Departments that are currently in the process of developing specifications for new apparatus need to obtain the latest edition of NFPA 1901 and include all the changes required by the revised standard.

The next edition of the NFPA 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus applies to all structural firefighting and support apparatus ordered on or after January 1, 2009. Departments and manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that the specifications for new apparatus meet the revised standard.

Among the new requirements is one that makes it mandatory for manufacturers to list all deviations from the NFPA standard. Customers are then required to acknowledge and correct those deviations before the apparatus are placed in service. Failure to provide an accurate list of deviations or failure to correct the deviations properly could result in serious liability.

For a summary of some of the many changes in the latest edition of NFPA 1901, along with information on how to obtain a copy, see the main article in this issue.