Tragedy occurred at the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago, Illinois on December 30, 1903. Many of the 602 victims were women and children who had taken advantage of the Christmas holidays to travel downtown to see a play.
"The post-fire investigation of the Iroquois Thearre revealed that the building, on which construction had not yet been completed, was far from 'fireproof,' as the builder claimed. Of the 30 exits, 27 had been locked and few of them were marked. There were no fire escapes, alarms, sprinklers, telephones, or water connections. The only provisions for firefighting were six canisters of a dry chemical used to put out chimney fires."
During this holiday season with decorations and shopping all around us, we remember one of the most costly department store fires in history.
"During the early-morning hours of Saturday, December 19, 1964, fire of undetermined cause started in display materials near the open escalators in the second story of the seven-story Neiman-Marcus Company Department Store. The fire spread upward by way of the escalator openings to the fifth story, where the escalators terminated. At the time of the fire, the store was heavily stocked with merchandise for the Christmas season. The $7,240,000 estimated property damage was the largest dollar-loss building fire in the United States in 1964 and the largest loss in the history of Dallas, Texas. Business interruption loss was set at $2,800,000... As a result of the December 1964 fire, the store officials decided to install a complete system of central-station supervised automatic sprinklers throughout the building."
For more information regarding these or other historic fires, please feel free to reach out to the NFPA Library. The NFPA Archives houses all of NFPA's publications, both current and historic. Library staff are available to answer reference questions from members and the general public.
As partners in electrical safety, NFPA knows it's important for industry professionals to have the latest edition of NFPA 70: National Electrical Code. To that end, we are working on a series of videos that help highlight and explain the changes to the 2017 code edition that impact our industry as a whole, as well as the work you do every day.
• New 680.14 identifying the types of wiring methods required in "corrosive environments" associated with swimming pools, spa, hot tubs and other bodies of water covered in Article 680.
• Added requirement in 700.3 (F) calling for the installation of a means to connect a portable generator where the emergency system consists of a single alternate power source.
You can watch the full half-hour video if you are logged into Xchange.
Over the course of several months, High Hazard Flammable Liquid Train (HHFT) and Pipeline Incidents have shared the news with spectacular footage of train derailments and fires and pipeline fires and spills. First responders are met with challenges from science-based risk assessment to mitigation of large scale incidents and jurisdictional concerns.
NFPA has lead the way in proactive discussions, assisting in training and educational development, awarding grants for research studies, and providing standards and guidance for added value to the responders' knowledge and information foundation to work safely and effectively at these types of incidents.
From the provinces of Canada to local municipalities in the United States, NFPA is supporting responders, private industry, and authorities having jurisdiction with common threads based on NFPA standards coupled with subject matter expertise panels and research based workshops that further expand first responder engagement in NFPA.
Navigate to www.nfpa.org/hazmatic to view the recently completed project supported by the Fire Protection Research Foundation and The Department of Transportation' Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on details for Enhancing Incident Commander Competencies for Management of Incidents Involving Pipeline and Rail Car Spills of Flammable Liquids. Available at the site is the project summary, High Hazard Flammable Trains On-Scene Incident Commander Field Guide, Liquid Petroleum Pipeline Emergencies On-scene Incident Commander Field Guide, the HAZMAT FLIC App and download, the report of the HAZMAT IC workshop, and the report on the KPC HH IC workshop.
NFPA 70E Series: A qualified person is not as difficult as many make it be.
One of the most frequent issues faced when responding to questions regarding NFPA 70E® is that it does not tell someone exactly what to do. Why doesn't the standard tell me that I have an arc flash hazard? Why doesn't the standard tell me how to train my employees or what I should be training them about? Why doesn't the standard tell me who should sign the energized work permit? Why doesn't the standard tell me who is qualified to do the work? These questions stem from a desire to have a cookbook on what exactly to do rather than thinking of what is trying to be accomplished when it comes to worker safety.
Qualification is not only equipment and manufacturer based but also task based. No one and no standard can determine 100% of the worker qualifications needed for 100% of the potential tasks on 100% of electrical equipment in 100% of the possible installation locations along with 100% of the potential outcomes, hazards or risks associated with 100% of the possible situations 100% of the time. You must determine the most appropriate way to qualify your employee to conduct the task that you will assign for your specific situation.
A lot of what NFPA 70E requires is based on a worker who is a qualified person. This is someone who has demonstrated skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to identify and avoid the hazards involved. Seems clear to me when I consider what NFPA 70E is trying to accomplish. That is electrical safety in the workplace. Everyone may have their own theory of what qualified means. Here is mine.
NFPA 70E addresses electrical safety. So the first thing is that the person needing qualification is interacting with or is around electrical equipment. If nothing is electrical there is no need to use NFPA 70E. Are they knowledgeable about the electrical equipment they are interacting with? An administrative assistant who turns the lights on at a breaker each day should at least be aware of what is involved with the operation of the equipment in that regard. They may not need to know as much as the electrician who works within the panel but some knowledge of the equipment is necessary.
The next is demonstrated skills. Keeping with the assistant turning on the lights, shouldn't they know ON from OFF? Maybe the panel is full, shouldn't they be able to show which breaker is for the lights? The electrician better demonstrate more along the lines of how to disconnect the main, swap out a breaker and establish an electrically safe work condition.
Does the assistant need any training on the installation? Probably nothing specific beyond what has already been shown. But they should have knowledge on the construction. A panel typically has a hinged cover. To open it, know which way it swings, etc. requires some concept of its construction. Once again the electrician better know more such as where the busbar is, whether there is an internal terminal block cover, what the grounding scheme is or what power sources feed the panel.
The assistant should be trained to recognize and avoid hazards. The assistant should trained to recognize that crackling, arcing or a hot switch on the breaker could be problem. They should know the potential danger if a breaker slot was left uncovered. They should be trained to know if the breaker should be thrown or not in these cases. They will have recognized and avoided the hazard. The electrician of course is exposed to more hazards and must have a more detailed training.
Think about it in a broad context. Shouldn't any person doing any task have the training to do that task, to know something about the equipment they are interacting with and know how not to get injured? Seems simple to me. I most likely would consider the assistant as qualified for operating that circuit breaker to turn on the lights each morning in that specific panel. I would not recognize them to turn something else off in that panel or at another panel until I qualified them to do that. (This assistant is not really a qualified person under NFPA 70E but an unqualified worker who has been shown what is necessary for them to conduct the task safely. It was just to prove a point). The electrician would be qualified to work in that panel but not in a piece of switchgear without additionally being qualified for that. Just what the definition says.
Next time: Are you the employee whose safety is put at risk by working on energized electrical equipment?
The recent death of a worker in a water tank in Braintree, Massachusetts this past week provides a grim reminder of the importance of following safe entry procedures for all confined spaces.
Water tanks are confined spaces because they are not normally occupied and their design and configuration offer limited means for entry and exit. When they are entered for the purpose of periodic inspection and maintenance it is essential for workers to be familiar with the characteristic hazards of such spaces and to have a plan for safe entry, work, and exit. Typically these tanks are entered through a hatch in the top of the tank, requiring workers to climb to the top of the tank, where there might not be guardrails around the top to prevent falls and often there are no appropriate anchorage points for the connection of fall protection devices. Atmospheres inside the tank can be unsafe due to rusting or decomposition of residual debris which can lead to unsafe levels of oxygen or other atmospheric hazards. Water tanks may also be covered with snow or ice, leading to slip hazards. Rescue from these spaces is also a challenge because of the elevation and the possibility for the rescuers falling.
In this recent incident, reports indicate there were two workers on the top of the tank. The tank did not appear to have guardrails on top and it is unclear if there were anchorage points in the vicinity of the hatch. The victim (the entrant) was inside the water tank wearing diving equipment to inspect the tank while a "spotter" was outside the tank. The spotter in this case acted like the "attendant" in a confined space entry. When it became apparent that the diver's equipment was compromised, the spotter "heroically" jumped into the space in an attempt to rescue his coworker. Ultimately, the spotter had to be rescued by fire department and technical rescue personnel.
There are on average 100 deaths per year caused by confined spaces. It is estimated that 60% of fatalities that occur in confined spaces involve the "would be" rescuers. The spotter who dove into the tank was rescued but could have become the second victim in this incident for a myriad of reasons including a hazardous atmosphere above the water level due to oxygen deficiency, a condition that frequently occurs when a metal tank rusts and uses up oxygen. Entering a space without testing is risky, which is why NFPA 350, Guide for Safe Confined Space Entry and Work, recommends atmospheric testing all confined spaces prior to entry to ensure there is no hazardous atmosphere.
Safe confined space entry procedures that include identification, evaluation and control of hazards in and adjacent to confined spaces are addressed in the guide. The document provides guidance beyond OSHA regulations and explains "How To" comply with requirements in OSHA regulations, including best practices for entering into and providing rescue from confined spaces. Prevention through Design (PtD) information is also addressed and covers safe design practices such as designing guardrails, anchorage points or other means of fall protection in or adjacent to confined spaces.
You can view NFPA 350 free of charge on line at the document information page found at www.nfpa.org/350. If you are unsure whether you have a confined space in your workplace check out this a free 5 minute video available.
An online training program is also available and site specific training is also available on request. Click on the training tab for further information. Additional questions on confined spaces and the new NFPA 350 Guide for Safe Confined Space Entry or work can be directed to me at npearce@nfpa.org.
Last week I spent Monday through Wednesday attending NFPA's 3 day classroom training on NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code in Orlando, FL (followed by a few days of vacation with my family...when in Orlando, right?) Attending this training has provided me with a stronger foundation and connection with other documents that I work with such as NFPA 1, NFPA 80, NFPA 101, and some additional training initiatives that I will be involved with next year as NFPA rolls out some newer offerings!
NFPA 72 is referenced throughout NFPA 1, Fire Code. Section 13.7 of the Code is the main section for detection, alarm, and communication systems. It mandates that where building fire alarm systems or automatic fire detectors are required by other sections of NFPA 1 that they be provided and installed in accordance with NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 72 and Section 13.7. Codes such as NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 will tell the user whether or not a fire alarm system is required; how it must be initiated, and whether or not occupant and emergency responder notification is required; that is not the role of NFPA 72. NFPA 72, however, provides the installation, inspection, testing, and maintenance criteria for the required system.
Section 13.7 provides comprehensive provisions, extracted from both NFPA 72 as well as NFPA 101. The NFPA 101 provisions cover the basic functions of a complete fire alarm system, including fire detection, alarm, and communications. The provisions extracted from NFPA 101 are also occupancy based (see Section 13.7.2.) Certain occupancies might not be required to have a fire alarm system at all. In industrial and storage occupancies, for example, the number of occupants in the facility or the hazard classification of the building's contents determines whether an alarm system is required. In small mercantile and business occupancies, there are usually enough people present (at least during a part of the day) to discover an incipient fire. For these occupancies, the Code imposes less rigid requirements for fire alarm systems than it does for certain other occupancies. Conversely, for health care occupancies, the provisions for fire alarm systems are quite detailed with respect to notification and emergency functions, such as the automatic closure of smoke barrier doors.
NFPA 72 is a fundamental fire protection document. Even though much of Section 13.7 is extracted from NFPA 72, users should always consult the source document for the full details. Remembering the scope of NFPA 1, the provisions included in the document help aid the enforcer/inspector with fire alarm provisions they may need to know while enforcing the Code. It is the basics (when a system is required, installation criteria, equipment provisions, etc.) NFPA 72 should also be consulted for full details regarding inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems. Chapter 14 of NFPA 72 will provide the detailed requirements for ITM.
As the world continues its shift towards renewable energy generation, Energy Storage Systems (ESS) are rapidly becoming a reality across the globe. ESS capture energy for use at a later time and convert the energy for more convenient or economical storage forms; they are found in business facilities, high rises, and single-family and multi-unit residences across the country.
We are now offering an array of resources and training to help the U.S. fire service prepare for the new hazards that this emerging technology poses. Our Energy Storage System Safety Training program includes self-paced online training, an instructor-led classroom course, an educational video series, and a quick reference guide designed to better prepare the fire service for ESS fire incidents.
In addition to developing ESS resources for the fire service, NFPA approved NFPA 855, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems earlier this year to address the design, construction, installation, and commissioning of ESS.
For more information on this initiative, please read the full press release.
Last week NFPA Regional Electrical Code Specialist Jeff Sargent and I completed our two-week tour of California to provide a one-day program for AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) across several cities in northern California on the significant changes in the 2016 edition of the CA Electrical Code (based on NFPA 70: National Electrical Code 2014 edition). Every three years the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) updates the California Electrical Code, which consists of the NEC plus the amendments promulgated by the five state agencies involved in the code update process. The 2016 CEC becomes effective on January 1, 2017.
