NFPA Journal - Winter 2024 - 12

Dispatches
and climate change.
As AI tools such as ChatGPT become more widespread,
more departments are beginning to explore
ways they might use this technology-and the growing
variety of AI products marketed to them-to
gain insights and improve efficiency.
In the paper, the chiefs encourage departments
to take a confident yet cautious approach to AI that
includes " deliberative action to establish a strong
foundation of agency-level data governance and
policy as a precursor to implementing any artificial
intelligence model, method, or system. "
The paper outlines five " guiding principles " that
department leaders should follow to ensure their
use of AI remains safe and ethical. This includes
having detailed policies on safety and security, privacy,
fairness and non-discrimination, transparency
and accountability, and ensuring that AI doesn't
overtake human decision-making and autonomy.
The third position paper dove into the issue of
health and safety around lithium-ion battery incidents.
(For more on the topic, see this issue's cover
story.) While the research is still thin, firefighters
have reported that their gear becomes contaminated
with a slick film after responding to large incidents
involving batteries like the type that power electric
vehicles, energy storage systems, and many consumer
products, including e-bikes and e-scooters.
Lithium-ion battery fires " produce a wide range of
highly toxic compounds, " including heavy metals
that typical department cleaning methods might
have trouble removing, the paper states. The paper
Firefighters
extinguish a
fire involving an
electric vehicle.
Participants at the
recent Urban Fire
Forum approved
a position paper
highlighting
health and safety
issues faced by
firefighters during
lithium-ion battery
incidents.
offers departments guidance on how to determine
when specialized cleaning might be necessary to
clean gear contaminated by battery incidents and
outlines the cleaning options available.
The final paper is an update to a position paper
the Urban Fire Forum chiefs released in 2023 related
to climate change. It urges department leaders to
rethink their local risks and to be proactive in their
preparations and collaborations with local, state, and
federal agencies. As the climate continues to change,
storms and other natural disasters are expected to
become stronger and have greater impact, even in
parts of the world where such catastrophes have
historically been rare.
Fire departments " often bear the brunt of climate-driven,
high-impact events which take a toll
on their capital resources and personnel, " the paper
says. These " numerous prolonged disasters are driving
the demand for specialized skills and equipment
... [and] underscore the importance of prioritizing
the health, safety, and behavioral well-being of first
responders. "
It is rare for the Urban Fire Forum to deliver
papers on the same topic in consecutive years. The
intent was " to keep the topic at the top of the fire
service's consciousness, " said Otto Drozd, executive
secretary of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association,
a member section of NFPA that helps host the
Urban Fire Forum. " The rationale is that climate
change continues to be one of our greatest and persistent
challenges. "
12 | NFPA JOURNAL * WINTER 2024
DAMIEN MEYER/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
NFPA Journal - Winter 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - Winter 2024
