Electrical Safety for Firefighters

M05
Electrical Safety for Firefighters
Donald Cook, Shelby County Alabama James Dollard, IBEW Local 98, Philadelphia Matt Paiss, San Jose Fire Department Stephen Cook, Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service

This session will identify electrical hazards encountered by firefighters in typical first responder activities and discuss best practices for developing safe guidelines in those activities. Attendees will explore the need for electrical safety training in the fire service where a basic electrical background is not a pre-requisite for employment. Also addressed will be sections of NFPA 70E that might be applicable and gaps that currently exist for electrical safety of first responders.

Presented by:

Donald Cook, Shelby County Alabama
Donny Cook started his electrical career in 1974 and was accepted into the Birmingham Electrical JATC apprenticeship program in 1978. Since completing the apprenticeship, Donny has worked as an electrician, estimator/project manager, and electrical contractor, and in 1988 became the first Electrical Inspector and Chief Electrical Inspector in Shelby County, Alabama. In 1998, he was appointed to the UL Electrical Council and participates in numerous STPs. He chairs the Fire Protection Research Foundation's Electrical Advisory Committee and participates in a variety of electrical research projects. Donny is the IAEI representative and Chair of Code Making Panel 17 of the NEC and past IAEI representative and Chair of Code Making Panels 10 and 14. He actively serves IAEI as an officer and/or board member at the international, section, chapter, and division level. Since 2010, Donny has served on the NFPA Board of Directors. He has served as an instructor in a variety of settings over the past 25 years.

James Dollard, IBEW Local 98, Philadelphia
Jim Dollard is the Safety Coordinator for IBEW Local 98 in Philadelphia. He is a Master OSHA 500 Instructor and works closely with Penn-Del-Jersey NECA towards safe working conditions on all job sites. Jim is a member of NEC Code Making Panels 10 and 13 and the correlating committees for NFPA 70E, NFPA 90A/B, and a member of the UL Electrical Council. He is the author of the NJATC Codeology textbook and the 2008 NJATC NEC Significant Changes, and co-author of the 2001 NJATC NEC Significant Changes and the NECA/Electrical Training Alliance Significant Changes to NFPA 70E 2015. His excellent presentation skills, knowledge of the electrical industry, extensive background in the electrical construction field, and involvement in electrical safety and codes/standards allow Jim to make standards easy to understand.

Matt Paiss, San Jose Fire Department
Captain Matthew Paiss is a 19-year veteran of the San Jose Fire Department and owner of Energy Response Solutions. He is currently the IAFF primary representative to NEC Code Making Panel 4. Paiss specializes in electrical safety training, has been an NFPA EV Safety Trainer, and has delivered PV safety training to over 6,000 firefighters across North America. He has contributed to both national model fire code sections on PV and energy storage. He has spoken in Europe on fire safety and PV design and has Associate Degrees in both Solar Energy Technology and Fire Science. Paiss is a member of UL Standards Technical Panels 1703 and 1741 and has written for Fire Engineering, SolarPro, and Home Power magazines.

Stephen Cook, Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service
Stephen Cook is an Apparatus Operator for the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) in Birmingham, Alabama. He has been a member of BFRS for 6 years, preceded by time as a volunteer firefighter while attending Auburn University. Cook has completed a BS in Political Science and an Associate's Degree in Fire Science. Currently assigned to Quint 20, the busiest truck company in the State, Stephen is also the Department's Lead Pumper/Operator instructor and is heavily involved in Public Education and Social Media Coordination. Cook is a member of IAFF Local 117. He has participated as a panel member in the NFPA Research Foundation, attended the Bringing Fire Safety Home Summit, and is part of the inaugural Responder Forum to identify fire service needs.