Presenting in Watsonville, Palo Alto, San Rafael, Manteca and Roseville, Jeff and I helped over 500 code enforcers understand how these changes impact their inspection activities in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial occupancies. Attendees also received a free 2016 edition of the CA Electrical Code.
NFPA received great logistical support from local members of the IAEI, UL, QPS Evaluation Services and NEMA, and Jeff and I are really happy to report the 2-week "CA Effective Enforcement Tour (EET)" was a huge success.
California is to be applauded for moving forward with the adoption of the 2016 California Electrical Code and its commitment to public safety by providing quality code enforcement. The effort to train the code enforcers on the newly adopted California Electrical Code helps ensure Californians are provided with safe electrical installations in every aspect of their lives.
NFPA supports statewide adoption of the NEC by providing free training for the AHJs, as this training furthers NFPA's fire and electrical safety mission. If your state is interested in this type of training, feel free to contact Jeff or me for additional information at http://www.electricalcodecoalition.org/contact.aspx.
"Burning of the Merchants Exchange, New York City. The Great Fire of December, 1835."
"The fire started at 9 p.m., swept through the close combustible buildings with their extreme fire load of mercantile products, and defied most control efforts of the New York City Fire Department... Kegs of gunpowder were used to destroy buildings, thus creating a fire break to interrupt progress of flames from one combustible section to the next... By December 19, the fire diminished and was near to extinguishment, but it had destroyed buildings within a quarter-mile square in a very valuable district of the city."
The 2017 edition of NFPA 58 was published a few months back, and now, the 2017 NFPA 58 Handbook is also available. A big thanks goes to staff liaison Eric Nette for modeling the brand new edition!
The industry benchmark for safe LP-Gas storage, handling, transportation, and use, NFPA 58 mitigates risks and ensures safe installations, to prevent failures, leaks, and tampering that could lead to fires and explosions. Compliance with NFPA 58 is the most powerful way to help protect people and installations from a host of LP-Gas hazards. To help you stay on top of the changes in the 2017 edition and make sense of the full code, the new Handbook is loaded with information, advice, and new visuals that support your work, so you can help prevent system failures, leaks, tampering, fires, and explosions.
Visit the NFPA 58 doc info page for more information.
Hot work is an important part of manufacturing, repair, renovation, construction and demolition activities. Professional contractors and do-it-yourselfers can get in trouble when they don't follow the basic safety precautions.
NFPA's new report, Structure Fires Started by Hot Work, shows that in 2010-2014, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 4,440 structure fires involving hot work per year. These fires caused an average of 12 civilian deaths, 208 civilian injuries and $287 million in direct property damage per year.
I suspect that those who regularly conduct hot work or oversee contractors who do so will not be surprised by the statistics from the report.
Forty-two percent of hot work fires occurred in or on homes.
Welding torches were involved in one-third (34%) of total hot work structure fires. Cutting torches were involved in one-quarter (24%), soldering equipment in 18%, burners in 11%, and heat treating equipment in another 11%. The leading types of hot work equipment involved in fires are different in homes than in non-home properties. As the graph shows, soldering equipment was the most common type of hot work involved in home fires while welding torches were the most common in non-home fires.
Home fires involving hot work were most likely to start in either wall assemblies or concealed spaces (15%), and bathrooms or lavatories (14%). For non-homes, the peak areas of origin were exterior roof surfaces (12%) and process or manufacturing areas (9%). The majority of hot work fires started when the work was done too close to something that could catch fire.
One-quarter (25%) of home hot work fires began with the ignition of structural members or framing; 22% started when insulation ignited. Fifteen percent of non-home hot work fires occurred when flammable or combustible liquids or gases caught fire; 10% started with exterior roof coverings or framing; another 10% began with structural members or framing; and 9% started with insulation.
The report also contains descriptions of hot work fires from NFPA Journal and OSHA's accident investigation summaries to provide more information about how these events can occur.
NFPA 51B, Standard for Fire Prevention during Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work provides guidelines to prevent these incidents.
Michele Steinberg and Lucian Deaton from NFPA's Wildland Fire Operations team were recently invited to attend the CONAF (Consiglio nazionale dei Dottori Agronomi e Dottori Forestali) Conference in Chile to take part in a global discussion regarding climate change and its impact on the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). Representatives from CONAF, CALFire, California government agencies, the U.S. Embassy, other global wildfire partners and NFPA were in attendance. California and Chile share many similarities in climate and topography, and are collaborating to share resources.
NFPA briefed attendees at the bi-national Chile-California seminar on Firewise, the community empowerment program that emphasizes neighborhood mitigation efforts in wildfire-risk landscapes. Firewise teaches people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourages residents to work together and take action to prevent losses. There are more than 1350 recognized Firewise communities in the United States.
A small contingent from the conference then ventured out in the community to learn more about the impact of climate change and the threat of wildfire in Chile. Delegates learned about drought and the tremendous impact it has had in Chile. The effect of global warming goes beyond forest fires there; oftentimes Chileans subsist on what they raise and if it doesn't rain, crops don't grow, and people and livestock don't eat.
During their travels, the group met with an indigenous Mapuche community, a large minority population in Chile and Argentina that pre-dated Spanish colonialism. The Mapuche have a different culture and independence – highlighted by the fact that they enjoy isolated living on an island called Isla Huapi in the middle of Lago Ranco, a giant lake. They are not, however, independent – they are interdependent on modern society, other Chileans and the global economy to survive.
Meeting with international climate change leaders and WUI innovators, and touring tribal communities in Chile will not solve wildfire problems, drought and the pollution issues that are causing concern in that country. Sharing success stories, introducing effective resources and establishing cultural insight, however, did have an impact. Just as the Firewise program in the U.S. has provided validation of wildfire challenges and recognition of positive, proactive prevention efforts – NFPA's recent visit to Chile was extremely valuable to the Chilean people and to the organization's ongoing efforts to effect positive change in the WUI.
The 2017 Suppression, Detection, and Signaling Research and Applications Conference (SUPDET 2017) will be a joint conference with the 16th International Conference on Automatic Fire Detection (AUBE '17). The joint conference will be held September 12-14, 2017 at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, Hyattsville, MD.
Papers are sought on new developments with focus on topics listed in the Call for Papers. Interested presenters should submit an extended abstract (2-3 pages) by email not later than 31 December 2016 to aube@uni-due.de. Abstracts will be reviewed by the program committee and authors will be notified of acceptance by 15 February 2017.
Anyone may submit a comment on this proposed TIA by the February 16, 2017 closing date. Along with your comment, please identify the log number of the TIA and forward to the Secretary, Standards Council by the closing date.
The December 2016 issue of NFPA News, our free monthly codes and standards newsletter, is now available.
By now, we are all aware of the horrible tragedy that occurred in Oakland, CA, where 36 people lost their lives in a horrific fire event at the Ghost Ship warehouse (the Ghost Ship housed assembly uses, residential uses, business use and others), which was hosting a electronic dance music concert at the time of the fire on the evening of December 2. On Saturday afternoon of December 3, a 10 alarm, wind-driven fire tore through 15 buildings and multiple vehicles in Cambridge, MA. All of this on the heels of the devastating wildfire in the beautiful Smoky Mountains National Park.
"They remind us that our work is not done and we should make every effort to see the learnings from all of them are used in our codes and standards, enforcement and public education work just as we have throughout history. This is how we can ensure that we continue to reduce loss and avoid complacency."
Complacency. I never really thought of fire in that way. Maybe because I have work for NFPA and I spend every day, at work and at home, thinking about fire safety. I still see fire as a problem and a risk. I am that person who looks for sprinklers in restaurants, and exits in shopping malls, and blocked fire doors. I worry that I don't have enough smoke alarms in my home and worry there may be too much lint in the dryer or faulty electrical work. But that is not for everyone. Fire risk, for most, is not at the top of the priority list. But it needs to stay a priority. In this crazy world of terrorist threats, cyber-security, global warming and climate change, homegrown acts of violence, all which plaster our news on a daily basis, how can we have time to focus on the fire risk, too? .
"We focus on the extraordinary risk, rather than the common one. No TV news runs spots on the alarming rate of child drowning. They don't run bloody footage of the high number of children killed in car crashes. Instead, we pay attention to the extraordinary: the shark attacks, the mass shootings, the risk of terrorism..."
With this focus on extraordinary risk, we can so easily become complacent with the day to day risk. I am fairly confident that those 36 innocent people that lost their lives last weekend didn't think that they would lose their lives to fire. Who does? It is the "it won't happen to me" attitude that can be dangerous, but it is so easy to believe.
Whether they realize it or not, the public relies on codes and standards to protect them. Smoke alarms in our homes, the number of exist in an office building, the storage of hazardous materials in a warehouse, electrical wiring methods and materials, are all regulated by codes and standards. In addition to a building code, a fire code may be one of the first codes and standards that a jurisdiction works with. Every jurisdiction needs and has a fire code.
NFPA 1, Fire Code, is provides jurisdictions and enforcers with a comprehensive resource for fire safety issues addressing occupant life safety, property protection, storage, use and handling of hazardous materials, fire department access and water supply, interior finish and furnishings, conditions in new and existing occupancies, building rehabilitation work, and hazards from outside fires. It is a fire safety 'bible' of sorts. When a fire inspector/code enforcer/AHJ inspects a building, they use a fire code as their resource to check the presence of fire protection systems, to know when inspection, testing and maintenance is required, to verify proper storage of hazardous materials, to ensure egress systems are unobstructed, available, and that the required access to the building is provided should the fire department be on site, among many many many other building issues.
Valuable and proven codes and standards exist, and they will continue to evolve. Let's work together, not in opposition, to make use of these codes and standards (especially the Fire Code!) and to remain vigilant to the risks of fire. Our job isn't done yet.
As we seek to provide greater resources to those who rely on us for critical information and knowledge to eliminate loss from fire and other hazards, we are working to further harness the power of data for our stakeholders, including the U.S. fire service.
In August of 2016, NFPA, with support from IAFF, IAFC, CPSE, NASFM, NVFC, and the Metro Chiefs, received funding from the AFG Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Program to develop a national fire data system (NFDS) that meets the priority needs of the U.S. fire service for quality local and national data for both operations and community risk reduction. It will be designed to be a data resource to support a broad range of fire department decision-making.
The NFDS plan was presented to front-line fire service innovators from thirteen national organizations at NFPA's Responder Forum last month. Video footage of the NFDS presentation at that event can be accessed here.
An important first step in the NFDS plan is a survey of fire department leaders and other fire personnel to learn how they are using data, what tools and software they are employing for collection, and which resources would enhance operations, first responder safety and community risk reduction.
If you manage fire data efforts for your organization, please take the NFDS survey.
A variety of different fire extinguishing agents are utilized in portable extinguishers that are used in museums, galleries, cultural centers, historic houses and libraries. The agents themselves have been well-researched and their ability to suppress a fire is well-quantified. What is less well understood is what effect these agents might have on the cultural heritage materials that are exposed to them.
The primary goals of these projects were to establish a reproducible test protocol that could be used for future testing and that would permit the reporting and assessment of comparable test results by disparate testing entities, and gather information about the responses of a range of selected materials when exposed to the most commonly used portable fire extinguisher agents over both the short and long-terms.
Download the full report, "Impact of Fire Extinguisher Agents on Cultural Resource Materials" for all of the details.
The 2017 edition of the National Electrical Code® Handbook is now available! Take a look at this brief walk-through, which highlights the new features of this edition.
1946 was a devastating and difficult year for hotel fires in the United States. Pictured here is the canopy that covered the marquee at the Hotel Winecoff in Atlanta, Georgia.
Deadline approaches for two Research Foundation "Requests for Proposal"
There are two open Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for Foundation projects. The projects are "Marina Risk Reduction" and "Campaign for Fire Service Contamination Control". Both RFPs are accessible from the Foundation website.
Both proposals are due by noon EST on 12 December. Please email research@nfpa.org with any questions.
Welcome to premier edition of #101Wednesdays (with apologies and all credit to my colleague, Kristin Bigda, who inspired me with her weekly posts on NFPA 1 in #FireCodeFridays (be sure to follow her @KristinB_NFPA). Each week I'll explore an issue related to NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and hopefully generate some discussion. My goals are to share some of what I've learned working with the Code over the last 20 years, and also to learn from you, the usersin the real world. This is a two-way street. I'm looking forward to getting the conversation started.
In this edition, in the wake of last week's tragic Oakland warehouse dance party fire that claimed 36 lives, I'll review some of the basic NFPA 101 requirements for assembly occupancies. The first thing that is important to understand is, "What exactly is an assembly occupancy?" The Code defines an assembly occupancy as an occupancy (1) used for a gathering of 50 or more persons for deliberation, worship, entertainment, eating, drinking, amusement, awaiting transportation, or similar uses; or (2) used as a special amusement building, regardless of occupant load (6.1.2.1 – references are to the 2015 edition of NFPA 101). For this discussion, I'll focus on Item (1) in the definition, which is a "typical" assembly occupancy. Item (2) refers to things like haunted house attractions, and the like. Based on the definition, two criteria must be met for an occupancy to be classified as assembly: there must be 50 or more people, AND they must be collocated in the occupancy for one of the specified purposes (deliberation, worship, entertainment, eating, drinking, amusement, awaiting transportation, or similar uses). If 50 or more people are working in a densely occupied call center, it's most likely a business occupancy based on its use. If there are 50 or more people in a large conference room, that is an assembly occupancy. The 50-person threshold is determined based on the calculated occupant or the actual expected number of occupants, whichever is GREATER (7.3.1.2). With the occupancy classification established, let's look at some of the basic life safety requirements.
