NEWS AND EVENTS
FPANT would like to congratulate Fire Marshal John Gillette on his success in University Park. His diligent efforts resulted in a mandatory home fire sprinkler ordinance for all homes with no square footage limit. More to come on this in the near future.
More information can be found at www.uptexas.org, or the press release here.
Portable Extinguisher ANSI/UL-711 Test Standard Changes. (11/8/7)
Changes being made to UL Rating system for portable fire extinguishers. This includes all US and Canadian Manufacturers.
Read the synapses and technical bulletin here.
FPANT's Position Statement on the Non-Compliant UL 300 Kitchen Hood Extinguishing Systems (11/14/7)
Review the position statement and recommend compliance and corrective actions on January 1, 2008.
NFPA applauds Reynolds American Inc. announcement of product-wide switch to “fire-safe” cigarettes. Urges other tobacco companies to follow (11/14/7)
October 25, 2007 – Today’s announcement by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company that it will manufacture all of its cigarette brands using “fire-safe” technology (PDF, 29 KB) is a victory for all of those interested in public safety, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the group it coordinates, the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes." Nearly two years ago, we began urging major tobacco companies to switch to this life-saving technology,” said James M. Shannon, NFPA’s president. “While it could have been done sooner, I applaud their action and urge every other tobacco company to do the same. There is no reason everyone in the country shouldn’t have the same protection.”
You can read more of the announcement on the NFPA website at http://www.nfpa.org/newsReleaseDetails.asp?categoryID=488&itemID=36577.
NIST Study Shows Homeowner’s Gain with Installation of Fire Sprinkler System
A new study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found that for new home construction, a multipurpose network sprinkler system that connects to a house's regular water supply and piping makes good economic sense. NIST's Benefit-Cost Analysis of Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems report, released last month, examines data from 2002 to 2005 to value the economic performance of a residential "wet-pipe" fire sprinkler system. The study builds on a prior cost analysis developed by NIST’s Building and Fire Research Laboratory and offers a current analysis of the economics of residential fire sprinkler technology.
You can read the NFSA announcement online at
http://www.nfsa.org/index2.htm, or you may view the PDF's here. Read Full Story and View NFSA ResponseSmoke Alarm Recommendations Reissued
Fairfax, Va., Oct. 29, 2007...
News of the house fire that tragically took the lives of seven university
students in South Carolina this weekend has further spurred the
discussion on the efficacy of certain types of smoke alarms, as well as some
speculation regarding the alarms involved in the blaze.
In light of this event, the IAFC is reissuing the
September 18, 2007, member alert
recommending dual-technology devices and release of a
detailed position paper from the
IAFC Fire and Life Safety Section.
The IAFC continues to participate in discussions and scientific study about the differences between ionization and photoelectric alarms in order to provide the fire service and the public accurate guidance that supports a clear and trusted system.
The IAFC applauds its members for the swift response to this critical issue. The association urges members to review the entire body of scientific research as well as IAFC recommendations before taking action. We are concerned that not doing so could create an environment that could lead to an anti-smoke alarm backlash, which could produce equally tragic results. We also discourage any speculation about the recent fire in South Carolina. Once the investigative report is available, the IAFC will incorporate any smoke alarm-related findings into our study of the issue.
You can read the IAFC position paper online at http://www.iafc.org/associations/4685/files/FLSS_Position_Paper_smoke_alarms.pdf.
Review the NEW FPANT Logo Design. (JPG) (11/8/7)
We will be exploring the possibility of ordering t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc. in the near future. If you have an interest in purchasing or have an idea for the use of our logo, please contact Andrew Barr at abarr@mckinneytexas.org.
FPANT Sponsors North Texas Chapter of NFSA Sprinkler Demonstration Trailer.
The FPANT executive board voted in early April to provide funding support and sponsorship of the North Texas Chapter of NFSA's Sprinkler Demonstration Trailer. The board approved a donation of $1,000 which gives us 4 star sponsorship level.
You may read more about NFSA's campaign here. (0.1 MB PDF)
Counterfeit Sprinklers
UL Warns of Counterfeit UL Listed Automatic Fire Sprinklers. More information can be found
here, or on the UL website here http://www.ul.com/media/newsrel/nr071406.html.Fire-Safe Cigarettes
The Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes is working to save lives and prevent injuries and devastation from cigarette-ignited fires. The Coalition is calling for cigarette manufacturers to immediately produce and market only cigarettes that adhere to an established cigarette fire safety performance standard. In addition, the Coalition is working to see that these standards for fire-safe cigarettes are required in every state in the country. Cigarettes are the leading cause of home fire fatalities in the United States, killing 700 to 900 people - smokers and nonsmokers alike -every year. Visit
www.firesafecigarettes.org or www.nfpa.org to learn more and sign the online petition.
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