NFPA and NVFC release Standards Guide for Fire Departments

Published on March 18, 2013
NFPA and NVFC release Standards Guide for Fire Departments

March 18, 2013 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have teamed up to develop a guide to assist fire departments in understanding and implementing NFPA standards.Understanding and Implementing Standards (PDF, 10 MB) examines three major NFPA standards relating to safety and health and offers clarification, identifies manageable steps, and highlights available resources to help departments reach their safety goals. Information regarding the standards making process is also provided.

Video: NFPA’s Ken Willette talks about the guide for understanding and implementing standards.

The guide breaks down the following standards: 

  • NFPA 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program
  • NFPA 1720 Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments
  • NFPA 1851 Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting

In addition to the guide, the NVFC has created an online resource center highlighting documents and tools that can assist departments in implementing these standards. The resource center also promotes the sharing of best practices by providing sample SOPs/SOGs and firsthand accounts from departments who have implemented the standards

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. NFPA develops more than 300 codes and standards to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other hazards. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed at no cost at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.

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Contact: Lorraine Carli, Public Affairs Office: +1 617 984-7275

Featured Product
NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, 2013 Edition
NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, 2013 Edition
Item #: NFPA_1500


NFPA 1720: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments, 2014 Edition
NFPA 1720: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments, 2014 Edition
Item #: NFPA_1720


NFPA 1851: Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, 2014 Edition
NFPA 1851: Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, 2014 Edition
Item #: NFPA_1851