NFPA Data Development & Exchange Standard Published

NFPA 950 is a brand new standard for Data Development and Exchange, published in December 2014 by  the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).  NPFA 950 is a valuable resource for all departments wishing to improve the design implementation and management of technology, including but not limited to GIS.  The related document, NFPA 951, Guide for Data Development and Exchange is expected to be published in December 2015.  The standard and guide are comprehensive references intended to provide a national framework for how fire and emergency services agencies design, implement and manage IT.  Important, Section 5.3.1.1 of NFPA 950 specifies that: “A spatial data component shall accompany all data elements for which a location is determined and described.” This has a profound potential to positively impact the extent to which fire and emergencies service personnel become aware of the importance of embedding geospatial capacity throughout their organizations. Nevertheless, the national capacity to implement this clear directive is seriously lacking, and the guidance provided in the forthcoming guide, NFPA 951, is intended to begin to fill that gap.  NFPA 950 is available now at http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages?mode=code&code=950

The Henrico County Fire Technology Strategy document (attached below) was written with the specific intent to comply with the directives of NFPA.  Few departments in the country have the awareness to do this, nor the internal ability to produce such a document. Additionally, Henrico’s willingness to share this freely as a sample document will save the nation’s fire service untold hours of trying to figure out what such a plan should contain. This plan is exceptionally well written and thorough, and it is an excellent sample for others to follow.

FireTechnologyStrategicPlanFinalNFPA950