcast, our electrical expert Derek speaks with three renowned doctors from the Chicago Electrical Trauma Rehabilitation Institute about what a powerful shock can do to the human body, the treatments available, and how our understanding of these injuries is evolving. Links:
As building systems become smarter and more interconnected, cybercriminals are increasingly using them as an entry point to launch cyberattacks against businesses, hospitals, and other organizations. Potentially vulnerable targets include fire alarm systems, security systems, HVAC systems, fire sprinklers, elevators, and dozens of others. On today’s podcast, Jesse talks to Tyler Robinson, an ethical hacker who has infiltrated all of these systems, to learn why these devices are becoming such a popular target for criminals, and what you should be doing right now to protect yourself. Look for the NFPA Journal cover story on cybersecurity and building systems, out this February at nfpa.org/cybersecurity
There are more than 90,000 female firefighters in the United States, and nearly all of them wear personal protective equipment that was designed for a man. Not surprisingly, many women report that their gear doesn’t fit, which can lead to injuries and discourage women from entering the fire service. On today’s podcast, Angelo talks to a researcher who is studying how ill-fitting PPE impacts female firefighters, as well as the prospect for developing a female-specific turnout suit (1:15). Then, Robby speaks with a fire captain in Michigan about her first-hand experience with the problems caused by ill-fitting gear (15:02). Links: nfpa.org/journal nfpa.org/foundation
In response to growing concerns about PTSD and suicide among firefighters, the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute created the First Responder Resiliency Program in 2016. The goal is to prepare firefighters for the mental health challenges they face on the job, and to educate them on healthy ways to recover and grow, including asking for help when needed. At least 10,000 first responders have gone through the training, which has expanded over the years to include a four-hour course offered for free across the state. In this episode, Robby talks to the program leaders to learn how it works, the impact it’s had, and tips for firefighters and agencies looking to break the stigma attached to mental health issues in the fire service.
LINKS
IFSI Resiliency Program:
https://www.fsi.illinois.edu/content/courses/programs/resiliency/
NFPA Journal articles on first responder behavioral health:
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizations across the world to rethink how they operate, and NFPA is no exception. Sometimes these unplanned experiments have led to new insights and new efficiencies. In this episode, we look at the ways that the pandemic has impacted the NFPA standards development and revision process, and what’s been learned along the way (1:01). Then, we take a look at the ongoing evolution of NFPA’s fast-growing training programs, and how the pandemic has sped up advancements in online learning (30:29). Links: www.nfpa.org/process www.nfpa.org/regs www.nfpa.org/training
Shockingly, cooking fires now kill more people on average per year in the US than they did in the 1980s. As Thanksgiving approaches—the day with by far the most incidents—we take a look at the growing problem of cooking fires. First, Jesse talks to NFPA communications manager Susan McKelvey about the causes of cooking fires (0:55), why the problem seems to be getting worse, and resources available for educators to turn the trend around. After that, we explore the science behind the viral videos of turkey-fryer fireballs, and why this popular cooking method can be so dangerous (24:07).
Links:
Dangers of Turkey Fryers Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjUynq0HXdQ
NFPA cooking fire resources:
NFPA Journal article on new UL smoke detector standards:
Community Risk Reduction (CRR) is a term that has popped up everywhere in recent years, from fire departments to federal grants, at conferences, and even in the new standard NFPA 1300. On today’s podcast, Jesse talks to NFPA CRR Strategist Karen Berard-Reed (2:20) about a new dashboard that NFPA has created to help fire departments develop CRR programs. Then, (16:16), Robby talks with leaders at two fire departments about their experiences using the CRR dashboard and how departments can sign up to participate in Phase 2 of the pilot program.
Various studies have shown that firefighters are more likely to contract and die from certain types of cancer than the general public. On today’s podcast we look at several initiatives underway to better understand the problem and educate first responders. First, (2:52) Robby talks to officials from Florida about statewide efforts to reduce cancer rates among firefighters. Then, (50:07) Jesse checks in with an update on the largest research project now underway to understand the link between firefighting and cancer, the National Firefighter Registry.
Deadly gas explosions have occurred in Maine, Maryland, and Massachusetts in recent years. A new standard being developed by NFPA aims to address the problem. Angelo kicks off the episode with a story about one recent incident in a small town in Maine, before interviewing the technical committee chair for the new standard, NFPA 715 (6:30), as well as one researcher whose work will heavily inform the document (26:00). Lastly, Derek Vigstol hosts a segment on reconditioned equipment and the NEC (37:45). Public input on NFPA 715 ends October 15. Go to nfpa.org/715 to submit input and learn more about the standard.
With historic and destructive wildfires spanning the globe from Oregon to the Amazon in 2020, experts in a range of fields are coming together to figure out what can be done to save people and property. In the first segment (2:35), Jesse takes us to a one-of-a-kind wildfire symposium where academics, insurers, tech entrepreneurs, firefighters and others brainstorm how to reverse the surge of wildfire destruction. Then, Angelo talks to the wildfire coordinator for the city of Missoula, Montana about his efforts and why jobs like his are becoming essential for communities (32:52). Lastly, we debut a periodic segment looking at some of the key revisions in the 2020 National Electrical Code·. In this installment, host Derek Vigstol chats with an expert from NEC Code Making Panel 2 about recent changes to requirements for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, or GFCIs (55:11). For more resources on how to plan and prepare for wildfire, visit nfpa.org/wildfire. For more on the complex issue of wildfire and development, read the NFPA Journal cover story “Build. Burn. Repeat?” at nfpa.org/buildburnrepeat.
