2021 NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem Year in Review:

Referenced Works

Introduction
McGrath, Stephen. “4th fatal hospital fire of pandemic kills 2 in Romania.” AP News. AP, Nov. 11, 2021.
apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-romania-bucharest-infectious-diseases-fires-
3051b6d40c176603a53fe011c2fb4de2. Apr. 15, 2022.

McGrath, Stephen. “Why has Romania suffered so many deadly hospital fires?” Euronews. Jan. 10, 2021.
www.euronews.com/2021/10/01/why-has-romania-had-two-deadly-hospital-fires-in-a-matter-of-
months. Apr. 15, 2022.

AP. “Control center fire shuts down half Mexico City subway lines.” ABC News. Jan. 9, 2021.
abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/control-center-fire-shuts-half-mexico-city-subway-75155082.
Apr. 15, 2022.

Kitroeff, Natalie, et al. “Why the Mexico City Metro collapsed.” The New York Times. Jun. 13, 2021.
nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/12/world/americas/mexico-city-train-
crash.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article. Apr. 15, 2022.

Gold, Michael and Kristen Bayrakdarian. “Deadly fire engulfs assisted living home: ‘It’s one of your worst
nightmares.’” The New York Times. Mar. 23, 2021. nytimes.com/2021/03/23/nyregion/evergreen-
nursing-home-fire-spring-valley.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

Wallace, Sarah. “2 more workers indicted in deadly Rockland adult home fire.” NBC 4 New York. Nov. 15,
2021. nbcnewyork.com/news/local/2-more-workers-indicted-in-deadly-rockland-adult-home-
fire/3402347/. Apr. 15, 2022.

Lieberman, Steve. “Evergreen Court fatal fire 9 months later: Where the investigations stand and what’s
known.” Rockland/Westchester Journal News. YahooNews. Mar. 22, 2022. news.yahoo.com/evergreen-
court-fatal-fire-9-100323545.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

Wildfire
Stelloh, Tim and Minyvonne Burke. “’Absolutely devastating’ Colorado wildfire burns hundreds of homes
near Boulder.” NBC News. Dec. 30, 2021. nbcnews.com/news/weather/life-threatening-colorado-
wildfires-trigger-evacuations-boulder-area-rcna10475. Apr. 15, 2022.

Wildfire Risk in the United States: How Climate Change and Other Variables are Enhancing the Risk. Aon.
2021. thoughtleadership.aon.com/Documents/20211012-us-wildfire.pdf. Apr. 15, 2022.
Bustillo, Ximena. “’They get really jaded’: Worker defections strain Feds’ wildfire crews.” Politico. Jul. 28,
2021. politico.com/news/2021/07/28/they-get-really-jaded-worker-defections-strain-feds-wildfire-
crews-501258. Apr. 15, 2022.

Isai, Vjosa. “Heat wave spread fire that ‘Erased’ Canadian Town.” The New York Times. Jul. 10, 2021.
nytimes.com/2021/07/10/world/canada/canadian-wildfire-british-columbia.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

Weber, Christopher and Noah Berger. “We lost Greenville: Wildfire decimates California town.” AP
News. AP, Aug. 15, 2021. apnews.com/article/fires-environment-and-nature-california-
13faa6976260a4a9e10906c70b4ed2d0. Apr. 15, 2022.

Hickey, Hannah. “Drier, warmer night air is making some Western wildfires more active at night.” UW
News. University of Washington, Aug. 5, 2021. washington.edu/news/2021/08/05/dry-air-wildfires. Apr.
15, 2022.

Manzo, Daniel. “Drought expected to persist in much of the Western US through 2022 and beyond,
according to NOAA report.” ABC News. Sep. 30, 2021. abcnews.go.com/US/drought-expected-persist-
western-us-2022-noaa-report/story?id=80309340. Apr. 15, 2021.

Rodd, Scott. “Budget package guarantees $1B in fire prevention funding this year, at least $200M
annually moving forward.” CAP Radio. Sep. 10, 2021. capradio.org/articles/2021/09/10/budget-package-
guarantees-1b-in-fire-prevention-funding-this-year-at-least-200m-annually-moving-forward. Apr. 15,
2021.

Oregon state, Legislature. 81st Legislative Assembly, Enrolled Senate Bill 762. Oregon Legislative
Information Service. 2021.
olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB762/Enrolled

United States, Congress. Public Law 117-58, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. congress.gov, 2021.
congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684/text. Apr. 15, 2022.

Gabbert, Bill. “Forest Service Chief calls for treating two to four times more hazardous fuels acres.”
Wildfire Today. Jun. 17, 2021. wildfiretoday.com/2021/06/17/forest-service-chief-calls-for-treating-two-
to-four-times-more-hazardous-fuels-acres/. Apr. 15, 2022.

