Sparky spent a day with his good friend Smokey Bear, the mascot of the Forest Service and a widely recognized face of wildfire prevention. The two of them got to attend a birthday party for Sparky hosted by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Bureau of Forest Fire Control, complete with birthday cake! On Saturday, May 7, Sparky and Smokey will both be out doing work to protect their communities from wildfire, as part of National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. Anyone who wants to join them can visit our website to learn how to create a project using our... Continue reading

Sparky visited New Orleans’ St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the country. While the current cathedral was built in 1783, residents of New Orleans have worshiped at that site since 1718. Since that time, the cathedral has become one of New Orleans’ historic French Quarter... Continue reading

Sparky visited New Orleans’ St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the country. While the current cathedral was built in 1783, residents of New Orleans have worshiped at that site since 1718. Since that time, the cathedral has become one of New Orleans’ historic French Quarter District’s most significant landmarks. Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events he’d like to accomplish from now through October. As he checks them off his list, we’ll... Continue reading

Sparky got to spend a day in Philadelphia, where he checked off two of his bucket list items by running the famous “Rocky steps” and visiting the Liberty Bell. The 1976 film Rocky made the front steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art almost as much of a cultural landmark... Continue reading

Sparky got to spend a day in Philadelphia, where he checked off two of his bucket list items by running the famous “Rocky steps” and visiting the Liberty Bell. The 1976 film Rocky made the front steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art almost as much of a cultural landmark as the art inside the museum. The Liberty Bell was cast in 1752 and has since become a Philadelphia landmark and an iconic symbol of American independence. Through the window behind the bell, you can see Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution were both signed.... Continue reading

On of Conference & Expo’s most anticipated tracks, on codes and standards, will include over a dozen educational sessions meant to impart the best applications for NFPA codes and standards, and to keep attendees updated on the recent updates and... Continue reading

Sparky visited Seattle's Space Needle, which is the largest building on earth by volume by volume. At 605 feet tall, the building is so high that when it was first constructed in the 1960s clouds would sometimes form inside the tower! There are 848 steps leading up to the Space Needle's observation deck, and, luckily, an elevator! Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events he’d like to accomplish from now through October. As he checks them off... Continue reading

Sparky visited Seattle's Space Needle, which is the largest building on earth by volume by volume. At 605 feet tall, the building is so high that when it was first constructed in the 1960s clouds would sometimes form inside the tower! There are 848 steps leading up to the Space... Continue reading

Sparky got to spend a day eating his way through Hersheypark and Chocolate World in Hershey, PA. Hersheypark, which opened in 1906, was founded by Milton Hershey as a leisure park for the employees of his chocolate company. Chocolate World, the accompanying visitors’ center, opened in 1973 and offers visitors... Continue reading

Sparky got to spend a day eating his way through Hersheypark and Chocolate World in Hershey, PA. Hersheypark, which opened in 1906, was founded by Milton Hershey as a leisure park for the employees of his chocolate company. Chocolate World, the accompanying visitors’ center, opened in 1973 and offers visitors a look into how chocolate is made. Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events he’d like to accomplish from now through October. As he checks them off... Continue reading

photo courtesy of NREL Image Gallery Last week, Toyota introduced their new hydrogen fuel car, Mirai, to California streets. Like any alternative fuel vehicle (AFV), cars powered by hydrogen present unique challenges for the fire service and emergency responders. “In general, AFVs are different for first responders because they’re used to responding to vehicles that have internal combustion engines. They have decades of experience addressing vehicle fires that have that sort of technology, so AFVs present new challenges for emergency response crews,” says Michael Gorin, a project manager at NFPA. NFPA offers training and other resources for those dealing with... Continue reading

Sparky checked off two items when he visited Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, both in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. Construction on the Crazy Horse Memorial, a tribute to Native Americans, was started in 1948. While it’s still far from completion, the memorial is already the world's largest mountain carving! Mount Rushmore took 14 years to complete, and now attracts over 2 million visitors every year. Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events... Continue reading

Sparky checked off two items when he visited Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, both in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. Construction on the Crazy Horse Memorial, a tribute to Native Americans, was started in 1948. While it’s still far from completion, the memorial is already the... Continue reading

