The NFPA Podcast

National Fire Protection Association
The NFPA Podcast

The NFPA Podcast is the place for safety professionals to stay up to speed on the fast-paced world of electrical, fire, and life safety. Hear in-depth conversations with people out in the field about how they are confronting new challenges and staying on top of emerging technologies to keep the world safe. Listen the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Email jroman@nfpa.org to send feedback or recommend a topic for future episodes.

  1. 10 DIC

    A New Dawn for Smoke Alarms

    This summer, long-awaited changes to the standard that sets the performance requirements for smoke alarms went into effect, marking a new era for the technology. For the first time, smoke alarms must now pass a test to show they are resistant to nuisance alarms triggered by cooking smoke. On today’s podcast, smoke alarm researcher Thomas Clearly from NIST joins to discuss the evolution of smoke alarm technology, the challenges of nuisance alarms, and how effective this new generation of smoke alarms are at reduceing nuisance alarms from cooking (4:44). Then, on Code Corner, engineer Shawn Mahoney discusses what NFPA standards say about smoke alarm placement (38:25).

    45 min

  2. 26 NOV

    International Hospital Fires

    Although hospital fires are rare in the United States, that’s not the case around the world. Recent deadly fires at hospitals in India —including a fire in November that killed 10 newborn babies — show how hard it is to protect these complex facilities. In light of these recent tragedies, we are revisiting an episode from 2020 that looks at the reasons behind the higher occurrences of fire in hospitals around the world, compared to the U.S., and the initiatives and trends that experts hope will help fix the problem.   Read a 2020 NFPA Journal feature story about the high occurance of fire in health care facilities around the world.

    26 min

  3. 12 NOV

    The Single Exit Stair Debate

    Nearly all jurisdictions in the United States enforce codes that require two exit stairwells in residential buildings above three or four stories. Housing advocates say that increasing the cap to six stories will lead to better housing options and lower costs. That logic has persuaded lawmakers in some U.S. states to pass laws that raise the allowed height of single exit stair buildings, bypassing state building codes. These changes have alarmed fire officials, who say that having taller buildings with only one stairwell puts the lives of residents and firefighters at risk. With that as the backdrop, NFPA recently held a symposium where experts from both sides of the debate gathered to make their case and come to a better understanding. Today on the podcast, we talk to an NFPA engineer who helped organize the symposium. She explains the reasoning on both sides of the argument, what was learned from the discussions,  and why single exit stair rules are suddenly such a big deal in statehouses and the code development world. LINKS: Read the recent NFPA Journal cover story on the single exit stair debate, “Single Exit, Many Questions.” Read the recently released NFPA report detailing the findings from the Single Exit Stair Symposium.

    34 min

  4. 22 OCT

    Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems

    As online retail flourishes, distribution centers are installing new and more advanced automated storage and retrieval systems (or ASRS). These systems are like enormous vending machines that store, organize, and move product around the facility. The systems save time and space but have also introduced several new fire risks into storage operations. Today on the podcast, we talk to a safety risk consultant and engineer who has worked on numerous ASRS projects. We discuss how these systems work, the safety challenges, and some of the new designs that are keeping fire protection engineers up at night (2:46).    Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Shawn Mahoney discusses another concern for warehouses: making sure there is enough water supply for their massive fire sprinkler systems (28:52). LINKS Check out a blog that illustrates the various types of ASRS

    36 min

  5. 8 OCT

    Babcock Ranch and the Future of Resilient Design

    When hurricane Ian tore through Florida in September 2022, 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 (3:46). This episode first aired in November 2022.   Links
 NBC News list of local and national charities to help victims of Hurricane Helene Watch the 60 Minutes segment on Babcock Ranch   Read a 2015 NFPA Journal cover story on the concept of disaster resiliency

    38 min

  6. 24 SEPT

    Make Smoke Alarms Work For You

    This month, a comprehensive new survey on smoke alarm use in the U.S. found that 16 percent of households—as many as 53 million people—do not having working smoke alarms. The new report comes just in time for Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 6-12), which will focus on smoke alarm use and maintenance. On today’s podcast, two NFPA experts discuss the findings of the new report, and why it is more critical than ever for residents to be educated about how to keep their smoke alarms working (3:04).    Then, on a new Code Corner, engineer Shawn Mahoney tells us what the code says about where to locate smoke alarms in residential homes (33:27).  LINKS:  Visit the Fire Prevention Week 2024 homepage. Read the new U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report on smoke and CO alarm usage in the U.S.

    41 min

  7. 10 SEPT

    CRR's Hidden Challenges

    As fire departments increasingly focus on fire prevention and community risk reduction (CRR), several new challenges have emerged. In some cases, firefighters may resist or be apathetic to these tasks. In other cases, less obvious hurdles like hidden biases can cause departments to make missteps. Today on the podcast, a safety and wellness captain from Georgia joins us to discuss the small and big ways these factors can impact prevention work, and how departments can work to overcome them (2:45). Then, on a new Code Corner, NFPA engineer Shawn Mahoney talks about the requirements for integrated system testing in the Life Safety Code· (41:44).   Extras: Gary Menard’s book list: Unconscious Bias, Annie Burdick. The Heart is Noble, Ogyen Trinley Dorje Testosterone Rex, Cordelia Fine Blindspot, Mahzarin Banaji Sway, Ori Brafman Why We Make Mistakes, Joseph Hallinan A Mind of Its Own, Cordelia Fine Quiet, Susan Cain Sway, Pragya Agarwal (yes, a different sway!) The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias, Pamela Fuller, Mark Murphy, Anne Chow The Person You Mean to Be, Dolly Chugh Biased, Jennifer Eberhardt The Art of Active Allyship, Poornima Luthra Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman Everyday Bias” Identifying and Navigating Unconscious Judgements in Our Daily Lives’ Howard J. Ross The Blindspots Between Us, Glen Tsipursky  What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite, David DiSalvo You Are Now Less Dumb, David McRaney You Are Not So Smart, David McRaney How We Decide, Jonah Lehri

    48 min

  8. 27 AGO

    AI and Safety Education

    For fire safety educators, breaking through the noise to deliver the right messages to the people who need to hear it can be an enormous challenge. Some are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to discover new insights and strategies. Today on the podcast, we talk to Brene Duggins, a former NFPA Educator of the Year and an early adopter of using AI tools to hone and refine fire education messaging (2:00). She tells us what she’s learned, how you can experiment with these tools, and crucially, what you need to know to avoid making mistakes.  Then, on a new Code Corner, electrical expert Dean Austin, goes over some the key guidance in the National Electrical Code• for installing and locating receptacles for whirlpool tubs (23:02).  Links:  Read a recent NFPA Journal cover story on how artificial intelligence could impact fire and life safety around the globe

    29 min
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The NFPA Podcast is the place for safety professionals to stay up to speed on the fast-paced world of electrical, fire, and life safety. Hear in-depth conversations with people out in the field about how they are confronting new challenges and staying on top of emerging technologies to keep the world safe. Listen the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Email jroman@nfpa.org to send feedback or recommend a topic for future episodes.

Información

  • Creador
    National Fire Protection Association
  • Años de actividad
    2007 - 2024
  • Episodios
    222
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © NFPA 2023
  • Mostrar sitio web
    The NFPA Podcast

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