The importance of providing adequate means of egress from assembly occupancies can't be overstated. For new assembly occupancies, the general rule is at least two means of egress are needed for not more than 500 occupants; three are needed for 501 to 1,000 occupants; and four are needed for more than 1,000 (7.4 and 12.2.4.1). For existing assembly occupancies, two means of egress are good for up to 600 occupants; the other thresholds are the same as for new assembly occupancies (13.2.4). Early reports indicate the second floor performance space in the Oakland warehouse was accessed by a single, makeshift stair. NFPA 101 would have required, in all likelihood, at least two stairs because of the strict 20 ft common path of travel limit for egress paths in assembly occupancies serving more than 50 people (12.2.5.1.2 and 13.2.5.1.2).
In addition to adequate numbers of means of egress, sufficient egress capacity (width) is needed. As a Boston area native, I make an analogy to the old Central Artery, which was an elevated highway that snaked its way through Downtown Boston. Before the infamous "Big Dig," I-93 was a relatively wide, three- and four-lane highway north and south of Boston. Where the highway hit the city, however, it narrowed down to two lanes in each direction. This narrowing resulted in traffic jams, day in and day out. The same phenomenon exists where occupants attempt to egress through a relatively narrow doorway or via a stair. The reduction in egress width results in queuing; the wider the opening, the shorter the wait time to move through the opening. Section 7.3, 12.2.3, and 13.2.3 provide all the details on means of egress capacity. If insufficient capacity is provided, the occupant load must be carefully controlled to prevent overcrowding and exceeding the available egress capacity, or additional egress capacity must be provided.
New assembly occupancies are required to be protected by automatic sprinklers where the occupant load exceeds 300. In addition, any new nightclub-like assembly occupancy must be provided with sprinklers if the occupant load is 50 or greater. For existing nightclub-like assembly occupancies, sprinklers are required if the occupant load is greater than 100. Otherwise, sprinklers are required for existing exhibition facilities that are more than 15,000 ft2 in area. Fire alarm systems are required in both new and existing assembly occupancies with an occupant load exceeding 300, and in theaters with more than one audience-viewing room. The alarm system is required to alert personnel at a constantly attended receiving station for the purpose of initiating an emergency response. Alternatively, the system is permitted to automatically provide voice notification to the occupants. There are some exceptions to and variations of the sprinkler and fire alarm requirements for assembly occupancies; see 12.3.4, 12.3.5, 13.3.4, and 13.3.5 for all the details.
ALL assembly occupancies must be provided with at least one trained crowd manager to facilitate an orderly response to an emergency (12.7.6 & 13.7.6). (There is an exception for assembly occupancies used for religious worship with an occupant load of not more than 500.) Additional crowd managers must be provided where the occupant load exceeds 250 at a ratio of one crowd manager for every 250 occupants. Guidance on the required crowd manager training is provided in Annex A of the Code (A.12.7.6.2 and A.13.7.6.2). Crowd managers are an integral component of the life safety package prescribed by the Code for an assembly occupancy and should not be overlooked. Organizations such as the International Association of Venue Managers offer online training for trained crowd managers and crowd manager supervisors; go to http://www.iaamtraining.com for details.
The life safety criteria for assembly occupancies prescribed by NFPA 101 that I've described here is only the tip of the iceberg. The Code has much more: interior finish regulations; vertical opening protection; emergency lighting; construction limits; seating arrangements; I could go on for days! (In fact, I frequently do when I instruct NFPA's three-day Life Safety Code Essentials seminar.) But hopefully this brief review helps you gain an understanding of some of the basics. It's still early in the Oakland fire investigation, but I won't be surprised if some, if not all of the items described here were missing.
Let me know what challenges you encounter related to assembly occupancies. If we can keep the discussions going, and continue to raise awareness, maybe we can help to prevent future tragedies like the one we witnessed in Oakland last week. Check out my earlier blog post about the unsettling 13-year trend of large loss-of-life assembly occupancy fires. I hope you'll return next week for another edition of #101Wednesdays. Until then, stay safe.
Last week NFPA Regional Electrical Code Specialist Tim McClintock and I were in Southern California. We met with AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) who received an early holiday gift in the form of free 2016 editions of the CA Electrical Code (based on NFPA 70: National Electrical Code 2014 edition), and training on the significant changes between the 2011 and 2014 NEC editions. Playing to full houses in San Diego, Costa Mesa, Rancho Cucamonga, Los Angeles County and Ventura, Tim and I helped over 900 code enforcers understand how these changes impact their inspection activities in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial occupancies.
With the tireless logistical support provided by local members of the IAEI, we are happy to report the first week of this "CA Effective Enforcement Tour (EET)" went flawlessly.
Many of the enforcers have received this training on prior editions of the NEC (dating back to 2005), and attendees told us how much they appreciate our continued efforts in supporting the code enforcement community in the state.
Over the weekend, our T&J team moved to northern CA and this week we're doing another week of training for the enforcers in that part of the state.
No one thinks something will be a problem, until it becomes a problem. Complacency is one of the greatest dangers when it comes to fire safety - particularly in public settings - and it may have been a factor in this weekend's California warehouse fire. In what may be a small sliver of positivity after a large disaster like this one, people tend to stop and think a bit more about how fragile their lives are and, and at least for a short period of time, work to stay extra vigilant and careful.
We hope that everyone takes a few moments during this time to review safety tips that can help keep you stay safe the next time you are in a place of public assembly. By taking personal responsibility and keeping some basic precautions in mind, we can all be safer, and hopefully help reduce the loss of lives and number of injuries that result in this type of situation.
Take a good look. Does the building appear to be in a condition that makes you feel safe? Is the main entrance wide and does it open outward to allow easy exit? Is the outside area clear of materials stored against the building or blocking exits?
When you enter a building, make sure to identify all available exits. Some exits may be in front and some in back of you. Be prepared to use your closest exit. You may not be able to use the main exit.
Make sure aisles are wide enough and not obstructed by chairs or furniture. Check to make sure your exit door is not blocked or chained. If there are not at least two exits or exit paths are blocked, report the violation to management and leave the building if it is not immediately addressed. Call the local fire marshal to register a complaint.
Does the building appear to be overcrowded? Are there fire sources such as candles burning, cigarettes or cigars burning, pyrotechnics, or other heat sources that may make you feel unsafe? Are there safety systems in place such as alternative exits, sprinklers, and smoke alarms? Ask the management for clarification on your concerns. If you do not feel safe in the building, leave immediately.
If an alarm sounds, you see smoke or fire, or other unusual disturbance, immediately exit the building in an orderly fashion.
Once you have escaped, stay out. Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. Let trained firefighters conduct rescue operations.
Download NFPA's safety tip sheet for places of public assembly to share with your friends, family and community.
First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers go out from NFPA to the families, communities and first responders who are impacted by the number of recent fire tragedies filling the headlines. For those of us who devote our careers to making the world safer from fire, these stories shake us to our core.
As I read of the horrendous fire in Oakland this weekend where at least 36 people lost their lives, and then saw coverage of a 10 alarm fire outside Boston that left more than 100 homeless; a fire in a hotel in Pakistan that killed 11; and continuing coverage of the Tennessee wildfires where the death toll has reached 14, I couldn't help but think about what they all had in common. As different as the scenarios are, they are a painful reminder that we have not solved the fire problem and we must remain ever vigilant on the things that have helped us dramatically reduce the amount of loss in recent decades.
Codes and standards, a robust enforcement system and public education have all combined to bring the number of deaths, injuries and dollar loss down. But with that success has come a level of complacency that we see in so many of today's scenarios. No one thinks it's an issue until it's an issue. I'm sure for folks in Oakland, fire safety was not top of mind when they attended an event there or folks in Tennessee may not have seen wildfire as a major issue to the extent many people in California do.
These fires remind us that the threats and challenges facing the public and first responders continue to change. In Oakland, the changing occupancy of that building may have only been known to those who lived or worked there, not to the fire service or other officials. This is likely a scenario happening in other places around the country. The ability to attract large numbers of people to an unknown venue is easy through newer ways of social media. Couple that with the rate of speed things can go from bad to worse when there are blocked or not enough exits and lots of combustibles.
They remind us that our work is not done and we should make every effort to see the learnings from all of them are used in our codes and standards, enforcement and public education work just as we have throughout history. This is how we can ensure that we continue to reduce loss and avoid complacency.
More information on these incidents and NFPA resources can be found under breaking news at nfpa.org.
The New York Times reports that the blaze that broke out in a live-work warehouse space occupied by an arts collective in Oakland has taken at least 30 lives. More casualties are expected. There were 40-50 people in the building when fire erupted around 11:00 p.m. on Friday.
As of Sunday afternoon, fire officials had only made it through about 20-percent of the building that was described as a labyrinth of wires, beams and woods with pianos, campers, artwork, make-shift living spaces and furniture. The building's second floor collapsed and an ad hoc staircase made of wooden pallets also created access challenges. Authorities anticipate that the search may take up to 48 hours and involve excavators, bulldozers and cadaver dogs.
Oakland Fire Chief, NFPA Board of Director Member and NFPA Emergency Responder Advisory Committee (ERAC) Member Teresa Deloach Reed told the East BayTimes that the building had no sprinklers and crews did not hear any smoke detectors going off when they arrived.
The Oakland blaze is one of the deadliest structure fires in the United States in the last ten years. Read NFPA's most recent report on catastrophic multiple fire death fires here.
Miraculously, there were no fatalities or serious injuries reported as a result of a 10-alarm fire that quickly ripped through a series of residential buildings in Cambridge, Mass on Saturday afternoon. The fire broke out just before 3:00 p.m. as 20-30 mph winds gusted throughout the region. The fast-moving inferno, which engulfed 15 buildings, went to 9-alarms within 30-minutes.
Approximately 150 first responders from nearly 20 Boston-area communities battled the fire that started in a building under construction in a residential area near Kendall Square. The fire swept through the densely populated neighborhood, ultimately displacing between 60-90 residents. Witnesses say the scene was like a "ball of fire" and conjured up images of "a war zone."
Most of the buildings consumed were three-family residences. An old church converted to apartments also went up in flames, as well as six cars parked along the area's notoriously narrow streets. One building crumbled during the fire, others partially fell, and today fire officials announced that more collapses are imminent, based on initial investigations.
Saturday's fire was the biggest blaze to occur in Cambridge since the 1980s. Six residents reported minor injuries; and fire officials and local residents were quick to point out that the mid-afternoon timing made the difference between life and death.
This time of year, we look back at two significant events in fire history that influence codes and standards still today.
On November 28, 1942, a fire broke out in Boston's popular Cocoanut Grove Nightclub. 492 people lives were lost due to the events that night. 200 people died within feet of the jammed revolving doors.
"The radios and newspapers reported the facts apparently responsible for the loss of life: (1) inadequate and locked exits, (2) quick burning decorations...The tragedy started when fire broke out in the basement in a cocktail lounge. The blaze is said to have been first noticed in an imitation palm tree after a bus boy struck a match for a light while replacing an electric bulb near the ceiling. However, other testimony leads to the question whether defective wiring may have had something to do with the start of the fire, or whether there may have been some other unexplained factor."
The Our Lady of Angels Fire on December 1, 1958 also struck a chord and is cited as one of the reasons many fire and life safety codes and standards are enforced in schools today.
"On December 1, 1958, 95 people lost their lives in the Our Lady of the Angels Roman Catholic grade school in Chicago, Illinois. It was the deadliest school fire in U.S. history and the in decades that resulted in a large death toll. Not only did it remind Americans of some major uncorrected fire hazards in U.S. school, but it also shone a light on other hazards that had not been widely recognized before."
I've learned a lot about Christmas trees since working with NFPA 1, Fire Code. How much can there be to learn about a Christmas tree? Homes have them, businesses have them, place of worship have them, schools may have them, restaurants have them. I hate to be a Grinch, but Christmas trees can be a pretty severe fire hazard when not properly attended to or when not fire tested appropriately. There are provisions in place to make sure buildings and residences that wish to enjoy Christmas trees can do so while staying safe.
Check out this video. In this case, a room with a dried out Christmas tree may achieve flashover conditions in under a minute. This shows that Christmas trees have the potential to greatly contribute to the overall fuel load of a compartment. When it comes to a family escaping their home, seconds can count. One minute just isn't enough.
These days, artificial Christmas trees come in all shapes and sizes. They even come pre-lit (who wants to spend the time stringing the lights? Not me!) UL has published a fantastic white paper about the reducing the fire risk of pre-lit trees. This publication addresses the research that led to the development of performance testing criteria for pre-lit artificial trees. It is a valuable resource for consumers and code officials when evaluating the safety of artificial trees.
Artificial vegetation and artificial Christmas trees must be labeled or otherwise identified or certified by the manufacturer as being fire retardant.
Allowances for Christmas trees are specified by occupancy and found in Table 10.13.1.1.
lighting, in an approved manner.
Christmas trees can not obstruct corridors, exit ways, or other means of egress.
Only listed electrical lights and wiring can be used on natural or artificial Christmas trees.
Do not locate open flames such as from candles, lanterns, and heaters on or near Christmas trees.
1⁄2 in. (13 mm) above the end prior to placing the tree in a stand to allow the tree to absorb water.
The tree is to be placed in a suitable stand with water and the water level must be maintained above the fresh cut and checked at least once daily.
The tree shall be removed from the building immediately upon evidence of dryness.
Stay safe, and happy holidays!