Sparky checked of yet another bucket list item by joining members of the National Guard at the McCrady Training Center in South Carolina. Sparky got to participate in training exercises and even ride in a tank! Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all... Continue reading

Sparky checked of yet another bucket list item by joining members of the National Guard at the McCrady Training Center in South Carolina. Sparky got to participate in training exercises and even ride in a tank! Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events he’d like to accomplish from now through October. As he checks them off his list, we’ll make sure to share them with you. Some of Sparky’s wishes are pretty lofty, while others are just... Continue reading

Sparky spent a day at Oregon’s Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, just in time for their annual Tulip Fest. Every year, a stunning expanse of colorful tulips stretch across the farm’s 40 acres of land, a spectacle that draws families (and dogs!) from around the country. Sparky turned 65 on March... Continue reading

Sparky spent a day at Oregon’s Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, just in time for their annual Tulip Fest. Every year, a stunning expanse of colorful tulips stretch across the farm’s 40 acres of land, a spectacle that draws families (and dogs!) from around the country. Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events he’d like to accomplish from now through October. As he checks them off his list, we’ll make sure to share them with you. Some of... Continue reading

photo courtesy of Shutterstock Since first entering the US market in 2007, electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular, with sales reaching $1.5 billion in 2014. Uncertainties abound about this relatively new technology, ranging from the health effects of this alternative to traditional cigarettes to the threat of injury resulting from fire or explosions caused by e-cigarettes. Last week, NFPA released a report about the increase in fires and explosions from the use of e-cigarettes. By tracking media coverage of fires caused by e-cigarettes, NFPA has determined that these sorts of fires are on the rise. There were 15 incidents reported... Continue reading

This week, Sparky got to visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Located in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the memorial commemorates Wilbur and Orville Wright’s historic experiments in aviation, including the “first flight” of 1903. This summer, the National Parks Service will also celebrate an important anniversary- 100 years of looking... Continue reading

This week, Sparky got to visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Located in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the memorial commemorates Wilbur and Orville Wright’s historic experiments in aviation, including the “first flight” of 1903. This summer, the National Parks Service will also celebrate an important anniversary- 100 years of looking after America's national parks. Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events he’d like to accomplish from now through October. As he checks them off his list, we’ll... Continue reading

Sparky got to visit the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Built in 1744 by Spanish missionaries, the Alamo was converted to a military fortification in the late 1800s. In 1836, it was the site of the famous Battle of the Alamo, which has since been immortalized in movies and books. Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events he’d like to accomplish from now through October. As he checks them off his list, we’ll make sure to share... Continue reading

Sparky got to visit the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Built in 1744 by Spanish missionaries, the Alamo was converted to a military fortification in the late 1800s. In 1836, it was the site of the famous Battle of the Alamo, which has since been immortalized in movies and books.... Continue reading

Sparky checked off yet another bucket list item when he got to ride in Alaska’s Helo-2 search and rescue helicopter. Purchased in 2013, Helo-2 helps Alaska State Troopers cover the state’s vast expanses that would otherwise be inaccessible. Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling out all the stops to help him celebrate! He’s created a bucket list of 65 activities and events he’d like to accomplish from now through October. As he checks them off his list, we’ll make sure to share them with you. Some of Sparky’s wishes are pretty lofty, while others... Continue reading

Sparky checked off yet another bucket list item when he got to ride in Alaska’s Helo-2 search and rescue helicopter. Purchased in 2013, Helo-2 helps Alaska State Troopers cover the state’s vast expanses that would otherwise be inaccessible. Sparky turned 65 on March 18, 2016, and we have been pulling... Continue reading

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) continues to build an international presence by sharing fire and life safety resources, expertise and research across the globe in an ongoing effort to help save lives and reduce loss. This week, we released the Bangladesh Ready-Made Garment (RMG) Industry High-Level Assessment Report. This document, which looks at Bangladesh’s fire and building safety standards, protocols, inspection procedures and training programs for RMG factories, provides short- and long-term recommendations to improve fire and life safety at these facilities. Over the past several years, several catastrophic fires and accidents in the Bangladesh garment district have killed... Continue reading