NFPA: Is it Doing the Job? with Bobby Eckert

01/18/24 • 16 min

Code 3 - The Firefighters Podcast

The National Fire Protection Association seems like a pretty important

organization. For example, Its reports are routinely used by fire departments

to justify staffing requests.

But not everyone is satisfied with how the NFPA operates. Some members of the fire

service believe the standards for equipment service life are too inflexible.

And there’s the question of who writes the standards in the first place.

One of the NFPA’s loudest critics on social media is Bobby Eckert. He’s a

Captain with the City of Camden Fire Department in New Jersey. Bobby also owns

and operates Eckert Fire Tactics.

We decided to ask Bobby to explain his concerns about the NFPA.

We initially asked the NFPA to participate in a debate-style format with Bobby,

but they declined the offer. Instead, they offered a representative who would

do a one-on-one interview.

We agreed to that, and I was able to ask questions of the NFPA’s Responder Technical

Lead, Curt Floyd.

Then we matched up Curt’s answers with Bobby’s questions.

The National Fire Protection Association seems like a pretty important

organization. For example, Its reports are routinely used by fire departments

to justify staffing requests.

But not everyone is satisfied with how the NFPA operates. Some members of the fire

service believe the standards for equipment service life are too inflexible.

And there’s the question of who writes the standards in the first place.

One of the NFPA’s loudest critics on social media is Bobby Eckert. He’s a

Captain with the City of Camden Fire Department in New Jersey. Bobby also owns

and operates Eckert Fire Tactics.

We decided to ask Bobby to explain his concerns about the NFPA.

We initially asked the NFPA to participate in a debate-style format with Bobby,

but they declined the offer. Instead, they offered a representative who would

do a one-on-one interview.

We agreed to that, and I was able to ask questions of the NFPA’s Responder Technical

Lead, Curt Floyd.

Then we matched up Curt’s answers with Bobby’s questions.

Previous Episode

Firefighter mental health in small bites with Sheena Glover

If you’ve ever known a firefighter who committed suicide, you know how it can change your life.

It may have come as a complete surprise to you. Or maybe you had been worried about the firefighter’s state of mind.

There’s been a lot said and written about what we can do for ourselves to prevent suicide.

But today, we’re going to talk about a program designed to help you intervene in another firefighter’s emotional crisis before it becomes a fatal one.

It's called “Small Bites.” Because that’s how you fix an elephant-size problem...one small bite at a time.

The program was developed by Sheena Glover. She is a captain with the Omaha, Nebraska Fire Department. She’s a 15-year veteran and holds several specialty ratings. Sheena is just the fourth Black female in the history of the department.

Next Episode

HyperSight Vehicle-Mounted TICs with Stan Cannata

Anyone who has ever fought a wildland fire knows situational

awareness is critical to safety and effectiveness on the fireground.

But visibility, a key part of that awareness, is often limited by thick smoke in the wildland fire environment.

Call it the fog of war, if you like.

No matter what you call it, it’s tough to fight a fire when you can’t see through the smoke.

That lack of visibility can lead to all kinds of trouble—especially vehicle accidents.

Today, in this special edition of Code 3, we’ll explore one commercial product that can make the wildland environment safer for firefighters.

It’s called Hypersight, built by RPX Technologies. It’s a tough, vehicle-mounted thermal imaging camera. It allows the crew in the cab to see through smoke as they drive.

But it can show more than that, and as you’ll hear, it also has applications in urban firefighting settings.

And joining me is Stan Cannata, to explain how the HyperSight system gives fire crews an advantage in dangerous situations.