Set for release on September 21, NFPA LiNK™ reinvents the experience of using NFPA codes and standards—and sets the stage for the organization’s future as a hub of digital information and knowledge. But what exactly is NFPA LiNK and how did it come to be? In this episode of The NFPA Podcast, Angelo interviews an NFPA staffer who helped develop the new tool (4:10) as well as an electrical contractor who's excited to start using it (22:08). Plus, to close the episode, NFPA's director of public education discusses Fire Prevention Week 2020 (30:00).
With the peak of hurricane and wildfire seasons upon us, government agencies and aid organizations will need to shelter potentially thousands of storm and fire evacuees. How will they do it without spreading the COVID-19 virus? How will they keep key emergency workers healthy? In today’s episode, host Jesse Roman talks with Luke Beckman, a director at the Red Cross Pacific Division, to learn how the organization revamped its response plans and operations ahead of the massive wildfires now striking Northern California (3:32). Then, Robby Dawson talks with Anna McRay, an emergency manager in North Carolina, about how her county prepared for and responded to Hurricane Isaias in August (31:08). Both McRay and Beckman share lessons learned from responding to these incidents during the pandemic—including several new strategies that will likely stay even after the pandemic is over.
Many things went wrong to cause the deadly explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. In this episode of The NFPA Podcast, we examine some of the factors that may have led to the blast, from the improper storage of ammonium nitrate to unpermitted hot work. Angelo kicks off the episode with a conversation with Guy Colonna, a hazardous materials expert at NFPA, to discuss ammonium nitrate safety (2:20). Then, he speaks with Anas Alzaid, NFPA's representative to the Middle East, to discuss industrial safety in the region (17:50), before closing the episode with a chat with Laura Moreno, an NFPA engineer, to discuss hot work safety (36:25).
From inaccurate pop culture references to homebuilders warning of astronomical costs, there are a lot of residential fire sprinklers myths out there. In this episode of The NFPA Podcast, we debunk some of those myths as we hear from a former fire chief who chose to retrofit his home with sprinklers. Angelo kicks off the episode with an overview of the importance of home fire sprinklers as well as an update on residential sprinkler incentives (1:17), before Robby takes over with his interview of a former fire chief who retrofitted his home with sprinklers and the installers who worked on that project (2:38). Plus, in sticking with the residential theme but moving away from sprinklers, Derek examines how new NEC requirements will impact residential electrical contractors (35:40).
As it has with every industry, coronavirus has upended the world of safety inspections—but in this case there might actually be some good news! With communities across the world social distancing, remote video inspections (known as RVI) have taken off dramatically, and building departments are seeing unexpected benefits. Jesse starts off the show with an overview of RVI and some reasons why it’s suddenly so popular. Next, he talks to Jim Muir, a building official in Washington State who some consider the inventor of RVI, about its benefits and challenges, a proposed NFPA standard on the topic, and how RVI could change the industry for the better (5:18). Then, Derek talks to an electrical inspector in Connecticut to learn how he created and launched a new RVI program at his building department in less than a week, and why he plans to continue it even after things return to normal (42:31). For much more info on remote video inspections, visit nfpa.org/rvi, and read the new feature in NFPA Journal “Are You Seeing This?” at nfpa.org/journal.
The worldwide battery market is expected to grow by over 12 percent in the next five years. From hoverboards to electric cars to energy storage systems (ESS), mankind is increasingly relying on battery power. But what are the risks? In this episode of The NFPA Podcast, we examine the science behind and fire safety risks involved with using lithium-ion batteries on both a small and large scale. Host Angelo Verzoni kicks off the episode with a brief overview of ESS and NFPA 855 (3:06). Then, Derek dives a bit deeper into the technology, while touching on the electrical safety implications (5:05), before Robby interviews a guest who discusses the first responder experience with batteries (24:50).
In the very first episode of The NFPA Podcast, we explore the fast-growing and rapidly evolving legal cannabis industry. In the first segment, Jesse talks to NFPA Field Director Ray Bizal about what he’s learned from touring numerous marijuana facilities, and what fire departments and inspectors should know (4:20). Then, Robby talks with top fire officials in Colorado and Utah about the growing pains and lessons learned from regulating this budding industry (20:12). Finally, Derek chats with Bobby Gray, past chair of NEC Code Making Panel 18, about how large cannabis grow facilities have influenced what the NEC says about indoor horticultural lighting (47:26). For videos, articles, tip sheets, and lots more important information about regulating the legal cannabis industry, visit nfpa.org/cannabis.
