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NFPA 1700: Guide for Structural Fire Fighting released
The US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released NFPA 1700, Guide for Structural Fire Fighting, the first NFPA document connecting fire dynamics research to response strategy, tactics and best practices for fire fighters controlling fires within a structure. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released NFPA 1700, Guide for Structural Fire Fighting, the first NFPA document connecting fire dynamics research to response strategy, tactics and best practices for firefighters controlling fires within a structure. The 2021 guide was prepared by the Technical Committee on Fundamentals of Fire Control within a Structure Utilising Fire Dynamics. The document was then voted on by NFPA membership, issued by the NFPA Standards Council and has been approved as an American National Standard (ANSI).
In 2014, NFPA received a new standards project request from a retired Kansas City fire chief asking for the development of a guide that filled the gap between the fire science community and the fire service. The request, which was eventually endorsed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), National Institute for Safety and Health (NIOSH), UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute, the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) and others, sought to ensure that the methods utilised by the fire service for fire control were based on science and not past fire service traditions or practices. NFPA 1700 provides evidence-based recommendations to individuals and organisations responding to a structure fire and is based on proven approaches documented from fire investigations, research and fire dynamics testing to achieve the most successful outcome. Recognised research efforts complement fundamental occupancy, building construction and building service references within NFPA 1700, while addressing the health and safety of fire fighters by reinforcing the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) and methodologies for contamination control. The 13-chapter document is designed to help fire service organizations establish effective strategies that consider tactics, search, rescue and fire suppression operations, as well as civilian and responder safety. “NFPA 1700 provides guidance for the development of structural fire fighting standard operating procedures based on quantifiable research and analysis,” Chris Dubay, PE, NFPA vice president and chief engineer said. “The Technical Committee looked at basic fire science, fire dynamics in structures as exhibited in recent large scale testing and line of duty death findings, PPE, equipment, fire control, extinguishment, staffing needs and ways to adopt these strategies into practice and train the fire service, all in the interest of public and first responder safety.” The 27-member Technical Committee is made up of representatives from the fire service and insurance industry, as well as subject matter textbook publishers, special experts and stakeholders actively engaged in fire dynamics research; members hail from the United States, Canada, Germany and Belgium. NFPA 921, Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations served as a model for how to translate fire dynamics findings in practicable, applicable ways. The NFPA 1700 document is available here: https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=1700 COVID-19 Resources page The FRI COVID-19 Resources page is updated regularly for the benefit of our readers, providing you with all relevant information available on a single platform, saving you the time of searching for documents and links. Quote of the week “I never dreamt of success. I worked for it.” ~ Estee Lauder Fire and Rescue International is your magazine. Read it, use it and share it! Contact us Tel: 011 452 3135 or Fax: 086 671 0190 Managing director and editor Lee Raath-Brownie Email: lee@fireandrescue.co Cell: 082 371 0190 Editorial department Email: edit@fireandrescue.co Advertising department Email: advertising@fireandrescue.co Accounts department Email: accounts@fireandrescue.co Subscriptions department Email: subs@fireandrescue.co Design and production department Marc Raath Email: marc@fireandrescue.co Digital newsletter production Pierre du Plessis Email: pierre@fireandrescue.co Websites www.fireandrescue.co www.frimedia.org www.facebook.com/FireandRescueInternational www.twitter.com/FRI_magazine |
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