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 D...
Sep 28, 2021•58 min
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 tal...
Sep 09, 2021•47 min
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...
Aug 24, 2021•43 min
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 n...
Aug 10, 2021•46 min
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 chal...
Jul 27, 2021•40 min
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...
Jul 13, 2021•43 min
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.b...
Jun 22, 2021•36 min
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...
Jun 08, 2021•32 min
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 incid...
May 25, 2021•32 min
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 ho...
May 11, 2021•49 min
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...
Apr 27, 2021•47 min
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 pe...
Apr 13, 2021•40 min
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 Firefi...
Mar 23, 2021•43 min
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 abou...
Mar 09, 2021•35 min
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 press...
Feb 23, 2021•28 min
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 Rehabilitatio...
Feb 09, 2021•50 min
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 p...
Jan 26, 2021•40 min
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, R...
Jan 12, 2021•32 min
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 off...
Dec 22, 2020•43 min
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...
Dec 07, 2020•57 min
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 ...
Nov 23, 2020•37 min
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 ...
Nov 09, 2020•1 hr 3 min
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 fir...
Oct 26, 2020•56 min
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 (3...
Oct 12, 2020•52 min
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 ab...
Sep 21, 2020•1 hr 13 min
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 edu...
Sep 07, 2020•46 min
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 striki...
Aug 24, 2020•1 hr 3 min
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 ...
Aug 10, 2020•46 min
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 ...
Jul 27, 2020•51 min
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 con...
Jul 13, 2020•58 min