In light of the recent civil unrest and mass protests in Minneapolis, we thought it was a good time to revisit this episode from 2016. In this re-released episode, we hear from Jeffrey Segal, assistant chief of the Baltimore Fire Department, and Matt LaVanchy of the Pattonville, Missouri Fire District near Ferguson, Missouri, about their recent experiences dealing with extreme cases of civil unrest. RELATED: Read a white paper on civil unrest from the 2015 Urban Fire Forum: https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Membership/member-sections/Metro-Chiefs/Urban-Fire-Forum/2016/2016UFFCivilUnrestWhitePaper.ashx
As the coronavirus pandemic kills scores, many of them part of vulnerable populations like the elderly, community risk reduction (CRR) efforts are taking center stage. In this episode, we hear from NFPA's CRR experts Karen Berard-Reed and Chelsea Rubadou on the community-wide implications of COVID-19 both now and into the future.
This week, the NFPA Journal Podcast looks at crisis standards of care (CSC). The coronavirus pandemic has forced first response agencies and health care workers across the world to alter their normal standards and protocols for operation in order to handle the huge surge in sick patients. We hear from experts on how CSC are developed, what the legal implications and challenges to employing them are, and some examples of how CSC are being used by EMS professionals, fire departments, and hospitals right now.
This week, NFPA Journal editor Jesse Roman talks to Pieter Maes, a firefighter/EMT in Brussels, Belgium, about the extraordinary steps emergency responders in this European capitol are taking to prepare for the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic. The crisis has forced Maes' department to find creative solutions to many difficult questions related to the COVID-19 outbreak—the same challenges departments across the world are now facing. To help, Maes has created a website, covidfirstresponse.com, where responders everywhere can submit various strategies for how they are handling aspects of the crisis. This crowd-sourced material includes instructions for how to 3D print face masks, sewing patterns for homemade masks, scientifically-backed strategies for effectively decontaminating equipment, and much more.
As the health care system in the United States braces for a surge in patients sickened by COVID-19, the NFPA Journal® Podcast speaks with experts on how this issue will be addressed, from the creation of mobile field hospitals to putting inspections on hold for codes like NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code, and NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®.
Listen to an earlier podcast on responder safety during the coronavirus pandemic here: https://nfpa.libsyn.com/responder-safety-in-a-pandemic
As the COVID-19 coronavirus sweeps the globe, the NFPA Journal Podcast speaks with leading first responder experts on the precautions they can take to stay safe, such as incorporating masks into their PPE.
Contact Angelo Verzoni at averzoni@nfpa.org and Jesse Roman at jroman@nfpa.org.
Americans living in rural areas are statistically older, sicker, and poorer than the general population. Compounding those factors is a lack of access to health care. Now, many are at high risk of losing emergency medical services, too. This episode of the NFPA Journal® Podcast takes a deeper look into this crisis.
The United States has eradicated hospital fire deaths. Why can't other countries? We're bringing you the NFPA Journal® podcast a week early this month and diving into the complicated topic of international hospital fires—why they keep occurring with alarming frequency and what's being done to address them.
As we near the 20th anniversary of the Worcester, Massachusetts, cold storage warehouse fire, which killed six firefighters on December 3, 1999, the NFPA Journal Podcast catches up with Matthew Foley, an NFPA research associate who has ties to the deadly blaze and who authored "After Effect"—the cover story of the November/December issue of NFPA Journal on the lasting impact of the fire.
Email averzoni@nfpa.org or jroman@nfpa.org with your thoughts on the NFPA Journal Podcast or to suggest episode ideas!
In this episode of the NFPA Journal® Podcast, we take a look at the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem and how recent events in Brazil serve as prime examples of that concept.
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Have feedback on the podcast? Let us know! Email Angelo Verzoni at averzoni@nfpa.org or Jesse Roman at jroman@nfpa.org.
On May 17, 2017, 31-year-old San Antonio firefighter Scott Deem died while searching for victims inside a burning building. After the fire, department leaders in command that night began working to build an innovative new facility, the Deem Training Center, to drill San Antonio’s firefighters on “mayday” scenarios like the one that killed Deem. Since the facility opened in 2018, not only have crews improved in search and rescue performance, the work has also proved therapeutic for everyone involved.
Escape rooms are popping up everywhere. In 2014, there were only 22 escape rooms in the United States. Today, there are over 2,000. After a fire in an escape room killed five teenagers in Poland in January, many have asked, are they safe? NFPA Journal investigates that question in this episode.
As disasters strike around the globe with greater frequency and severity, aid agencies are increasingly relying on a worldwide army of volunteers to listen to the digital chatter on social media emanating from communities in crisis. Learn how this “social monitoring” is helping response and recovery efforts become more effective. Jesse Roman, associate editor of NFPA Journal, shares insights from his reporting of the NFPA Journal article “Chasing the Chatter,” then reads the article, which was published in the July/August 2019 issue.
Please rate and review on iTunes, and provide feedback to averzoni@nfpa.org or jroman@nfpa.org.
NFPA Journal Podcast is back!!! We're trying out a new format so please let us know what you think, send an email to AVerzoni@nfpa.org.
After a deadly blaze on a movie set in New York City, experts stress the importance of fire safety on movie and TV sets. In this NFPA Journal Podcast, Angelo Verzoni discusses what he learned in writing his article on movie set fire safety. This article was created after a firefighter died on the film set of Motherless Brooklyn.
So again, please let us know what you think of this format, AVerzoni@nfpa.org. And if you do like it, please share this podcast with a friend. We are planning on releasing more episodes like this on a regularly scheduled basis so subscribe to get alerted when a new episode has been posted.
