Qunicy, MA – The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recommended to the 9-11 Commission that a National Fire Protection Association standard, NFPA 1600 Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs, be recognized as the national preparedness standard.
NFPA 1600, available free online in PDF format at www.nfpa.org, establishes a common set of criteria for disaster management, emergency management and business continuity programs. In addition, it identifies methodologies for exercising those plans and provides a listing of resource organizations within the fields of disaster recovery, emergency management and business continuity planning.
The recommendation, presented by ANSI President and CEO Dr. Mark W. Hurwitz, on behalf of ANSI’s Homeland Security Standards Panel at a reception in Falls Church, Va., will be considered by the Commission as it readies its final report to the President and Congress, expected sometime this summer.
“NFPA is pleased that the Homeland Security Standards Panel of ANSI is making this recommendation to the Commission,” said James M. Shannon, president and CEO of NFPA. “We know that 1600 will provide much guidance to businesses and jurisdictions that seek to protect and assist their employees and residents should a disaster occur.”
The 9-11 Commission, also known as the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, is an independent, bipartisan panel, created by Congress in late 2002, and is charged with preparing a full account of the circumstances surrounding the 9-11 terrorist attacks, including recommendations designed to guard against future attacks.
All NFPA codes and standards are developed through a consensus process accredited by ANSI, a private, nonprofit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. The 300 NFPA technical committees responsible for developing and updating all codes and standards include 6,000 volunteers, representing enforcing authorities, installation and maintenance, labor, research and testing, insurance, special experts, consumers and other users.
