Industry news News
NFPA announces members of Fire Service Technical Panel

Dec. 6, 2010, United States – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently announced the
creation of a Fire Service Technical Panel to assist with the
organization’s development of a safety training program to help
emergency responders prepare for the growing number of electric vehicles
on the road. The 14-member panel represents the first responder community and will provide insight and guidance throughout the course of the project.

The panel and NFPA will work in conjunction with the Fire Protection Research Foundation (the Foundation) to identify the unique challenges that first responders face when dealing with electric vehicles in emergency situations. The research effort will address these potential risks and provide guidance for emergency response best practices and ways to address future developments in alternative-fueled vehicles.

“This panel will play a crucial role in the development of the electric vehicle training program,” said Casey Grant, the program director of the Foundation leading the panel. “We have assembled a broad team of experts who will provide invaluable insight on the perspectives of the firefighter and first responder communities, and help guide the dissemination and implementation of the project deliverables.”

The Fire Service Technical Panel roster includes: Gregg Cleveland, NFPA Fire Service Section; John Cunningham, North America Fire Training Directors (NAFTD); Rich Duffy, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF); Bob Hendricks, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs; Larry McKenna, United States Fire Administration (USFA); Jim Narva, National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM); Steve Pegram, IAFC and International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI); Al Rosamond, National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC); Tony Sanfilippo, International Fire Marshals Association (IFMA); Jim Carroll, NAFTD; Karen Deppa, NASFM; Mike Gribbin, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs; Victoria Lee, IAFC; and Ron McGraw, IAFF.

John Cunningham is the sole Canadian on the panel, representing the National Association of Fire Training Directors. Cunningham is executive director of the Nova Scotia Firefighters School. “His presence on the panel should ensure that Canadian first responder concerns are incorporated into the training,” says Sean Tracey, the Canadian regional manager of NFPA International.

“The NFPA’s goal is to create the premier portal through which first responders can access education and safety information about all aspects of advanced electrical vehicles,” Tracey says. “The aim is for widely accessible training programs so that first responders can be assured that they can handle whatever circumstance may surface, and that they are prepared to safely deal with any new hazards or vehicle extrication techniques that may be required.”

For more information and resources about NFPA’s Electrical Vehicle Safety Training Program for U.S. emergency responders, visit www.evsafetytraining.org, and read Sean Tracey’s November 2010 NFPA Impact column on the topic in Fire Fighting in Canada.