Brian E. Engel - Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, P.C.
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism, B.J.
Brian focuses his practice on real estate transactions and development, land use and zoning, as well as municipal law and public finance. Brian serves as counsel to the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of Kansas City, Missouri, and to Transportation Development Districts and Community Improvement Districts throughout Missouri.


With the latest update of iOS, there are some kinds of issues cropping up for iOS device users, be it an iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. If problems like – messages app is suddenly empty after iOS 11.3 update happens to you, you are not the only one. When the messages app in your iPhone behaves in such a weird manner and eventually disrupts proper communication, seeking a feasible solution is of grear importance.
Through this article, we are going to explain you how to resolve the issue of messages/iMessages randomly getting deleted from your iPhone after iOS 11.3 update.
If you find the text messages or iMessages are out of order on your iPhone, you can check the solutions here.
If your iMessages doesn't say delivered when you send an iMessage out, check solutions here.
If there is not enough storage on your iPhone, this problem might appear. Go to Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage. If there little available storage on your iPhone, just click Manage Storage and deleted some unwanted apps. Once you have done that, please restart your iPhone.
Sometimes the iMessages/Messages are not really cleared. It just gets some glitches after iOS 11.3 update, so that the iMessages/Messages cannot be displayed. This can be fixed by force restarting iPhone.
For iPhone 6 and earlier versions, just press 'Power' and 'Home' buttons at the same time until Apple logo shows up on screen; for iPhone 7 and 7 plus, press 'Volume Down' instead of 'Home' button; for iPhone 8 and iPhone X, quickly press 'Volume Up' button and then 'Volume Down' button, then keep pressing 'Power' button until you see the Apple logo.
Launch iTunes on your computer and connect your iPhone using a lightning cable.
Once iTunes detects your iPhone, click on it and go to the 'Summary' tab.
Click on the 'Restore Backup' option and select the desired backup file from the list appearing on your screen.
Now, push the 'Restore' button to initiate the process.
If you want to restore from iCloud backup, please refer to the guide here.
If unfortunately you don't have any backup when iMessages/Messages are cleared after iOS 11.3 update, you can use a data recovery tool iMyFone D-Back to recover the messages/iMessages. Even when you have no backups, it can recover the messages from your device. It was recommended by famous media sites like Cult of Mac, and Makeuseof.
Install and launch the software on your computer. From the left panel of the main screen, click on the 'Recover from iOS Device' tab and then click 'Start'.
After that, choose the desired file types you wish to recover. Since we are recovering the iMessages/Messages which are randomly deleted after iOS 11.3 update, in this case you should select 'Messages' from the file types.
Now, connect your iPhone when prompted by the software. The program will detect your iOS device now. Once it is successfully detected, proceed to click on 'Scan' to get the files found.
Once the scanning gets over, click the 'Show only the deleted files' tab to preview all the deleted data. Choose the files that you want to recover and click 'Recover' to initiate the process. Choose the destination location when prompted for saving the files.
If you just get back the messages and iMessages, but they disappear or get deleted again, there might be some problem with the iOS. We recommend the following 2 methods to fix the iOS problem.
You can also fix iOS issues using iMyFone D-Back without any data loss. The tool has a feature "Fix iOS System" which can fix various iOS problems including iPhone stuck in recovery mode, white screen, black screen, apple logo, etc.
Launch the software and choose 'Fix iOS System' on the main screen. Using a USB cable get your iPhone connected to the computer and tap on 'Standard Mode'.
After selecting the 'Standard Mode', go along the instructions on screen to put your iPhone on DFU mode when prompted.
As soon as your iOS device enters DFU mode, it gets detected by iMyFone D-Back. It's time to get the newest firmware. For this, just tap 'Download' and wait till it's over. If the program doesn't detect your device, you can enter the details manually.
Right after downloading the iOS software click 'Start to Fix' to start the repair process. As soon as the issues are fixed, your iPhone will restart on its own. This will possibly fix the problem that all iMessages/Messages go away randomly after iOS 11.3 update.
When iMessages/Messages are randomly deleted after upgrading to iOS 11.3, here is another option you can try to fix the issue. It is factory restoring your iPhone with iTunes. Let's see how to do it.
Launch iTunes on your computer and get your iPhone connected through a USB.
Once iTunes detects your iPhone, click on the device icon and tap the 'Summary' option.
Click 'Restore iPhone' and then tap 'Restore' to confirm.


