NFPA Journal - Spring 2023 - 15

addition to cost effectiveness and an
efficient use of time and resources,
the study recognizes that if a
community is not using the latest
versions of a code or amending out
key provisions, they are not meeting
the minimum level of safety and are
putting their jurisdiction in harm's
way, " Pauley said. " Through the
MOU, NFPA proudly supports FPA of
Israel in its commitment to promote
and strengthen the codes and standards
process as a critical element of
the Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem. "
RESEARCH
FPRF receives grant funding
for array of projects
The Fire Protection Research
Foundation (FPRF) has received
grant funding for four projects,
including two funded by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
Assistance to Firefighters Grants
(FEMA AFG) and two funded by the
National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST). FPRF will also
serve in an advisory service capacity
for five additional grants.
The grant-funded projects include
" Firefighting Foams: Implementation
of Fire Service Roadmap, " a two-year
FEMA AFG grant that will build on
the firefighting foams fire service
roadmap developed by a prior grant
project to establish comprehensive
best practices, firefighting tactics,
and recommendations for the fire
service when using fluorine free
foams. " Assessment of Electric Vehicle
Firefighting Techniques, Technologies,
and the Impact of Stranded
Energy, " also a two-year FEMA AFG
grant, is designed to improve safety
for firefighters when responding to
electric vehicle (EV) fires and incidents;
evaluating new technologies
and practices; and determining the
impact of suppression activities and
risks associated with stranded energy
and re-ignition.
The NIST grants include " Current
State of Cigarette Fires in the US:
Data Analysis and Workshop, " which
will gather data on cigarette fires.
Between 2015 and 2019, smoking
materials continued to serve as
the leading cause of US home fire
deaths. The deliverables from this
effort will be used as the basis
for initiatives that further reduce
the number of cigarette fires and
the toll they incur on people and
property. Additionally, " WUI-NITY
4: An Industry-Ready WUI Fire
Evacuation Model Project " focuses
on an integrated software platform
that works to enhance life safety
in wildland-urban interface (WUI)
fires by simulating WUI evacuation
scenarios and linking fire spread,
pedestrian decisions and movement,
and traffic movement.
The FPRF's five advisory projects
range from firefighter health and
safety to carbon dioxide pipelines to
data modeling for community wildfire
vulnerability.
For more on the FPRF, visit nfpa.
org/research.
WILDFIRE
California Firewise
communities hit 600
In December, California saw the
number of designated Firewise USA®
communities in the state reach the
600 mark, a new high for the state
with the most Firewise communities
in the nation.
The community of Rancho/Middle
Canyon in Monterey County had the
distinction of becoming number 600,
with the recognition by NFPA highlighting
the measures the community
has taken to reduce wildfire risk.
" While we celebrate the recognition
of the Rancho/Middle Canyon
community, we are grateful to all 600
communities who have worked hard
this year to prepare their neighborhoods
for wildfire, " said California
State Fire Marshal Mike Richwine.
Earlier this year, CAL FIRE
established a new division to further
focus on community wildfire
preparedness efforts, including the
Firewise USA recognition process.
" A part of our wildfire preparedness
strategy this year has been to
work closely with local communities
and neighborhoods in earning the
Firewise Community recognition, "
said Chief Daniel Berlant, Deputy
Director of CAL FIRE-Office of the
State Fire Marshal's Community
Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation
Division. " Reaching the 600th
community mark is a huge accomplishment,
especially since it was just
seven months ago that we hit 500. "
" Building the connection in the
community allows us to check on
neighbors and check on our neighbors'
properties when an evacuation
occurs, " said Mark Angel, a community
leader. " Community building is
the greatest benefit because it is the
first line of defense-it's your neighbors
that need to stick together and
work together, and it makes all the
difference in the world. "
" Wildfires can impact dozens or
hundreds of homes simultaneously, "
said Michele Steinberg, NFPA Wildfire
Division director. " The work that
people do along with their neighbors
through Firewise USA helps the whole
community to flatten the risk curve. "
The Firewise USA recognition
program is administered by the
wildfire division at NFPA. Individuals
and communities participate in
the program on a voluntary basis
and are recognized as a Firewise
community upon the completion
of certain tasks, including the formation
of a committee of residents
and other wildfire stakeholders,
obtaining a written risk assessment
form, hosting an outreach event in
the community, and ultimately completing
their application to become a
Firewise community.
To learn more, visit nfpa.org/
firewise.
NFPA .ORG/JOURNAL * NFPA JOURNAL | 15
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NFPA Journal - Spring 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - Spring 2023