About 1 billion people worldwide live in areas known as shantytowns, informal settlements, or slums, where fire is an ever-present threat. Last year, a project carried out in a shantytown in South Africa reduced fire deaths to zero using a single, simple piece of technology: smoke alarms.
As Airbnb and other short-term rental services expand to include a range of property types, regulatory challenges create uncertainty over the level of safety those spaces should provide.
BY ANGELO VERZONI
First Harvey. Then Irma. Then Maria. After three hurricanes pummeled the United States coast from late August through September, NFPA Journal's November/December issue includes interviews with several people who came face to face with all three storms. In this episode of the NFPA Journal Podcast, two of those people—Chief Samuel Peña of the Houston Fire Department and Chief David Downey of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue—share what changes they hope to bring to their departments moving forward.
Against a backdrop of active shooter events from coast to coast, NFPA began crafting its new standard on response and preparedness to active shooter and/or hostile events, NFPA 3000, in June. In this episode of the NFPA Journal Podcast, staff writer Angelo Verzoni talks with NFPA 3000 technical committee members about the need for the standard and what they hope to bring to the table in developing it.
Jesse Roman sits down with Boston's Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn to discuss how Boston became a leader in the effort to combat firefighter cancer.
It might seem strange today, but firefighters dying from falling off fire trucks used to be a problem— from 1977 to 1987, an average of nearly four firefighters died each year from falling off of trucks. Today, the problem is virtually unheard of thanks in large part to the 1987 adoption of NFPA 1500, the first fire service occupational safety standard. In this episode of NFPA Journal Podcast, host Jesse Roman talks to fire service veterans who used to “ride the tailboard,” and learns how a few sentences in a big standard changed 200 years of tradition in the fire service and likely saved dozens of lives.
Sorry for the long hiatus, the end of 2016 was kinda crazy for NFPA Journal with a special sprinkler edition, a brand new design and even a new writer, hi Angelo. We plan on starting this back up and creating a new episode every month. As always, feel free to email Jesse with topic ideas, thoughts on the pod and anything else. Jesse can be reached at Jroman@nfpa.org
Thanks and stay safe!
Sound effects provided by Soundsnap.com and YouTube audio library.
Music listing:
Cross the Road by Silent Partner
Brontosaurus by Topher Mohr and Alex Elena
Ether by Silent Partner
Travel Light by Audionautix
Travel Light by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/ Chasin' It by Audionautix Chasin' It by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/With 19 different shows, in countries all over the world and in front of over 15 million patrons; making sure that every Cirque du Soleil show is up to code can seem like a herculean task. On this episode Jesse Roman talks to the person in charge of that task, Jean-Francois Simard, International Code Advisor for Cirque. Jesse and Jean-Francois discuss logistics, accommodating different authorities having jurisdiction and all the pain points he deals with on a day to day basis. The interview comes from a meet up at the 2014 NFPA Conference and Expo.
Be sure to share the podcast with friends and colleagues. Email Jesse with any topics you’d like for us to cover on the podcast, JRoman@nfpa.org.
If you are a healthcare facilities manager who is looking for more resources on how to be compliant with the 2012 version of NFPA 101 and NFPA 99, please visit www.nfpa.org/cms
Jesse sits down with Robert Solomon, Division Manager for Building Fire Protection at NFPA, to talk about the recent announcement by the center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS has published Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Fire Safety Requirements for Certain Health Care Facilities that require healthcare facilities to use the 2012 edition of NFPA 101® Life Safety Code® (LSC); and mandates direct compliance with the 2012 edition of NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code, for the first time. Robert breaks down everything you need to know to get up to date and where you can find answers to your questions.
If you like the podcast, please rate and review us. Want to get in touch with Jesse with ideas or thoughts on past episodes? Jesse can be reached at JRoman@nfpa.org.
Major thanks to Chief Goldfeder for not only talking to us but doing it after an 11 hour car ride. I think it is safe to say that the Chief is the first guest we've had to accomplish such a feat before our interview. For those of you very few whom haven't heard of Chief Goldfeder and the Secret list, first what's wrong with you. Go to firefighterclosecalls.com to see Chief's website and to subscribe to his newsletter, The Secret List. Chief Goldfeder started “The Secret List” about 20 years ago. It’s updated continuously and includes news from all over the web on firefighter incidents and accidents— how they happened, what went wrong, what firefighters can learn from it so as not to repeat.
Jesse talks with the Chief about everything under the sun, from how he started the Secret list and what makes it so successful to what drives him personal. It's a longer podcast than we typically do but we really think you guys are going to dig it. As usual, please let us know what you think about the podcast by email Jesse at JRoman@nfpa.org.
Also, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play or whatever podcasting app you prefer. If you feel like sharing use with your friends, we wouldn't complain.
Additional audio comes from:
YouTube user fiegepilz
Soundsnap
Back To The Wood by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/First off, please let us know if you like our topics and if you have any ideas for other things we can talk about. Email Jesse at jroman@nfpa.org and let us know what you think. We've been receiving a lot of support for the podcast the past year and we would love to hear from you.
In this episode, Jesse talked with Jeff Sargent and Mark Earley about the upcoming edition of the National Electrical Code. The NEC is always a fascinating topic but this upcoming edition is jammed packed with emerging issues. Jeff and Mark talk about the three big items the NEC is either addressing or updating; those items being photovoltaic, direct current micro grids and energy storage systems. Please note everything talked about in this podcast will be up for review at the 2016 NFPA Conference and Expo in June.
