Firewise Communities

NFPA partners with LEGOLAND® Florida for fire safety education

Lauren Backstrom — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:23:00 -0500

Streamers flew and smoke alarms beeped as NFPA kicked off its long-term partnership with LEGOLAND® Florida to provide lifesaving information to families and kids during a press event and special fire safety day at central Florida’s newest theme park yesterday. Want to view a quick video recap of the day's...

NFPA and IWomen Working Together to Address PPE Sizing Needs

Lauren Backstrom — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:04:00 -0500

Fit Like a Glove: When Technological and Cultural Innovation Collide From the February 15, 2012 issue of On Scene When Neil Armstrong planted his boot on the surface of the moon, it was because technological and Work Together cultural innovation collided. His ability to effectively maneuver, safely operate and feel...

Read the February issue of Fire Break, NFPA's e-newsletter about wildland fires

Lauren Backstrom — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:54:47 -0500

The February issue of Fire Break, NFPA’s wildland fire newsletter, is available for viewing. In this issue you’ll find: Information about our first Firewise plant calendar photo contest A link to our latest DVD that offers post-fire investigation clues to help firefighters Details/registration information on the upcoming Home Ignition Zone...

Georgia, on high alert this wildfire season, incorporates Firewise principles to help prevent wildland fires

Lauren Backstrom — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0500

The Georgia Forestry Commission and its partners are on high alert for a potentially harsh wildfire season due to the drought conditions that have plagued most of southeast Georgia this year. The Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) is responsible for all wildfire suppression in the State of Georgia. Georgia averages over...

Firewise Saves: Disaster Averted in Virginia

Michele Steinberg — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:31:57 -0500

This weekend marks one year since Virgina woodland homes in Catawba were tested during a 650-acre wildfire known as the Pickle Branch fire. The winter 2011 issue of the Firewise How-To Newsletter covers the fire on pages 10 and 11 and tells the story of three homes that stood out...

NFPA Visits Bastrop County five months later

Lauren Backstrom — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:51:54 -0500

On Sunday, September 4, 2011, the Bastrop County Complex Fire began to burn. The fire consumed over 32,000 acres and destroyed over 1600 structures before it was under control. Located about 25 minutes east of Austin, TX, the fire that raged through the Bastrop area completely devastated county neighborhoods and...

Wildland Fire Operations Division seeks project manager to head youth education program

Lauren Backstrom — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:16:41 -0500

Based on my past two years of visiting with our state forestry partners, fire officials, and communities, a common theme emerged: “What do you have for youth?” The way I look at it, it’s not just about wanting to provide entertaining activities for kids at fairs and exhibits (though these...

Firewise saves: Shenandoah Farms, Virginia

Michele Steinberg — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0500

The theme of the latest Firewise How To Newsletter is "When Fire Strikes Home". Quite a fitting theme for the dramatic wildfire season we experienced in the U.S. during 2011. What many might not realize about 2011, in the midst of all the disaster reporting and bad news, was that...

Calling all photographers! Enter the Firewise plant calendar contest!

Lauren Backstrom — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0500

NFPA is asking photo enthusiasts to submit photographs of Firewise plants from around the country (and your backyard)! Winning entries will be used in the 2013 Firewise Calendar. Entrants may submit up to 10 unique and original photos of Firewise plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, and grasses found in their region....

Deadly combination of smoke and fog

Lauren Backstrom — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:04:50 -0500

Image: Bob Schowalter, 2003 This past weekend Gainesville, Florida witnessed one of its worst motor-vehicle accidents in recent times, and it was blamed on brush fire smoke and fog. This tragedy raises an important question related to how we manage fire and fire risk in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). Several...