NFPA 1600 and 14 NFPA first responder codes and standards receive DHS designation as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology”

November 20, 2009 – NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs and 14 other NFPA codes and standards have been designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology” (QATT) under the Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act). This is the first block of standards to receive this designation by DHS. Under the provisions of the SAFETY Act, these standards were also certified as “Approved Product(s) for Homeland Security.”

In September of 2008, NFPA was the first standards development organization to receive this designation for its codes and standards development process.

According to DHS, the SAFETY Act encourages the development and deployment of new and innovative anti-terrorism products and services by providing liability protections. Designation as a QATT and certification as an approved product for homeland security under the SAFETY Act provides legal protections for the NFPA codes and standards development process and now these 15 individual codes and standards as applied to anti-terrorism.

The 15 standards are listed in the NFPA press release linked to the title of this blog. They address emergency preparedness, first responder competencies and professional qualifications, personal protective equipment and specialized tools. NFPA 1600 is also one of three standards that DHS has announced it intends to adopt for application to the PS-Prep Program, a voluntary private sector preparedness program designed to improve the ability of private sector entities to withstand and recover from disasters including terrorism.

“NFPA is pleased to have these standards recognized as anti-terrorism technologies which are important in protecting first responders to terrorist events and also in improving the ability of our infrastructure to mitigate and recover from such events while protecting people and property,” said James M. Shannon, NFPA president.

Federal protections under the DHS designation and certification are retroactive and recognize NFPA’s technologies “earliest date of sale” as September 11, 2001.

All NFPA safety codes and standards are developed through a process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The more than 250 technical committees responsible for developing and updating all 300 codes and standards include approximately 4,000 volunteers, representing enforcing authorities, installers and maintainers, labor, research and testing laboratories, insurers, special experts, consumers and other users.

NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.