This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
PM Engineer logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
PM Engineer logo
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Edition
    • Archives
    • Radiant & Hydronics Report
    • Green Plumbing & Heating
    • Fire Protection & Design Special Section
    • NSF Design Special Section
    • Radiant Comfort Guide
    • PVF Outlook
    • Ad Index
  • Market Sectors
    • Green Plumbing
    • Green Mechanical Systems
    • Codes
    • Fire Protection
    • Radiant/Hydronics
    • Solar Thermal/Geothermal
    • Bath & Kitchen
    • Water Treatment
    • Technology
  • eNewsletter
    • Supply House Times e-news
    • pme eNewsletter Archives
    • Radiant & Hydronics eNews Archives
    • Bath & Kitchen Pro eNews Archives
    • Western Plumbing News Archives
    • Subscribe to Plumbing Group eNewsletters
  • Columnists
    • Julius Ballanco on Codes
    • Editor's Note
    • John Siegenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
    • Dan Holohan: Heating Help
    • Ray Wohlfarth: The Boiler Room
    • Jacqueline Wilmot: Fire Protection
    • Christoph Lohr: Professional Development Pipeline
    • Ethan Grossman: Water Cooler Conversations
    • Blog
  • Multimedia
    • PME AHR Expo 2019 Videos
    • pme Network Videos
    • eBook
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Photo Gallery
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
  • Products
  • More
    • History of Plumbing
    • Industry Calendar
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Classified Ads
    • Market Research
    • Bookstore
    • Continuing Education
  • Directories
    • B.I.G. Book
    • Rep Locator
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
Home » 2018 NFPA Conference and Expo looks to fix 'ecosystem'
Market SectorsPlumbing & Mechanical & Fire CodesFire Protection

2018 NFPA Conference and Expo looks to fix 'ecosystem'

NFPA looks to fix the ‘ecosystem’ during annual conference

2018 NFPA Conference and Expo looks to fix 'ecosystem'

HOLDRITE and its array of firestop sleeves were on display in the expo hall at the 2018 NFPA Conference and Expo June 11-14 at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas. Photo by John McNally/pme.

Xylem and its A-C Fire Pump brand displayed 3D-printed prototypes of potential pumps

Xylem and its A-C Fire Pump brand displayed 3D-printed prototypes of potential pumps at its booth at the 2018 NFPA Conference and Expo. Photo by John McNally/pme.

2018 NFPA Conference and Expo looks to fix 'ecosystem'
Xylem and its A-C Fire Pump brand displayed 3D-printed prototypes of potential pumps
July 20, 2018
John McNally
KEYWORDS NFPA / plumbing codes / trade show
Reprints
No Comments

NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley went straight to the point at the opening session of the 2018 NFPA Conference and Expo June 11-14 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Pauley noted the number of structure fires is down, but today a person is more likely to die in a fire than they were 20 years ago. “We have the tools to prevent these damaging fires with sprinklers, smoke alarms, codes and enforcement,” he said. “But they are met with resistance. They are underused, ignored or allowed to become outdated.”

Additionally, Pauley stated the world is facing new challenges and NFPA and its members have to face them head on. Since the 2017 NFPA Expo in Boston, major fire and loss of life happened around the world including the Grenfell Tower in London (71 deaths), more than 60 deaths in Portugal during wildfires and nearly 60 deaths (including 12 off-duty firefighters) in the Harvest music festival mass shooting outside the same building where the NFPA Expo took place in Las Vegas.


Check out: 2018 NFPA Conference and Expo Photo Gallery


“Each of these examples are a tragedy on their own,” Pauley said. “When taken together, they represent a catastrophic failure of what I call the ‘fire- and life-safety ecosystem.’ We are backsliding when we should be forging ahead. Collectively, we have forgotten to connect the dots. Everyone is so focused on their part that we have forgotten safety is a system.”

The fire- and life-safety ecosystem features eight elements that play a role in working together to protect people and property, Pauley noted. “When we have seen calamities, we can trace the cause of those situations back to a breakdown in one or more these elements,” he said.

Those eight elements are government responsibility; development and use of current codes; reference standards; investment in safety; skilled workforce; code compliance; preparedness and emergency response; and an informed public.

