Last week ISHN reported on a new National Fire Protection Association standard (NFPA 1710) that sets staffing, response time and operational requirements for professional or "career" fire service and rescue departments. NFPA has also approved a companion operational standard (NFPA 1720) covering volunteer fire departments.
Key provisions for volunteer firefighting activity: At least four personnel must be assembled at the site of a structural fire before interior fire suppression operations can begin; and when assembled, volunteers must be able to safely begin firefighting within two minutes 90 percent of the time.