First off, please let us know if you like this format! Email Jesse at jroman@nfpa.org and let us know what you think. We've been receiving a lot of support for the podcast the past year and we would love to hear from you.
In this episode Jesse talked with Val Charlton of Kishugu, a private organization that runs and manages Working on Fire. Working on Fire is a South African government program that recruits disadvantaged South Africans and, after extensive training, hires them as wildland firefighters. Val discusses the fire regime in South Africa, how WoF is addressing the local issue and how its is translating to the globe.
Jesse takes a break from his current story on liquid natural gas and the shale revolution to give a quick update live from the NFPA Journal newsroom. Jesse will be back in March with a brand new podcast. In the meantime, head over to nfpa.org/xchange to see a cool new member only exclusive. NFPA Journal is releasing early access to the main IN COMPLIANCE article in XChange so you can get access before anyone else. Be sure to get involved in the discussion section, ask questions or comments directly to the author or with other readers. We plan on curating the discussion on the article and have the author address some of the conversation.
What do you do when protesters set fires all over your city, then sabotage your efforts to put them out? Imagine responding to a fire only to be shot at on the fireground. In today’s NFPA Journal Podcast we hear from Jeffrey Segal, assistant chief of the Baltimore Fire Department, and Matt LaVanchy of the Pattonville, Missouri Fire District near Ferguson, Missouri about their recent experiences dealing with extreme cases of civil unrest.
Out of more than 63,000 wildland fires reported last year, specialized wildland firefighters responded to just 112, meaning local fire departments handled the rest. But there is little information about how well trained or capable municipal departments are to handle this job.
In this podcast, Jesse sits down with NFPA Senior Research Analyst Hylton Haynes to discuss a new NFPA study that looks at how prepared local fire departments are to deal with the increasing number of wildfire calls they receive each year. Haynes and other NFPA researchers interviewed 46 high-ranking fire officials from urban and rural departments on a variety of topics related to wildfire operations to find out what’s working, and where the pain points are. Hear what they discovered in this interesting podcast.
Ken Willette, Division Manager of Public Fire Protection for NFPA, sits down with Jesse to discuss how NFPA is engaging the fire service. Ken talks about the change undergoing the fire service right now and where the future will be heading. Jesse and Ken also discuss the Responder Forum, NFPA’s initiative to engage the emerging thought-leaders of the fire service with experts, analysts and researchers to tackle the upcoming opportunities and challenges. Please subscribe to the NFPA Journal podcast and feel free to send in any topic ideas and/or guests to jroman@nfpa.org
Bangladesh is second only to China in garment exports to the West, but unsafe conditions have plagued its factories where thousands of workers have died in preventable tragedies over the years. In response, a consortium of Western retailers founded The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety in 2013 as a way to improve fire and life safety for Bangladesh’s roughly 4 million garment workers.
On today’s podcast, Jesse speaks with Randy Tucker, a board member on the Alliance, about the ongoing effort to improve factory safety. Jesse also speaks with Kathleen Almand, the vice president of Research at NFPA, who just returned from Bangladesh as part of an NFPA mission to help the Alliance assess the work that has been done so far.
Guy Colonna, NFPA’s division manager of Industrial and Chemical Engineering, sits down with Jesse Roman to discuss dust and current cultural events that are bringing the two together. After an explosion at a dance party in Taiwan that resulted in over 10 deaths, public safety officials of events like “color runs” are looking into the dangers that can come with any dust. Guy gives a great overview of dust in general and the dangers of it. Later, Guy talks about the resources offered to public safety officials and organizers alike to keep everyone safe and sound.
In Part III of NFPA Journal Podcast’s three-part suite on drones, robots and unmanned systems, Jesse speaks to Thomas Zajkowski, Flight Operations Manager at NextGen Air Transportation Center UAS Program at North Carolina State University. Thomas and NextGen did a series of wildfire related test with control wildland fire burn in Florida in 2012. Wildfire is one of the most critical area that drones can assist firefighters. Thomas talked with Jesse at the Unmanned Systems 2015 Conference in Atlanta, GA.
In Part II of NFPA Journal Podcast’s three-part suite on drones, robots and unmanned systems, Jesse speaks to Helen Greiner, the co-founder of iRobot and the current CEO and founder of CyPhy Works, a manufacturer of consumer and military drones and robots. Greiner discusses the history of robots and drones, where we are now in the technological arc, the potential for these machines to become as ubiquitous in our society as smartphones, as well as how emergency responders are and will benefit from the use of these machines in the future.
In part one of NFPA Journal Podcast’s three-part suite on drones, robots and unmanned systems, Jesse speaks to Stephen McKeever, a professor of physics at Oklahoma State and the state’s secretary of science and technology, and Jamey Jacob, the head of the new Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) graduate degree program at Oklahoma State University.
UAS, more commonly known as drones, have shown great promise for helping first responders and public safety officials do their jobs more safely and efficiently. Oklahoma is at the forefront of drone technology for first responders. In addition to Oklahoma State’s drone degree program, the state is home to a test site, funded by the Department of Homeland Security, which specifically tests small drones for use by first responders. During the podcast we discuss the current regulations for public agencies flying drones, what applications these unmanned systems have for public safety and first responders, and what the future may hold. Will every fire department in the country have a drone in its figurative toolbox? Many people, including Jacob, think so.
