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| NFPA 1670 | |
|---|---|
| Name | NFPA 1670 |
| Subject | Technical rescue operations standard |
| Publisher | National Fire Protection Association |
| First pub | 1990s |
| Status | Current |
NFPA 1670
NFPA 1670 is a consensus standard published by the National Fire Protection Association addressing operational criteria for technical rescue incidents. It provides a framework that connects organizations such as the American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and United States Department of Homeland Security to benchmarks used by agencies like the United States Coast Guard, Los Angeles Fire Department, New York City Fire Department, and municipal fire services. The standard is referenced by tribunals, certifying bodies, and institutions including the National Fire Academy, Underwriters Laboratories, American National Standards Institute, and international committees engaged with International Organization for Standardization.
NFPA 1670 establishes minimum criteria for organizations performing technical rescue operations in environments encountered by responders from entities such as the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue, American Red Cross Disaster Services, National Guard Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation operational units, and volunteer groups affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America and Salvation Army. It interfaces with standards from NFPA 1006, NFPA 1500, NFPA 472, NFPA 1977, and codes promulgated by the International Code Council and standards bodies like ISO/TC 94 and CSA Group to promote interoperability among responders including those from the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and municipal hazardous materials teams.
The scope covers technical rescue disciplines practiced historically by organizations such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and municipal units like the Chicago Fire Department. The purpose is to align organizational capability with incident types described by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and to inform curricula at training centers such as the National Fire Academy, Fire Department of New York Training Academy, and community colleges accredited by the American Council on Education. It guides accreditation processes used by bodies like the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services and informs legal expectations in jurisdictions overseen by courts such as the Supreme Court of the United States when applied to liability issues.
Key terms parallel language used by stakeholders like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, International Association of Fire Chiefs, American Society of Safety Professionals, and academic institutions including Johns Hopkins University, University of California, Berkeley, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Definitions include organizational roles recognizable to responders from the Los Angeles Fire Department, New York Police Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and federal partners such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Geological Survey. Terminology clarifies incident management roles used in protocols from the Incident Command System, National Incident Management System, and doctrines taught at the Naval Postgraduate School.
The standard delineates capability levels familiar to agencies like the United States Coast Guard, New York City Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and volunteer brigades associated with the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. These levels align with training tiers used by institutions such as National Fire Academy, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue, American Heart Association ACLS courses, and international partners like UK Fire and Rescue Services and the Australian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council. The gradation informs deployment decisions in joint operations involving the Department of Defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and nongovernmental organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières.
Training recommendations reference credentialing models from the International Association of Fire Fighters, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, American College of Surgeons trauma courses, and academic programs at institutions like Texas A&M University, University of Florida, and Pennsylvania State University. Certification pathways often interact with state-level agencies such as the California Office of Emergency Services, Texas Department of Public Safety, and regulatory authorities including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and American National Standards Institute. Training content is commonly delivered through academies affiliated with the National Fire Protection Association, National Fire Academy, and regional training centers tied to municipal departments like the Chicago Fire Department.
Equipment criteria align with testing and labeling practices by Underwriters Laboratories, European Committee for Standardization, CSA Group, and manufacturers supplying the Los Angeles Fire Department and New York City Fire Department. Technical standards reference compatible PPE ensembles used by United States Coast Guard rescue swimmers, rope systems endorsed by mountaineering authorities such as the American Alpine Club, and communications gear interoperable with systems maintained by the Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Procurement policies often mirror guidance from the General Services Administration and procurement practices seen in the Department of Defense logistics.
Adoption pathways occur at municipal, state, and federal levels similar to codes promulgated by the International Code Council and model regulations endorsed by the National Governor's Association. Jurisdictions including New York State, California, Texas, and provinces like Ontario and states such as Florida integrate the standard into accreditation and mutual aid compacts involving organizations like the American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and regional task forces coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security.
The development history mirrors collaborative processes used by standards such as NFPA 101, NFPA 70, and NFPA 472, involving stakeholders from the National Fire Protection Association, municipal fire chiefs from places like Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, federal agencies including FEMA and OSHA, and international observers from ISO committees. Periodic revisions reflect lessons from incidents involving entities such as the National Transportation Safety Board investigations, major disasters reviewed by the 9/11 Commission, and after-action reports produced by state emergency operations centers.
Category:National Fire Protection Association standards