In addition to a host of changes that are taking place at the Residential Fire Safety Institute, we are announcing the updated and enhanced RFSI website. The website is in the process of undergoing a significant revision, and remains a work in progress. Please take a look at the improvements so far and provide us with you comments, suggestions and additional content offerings.
RFSI Promotes Residential Fire Safety From Its New Home
Back in 1982, the Residential Fire Safety Institute (RFSI), then known as Operation Life Safety, began its efforts to reduce fire related deaths in our country's homes in support of its mission "to significantly reduce residential fire deaths, injuries and property losses through the use of public awareness and education programs and the promotion of early-warning detection, alarm, fast-response sprinkler and fire suppression technology."
Over the years, RFSI has made tremendous strides in fire safety education, encouraging fire safe practices and promoting the installation of residential fire sprinklers, smoke alarms and Carbon Dioxide detectors. Today, the Institute's mission has evolved into an even more important piece of the home fire safety challenge, with renewed and updated efforts - and a new home.
In January 2009, the RFSI Steering Committee voted to move the assets and RFSI services under the umbrella of the newly established National Association of State Fire Marshals Fire Research and Education Foundation (NASFM Foundation). The NASFM Foundation has been entrusted with continuing and updating RFSI's educational and information efforts, as well as expanding on the technical assistance that RFSI provides. This new relationship will result in substantial positive changes and
considerable enhancements in how RFSI carries out its mission.
Under the theme, "Doing the Right Thing for Fire Safety," the NASFM Foundation encourages public-private cooperation and cost sharing in pursuit of higher levels of fire safety. Additionally, the United States Fire Administration (USFA) has generously agreed to provide baseline funding for basic programs in 2009. Further, the NASFM Foundation will be actively seeking financial supporter as well as advisory partners on the RFSI Project to help ensure that all interested stakeholders
have an opportunity to participate in enhancing residential safety.
Many of RFSI's past activities will continue, including publication of the well known Operation Life Safety newsletter, which will now be published more frequently and in a new all-electronic format. Please subscribe to the OLS here: olsnews@firesafehome.org We will also continue to provide educational resources and technical assistance to fire departments and local and state governments on programs that involve residential fire sprinklers,
carbon monoxide and smoke alarms, and other early warning equipment. In addition to continuing the valued services that RFSI has provided in the past, the NASFM Foundation intends to expand the scope of these services as funding permits. Program-specific sponsorships will be offered to those that wish to see greater emphasis in areas like carbon monoxide detection, more effective smoke alarm education and requirements for residential fire sprinklers, to name a few.
By way of example, RFSI has identified a need for more effective implementation and administration of residential sprinkler ordinances and code requirements. As more and more jurisdictions are succeeding in their efforts to adopt sprinkler requirements, the work has only just started at that point. The process of establishing and managing plans reviews, permitting, installation and ongoing maintenance requirements is daunting, and of critical importance. RFSI plans to establish sponsorship
programs to assist fire officials in this area as well as others.
For 20 years, the RFSI has worked collaboratively with related organizations and regulators in the name of fire safety. Along with the critical baseline funding provided by the US Fire Administration, additional public and private funding is being sought to continue and add to the RFSI program list. RFSI is seeking well-respected organizations to serve as sponsors that are dedicated to fire prevention, early warning and rapid detection and suppression.
In accordance with guidelines set forth by the NASFM Foundation, based upon sponsorship level, contributors are invited to sit on a Steering Committee, which advises RFSI on project objectives and strategies. This Steering Committee brings valuable expertise and guidance to the overall program, and provides advocacy for the RFSI mission.
In addition, the NASFM Foundation can provide services to interested sponsors including:
- A crucial link between what is possible with science and technology and what is needed to enhance public and emergency responder safety.
- A neutral forum to obtain scientific, technical and "real world" input from qualified experts for use in the development of criteria, justifications, best practices, products, services, standards, consensus processes or regulations that achieve higher levels of safety.
- A place in which issues related to fire safety, health and environmental quality can be explored and debated, with the goal of determining how all three elements can be achieved simultaneously at high levels.
- Development and management of programs and special studies to obtain incident or performance data to help determine priorities, focus resources, and guide decisions.
- Development and management of educational workshops that provide briefings or training on complex subjects for a variety of audiences from emergency responders to congressional staff.
For more information about RFSI and the NASFM Foundation, please contact Jim Narva at jnarva@firesafehome.org or Lane Wintermute at lwintermute@firesafehome.org