WASHINGTON, D.C. — National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, was passed at the NFPA annual business meeting on May 16 in Anaheim, California, after a two-hour debate. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), more than 2,600 IAFF members voted in unison; the standard passed by a 10:1 margin.
The IAFF is already developing a strategy for implementing the standard on fire department deployment and operations. IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger explains that implementation will be a multiyear process and that the IAFF is prepared to work with fire chiefs, city managers, mayors, and other elected officials to achieve it.
The standard provides guidelines for the organization, operation, deployment, and evaluation of public fire protection and emergency medical services. It includes requirements for minimum four-person staffing, with staffs of five and six in high-density areas; four-minute response times for first-due companies and eight-minute responses for full alarms; and two paramedics on all advanced life support (ALS) EMS calls.
NFPA 1720, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Departments, was also passed at the meeting.
