THIS OR THAT?

When buildings grew taller, firefighters could no longer rely solely on hose lines stretched from the street. The solution was water standpipes, bringing water closer to the point of operations.

As fire losses continued to drive change, automatic sprinkler systems became a critical layer of protection, controlling fires before they could become catastrophic.

Today, we face a new challenge.

Across America, warehouses, fulfillment centers, manufacturing facilities, and distribution hubs are being built at a scale that few could have imagined just two decades ago. Facilities exceeding one million square feet have become increasingly common. Warehouses once considered exceptional are now being built routinely across America. At the same time, urban environments can no longer build outward, driving the development of taller and more complex structures. While buildings have grown dramatically larger, the firefighter’s air supply has not.

A firefighter operating in these structures carries a finite amount of breathing air. In many cases, valuable minutes can be consumed simply reaching the objective, conducting reconnaissance, searching for victims, or locating the seat of the fire.

The goal of The Next Standpipe Initiative is to advance firefighter air infrastructure that supporets mission accomplishment and firefighter survivability.

At its core, the initiative asks a simple question:

If we recognized decades ago that firefighters shouldn’t have to carry all the water into a building, why are we still asking them to carry all the air?

The initiative brings together firefighters, fire chiefs, building owners, developers, insurers, engineers, researchers, and code officials to examine whether firefighter breathing air should be recognized as critical life-safety infrastructure in large-footprint and high-complexity occupancies.

This is not about a product.

This is not about a manufacturer.

This is about ensuring that firefighter survivability evolves at the same pace as the buildings we are being asked to protect.

The buildings have changed.

The fireground has changed.

Now the infrastructure must change.

We solved the water problem.  Have we solved the air problem?

The Next Standpipe Initiative exists to ensure they have the air and time necessary to fulfill that oath.

We advocate for firefighter breathing-air infrastructure that supports search, rescue, suppression, and emergency operations in the increasingly large and complex buildings of the modern world.

Because without air, there is no search.

Without air, there is no rescue.

Without air, there is no suppression.

Without air, firefighters cannot do the job they were called to do.

More Air. More Time.