Release Date: September 18, 2007
DHS ADOPTS 11 NFPA STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Fire Protection Association and the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced the adoption of 11
NFPA standards for emergency responders by DHS. The newly adopted
standards will set requirements to assist federal agencies and state and
local officials responsible for procuring equipment and services used by
emergency responders.
"It is enormously important that first responders have the tools and
qualifications necessary to perform their duties well - their lives and
the lives of others depend on it," said James M. Shannon. "DHS has taken
an important step in supporting the needs of first responders with the
adoption of these standards."
The documents adopted will provide direction and allow officials to make
better procurement decisions in the following areas: professional
qualifications, occupational safety and health, fire apparatus, personal
protective clothing, powered rescue tools, and other equipment.
"The threat of fire in any home, school, or business is a reality. To
expect first responders to run into the current all-hazard environment
without training, equipment and the basic tools to do their jobs, is
unacceptable," said U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade. "These newly
adopted standards by DHS further ensure communities have well-informed,
well-trained, and well-equipped first responders, supported by
manufacturers, and outside agencies dedicated to protecting the people
of this nation."
The 11 newly adopted standards are:
* NFPA 1000, Standard for Fire Service Professional Qualifications
Accreditation and Certification Systems
* NFPA 1001, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications
* NFPA 1002, Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional
Qualifications
* NFPA 1006, Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications
* NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications
* NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health
Program
* NFPA 1582, Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for
Fire Departments
* NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus
* NFPA 1906, Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus
* NFPA 1912, Standard for Fire Apparatus Refurbishing
* NFPA 1936, Standard on Powered Rescue Tools
The adoption of NFPA standards reflect the continuing support of a
multi-year program in U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and
Technology Directorate to build confidence in homeland security
technologies, products, services, and personnel through the development
and adoption of voluntary consensus standards. A list of the standards
can be found on the Department of Homeland Security's Web site
(www.dhs.gov) and the Responder Knowledge Base (www.rkb.mipt.org). The
standards documents are available from the National Fire Protection
Association (www.nfpa.org) and from the American National Standards
Institute (webstore.ansi.org).
DHS previously adopted 14 NFPA standards that remain in use today. They
are:
* NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business
Continuity Programs
* NFPA 1851, Standard on Selection, Care and Maintenance of Structural
Fire Fighting Protective Ensembles
* NFPA 1852, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of
Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
* NFPA 1951, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue
Operations
* NFPA 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire
Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting
* NFPA 1975, Standard on Station/Work Uniforms for Fire and Emergency
Services
* NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
(SCBA) for Emergency Services
* NFPA 1982, Standard on Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS)
* NFPA 1991, Standard on Vapor-Protective Ensembles for Hazardous Materials Emergencies
* NFPA 1992, Standard on Liquid Splash-Protective Ensembles and Clothing
for Hazardous Materials Emergencies
* NFPA 1994, Standard on Protective Ensembles for First Responders to
CBRN Terrorism Incidents
* NFPA 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical
Operations
* NFPA 2112, Standard on Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of
Industrial Personnel against Flash Fire
* NFPA 2113, Standard on Selection, Care, Use, and Maintenance of
Flame-Resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel against
Flash Fire
All NFPA safety codes and standards are developed through a process
accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The 200
technical committees responsible for developing and updating all 300
codes and standards include 6,000 volunteers, representing enforcing
authorities, installers and maintainers , labor, research and testing
laboratories, insurers, special experts, consumers and other users.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology
Directorate serves as the primary research and development arm of the
Department, utilizing our nation’s scientific and technological
resources to provide federal, state and local officials with the
technology and capabilities to protect the homeland.
NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical,
building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the
international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden
of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and
advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and
education. Visit NFPA’s Web site at www.nfpa.org.