What you should note when you design a T-Shirt for your organization – Designing something is never easy, there are many moving parts and at the same time there are many people that you probably have to vet through to get to the design that everyone is able to accept and like about. Designing a T-Shirt is even harder because of the different things that can be changed and adjusted for the requirements of a various number of people in the organization that you are trying to design for. The main ones are things like color, design patterns, the use of which material, the purpose of this attire and also what is the budget that your organization is willing to fork out for the T-Shirt that you have come up with. So we will be sharing some of our views on what you should note when you are trying to come up with a design for your organization T-Shirt and how you can work closely to give your organization the most value.
So what are some of the things that we think you should watch out for when you are trying to get your T-Shirt Design done up properly?
The Color of the T-Shirt can mean quite a bit to others. Colors are a great way to show case your personality and also your teams goals and also visions. A dark color shows how compose your team is when it comes to handling stress. A Bright color like red will be great to show case how energetic your company or organization is and it could also show case how much power you guys have to show to your competitors.
T-Shirt Designs could also come up with quite a diverse use of Color for your T-Shirt Printing, so that really depends on what you guys want to come up with. With special colors means more cost and also if you are looking at quite a wide range of colors, do take note that cost can become a problem because printing cost can become a bigger problem.
Your color choice should also be suitable for the comfort of your wearers. If its an outdoor event, it will be better off a lighter color as dark colors absorb more heat. Heat can cause your wearers to be uncomfortable and not like what they are getting as their T-Shirt for their organization.
Material is a very important part for the process of getting something for your team and organization. When it comes to comfort, everyone will want something that is nice to wear for the long term and it all kinds of conditions, when it is warm or when it is indoors. If you are able to get something that everyone enjoys then you have a winner in terms of trying to get a buy in from your team to wear this attire more for either branding purpose or for showing team effort.
When it comes to choosing materials, it is also important to note that some forms of printing are not allowed on certain materials as they are too difficult to print on so you might want to reconsider base on what design you want to work on.
Materials can also help your clothing to stand out in the crowd. With a nice shiny material will mean that you can shine in the bright lights.
Comfort also counts into what you should feel when using them, hot weather will mean you should try using dri fit for a quick evaporation process for the comfort of everyone.
Design can sometimes be something that makes a big difference for your product. How you design the colors and how you design it to be 3D or of a certain material will help you to stand out and be different. Some shirts have diamonds or sparkly items on them and they are hard to sew and make and take care of. Some have 3D portions that makes it look amazing, some use striking colors to grab your attention.
When you are designing something do take note that you might have a budget limitation or you might a printing method or material limitation. You won't want to be in the situation where you get upset because you couldn't achieve the dream design because it was not done properly and you were not aware of said restrictions that might have already been there for quite awhile.
There are quite a few methods of printing that can be used when you want to get your shirt printing to some way that you might like it. Silkscreen is one common method where you print over the shirt with the designs that you have prepared with a digital image. This method is able to retain its design well and you are able to wash it in a great manner as well, as long as you do not do too intensive scratching on the printing, you are pretty sure to see this method of printing lasting a long time for your attire.
Embroidery is also the other popular method that you can think of using and you will be able to get good quality work from this method of printing as well. You can use embriodery of your names or organization on the sleeve or on the front or back of your shirt to help you stand out. Especially so if you're using a color that is outstanding on the shirt that you are printing on.
Print Infinito is the leading T-Shirt Printing and Design Company in Singapore and we work closely with Singapore organizations such as schools and corporates to deliver high quality products and services to those who demand high quality service and workmanship.
We look forward to working with your organization in providing the best work that we could and look forward to fighting along side you to give value to your customers and employees.