Food trucks are on the rise with around 117,000 in operation around the United States. In 2014 it was estimated that the food truck industry made over $850 million. Some trucks operate using a 20-gallon tank of propane which is equivalent to 170 sticks of dynamite with its explosive capability.
Unfortunately tragedy struck in July 1st 2014 when a truck exploded killing two people and injuring ten. Jesse Roman talked about the current environment for fire and life safety on food trucks with Jacqueline Wilmot, staff liaison for NFPA 96: Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations.
Jesse Roman chats with Matt Klaus, NFPA principal fire protection engineer and liaison to the NFPA 13 technical committees, about these updates to 13, why they were made, and why they are important.
In the case of the commodity classification tables, much of the commodity information provided in NFPA 13 is nearly 50 years old, written when storage facilities and schemes were vastly different than today, Klaus explains. That was a big problem, because the accuracy of those classifications is vital for fire protection.
Cloud ceilings—essentially aesthetic ceiling panels suspended below the actual structural ceiling—are very popular among architects and developers these days because they can hide unsightly wires and pipes, and they look really cool. Unfortunately, they complicate sprinkler system design.
Don Bliss, VP of Field Operations, and Jesse Roman, staff writer, dicuss the March April 2015 NFPA Journal cover story on resilience. They take a big-picture look at one of the most compelling concepts in safety and emergency preparation, and the role codes and standards can play in making resilience happen.
In the second past of our podcast on the Triangle Waist Company fire, Casey Grant, the director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation, explores why the incident had such a massive regulatory impact in the United States.
You can read more about the fire online at: www.nfpa.org/trianglefire.
NFPA Triangle Waist Fire New York 1911 Casey Grant National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code NFPA101
NFPA Journal executive editor Scott Sutherland and Casey Grant, the director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation, examine the history of the Triangle Waist Company fire.
You can read more about the fire online at: www.nfpa.org/trianglefire.
In the last part of our interview with Dr. John Hall, we look at the cost of building construction and how it relates to the total cost of fire in the United States.
You can find the "Total Cost of Fire in the U.S." report at www.nfpa.org/firereports under the "Economic Impacts" link.
In the second of our three part interview, Dr. John Hall, the director of NFPA Data Analysis Division examines the cost of career fire service versus the cost of volunteer service and how it impacts the total cost of fire in the United States.
You can find the "Total Cost of Fire in the U.S." report at www.nfpa.org/firereports under the "Economic Impacts" link.
Ken Willette, manager of NFPA's Public Fire Division, and Dr. John Hall, the director of NFPA's Data Analysis Division, discuss the new "Total Cost of Fire in the U.S." report.
In the final episode of our Winter Safety Series, we focus on the heightened dangers of fires caused by smoking materials. Learn more about this topic at NFPA’s Winter Safety Series webpages.
Fires caused by issues with a home's electrical system or appliance are another leading cause of fires in winter months. Find out more about this and other safety information on NFPA's Winter Safety webpage.
The effects of winter weather, like snow and freezing cold temperatures, can easily lead to an increased risk of fire or injury in your home. Learn how to stay safe in this episode of our Winter Safety series.
Often called the "silent killer" carbon monoxide is a frequent problem in the cold winter months when people are using stoves or portable generators to heat or power their homes. In this episode of our Winter Safety series, we get the lowdown on avoiding CO poisoning.
In the fourth episode of our Winter Safety series, Glenn Gaines from the USFA and NFPA's Lorraine Carli talk about how to stay safe when heating your home this winter.
In the third episode of our Winter Safety series, Glenn Gaines from the USFA and NFPA's Lorraine Carli gives us some sobering statistics about how dangerous lit candles can be at this time of year.
In this episode of our Winter Safety series, Glenn Gaines from the USFA and NFPA's Judy Comoletti talk about safety precautions you can take when decorating your home for the holidays.
In the first episode of our Winter Safety series, we talk with USFA's acting fire administrator Glenn Gaines and NFPA's Public Education Division manager Judy Comoletti about staying safe while cooking.
The overall number of fires fell by more than 7 percent from the previous year, while the damage by fire fell by 11 percent. Dr. John Hall provides an overview of NFPA's 2009 Fire Loss Report.
NFPA's Judy Comoletti and Amy Lebeau gives us a preview of all the new material available online for Fire Prevention Week. Learn more at the FPW website and read the daily updates on the FPW blog.
An interview with report author Rita Fahy. Read the full story in the July/August issue of NFPA Journal.
A look at some of the many efforts NFPA has undertaken to addrss the needs of people with disabilities. Read the full story in the July/August issue of NFPA Journal.
In the second part of our interview, Michael Johnston examines "smart grid" technology and the continued evolution of the National Electrical Code. You can read more about this at nfpa.org/renewableenergy.
An overview of proposed provisions for the National Electrical Code and renewable-energy technology with NECA exec. director Michael Johnston. You can read more about this at nfpa.org/renewableenergy.
