Fire Prevention

Fire Chiefs Endorse Position Papers

Fire chiefs recently participated in the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) Urban Fire Forum (UFF) and endorsed five important documents that address current and emerging issues having an impact on the future of fire and emergency services worldwide. The documents take account of a wide-range of topics including the well-being and mental health of firefighters, …

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Free Training on Fire and Explosion Hazards from Lithium-Ion Batteries

Underwriters Laboratories’ (UL’s) Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) has created a free online training module, Science of Fire and Explosion Hazards from Lithium-Ion Batteries, to help firefighters better understand the physical phenomena that determine how hazards develop during lithium-ion battery incidents.

Report: Warning Signs Ignored Ahead of Maui Wildfire

A raging fire burning directly into densely populated areas. A historic city built between the ocean and a volcano with limited escape routes. Gale-force winds that left firefighters on the defensive. In the wake of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century, officials in Hawaii have, at times, insisted that little could have been done …

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Investigation: Lack of Training a Factor in Fatal Plant Explosion

In late June, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board released its final investigation report on the 2020 propylene release and explosion at the Watson Grinding facility in Houston, Texas, that fatally injured two workers and a nearby resident and damaged hundreds of neighboring homes. The CSB’s final report highlights two key safety issues: …

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New IAFC Wildfire Evacuation Planning Toolkit

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and its Wildland Fire Policy Committee are proud to announce the launch of our new interactive web-based geospatial Wildfire Evacuation Planning Toolkit. This toolkit allows users to assess their current capabilities, view evacuation resources, and explore their community within a map-based application to create evacuation zones.

Fire Officials Unaware of Railroad Maintenance that Sparked Fires

The fires and railroad personnel denying access to local fire departments came just months after a Norfolk Southern train carrying volatile chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, prompting evacuations of nearby residents as those chemicals burned. The company has been criticized for minimizing safety measures to maximize profit.