text:
Q: if $f > g$ for all $x$ on $[a,b]$, is the $\int f > \int g$ on $[a,b]$? I know that there is a theorem saying that if $f \geq g$ on $[a,b]$, then $\int f \geq \int g$, but I am wondering if we only have $f > g$, can we absolutely get a result of $\int f > \int g$.
From the proof, it seems that it is possible that if $f > g$, $\int f = \int g$, but this does not make intuitive sense to me.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A: let $f$ be 1 at 0 and 0 elsewhere. Let $g$ be 0 everywhere. Both have integral zero.
However, you seem to be asking if $f(x) > g(x)$ for all $x.$ In this case, $h(x) = f(x) - g(x) >0$ for all $x.$ Yes this does have positive integral.
Let $h_{n} = h I_{x>1/n}.$
The functions $h_n$ converge to $h$ monotonically upwards. If $h_n$ has integral $0$ then $h < 1/n$ on a set of full measure. If they all have integral zero, then $h=0$ on a set of full measure as an intersection (countable) of sets of full measure.
This cannot happen so $\int h \geq \int h_n >0$ for some $n.$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


By the semi-final matches of the World Cup, the passion has risen to fever pitch with fans eager to bet on their favourite team with the finishing line being so close. Even the most reluctant gambling fans will feel the urge to ber. With the passing of each game, a nation's pride soars in their team and the picture of the possible winners becomes more and more clear. However, in the betting world the risk remains as always and to minimise it we have prepared a comparison of the best bookmakers' odds on the remaining teams. Check the odds and choose the best option for yourself.
When and where will the semi-finals take place?
The semi-final matches will be held on the 10th and 11th July at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow and the St Petersburg Stadium. The teams face each other in the fight to reach the final with the loser heading for the third-place playoff. A more detailed schedule of matches you will find on the match schedule page.
As we reach the final stages of the World Cup the excitement of betting fans is close to bursting, knowing this, bookmakers will promote attractive odds and favourable offers. But as we all know, the only free cheese is in the mousetrap and so to assist you in avoiding the said trap we have compiled comparison tables for the main markets at the most reliable and popular bookmakers. Look, compare and place the right bets.
On the 10th July at 21:00 local time match 61 will kick off between the winners of games 57 and 58 (quarterfinals 1 and 2). The match will take place at the "St Petersburg Stadium" which seats 68,000 people. The odds will be available after the end of the quarterfinal matches.
The second semi-final, match number 61, will take place on the 11th July in Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium, which has undergone a major renovation for the World Cup at a reported cost of €350 million. Competing in this semi-final will be the winners matches №59 and №60 (quarterfinals 3 and 4). The game will be held at 2100hrs local time. The odds will be available after the end of the quarterfinal matches.
The largest margin of victory in a FIFA World Cup semi-final – Germany Won 7-1.
The German Striker Miroslav Klose scored his 16th career World Cup goal and surpassed Brazil's own Ronaldo as the tournament's all-time record goalscorer.
The semi-final defeat ended Brazil's 62-match home unbeaten streak in all competitive matches going back to 1975.
This Semi-final loss also equalled Brazil's biggest ever margin of defeat in a match the other being a 6–0 loss to Uruguay in 1920.
Broke the record for the most goals ever conceded by Brazil in an international match.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup the participating semi-finalists received $20 million in prize money each.
In the 2010 World Cup Semi-final between Germany and Spain, not a single yellow or red card was produced.


Bankruptcy Troubles? Did you know that your Bankruptcy term may be prolonged?
Bankruptcy in Australia – Stressed about what will happen to your business?
Bankruptcy in Australia – Stressed about losing your home?
Bankruptcy in Australia – Who do I speak to?
Bankruptcy in Australia – What happens to my income?
Bankruptcy in Australia – Which Path will you take?
Bankruptcy in Australia – What Debts are removed by Bankruptcy?
Bankruptcy in Australia – Voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy?
Bankruptcy in Australia – Changes that can help Small Business and Entrepreneurs.
Bankruptcy in Australia and how to avoid getting bitten.


The Buick's in-dash global positioning satellite (GPS) navigation system is designed to aid drivers who require accurate, turn-by-turn directions when driving through unfamiliar areas. This system is also capable of displaying millions of points of interest, such as tourist attractions, lodging, restaurants and entertainment on the map. A Buick navigation system may be upgraded by purchasing the latest map update available from the GM Navigation Disc Center. This is an online shop that sends the map update to you on DVD. The DVD may then be inserted in the system's DVD drive to begin the update.
Keep your Buick's GPS system up to date for the most current highway and street information.
Go to the GM Navigation Disc Center website, then click on "Search" in the "Find Your GM Nav Disc" box. You may also click "Buy a Disc" at the top of the page.
Use the menus to select "Buick" as your vehicle's make. Choose the model and year with the next two menus. Click "Search" to see the newest update. Enter the quantity you want to purchase, and click "Add Items to Cart." After purchase, the update is mailed to your address on DVD.
Start the Buick's engine, and allow the radio to "wake up." Hit the "Power" button on the Navigation Radio.
Put the screen in full-screen position by pressing "Navi Screen Up/Down." Insert the new DVD into the disc slot.
Press "Update." Enter the Authentication Code supplied to you with the DVD, then press "Enter." The update begins.
Remove the update disc from the system when the update is complete.


(Solved) Which two panels in the figure show a movement of a bone away from the midline of the body?
Which two panels in the figure show a movement of a bone away from the midline of the body?
Solved Examples of this type of movement include moving the humerus away from the midline of the body.
Solved Which of the following is known as movement toward the midline of the body?
Solved Which term best applies to a muscle that acts to move a bone away from the midline of the body?