In this excerpt, U.S. Fire Administrator Kelvin Cochran outlines some of the strategic initiatives for the fire service. Read more about his speech at the 2010 NFPA Conference & Expo on our weblog.
U.S. Fire Administrator Kelvin Cochran challenged the fire service to become "fully involved." This is the first of two excerpts from the speech he gave at this year's NFPA Conference & Expo. Read more about his speech on the NFPA Conference blog.
Andrew McGuire, "the father of fire-safe cigarettes," talks about the wrap-up of the highly successful NFPA campaign. Read more about this in the May/June 2010 issue of the NFPA Journal.
NFPA offers a number of professional certifications including a CFPS (Certified Fire Protection Specialist). Find out more about the program in this interview with certification manager Larry McDonald.
A new FM Global study proves that sprinklers are "good for the environment." NFPA vice president Gary Keith explains. Find out more at: http://www.npfa.org/greensprinkler and http://www.firesprinklerinitiative.org.
Senior project manager Andrew Klock on NFPA's new program to train emergency personnel on avoiding shock and other hazards from advanced electric-drive vehicles.
Why do electric vehicles pose a hazard to first responders? Casey Grant, director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation, explains.
Guy Colonna answers questions about proposed changes to the 2011 edition of NFPA's "combustible dust" standard.
Do operating rooms need additional protection against electrical shock? NFPA's Richard Bielen explains the debate about "wet locations."
In part two of our interview, NFPA's Robert Solomon explains how the Life Safety Code makes nursing facilities safer.
Preparation, training, and automatic sprinklers add up to a success story in a Connecticut nursing home fire.
NFPA President Jim Shannon reviews NFPA's initiatives in 2009 and looks ahead to the new year.
NFPA's Michele Steinberg answers questions about wildfires and what communities can do to protect themselves.
Part one of our interview with James Lyons, senior engineer at Newport Partners, on NFPA's new research study dealing with how residential fire sprinklers are integrated with local water supply systems.
Part two of our interview with James Lyons on NFPA's new research study dealing with how residential fire sprinklers are integrated with local water supply systems.
NFPA's vice president Chris Dubay answers questions about recent changes to the codes & standards document information pages online.
In part two, we hear from Michael Collins the executive director of the National Council on Disability.
Disability consultant Linda Woodbury on the challenges of emergency evacuation for people with disabilities.
Amy Cronin, division manager of the NFPA Codes & Standards Administration, explains the NFPA document revision process.
Lee Richardson, staff liaison to the NFPA 72 Technical Committee answers questions about the new National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
Sharon Gamache, NFPA director of high-risk outreach programs, answers questions about our arson prevention programs.
A Q&A with Columbus Ohio assistant fire chief Karry Ellis about intentionally set fires in empty homes.
Campus Firewatch publisher Ed Comeau on an innovative program to arm college students with up-to-date information on campus fire safety. Read more: http://www.nfpa.org/campusfiresafety
NFPA's Public Education team gives a preview of this year's Fire Prevention Week. For more information visit http://www.nfpa.org/fpw
NFPA's Dr. John Hall answers questions about the new High Rise Building Fire report.
A Q&A with Bob Backstrom about UL tests on engineered wood construction assemblies.
Product manager Susan McArdle on our new NFPA 1600 iTunes application.
An interview with Rita Fahy, author of the new NFPA Firefighter Fatalities Report.
NFPA statistician Michael Karter answers questions about his report on firefighter injuries. Read more about the report: http://www.nfpa.org/newsReleaseDetails.asp?categoryid=488&itemId=43642
The speech given by NFPA President Jim Shannon at the Opening Session of this year's NFPA Conference & Expo.
Kristin Collette, NFPA fire protection engineer and staff liaison for NFPA 80, answers questions about the Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives.
NFPA President Jim Shannon answers questions about the new Home Fire Sprinkler safety initiative. Read more about it here: http://nfpa.typepad.com/firesprinklerinitiative
Marty Ahrens, manager of NFPA's Fire Research & Analysis Division, answers questions about the fire risks of vacant buildings.
Former NFPA fire protection engineer David Hague explains the origins and importance of NFPA 3, the organizations newest standard.
A look at NFPA s new outreach program to combat arson a concern for communities across the nation.
The National Fire Alarm Code is undergoing some dramatic changes. NFPA's Lee Richardson has the details.
Korean Fire Protection Association s Hojung Ryu shares his experience during NFPA fellowship.
NFPA division manager Guy Colonna answers questions about NFPA 400, the new Hazardous Materials Code.
NFPA principal life safety engineer Ron Cote on using elevators in an emergency evacuation.
NFPA web publisher Mike Hazell answers questions about the newly redesigned NFPA website.
Public Fire Protection director Curt Varone on the challenges of fighting fires in mega-storage facilities.
A surge in important new research promises to revolutionize how the fire service does its job. Fire Protection Research Director Casey Grant explains.
The NFPA's Lisa Braxton interviews Bill Scott, president of Abilities Unlimited, about the importance of pre-planning evacuation options.
Fighting fires at massive storage occupancies; a "renaissance" in fire protection; and the importance of safety planning for people with disabilities.
A major new public safety initiative; a sneak peek at the 2009 NFPA Conference; and the dangers of carbon monoxide explained.
NFPA President on the key fire and life safety issues that need to be addressed by the new Obama Administration.
