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The protective clothing and gear that firefighters wear must meet requirements established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA uses technical committees to put together these requirements from the fire service, manufacturers, laboratories and other groups, but also relies heavily on input from interested individuals. The involved committees and the NFPA strive to strike the highest levels of safety for these critical components while still trying to achieve reliable and attainable protective products.
A large transformation will take place in late 2024 when the NFPA combines the standards for clothing (NFPA 1971), work uniforms (NFPA 1975), SCBA (NFPA 1981) and PASS devices (NFPA 1982) into a new consolidated standard, NFPA 1970.
In this webinar, firefighter experts Jeff Stull and Battalion Chief Matthew Cox discuss the upcoming standard and changes fire departments will encounter, as well as how they may affect purchase decisions. The discussion includes how the NFPA process works to address firefighter protection needs, the significant changes that will be applied in NFPA 1971 and NFPA 1981, and overall implications for the new standards for the fire service.
You will:
- Understand the importance of and how NFPA provides a process for developing standards on firefighter PPE.
- Become aware of the specific changes in a new consolidated NFPA standard that are likely to be adopted and how these revisions will affect the purchase of new gear and SCBA.
- Recognize how the new consolidated NFPA standard will be applied once adopted, how industry will react, and how fire departments can anticipate its effects.
WHAT ATTENDEES LIKED FROM THIS PRESENTATION
“Both presenters were obviously prepared for their segments and were quite knowledgeable.”
“Presentation of information was easily understood.”
“The information was accurate and clear.”
“While covering a vast array of topics, the presentation and the information remained relatable and easy to understand.”
“I can now take this information and pass it along to my department.”
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Matthew Cox has 22 years of fire service experience, currently serving as a battalion chief for the Fairfax County (Virginia) Fire and Rescue Department where he has served since 2002. Chief Cox currently supervises a battalion of five stations and approximately 60 personnel. He has served on local, regional and national committees focused on improving operational and leadership capabilities for his department and the fire service. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech.
Jeff Stull is president of International Personnel Protection, Inc., which provides expertise and research on the design, evaluation, selection and use of personal protective clothing and equipment, and related products to end users and manufacturers. He has conducted numerous studies related to the effectiveness and performance of protective clothing and equipment in a variety of applications. Stull is a member of several NFPA technical committees on emergency responder protective clothing and related equipment. He is well published in all areas related to protective clothing and equipment, including peer-reviewed articles related to protective clothing performance. He writes a regular PPE-focused column for FireRescue1.