The High-Resolution Powder Technology we use to create our PERFECT SELFIE HD Photo Finishing Powder ensures that it remains smooth and 'elastic-like' on the skin. The formula contains a high performing blend of Perfecting Powders that are uniform in size, allowing it to expand and contract with your skin. This means the powder will not settle into any fine lines or creases - creating the perfect airbrushed photo finish to your skin!
To see the unique PERFECT SELFIE technology in action, take a look at some of our videos and don't forget to share your reviews!
- Apply PERFECT SELFIE HD Photo Finishing Powder all over face with sponge or brush after makeup application. If using a sponge, use in pressing motions. If using a brush, buff into skin using circular motions.
- Simply buff PERFECT SELFIE into the skin after applying the rest of your makeup with our KABUKI BRUSH and your finished makeup look will appear poreless.


I have always believed in being open to new ideas and new paths, and my scholarly and teaching interests reflect this philosophy. My research interests include material culture, gender studies, women's travel narratives, and the construction of identity in literature. I am the author of The American Counterfeit: Authenticity and Identity in American Literature and Culture, as well as articles on Phillis Wheatley, Sarah Kemble Knight, Walt Whitman, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and William Faulkner. I am associate editor of The Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Poets and Poetry. I also teach a variety of courses, both undergraduate and graduate, including the University's first-year core course, The Journey of Transformation, Women and Literature II, American Romanticism, Studies in American Literature, and Senior Seminar. I am also interested in the use of technology for teaching and to advance learning. Toward that end I have tried various tools in my classes, including wikis, blogs, and, most recently, Second Life, the online virtual community. I am currently at work on a study of the grotesque in early American literature. I have given numerous presentations on both my scholarship and my pedagogical interests. I am on the editorial board of Transformations, the Journal of Inclusive Scholarship and Pedagogy, and a member of several scholarly organizations, including MLA, SEA, and NJCEA.
Mary M. Balkun, Joseph J. Martinelli, Marian Glenn, Heidi P. Trotta, et al.
Mary M. Balkun, Kelly Shea, Susan Nolan, John Saccoman, et al.
Teaching with Digital Media: Widening the Framework.
Jackson R. Bryer, Ruth Prigozy, Milton R. Stern, Mary McAleer Balkun, et al.


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Home OOs and Foundation The Campaign for Oakham
OOs and Foundation The Campaign for Oakham
Parent Foundation Evening 2017
Net Form 2 Unveiling
Speech Day 2017
Social Sciences Gallery
Social Sciences Celebratory Lecture
1584 Society Lunch 2019
The 1584 Society Annual Lunch 2018
Old Oakhamian Publications
Old Oakhamian News
OO Recent Events Gallery
OO Christmas Drinks 2018 Photo Gallery
Oakham School Archives Blog
These are exciting times and this is the most significant development for the Performing Arts at Oakham School in over 30 years.
Nigel Lashbrook, Headmaster
The arts have a strong tradition at Oakham School, embracing excellence, enthusiasm, professionalism and participation, which are all integral to the culture of the School.
The Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Music School are the hub of the performing arts programme at Oakham; in them,Oakhamians, for many years, have produced performances of remarkable quality, maturity and professionalism. It is not only within the School where the impact of our Music and Drama is felt, but also beyond the grounds of the School, where local performances help to embed the School within Rutland. Further afield, overseas choral tours across Europe and North America, as well as regular Drama performances at the Edinburgh Fringe, enable us to continue to grow our reputation nationally and internationally.
The demand on the QET and the Music School, is ever growing. From the diverse Drama productions that take place, to the 15,000 individual music lessons which are taught throughout the year, the need for a Performing Arts Centre is now very real, in order to ensure this important part of life at Oakham can be maintained and continue to grow.
The purchase of land, adjacent to the School campus, has enabled a design which integrates new buildings into the current Drama and Music School facilities. The centre has been designed to provide two areas that have a distinct focus for both Drama and Music.
Our ambition is to raise £1.4 million in phase one of a £2 million campaign so that the building work can commence.
Please help us to continue the positive impact that the performing arts have on Oakham School for many years to come.
Performing Arts Campaign Brochure

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I went to Singapore last week, June 11 to June 16 to celebrate my birthday and to take my time to find myself and direct my life. As it was my third time in Singapore, I didn't do the usual tourist attractions (Universal Studios, Sentosa, any of the Gardens, etc.). Instead, I was set on finding the other treasures tucked away in the city. Part of my agenda was to go coffee shop hopping but it didn't push through, unfortunately, but I did go to a quaint coffee shop named Group Therapy.
It also indicates if they are already open for the day as they have different opening hours for each day. If the sign hasn't lit yet, that means they are closed. If you noticed that the sign has already lit, make your way up to the café and enjoy the ambience. I suggest you take a seat near the window so you can watch people passing along Duxton Road.
It has a very chic and playful feel which I really enjoyed as I spent a whole morning of mine here during my stay in Singapore.
On the side, they were also selling books and trinkets which were very much adorable. I regret not taking home some of their keychains and plushies!
The ambiance was perfect and food was great. I got myself a Cuban Pretzel Dog which was heavier than expected. It was supposed to be a light brunch because I was preparing my stomach for much more food the whole day. No regrets gaining pounds though, it was a really delicious dish! It was shredded pork in a hotdog bun with egg and cheese on top, I believe. Generous amount of chips and salad on the side as well.
I also got myself a cappuccino because it doesn't make sense not to get any coffee in a coffee shop. It was simple, and it was also good.
I also took my time writing on my journal, as per usual. Haha!
I enjoyed my 2-3 hour stay in this coffee shop enjoying their playlist, the good food, and looking at the beautiful interiors. I definitely recommend everyone to go to this place if they are in Singapore!
Group Therapy Coffee / 49 Duxton Road #02-01 Singapore 089513 / MRT Station closest would be Tanjong Pagar.
They are closed every Monday. And you can check them out on Facebook!


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Банкеръ Weekly
DIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN BULGARIA
According to preliminary data of the National Bank of Bulgaria, cited by BTA, direct foreign investment for the first quarter of 2001 amounted to 143 million US dollars, up 13 per cent, or 16.5 million dollars, on the same year-ago period.
The biggest investors for the period under review were Austria with 26.4 per cent of the overall direct foreign investment, the Czech Republic with 18 per cent and Germany with 14.2 per cent. 45.2 million leva in equity capital were attracted during the same period, 5.3 million dollars less than the figure for the same period in 2000. 4.6 million dollars of profits were reinvested in the first quarter, down 14.2 million dollars on the same 2000 period when it amounted to 18.8 million dollars.
The above figures are part of the preliminary data for 2000 and 2001. The 2000 data will be collated with information of the National Statistical Institute.
събота, 02. юни 2001 - 01:00
Naydenov brothers: Vasil Bozhkov literally told us:"I'll wipe you out together with Kiril Domustchiev as I did with Manol Velev, Yordan Dimov and Tony Naumov
The 2019 budget ends with a deficit of over BGN 1 billion
The BNB and SANS will jointly check banks against money laundering
Insurance: Is another bankruptcy lurking on us?


The trip was a dream come true! Each place more beautiful than the last yet so different! Corsignano was great and the location was perfect. Thank you for all you did to help us Gina!
We had the most wonderful time in Italy! Every hotel was more beautiful than the next and our tour guides were excellent! Everything went so smoothly and the Venice train mixup was resolved so well and so quickly. We cannot say enough of how pleased we were with every part of the itinerary you put together for us!! Gina and VILLA VITA are wonderful! We will absolutely refer you to any lucky travelers in the future! Ciao!
We had an absolutely wonderful trip. Everything went as planned and the weather was beautiful! The hotels were just what we had in mind and locations were perfect. We were able to walk just about everywhere we wanted to go. Italy is such a beautiful country – I have a feeling we will be going back someday? Thank you so much for all your help putting it together!


