March 3, 2004—The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has adopted five NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards for personal protective equipment for first responders. These adoptions will assist state and local procurement officials in selecting the best available protective equipment.
The standards, the first of their kind to be adopted by DHS, will protect first responders against chemical, biological and other hazards at emergency incidents.
The five standards are
- NFPA 1951, Standard on Protective Ensemble for USAR Operations
- NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus for Fire and Emergency Services
- NFPA 1991, Standard on Vapor-Protective Ensembles for Hazardous Materials Emergencies
- NFPA 1994, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Chemical/Biological Terrorism Incidents
- NFPA 1999, Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations
In addition, DHS adopted three other standards, from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, (NIOSH), for respirators to protect against chemical/biological/ radiological/nuclear environments.
The standards adopted will also provide manufacturers with requirements for the design, performance, testing, and certification of equipment.
All NFPA safety codes and standards are developed through a process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The 200 technical committees responsible for developing and updating all 300 codes and standards include 6,000 volunteers, representing enforcing authorities, installation and maintenance, labor, research and testing, insurance, special experts, consumers and other users.
For more information, contact NFPA.
