The NFPA Podcast

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). 

Check out an NFPA fact sheet about fire and smoke dampers

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 101^Ò, Life Safety Code^Ò.

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

See a video of how quickly a modern home fire can spread

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

View NFPA cooking fire prevention resources

Read the 2020 NFPA research report on US home cooking fires

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