Wara, Michael. A New Strategy for Addressing the Wildfire Epidemic in California. Stanford Woods
Institute for the Environment. Apr. 2021.
woodsinstitute.stanford.edu/system/files/publications/New_Strategy_Wildfire_Epidemic_Whitepaper_
1.pdf. Apr. 15, 2022.

Housing
Qin, Amy and Amy Chang Chien. “At least 46 die as blaze tears through ‘Ghost Building’ in Taiwan.” The
New York Times. Oct. 14, 2021. nytimes.com/2021/10/14/world/asia/taiwan-apartment-fire.html. Apr.
15, 2022.
Hung Hsueg-kuang and Kay Liu. “Officials’ inaction blamed for deadly fire: report.” Focus Taiwan. CNA
English News. Oct. 29, 2021. focustaiwan.tw/society/202110290022. Apr. 15, 2022.

Hopkins, Madison and Celia Reyes. “The Failures Before the Fire.” Chicago Tribune. Apr. 23, 2021.
chicagotribune.com/investigations/ct-chicago-deadly-fires-unsafe-buildings-20210423-
d2rvl26kpvai3p7ebnnerk3k4m-htmlstory.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

Ahrens, Marty and Birgitte Messerschmidt. Fire Safety in the United States since 1980: Through the Lens
of the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem. The National Fire Protection Association. 2021.
nfpa.org/~/media/Files/News%20and%20Research/Fire%20statistics%20and%20reports/US%20Fire%20
Problem/osNFPAEcosystemFireSafetyReport2021.ashx?utm_source=emil&utm_medium=email_mediu
m&utm_campaign=emil0358&utm_content=mbrs&order_src=e827. Apr. 15, 2022.

The State of the Nation’s Housing 2021. Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. 2021.
jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_State_Nations_Housing_2021.pdf. Apr.
15, 2022.

Ahrens, Marty. Smoke Alarms in U.S. Home Fires. National Fire Protection Association. Feb. 2021.
nfpa.org//-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics-and-reports/Detection-and-
signaling/ossmokealarms.pdf. Apr. 15, 2022.

Oot, Torey Van. “Minnesota’s push for sprinkler systems in public housing.” Axiosi. Jul. 26, 2021.
axios.com/local/twin-cities/2021/07/26/minnesota-sprinklers-public-housing-klobuchar-ilhan-omar.
Apr. 15, 2022.

Consumer Products
Boudette, Neal E. “Tesla reports $87 increase in 2021 deliveries.” The New York Times. Jan. 2, 2022.
nytimes.com/2022/01/02/business/tesla-sales.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

“President Biden announces steps to drive American leadership forward on clean cars and trucks.”
United States White House. Aug. 5, 2021. whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-
releases/2021/08/05/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-steps-to-drive-american-leadership-
forward-on-clean-cars-and-trucks/. Fact sheet. Apr. 15, 2022.

Wayland, Michael. “GM advising some Bolt EV owners to park 50 feet away from other cars in case of
fire.” CNBC. Sep. 15, 2021. cnbc.com/2021/09/15/gm-advising-some-bolt-ev-owners-to-park-50-feet-
away-from-other-cars.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

Siddiqui, Faiz. “GM heralded this plant as a model for its electric car future. Then its batteries started
exploding.” The Washington Post. Dec. 30, 2021. washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/12/30/chevy-
bolt-gm/. Apr. 15, 2022.

Farivar, Cyrus. “Federal regulators warn of risks to firefighters from electrical vehicle fires.” NBC News.
Jun. 20, 2021. nbcnews.com/business/autos/federal-regulators-warn-risks-firefighters-electrical-vehicle-
fires-n1271084. Apr. 15, 2022.
 “CPSC sues Amazon to force recall of hazardous products sold on Amazon.com.” U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission. Jul. 14, 2021. cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2021/CPSC-Sues-Amazon-to-
Force-Recall-of-Hazardous-Products-Sold-on-Amazon-com. Press release. Apr. 15, 2022.

“Nadler, Johnson, Issa & Cline introduce bipartisan SHOF SAFE Act.” U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on the Judiciary. May 27, 2021.
judiciary.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4566. Press release. Apr. 15, 2022.

“Durbin, Cassidy, Grassley, Hirono, Coons, Tillis introduce bill to ensure greater transparency for third-
party sellers of consumer products online.” U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Mar. 23, 2021.
judiciary.senate.gov/press/dem/releases/durbin-cassidy-grassley-hirono-coons-tillis-introduce-bill-to-
ensure-greater-transparency-for-third-party-sellers-of-consumer-products-online. Press release. Apr. 15,
2022.

Ahrens, Marty. Smoke Alarms in U.S. Home Fires. National Fire Protection Association. Feb. 2021.
nfpa.org//-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics-and-reports/Detection-and-
signaling/ossmokealarms.pdf. Apr. 15, 2022.