The term "biomass" refers to organic matter that has stored energy through the process of photosynthesis. It exists in one form as plants and may be transferred through the food chain to animals' bodies and their wastes, all of which can be converted for everyday human use through processes such as combustion, which releases the carbon dioxide stored in the plant material. Many of the biomass fuels used today come in the form of wood products, dried vegetation, crop residues, and aquatic plants. Biomass has become one of the most commonly used renewable sources of energy in the last two decades, second only to hydropower in the generation of electricity. It is such a widely utilized source of energy, probably due to its low cost and indigenous nature, that it accounts for almost 15% of the world's total energy supply and as much as 35% in developing countries, mostly for cooking and heating.
There are two issues that affect the evaluation of biomass as a viable solution to our energy problem: the effects of the farming and production of biomass and the effects of the factory conversion of biomass into usable energy or electricity. There are as many environmental and economic benefits as there are detriments to each issue, which presents a difficult challenge in evaluating the potential success of biomass as an alternative fuel. For instance, the replacement of coal by biomass could result in "a considerable reduction in net carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to the greenhouse effect." On the other hand, the use of wood and other plant material for fuel may mean deforestation. We are all aware of the problems associated with denuding forests, and widespread clear cutting can lead to groundwater contamination and irreversible erosion patterns that could literally change the structure of the world ecology.
Biomass has to be considered in the search for an alternative source of energy that is abundant in a wide-scale yet non-disruptive manner, since it is capable of being implemented at all levels of society. Although tree plantations have "considerable promise" in supplying an energy source, "actual commercial use of plantation-grown fuels for power generation is limited to a few isolated experiences." Supplying the United States ' current energy needs would require an area of one million square miles. That's roughly one-third of the area of the 48 contiguous states. There is no way that plantations could be implemented at this scale, not to mention that soil exhaustion would eventually occur. Biomass cannot replace our current dependence on coal, oil, and natural gas, but it can complement other renewables such as solar and wind energy.
According to Flavin and Lenssen of the Worldwatch Institute , "If the contribution of biomass to the world energy economy is to grow, technological innovations will be needed, so that biomass can be converted to usable energy in ways that are more efficient, less polluting, and at least as economical as today's practices." When we have enough government support and have allotted enough land for the continuous growth of energy crops for biomass-based energy, we may have a successful form of alternative energy. But "as long as worldwide prices of coal, oil and gas are relatively low, the establishment of plantations dedicated to supplying electric power or other higher forms of energy will occur only where financial subsidies or incentives exist or where other sources of energy are not available." Although it is currently utilized across the globe, biomass energy is clearly not capable of sustaining the world's energy needs on its own.


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Q: Ruby's hash -> Json -> C# Ruby's Hash is converted to json like this
{ "key1" : {value1}, "key2" : {value2} ... }

How can I convert this Json to C# object?
Have no idea.
Update1:
It seems like Json.NET can handle this scenario: http://james.newtonking.com/projects/json/help/
Update 2:
The same question: How can I deserialize JSON to a simple Dictionary<string,string> in ASP.NET?


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The Nobel Prize 2018 in Physics was awarded to three scientists (Arthur Ashkin from the United States of America, Gerard Mourou from France and Donna Strickland from Canada), for creating "Optical Tweezers. Tools made of Light, and high power laser pulses". Three of the winners won the award for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics. In this process, 59-year-old Canadian scientist Strickland has now become the third woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics after Marie Curie and Maria Goeppert in 1903.
Arthur Ashkin has received the prize for the optical tweezers and their application to biological cells. Ashkin's optical tweezers are capable of catching particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells along with their laser beam fingers, allowing the American researcher to realize 'an old dream of science fiction' using the radiation pressure of light to move physical objects. Science fiction has become a reality. Optical tweezers make it possible to observe, turn, cut, push and pull with light. In fact, a physical instrument rather than a technology, these "tweezers" are widely used for the detection of different and very small particles, such as individual atoms, biological cells or DNA strands.
The tweezers can capture living bacteria without harming them, a breakthrough he achieved back in 1987. Since then, these instruments are widely used to check the machinery of life. In fact, many scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize since then when they worked on the developed technology, but so far Ashkin himself had been left out.
Ashkin has worked on laser pulses ever since they were first produced in 1960. Light beams produced by a laser — it is a device and not a beam itself — have a single frequency (color) and high intensity, and thereby high power. It was widely known for many years that light could put pressure on those things on which this incident occurred. But this pressure was not so great that there would be any effective impact assessment of scientists. Due to the development of laser beams, due to their high power, new opportunities opened. For the first time, Ashkin showed that these light beams can actually be used to move very small objects. He found that the micrometer-sized spheres he had been using for his experiments were drawn towards the center of the light beam, where the intensity of the light, or the number of light particles in the beam, was the most.
They have been jointly awarded the other half of the Prize for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses. They developed a technique that has made it possible to generate most intense laser pulses without destroying the amplifying material, that is now used in a wide variety of scientific and medical applications, including in eye surgeries. Mourou and Strickland devised a way out. They increased the duration of the pulses before amplifying the light so that the intensity decreases. The light could then be amplified normally. After amplification, the pulse could be compressed back to its original time duration, packing many more light particles in a very small space, thereby increasing the intensity by the different order of magnitude. Through this method, Morou and Strickland can improve the intensity of the light beam approximately one million times at a time. Scientists have since developed this technology further so that modern-day laser can produce light beams with the power of the order of petawatts, and efforts are on to install lasers that can go even higher.
The technique for generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses developed by Professor Mourou and Dr. Strickland has enabled scientific discoveries in a number of fields and provided the basis for important scientific approaches used in Swinburne's research.
Chirped-Pulse Amplification (CPA) allows high-energy pulses to be produced every microsecond – a million pulses per second – which means that spectroscopy measurements can be performed in a reasonable time, allowing sufficient data to be acquired to minimize noise levels on weak signals. This also makes it possible to change different control parameters to build up a comprehensive picture of the important factors affecting the dynamics and mechanisms of the specific process of interest. Along with testing novels and complex materials, these high-energy, ultrasound laser pulses can also be used to control the properties of these materials, and even drive them to change the state, which becomes the novel quantum state of substances.
Associate Professor Jeff Davis explained "These extremely short-duration pulses are necessary to measure the evolution of sub-atomic particles such as electrons. The field of study is ultrafast 'femtosecond' spectroscopy. A femtosecond is one billionth of a second. If we want to measure how fast something is moving, we need a starter's gun to set things going and something to stop the clock. But when we want to measure the precise evolution of electrons, which can change their properties or their state in femtoseconds, we need to be able to start and stop the clock much, much faster. We use femtosecond laser pulses to achieve this. Ultrafast laser pulses allow exquisite control over the properties of the material, giving us the potential for ultrafast switching. This exquisite control and our ultrafast measurement of dynamics will allow us to fully understand these phase transitions, allowing us to optimize their control in future devices. So, it is fundamental science, but with an immediate application.


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Freckle Named Promising Startup to Watch
We're honored to be part of Startup City Magazine's recent ranking of the 15 Most Promising IoT Startups of 2019.
A Brief Overview of Media Measurement
What You Need to Know to Start Evaluating Your Impact Media measurement evaluates the effectiveness of marketing investment across multiple platforms in driving activity around a brand—and ultimately return on investment (ROI) or return on ad spend (ROAS).
New Killi Brand Panel Helps Marketers Go Further Down the Purchase Funnel
Data Sourced Direct From the Consumer for Enhanced Insights Recently, Freckle announced the full integration of privacy-compliant data from Killi with the product suite of media measurement, targeting and footfall services. With GDPR firmly in place and CCPA knocking on the door of the U.S. market...
Key Insights on Purchase Behavior for Automotive Customers
Freckle and Killi have released the quarterly Path to Purchase: Automotive Footfall report for the U.S. and Canadian markets. Automotive marketers will learn how long a consumer is in the market for a new vehicle, how long they research a vehicle and the type of promotions that drive consumers to...
Freckle Announces Attribution Backed By Fully Compliant Data
Today we officially announced the integration of Killi into the Freckle measurement solution.
Engagement vs Retention
Employee retention affects everyone at a company. Whether it's a constant turnover that promotes stagnant work or loyal employees that have outgrown the company. It's difficult to ensure that both the company and its employees are always moving in the same direction.
Your Messaging Matters for Marketing to Car Buyers
Freckle and Killi recently launched the latest footfall report in a series focused on the automotive market in the U.S. and Canada. The Freckle IoT: Path to Purchase Automotive Report for Q4 2018 highlights key trends about the changing demographic of car buyers in both markets. Marketers must...
A Compliance-Privacy Tsunami Will Slam Into the Data Ecosystem in 2019: Big Changes to Watch
Freckle IoT Founder and CEO, Neil Sweeney shares his 2019 predictions for the data ecosystem in 2019 with Street Fight Magazine.
Freckle Automotive Footfall Report Shows Key Consumer Buying Preferences in Canada
Today, Freckle has launched the first in a series of footfall reports for the Automotive market: Path to Purchase: Automotive, Footfall Report-Canada Q3 2018. Insights from the report included:
The Countdown to CCPA 2020 Means You Need to Do Something Now
Yesterday at the LSA's Place Conference in New York City, Neil Sweeney, Founder and CEO of Killi, shared his perspective on the data revolution that is coming. As Neil puts it, the 'Privacy Genie' is out of the bottle and will not go back in. There are three big themes impacting how we move...


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Q: Why is my page aligning to the left on ipad/iphone? I am using margin: auto to center a div within my body. This works great on dektop browsers, but for some reason I just can't get it right on Safari on ipad or iphone.
I know the answer is probably ridiculously simple, but I'm banging my head against a wall here. Please can someone help?
Live example

A: Try adding
text-align:center;

on body
That should do it
Wing

A: Try adding:
position: relative;