Firefighting requires continuous training, updated knowledge, and a strong commitment to learning. Reviewing recent changes is valuable because research and science are regularly integrated into updated standards like the NFPA 1700 (2026 edition), which provides improved guidance for structural firefighting.
As I went through some of the highlights, a few key ideas stood out. One is a better understanding of fire behavior in modern buildings and how cooling surfaces can help create safer conditions for interior operations. Another is the increasing importance of lithium-ion batteries and other energy storage systems, which can present a hazard as society becomes more electrified.
The updates also emphasize more disciplined size-up practices, including conducting thorough 360-degree assessments before making tactical decisions whenever possible.
For those interested in firefighting, there are many entry points. You can explore volunteering or applying with local fire departments, many of which provide training and online resources. Even if becoming a firefighter isn’t the goal, there are still meaningful ways to support these departments, such as assisting with administrative tasks, community outreach, fundraising, or helping them secure grants and equipment.
Fire departments also tend to build strong team cultures where people develop lasting friendships and a sense of shared purpose, which is something many communities value and need.
Support can also come from individuals and businesses through donations or sponsorship of equipment and training resources. Many departments—especially growing or smaller ones—face funding limitations and rely on community support to fill gaps in equipment and training needs.
If you want to donate to a thriving fire department that has successfully recruited many young cadets in the Upper Peninsula and as equipment and training needs send me a message to the right or email me below and I will connect you to thr right prople.
NFPA 1700 (2026): Key Updates in Structural Firefighting Guidance
- The 2026 edition of NFPA 1700 expands research-based guidance for structural firefighting, emphasizing life safety as the highest priority in all fireground decisions.
- A major new addition is Chapter 13, which formally addresses tactical considerations for search and rescue, including when and how to begin searches based on occupant survivability factors.
- Updated research from UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute is incorporated, including findings on coordinated fire attack, ventilation, and fire behavior in modern building types.
- New hazard considerations include lithium-ion battery fires and energy storage systems, which introduce risks such as thermal runaway and explosion potential.
- Chapter updates emphasize improved fireground size-up, including 360-degree assessment, ventilation profile analysis, and identification of survivable spaces.
- Tactical guidance in fire control has been revised to align suppression and ventilation with search priorities, reinforcing that fire attack supports primary search operations.
- The guide clarifies offensive vs. defensive strategy selection, stressing that improper strategy choice is a key factor in firefighter line-of-duty deaths and mayday events.
- Exterior and interior suppression techniques are updated, including clearer direction on when indirect attack methods are appropriate and how flow-and-move techniques improve survivability.
- NFPA 1700 continues to function as a “standard of care” guide, providing science-based justification for fireground decision-making and training practices.
Madrzykowski, D., Stakes, K., Stewart, C., & others. (2026, April 15). NFPA 1700, guide for structural fire fighting: What’s new for 2026. Fire Engineering. https://www.fireengineering.com/firefighting/structural-firefighting/nfpa-1700-guide-for-structural-fire-fighting-whats-new-for-2026/
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