NFPA Doubles Regional Staff to Strengthen Support for Safety Professionals
To better serve communities nationwide, NFPA has expanded its regional team to provide enhanced support for fire, life, and electrical safety initiatives.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Apr 14, 2025
The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) has announced a significant expansion of its regional operations, doubling the number of field staff across the United States to better support professionals tasked with fire, life, and electrical safety. This move brings the regional team to 16 experts, including three focused exclusively on electrical safety.
For decades, NFPA regional staff have played a vital role in educating and supporting regulatory agencies, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), and others who use NFPA codes and standards to protect their communities. The team also works to raise awareness of NFPA tools, trainings, and digital solutions like NFPA LiNK®—resources designed to help both public and private sector professionals be more effective in their roles.
"Expanding the regional team reflects our ongoing commitment to the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™ and to the professionals who help activate it every day," said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president for Outreach and Advocacy. "As the safety landscape becomes more complex, our regional directors provide a direct line to NFPA support and insight, ensuring that businesses and communities have the knowledge and tools they need to reduce risk and save lives."
The new regional structure assigns directors to smaller groups of states, allowing them to spend more time building relationships and addressing specific regional challenges. The team brings diverse experience across a broad scope of professions, including the fire service, engineering, public education, and building and electrical enforcement, offering significant expertise to help communities meet today's growing safety demands.
Last fall, NFPA hosted forums at its Massachusetts headquarters for fire marshals and building officials, where safety leaders from across North America echoed common challenges—lithium-ion battery fires, the growth in the number of tall buildings and large warehouses, cannabis facility hazards, and the increase in wildfires in places previously considered low-risk. The forums underscored the value of connecting stakeholders with NFPA regional directors who understand these issues firsthand and are equipped to provide real-world support. Participants left with a deeper understanding of the tools and expertise NFPA offers, including case studies of how regional directors can assist communities recover from major fire events.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.