What is NFPA and its ecosystem of fire protection and human safety

In this blog, we will explore what NFPA is and its importance in the fire protection and human safety ecosystem in the context of smart buildings.  

What is the NFPA?

The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) is a not-for-profit organization founded in the United States in 1896, dedicated to eliminating losses from fire, electrical and related hazards. It shares information and knowledge through 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. Virtually every building, process, service, design and facility is covered by NFPA codes and standards. NFPA panels and technical committees function as consensus bodies responsible for developing and updating all NFPA codes and standards. These volunteers represent their voice and are able to respond to evolving technologies, research and development, and practical experience. Importantly, they represent the fire department, insurance companies, business, industry, government and consumers.

Many states, local and even national governments incorporate the standards and codes developed by the NFPA into their own legislation or codes, either verbatim or with minor modifications. Even where not required by law, the application of NFPA standards and codes are generally accepted as a professional benchmark, and are recognized by many courts as such.

The Fire Protection and Human Safety Ecosystem

When it comes to fire prevention and protection, safety is not something we can take for granted. NFPA considers a fully functioning safety ecosystem to be comprised of eight key elements that play a preponderant role in human safety, fire safety and electrical safety. When these elements work together, we see a positive influence on safety best practices. When one component fails, the system becomes disjointed and tragedies occur.

NFPA is committed to promoting the safety ecosystem to protect people and their property against ever-evolving safety threats.

The 8 elements are shown down below.

• GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY: All levels of government have a responsibility to keep their communities safe from fire, electrical and other hazards. They must create a policy and regulatory environment in which laws, policies and spending priorities are dictated by public safety needs, not special interests. This is what citizens expect from government. 
• DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF UP-TO-DATE STANDARDS: Using the most current codes and standards developed by experts around the world establishes minimum levels of security to protect people and their property. As technology evolves, safety advocates constantly evaluate risks as well as behaviors and actions that can create new risks. Codes and standards are updated to reflect the changes in our world. 
• REFERENCED STANDARDS: The referenced standards are a fundamental part of the most important fire, human, building and electrical safety standards and codes, and provide key guidance for designers, installers, facility operators and enforcement authorities. Developed through a consensus process, these standards include references to installation standards and products that are developed by a wide range of organizations. 
• INVESTING IN SAFETY: Investing in safety should be everyone’s priority. We must all take a direct interest in the safety of the public and work together to allocate resources to reduce losses from fire and related hazards. If decisions are based only on financial gain, tragedies can occur. 
• QUALIFIED WORKFORCE: A qualified workforce is needed to ensure proper enforcement of the most current codes to reduce the risk of injury, loss and death to workers and the general public.
• CODE ENFORCEMENT: Provide effective support for code compliance. Whether it’s a home or a new office building, the places where people live and work are only as safe as their construction and compliance with applicable code. 
• EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE: When risking their lives, first responders should feel that they are prepared to protect their communities, and that their communities are working to help prevent and prepare for emergency situations. Prioritizing and investing money in effective preparedness and response capabilities and resources for before, during and after the emergency helps responders meet the diverse needs of their communities. 
• INFORMED PUBLIC: When provided with advice and action steps to help address risks, the public can make better, more informed decisions and take action to protect their homes and personal safety. If they do not have the information they need, they may take actions that involve great risk. People will take additional safety measures if they understand the risk and consequences of doing nothing.

NFPA researches by producing reports on the overall fire problem, firefighter mortality and injuries, leading causes of fires, fire protection systems and many other topics. It also trains by offering classroom and online courses, webinars, on-site courses tailored to the organization, certification programs, and educational conferences focused on a specific audience. It educates by developing easy-to-use educational programs, tools and resources for all ages and audiences, including content planning, brochures, videos and apps with safety tips in a variety of languages. And finally, it promotes – NFPA is the world’s leading advocate for fire prevention, working to increase safety by focusing on root causes, emerging issues and neglected areas. It’s a big world, let’s protect it together.