The International Association of Fire Chiefs has released reports offering national strategies to improve two especially deadly life-safety problems in the United States: health care facilities for the elderly, and nightclubs and other places of public assembly with potential for high casualties.

The reports are the result of roundtable meetings the IAFC held earlier in 2004. Fire Prevention and Safety Program grants under the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program supported both projects.

The Health Care Fire Safety Roundtable Report resulted from a meeting of 50 experts from both the fire service and health care industries who came together in April 2004 in Reston, Va. At the meeting they set out to address major life-safety concerns in nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and retirement communities, which currently house more than 2 million Americans.

“The dialogue between the fire service and health care industries initiated a new and valued relationship that should be promoted and encouraged through future collaboration and ongoing discussion,” the report states.

The report outlines 12 strategies that emerged at the roundtable meeting, including training, education and processes necessary to improve life safety and injury prevention in health care facilities; improved consistency in the application of codes, regulations and laws; and a plan to address evacuations and the defend-in-place concept for health care and long-term care facilities. See the full report at www.iafc.org/grants/documents/healthcare.pdf.

The Emerging Fire Code Issues Roundtable Report is the product of two May 2004 meetings of fire marshals, code officials, and other fire service and safety experts to develop strategies for enacting building code changes with an emphasis on life safety and fire threat reduction in nightclubs and other places of public assembly. The report is available at www.iafc.org/grants/documents/codes.pdf.