At the expo, NFPA released CodeFinder, a massive interactive online tool that identifies NFPA codes and standards in effect throughout U.S. cities, municipalities or counties. CodeFinder also can identify codes in play in regions of Canada, South America, Latin America and the Middle East.

CodeFinder has color-coded mapping, a convenient hovering feature and filtering by jurisdiction. Users also can search by topic or by the frequently-used NFPA codes and standards. In addition, users can provide code information that is not included in CodeFinder.

During the expo, Pauley praised the new tool and emphasized the importance it, as well as the role codes and standards play in the fire- and life-safety ecosystem.

“Codes and standards are developed by experts from around the globe to ensure a minimum level of safety,” he stated. “Current editions of codes incorporate learnings from new research, case studies, loss experience and innovation. By applying the most recent codes and standards, we will ensure people and property get the level of protection they expect and deserve.

“CodeFinder was developed so those charged with fire and life safety can easily access up-to-date safety benchmarks and help reduce risk in our world.”

Other highlights from the Expo include:

  • NFPA elected Brion Callori, Martha Connors, Reginald D. Freeman, William J. Fries and Louis Paulson to the organization’s board of directors. John D. Bonney, R. David Paulison and Michael Wallace were reelected to the board. All will serve a three-year term.

  • Founder and President of Columbia, Maryland-based engineering firm Koffel Associates Bill Koffel was awarded the Standards Medal. Koffel has been an NFPA member since 1979 and has taken part in 27 different technical committees, chairs three NFPA technical committees and recently chaired the Correlating Committee for NFPA 101, Life Safety Code for nine years.

  • Retired fire chief Jim Dalton was honored with the 2018 James M. Shannon Advocacy Medal for his career-long commitment and passion for fire safety. Pauley and NFPA noted Dalton’s efforts culminated with the passage of the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act.

The 2019 NFPA Conference and Expo is set for June 17-20 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.

 

This article was originally titled “NFPA looks to fix the ‘ecosystem’ during annual conference” in the July 2018 print edition of PM Engineer.

Subscribe to PM Engineer

Recent Articles by John McNally

BIM standardization is a challenge worth exploring

pme Profile: Henderson Engineers’ Christoph Lohr, P.E.

John McNally: Chance taken sets a tone for career, energy policy

Geothermal heating, onsite boiler plant have historic church on a new path

2018 ASPE Expo balances work and fun

Johnmc_w_200

John McNally was a former Editor of PM Engineer.

Related Articles

2017 NFAP Expo looks to the past to build its future

John McNally: 2018 NFPA Expo sets a new course for emergency situations

The 2016 NFPA Expo heads to Las Vegas

2016 ASPE Conference and Expo ready to shine

Related Events

ICC, PMI Webinar: Changes to the 2015 IPC

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

John Siegenthaler: Renewable Heating Design

John Siegenthaler: Pellet-fired boilers need thermal storage

Chis Wysoczanski, P.E.

2019 pme Mechanical Engineer of the Year: Fitzemeyer & Tocci's Chris Wysoczanski, P.E.

Julius Ballanco

Julius Ballanco: Not much changed at IAPMO

Ethan Grossman

Ethan Grossman: Getting dirty in engineering

Christoph Lohr

Christoph Lohr: Looking at the importance of personality metrics

Mechanical Engineer of the Year 2017 360

Events

December 30, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Products

2020 National Plumbing & HVAC Estimator

2020 National Plumbing & HVAC Estimator

See More Products

PME-PlumberEngineer2017_360.png


PME Rep Locator

PM Engineer Magazine

PME November 2019

2019 November

Check out the November 2019 edition of PME: PME's Mechanical Contractor of the Year, drainage trends, pellet-fired boilers, flue gas venting, and much more!
View More Create Account
  • Resources
    • List Rental
    • Reprints
    • eNewsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Editorial Submissions
  • Want More?
    • Subscribe
    • Industry Links
    • Connect
    • Survey And Sample
  • Plumbing Group
    • Plumbing & Mechanical
    • Supply House Times
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Plan For 2020!

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing