NFPA Chapter organizes the 5th Congress on Fire Protection, Focusing on the Slogan “Regulations, Compliance and Reality”

NFPA Chapter organizes the 5th Congress on Fire Protection, Focusing on the Slogan “Regulations, Compliance and Reality”
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, September 30, 2012

The Dominican RepublicChapterof the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), organized its5thCongress focusing on the slogan “Regulations, Compliance and Reality,” with a view to train and educate fire safety professionals to further strengthen cooperation ties with the authorities, standardization agencies, fire departments, insurance companies and non-governmental institutions involved in defending the interests and safety of the community.

Engineer Evelio Martínez, President of the NFPA, delivered the opening remarks, in which he stressed that the NFPA’s mission is to issue rules and regulations to help educate the public while, at the same time, lower the possibility of deaths caused by fire.

Engineer Evelio Martínez, President of the NFPA, delivered the opening remarks, in which he stressed that the NFPA’s mission is to issue rules and regulations to help educate the public while, at the same time, lower the possibility of deaths caused by fire.

“Although the workshop specifically targets the sector working in this area, which has to do with industrial safety and hygiene, the Congress is also open to the public, mainly because we want to reach the Engineers and Architects who are the professionals responsible for building and designing residential, commercial and industrial structureswhere we conduct our daily work,” Engineer Martínez stated.

“In particular we want to help firefighters. This is the reason why in this meeting we have participants from different fire departments to whom the Chapter has awarded grants to contribute to their comprehensive training.We also have representatives from the Ministry of Public Works, an organization that is responsible for approving the drawings of the buildings that are being built in the country,” he added.

Engineer Evelio Martínez stated that, as part of the dynamics of this Congress,there will be roundtable discussions andlectures, which will be offered by specialists in the field and will impact positively on the implementation of the “Regulations on Safety and Fire Protection”, which is vital for the implementation of business, industrial and home activities.

In turn,Engineer Ramón Castillo, Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Dominican RepublicChapterof the NFPA, said that by way of the lectures included in this activity the NFPA will provide valuable knowledge to the participants.

“Following this Congress, on Friday, September 28, and on Saturday, September 29, we will be hosting two meetings to discuss the ‘Regulations on Safety and Fire Protection,’ which will kick off a period of awareness for everyone involved in this issue, who will then transfer this important message to the population,” Engineer Castillo said.

Training sessions

During the two-day meeting at the Hotel Meliá Santo Domingo, all participants will gain important insights on this topic through the lectures that will be presented. Some of the lectures are: “Changes to the NFPA’sstandard 13 for the 2013 edition,” “Where are the NFPA requirements?”,”Listed products: why use them?”, “Implementing the NFPA at airport terminals: a case study analyzing the regulatory requirements,” “Dominican Regulationson Safety and Fire Protection,” “Myths on fire protection,””Applying the NFPA in commercialjobs: supermarkets and shopping centers.”

The session will also include a trade show, which has the support of its main sponsors: Tropigas, Mapfre Seguros Universal, Seguros Banreservas and Firetech.

About the NFPA.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1896. Currently it has morethan 85,000 volunteer members around the world and is recognized as the largest international fire prevention organization.

The Dominican Chapter of the NFPA supports, in an unconditional manner, allinstitutions that have an impact on the creation of standards, codes and regulations, such as: the Ministry of Public Works, Digenor, the city councils,Unabomand the fire departments, and offers advice on the subject to the professional groups that request it, i.e. CODIA , ACOPROVI and CADOAR.

Evelio Marinez during the opening of the 5th Dominican Chapter of the NFPA.

Some of the Congress participants.