Author Description

Improve fire fighter safety and service delivery in career fire departments with NFPA 1710. Updated to address new challenges and hazards faced by today's fire fighters and special operations professionals, the 2010 edition of NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments governs the organization and deployment of fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations, and special operations to the public by all career fire departments. Follow up-to-date requirements relating to staffing levels, deployment of resources, response times, and levels of service. Revisions clarify that arriving company resources should be able to handle an offensive attack on a low hazard occupancy, or provide emergency medical care to up to two patients. New definitions include specific time starts and ends that correlate with the 2010 NFPA 1221: Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems. Turnout time -- or the time from start of transmission of the alarm to incident response -- has been increased from 60 seconds to 80 seconds for fire and special operations responses. NFPA 1710 also addresses incident management systems, training systems, and communications systems. The Standard references the IAFC Committee on Fire Accreditation International. (Softbound, 24 pp., 2010)