Tracy, Thomas. “Obsolete manufacturing standards suspected in 65 scooter and e-bike battery blazes
that have killed three New Yorkers this year.” Daily News. Yahoo. Sep. 25, 2021.
yahoo.com/now/obsolete-manufacturing-standards-suspected-65-020000165.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

CBS New York. “E-Bike batteries caused deadly East Village apartment fire, FDNY Commissioner says.”
CBS New York. Dec. 17, 2021. cbsnews.com/newyork/news/e-bike-batteries-caused-deadly-east-village-
apartment-fire-fdny-commissioner-says. Apr. 15, 2022.

NBC 4 New York. “FDNY issues warning in wake of e-bike battery fires.” NBC 4 New York. Oct. 18, 2021.
nbcnewyork.com/news/local/fdny-issues-warning-in-wake-of-e-bike-battery-fires/3330989. Apr. 15,
2022.

“Fireworks-related injuries and deaths spike during the COVID-19 pandemic.” U.S Consumer Product
Safety Commission. Jun. 29, 2021. cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2021/Fireworks-Related-Injuries-
and-Deaths-Spiked-During-the-COVID-19-Pandemic. Press release. Apr. 15, 2022.

Manning, Rob. “Investigators confirm fireworks caused deadly Northeast Portland apartment fire.”
Oregon Public Broadcasting. Jul. 8, 2021.opb.org/article/2021/07/08/northeast-portland-apartment-
fire-fireworks-deaths/. Apr. 15, 2022.

Turner, Ford. “Pennsylvania lawmakers pretty much giving up on banning consumer fireworks, despite
widespread complaints.” The Morning Call. Dec. 21, 2021. mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/capitol-
ideas/mc-nws-pa-lawmakers-fireworks-debate-20211221-5vpurrmnvfdohpsmwyr57kynja-story.html.
Apr. 15, 2022.

Shuey, Karen. “PA House, Senate committees hear about problems with state’s fireworks law.” Reading
Eagle. Dec. 15, 2021. readingeagle.com/2021/12/15/house-senate-committees-hear-about-problems-
with-pa-fireworks-law. Apr. 15, 2022.
Bischoff, Laura. “Ohio lawmakers pass bill to legalize consumer use of fireworks, Dewine expected to
sign it.” The Columbus Dispatch. Oct. 27, 2021. dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2021/10/27/ohio-
house-senate-legalize-consumer-fireworks-specific-holidays-and-weekends/8570456002. Apr. 15, 2022.

Workforce & Infrastructure

Delony, Doug. “Grandmother, 3 children killed in Sugar Land house fire; 2 others hurt.” KHOU 11. Feb.
16, 2021. khou.com/article/news/local/deadly-house-fire-sugar-land-feb-16-man-children-first-
colony/285-b586de1a-5e33-417c-9947-
9a67daed34c2#:~:text=This%20is%20one%20of%20at,power%20in%20very%20cold%20temperatures.&
text=SUGAR%20LAND%2C%20Texas%20%E2%80%94%20A%20grandmother,confirmed%20to%20KHOU
%2011%20News. Apr. 15, 2022.

Aldhous, Peter, Stephanie M. Lee, Zahra Hirji. “The Texas winter storm and power outage killed
hundreds more people than the state says.” Buzzfeed.News. Buzzfeed. May 26, 2021.
buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/texas-winter-storm-power-outage-death-toll. Apr. 15, 2022.

Tuggle, Donnie. “Area fire departments see an increase in call volume related to winter weather.” KBTX
3. CBS. Feb. 18, 2021. kbtx.com/2021/02/18/area-fire-departments-see-an-increase-in-call-volume-
related-to-winter-weather/. Apr. 15, 2022.

Helsel, Phil. “Frozen hydrants challenge Texas firefighters battling blaze at San Antonio-area apartment
building.” NBC News. Feb. 18, 2021. nbcnews.com/news/us-news/frozen-hydrants-challenge-texas-
firefighters-battling-blaze-san-antonio-area-n1258308. Apr. 15, 2022.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.” United States White House. Nov. 6, 2021. whitehouse.gov/briefing-
room/statements-releases/2021/11/06/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal/
Fact sheet. Apr. 15, 2022.

Wallace, Alice. “There aren’t enough skilled workers for Biden’s big infrastructure plan.” CNN Business.
CNN. Dec. 13, 2021. cnn.com/2021/12/13/economy/biden-infrastructure-law-worker-
training/index.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

Dark by 2050. Klein Tools. Oct. 2020. multivu.com/players/English/8693451-klein-tools-dark-by-2050-

report/. Apr. 15, 2022.

Blumgart, Jake. “The building code profession is dying out, and that’s a problem.” Bloomberg. Feb. 8,
2017. bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-08/there-s-a-looming-shortage-of-building-safety-
officials. Apr. 15, 2022.

