NFPA Journal, the online magazine of the National Fire Protection Association

CODES & STANDARDS
Protecting Pets
After a massive kennel fire in Texas, experts stress the importance of NFPA 150. Read article.

RESEARCH
2020 Firefighter Fatalities
COVID was the leading cause of on-duty firefighter deaths in the US in 2020, report says. Read article.

THE NFPA PODCAST

What If You Can’t Hear ‘the Sounds of Fire Safety’?

The theme to this year’s Fire Prevention Week was “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.

Browse all of NFPA’s podcasts.

VIDEOS FROM NFPA JOURNAL

Learn Something New
In honor of Fire Prevention Week, NFPA Journal explores three smoke alarm technologies for people who are deaf or hard of hearing in this episode of Learn Something New™.

ECOSYSTEM SUCCESS
Three US representatives introduce a bill that would provide $1 billion in funding to repair aging fire station infrastructure across the country. Read more.

ECOSYSTEM FAIL
In the days following the Fourth of July, media outlets across the country report serious injuries and even deaths resulting from the use of consumer fireworks during the holiday weekend. This comes after a historic number of consumer fireworks injuries reported in 2020. Read more.

Code compliance cog

ECOSYSTEM FAIL
Two building inspectors are criminally charged for allegedly filling out false fire safety inspection reports for an assisted living facility in New York where two people died in a blaze in March. Read more.

ECOSYSTEM SUCCESS
A study by doctors in Pennsylvania finds that a simple nap can help first responders make better-informed decisions. “To avoid … that groggy feeling that you feel when you wake up after a nap, it’s best to engage in short duration naps such as 30 minutes or less,” one of the researchers adds. Read more.

ECOSYSTEM FAIL
A lawsuit filed in Alabama recently claims government officials there neglected to provide adequate fire safety measures at a boat dock where a fire in January 2020 killed eight people. Read more.

ECOSYSTEM FAIL
Plans to move forward with stripping and replacing dangerous exterior wall components, including flammable cladding, on thousands of buildings in the United Kingdom yet again stall during debates over who should pay for the work. Read more.

ECOSYSTEM SUCCESS
A new online service and smartphone app launches to connect firefighters experiencing mental health issues with clinicians and other firefighters with similar issues. Learn more at redlinerescue.org.

Code compliance cog

ECOSYSTEM FAIL
A fire at a Massachusetts recycling facility reveals the business lacked proper permits and didn't have working sprinklers or a fire alarm system. The company could face serious charges, The Eagle Tribune reports. Read more.

FIRE NEWS
Daily Dispatches
News for America's Fire Service, compiled by the
Western Fire Chiefs Association

Read the latest print issue

Fire protection for flying taxis and energy storage systems, fire safety in the United States since 1980, what the Florida condo collapse means for similar buildings across the country, and much more. It’s all in the Fall 2021 issue of NFPA Journal.

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Century of Safety