Updates to NFPA s Health Care Facilities Code, a look ahead for the NFPA Journal, and NFPA President James Shannon on the association s goals for 2009.
Casey Grant, the director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation, answers questions about the new "Thermal Capacity of Fire Fighter Protective Clothing" report.
The "Thermal Capacity of Fire Fighter Protective Clothing" report, an inside look at the new Urban Fire Safety Task Force, and a brief introduction to NFPA's E-Learning training curriculum.
NFPA's Lorraine Carli and Scott Conner from the American Red Cross talk about the results of the new Home Heating Survey.
Chemical Safety Board investigator Robert Hall answers questions about the North Carolina blaze.
Lessons learned from the EQ hazardous waste facility fire, the challenges of integrating building systems, and the results of the new Home Heating Survey.
The new Home Fire Sprinkler Cost Assessment report, answering questions about AFCIs, and what's new with Fire Prevention Week.
Fire Protection Research Foundation Director Casey Grant on one the largest life-loss fires in U.S. history.
NIST researcher Steve Kerber answers questions about recent Positive Pressure Ventilation tests.
The Collinwood School Fire tragedy, installing sprinklers in off-campus housing at Wesleyan University, and positive pressure ventilation testing in Ohio.
NFPA's public education team highlight what's new for this year's Fire Prevention Week.
NFPA's public education team highlight what's new for this year's Fire Prevention Week.
UL engineers Dave Dini and John Drengenberg answering questions about a new study on the effect age has on a home s wiring.
Smoke alarm performance, the new Residential Electrical System Aging Research Project, and a preview of the content available for this year's Fire Prevention Week.
A behind-the-scenes look at the fire protection systems in place at one of Las Vegas' high-tech theaters.
A behind-the-scenes look at the fire protection systems in place at one of Las Vegas' high-tech theaters.
A behind-the-scenes look at the fire protection systems in place at one of Las Vegas' high-tech theaters.
Kathleen Almand, Executive Director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation, on the new tunnel fire detection study.
NFPA s annual firefighter fatality report, a look at the new fire detection study for tunnels, and experts sound off on the dangers of fireworks.
NFPA President Jim Shannon's speech given at the 2008 WSC&E. Get the transcript at http://nfpa.typepad.com/wsce.
Highlighting a few of the studies coming out of the Fire Protection Research Foundation, the effectiveness of Fire Safe Cigarettes, and we unveil a new safety song for Fire Prevention Week.
Sharon Gamache, NFPA's director of high risk programs, and Alberto Olmos, the president of the National Association of Hispanic firefighters talk about new safety programs for the Latino community.
NFPA Senior Fire Service Specialist Martha Curtis details some of the upcoming changes to NFPA 1, the Uniform Fire Code.
NFPA Senior Fire Investigator Bob Duval answers questions about the January 2008 fire at the Monte Carlo Hotel Casino.
Updates to NFPA's Uniform Fire Code, the Monte Carlo Hotel Casino Fire in Las Vegas, and a look at the Latino Outreach safety program.
Guy Colona, NFPA Assistant Vice President of Chemical Engineering, on the fire hazards of ethanol and ethanol fuels.
NFPA Sr. Chemical Engineer Amy Spencer and Assistant Vice President Guy Colonna talk about the dangers of dust explosions.
The fire hazards of ethanol, the dangers of dust explosions, and a look ahead to the Love Theater tour at this year s WSCE.
Secretary of NFPA s Standards Council, Milosh Puchovsky explains why the Standards Council is considering additional changes to the Fireworks Code.
The latest NFPA statistics on sprinkler performance, some proposed changes to the NFPA standard on consumer fireworks, and a sneak peak at the Uh-Ohs.
Robert Duval, NFPA Sr. Fire Investigator, talks about being at the scene the day after the fire.
NFPA VP of Field Operations Gary Keith on the aftermath of the Station nightclub fire.
The fifth anniversary of the Station nightclub fire, preventing fire in Mississippi, and the pre-conference seminars at the upcoming World Safety Conference & Exposition.
2007 - the year in review, the dangers of carbon monoxide, and a preview of the upcoming World Safety Conference & Exposition.
NFPA Assistant Vice President of Research and Analysis Dr. John Hall on the safety statistics for space heaters.
Dr. Saul Davis talks about what is was like living through the worst nightclub fire in U.S. history.
A look at space heater safety, preventing holiday fire hazards, and a survivor of the Cocoanut Grove fire tells his story.
Jim Smalley, NFPA's manager of Wildland Fire Protection division, on reducing wildfire damage.
Casey Grant, author of "The Last Dance at the Cocoanut Grove," returns to the scene of the country's worst nightclub fire.
A major milestone for the Fire Safe Cigarettes campaign, lessons learned from the recent California wildfires, and a look back on the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history.
Changes to the 2008 National Electrical Code, celebrating 100 years of the NFPA Journal, and the importance of a home escape plan.
Judy Comoletti, the assistant vice president of public education, introduces the new PSAs for Fire Prevention Week.
An update on the Fire Safe Cigarette campaign, changes to NFPA 99, and an introduction to the nec-plus subscription service.
An extended interview about the upcoming overhaul to NFPA 99, the safety standard for Health Care Facilities.
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