Last week (June 9–10, 2026), the Structural and Proximity Firefighting Protective Clothing and Equipment Technical Committee held a Pre-First Draft Meeting for NFPA 1970(1971) at their headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts. This meeting kicked off the next revision cycle for the consolidated standard covering structural and proximity firefighting protective ensembles, station wear, SCBA, and PASS devices.
Meeting Format: Workshop Style
The meeting was structured as a workshop. Rather than a traditional presentation-heavy format, the large group was broken into smaller subgroups to discuss specific topics. Each subgroup then reconvened with the full group to share summaries and key takeaways.
This collaborative approach allowed for more focused conversations and gave Technical Committee members an opportunity to dig deeper into individual issues before broader discussion.
Why This Meeting Matters
Pre-First Draft meetings like this are an early but critical step in the NFPA standards development process. They help identify priority areas for the upcoming revision cycle and gather initial feedback on how the 2025 consolidated standard is performing in real-world use.
Key Topics Discussed
Although official minutes and detailed agendas are still being finalized, typical focus areas in these workshops include:
- Field feedback on the 2025 edition
- Emerging issues around particulate protection, PFAS alternatives, and cancer risk reduction
- Performance of interfaces between ensemble components
- Potential updates to testing methods and performance criteria
- Alignment with related standards (NFPA 1850, 1950, etc.)
What This Means for End Users
These early workshops help shape the direction of future revisions. As more details and public input periods become available, we’ll provide clear breakdowns here on the site.
If you’re a firefighter, safety officer, or procurement professional, this is a good time to:
- Monitor proposed changes to NFPA 1970
- Submit public inputs for the next First Draft while the window is open (closes July 9, 2026)
- Evaluate how your current gear is performing under the existing standard
Stay Updated
We’ll continue tracking the NFPA 1970 revision process and post more detailed updates as they become available. Please feel free to share your input on the NFPA 1970 standard development process in the comments below.