“NFPA offers resources for conducting remote video inspections when access to buildings is limited.”
National Fire Protection Association. Apr. 1, 2020.
nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Press-Room/News-releases/2020/NFPA-offers-
resources-for-conducting-remote-video-inspections-when-access-to-buildings-is-limited. Apr. 15, 2022.
Sisson, Patrick. “One solution to shortage of skilled workers? Diversify the construction industry.” The
New York Times. Sep. 15, 2021. nytimes.com/2021/09/25/business/dealbook/labor-shortage-
diversity.html. Apr. 15, 2022.

“As nation faces record unemployment, bipartisan group unveils legislation to expand apprenticeships,
invest in workforce training.” U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor. Jan. 25,
2021. edlabor.house.gov/media/press-releases/as-nation-faces-record-unemployment-bipartisan-
group-unveils-legislation-to-expand-apprenticeships-invest-in-workforce-training. Press release. Apr. 15,
2022.

“Sens. Coons & Young, Reps. Norcross & McKinley reintroduce bill to expand registered apprenticeships
to new job sectors.” Office of U.S. Senator Chris Coons. Jan. 28, 2021. coons.senate.gov/news/press-
releases/sens-coons-and-young-reps-norcross_mckinley-reintroduce-bill-to-expand-registered-
apprenticeships-to-new-job-sectors. Apr. 15, 2022.

Kiganda, Anthony. “Africa’s skilled labour: A looming supply shortage.” Construction Review. Sep. 20,
2016. constructionreviewonline.com/features/africas-skilled-labour-a-looming-supply-shortage/. Apr.
15, 2022.

Walsh, Niall Patrick. “Poor workmanship and value engineering are the biggest risks to buildings, says UK
survey.” Archinect News. Jul. 26, 2021. archinect.com/news/article/150275436/poor-workmanship-and-
value-engineering-are-the-biggest-risks-to-buildings-says-uk-survey. Apr. 15, 2022.

Industrial
An Analysis of Lithium-ion Battery Fires in Waste Management and Recycling. Office of Resource
Conservation and Recovery, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ju. 2021.
epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-08/lithium-ion-battery-report-update-7.01_508.pdf. Apr. 15,
2022.

Fogelman, Ryan. “August 2021 fire report: EPA’s report proves it’s time for government intervention.”
Waste 360. Sep. 9, 2021. waste360.com/legislation-regulation/august-2021-fire-report-epas-report-
proves-its-time-government-intervention. Apr. 15, 2022.

NFPA 401 Recommended Practice for the Prevention of Fires Uncontrolled Chemical Reactions Associated
with the Handling of Hazardous Waste. National Fire Protection Association. nfpa.org/codes-and-
standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=401&tab=committee.
Proposed standard. Apr. 15, 2022.

BBC. “Bangladesh factory fire: Owner arrested after blaze kills 52.” BBC News. Jul. 10, 2021.
bbc.com/news/world-asia-57790294. Apr. 15, 2022.

“2012 Dhaka garment factory fire.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Apr. 12, 2022.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Dhaka_garment_factory_fire. Apr. 15, 2022.
Patton, Elizabeth. “International brands sign a new accord to protect garment workers in Bangladesh.”
The New York Times. Aug. 25, 2021. nytimes.com/2021/08/25/business/garment-worker-safety-
accord.html?referringSource=articleShare. Apr. 15, 2022.

TBS. “Progress in factory safety inspection not satisfactory: CPD.” TBS News. Jan. 13, 2022.
tbsnews.net/bangladesh/progress-factory-safety-inspection-not-satisfactory-cpd-356845. Apr. 15, 2022.

Saha, Damayanti and Srishti Chourasia. “Industrial accidents common as Delhi factory owners brazenly
ignore worker safety rules.” Citizen Matters. Dec. 1, 2021. citizenmatters.in/delhi-industrial-accidents-
factory-labour-laws-28439. Apr. 15, 2022.

Banerjee, Shoumojit. “Pune chemical unit fire: report says flagrant violations of safety norms, labour
laws.” The Hindu. Jul. 7, 2021. thehindu.com/news/national/pune-chemical-unit-fire-report-says-
flagrant-violation-of-safety-norms-labour-laws/article35186680.ece. Aug. 15, 2022.

Sapkal, Rahul Suresh. “Crushing labour laws amidst successive industrial accidents is serious insult to
injury.” The Wire. May 12, 2020. thewire.in/labour/labour-law-reforms-industrial-accidents. Apr. 15,
2022.

Nine Business Practices for Improving Safety and Health Through Supply Chains and Building a Culture of
Prevention and Protection. United Nations Global Compact, International Labour Organization. 2021.
ungc-communications-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/publications/OSH%20Brief_FINAL.pdf. Apr. 15,
2022.