popular logistics

Another outstanding resource from Brian Steckler from the Naval Postgraduate School and the Center for the Study of Hastily Formed Networks for Humantarian Assistance/Disaster Relief    -

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been compiling a Responder Knowledge Base, much of which is non-classified,  has what appears to be an encyclopedic collection of information about:

• equipment
• equipment grants
• standards
• best practices

If you’re a registered user (first responder, paid or volunteer, planner - someone with a verifiable legitimate use), there’s an “ask an expert” submission form - and the staff promises to try to answer questions, via email, within a week. I’m going to submit a couple of questions that have been, of late, frustrating my attempts to do some communications planning and budgeting.

Fire Engineering reports that DHS has adopted NFPA standards for emergency responders. If you don’t know what this means - it means moving towards common equipment standards that’ll keep everyone safer.

It’s my understanding that NFPA - the National Fire Prevention Association - generally promulgates useful  and rigorous standards. (It should also be noted that, despite having some government support, their work isn’t free to the public; as a consequence, some people have referred to the organization as “No Free Publications Available”). But that, I think, is another topic for another day.

From  “Department of Homeland Security adopts NFPA standards for responders,”

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the adoption of 11 NFPA standards for emergency responders by DHS. The newly adopted standards will set requirements to assist federal agencies and state and local officials responsible for procuring equipment and services used by emergency responders.

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The documents adopted will provide direction and allow officials to make better procurement decisions in the following areas: professional qualifications, occupational safety and health, fire apparatus, personal protective clothing, powered rescue tools, and other equipment.

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The 11 newly adopted standards are:

* NFPA 1000, Standard for Fire Service Professional Qualifications Accreditation and Certification Systems
* NFPA 1001, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications
* NFPA 1002, Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications
* NFPA 1006, Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications
* NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications
* NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program
* NFPA 1582, Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments
* NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus
* NFPA 1906, Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus
* NFPA 1912, Standard for Fire Apparatus Refurbishing
* NFPA 1936, Standard on Powered Rescue Tools