Intersec Saudi Arabia hosted a key session that examined critical lessons from major fire disasters, including the Grenfell Tower fire in London, the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, California, and the Marco Polo high-rise fire in Honolulu, Hawaii. The discussion underscored the urgent need for international collaboration to strengthen global fire safety frameworks.
The session was led by Jim Pauley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), who emphasised that individuals, organisations and authorities must work collectively to address safety gaps and create more resilient communities.
In response to tragedies such as Grenfell, NFPA developed the ‘NFPA Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem’, a comprehensive model that identifies key components required for effective safety systems. These include an informed public, government responsibility, the use of current codes and referenced standards, investment in safety, a skilled workforce, code compliance, and preparedness and emergency response.
Explaining the concept, Pauley said, “The ecosystem is a framework that defines the elements necessary to create and maintain an effective safety environment. The interconnected components mean that the failure of a single element can compromise the entire system, resulting in deaths, injuries, and property loss.”
Established in 1896, NFPA is a global nonprofit organisation dedicated to reducing death, injury, and economic loss caused by fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers expertise through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, as well as through education, research, and advocacy.
“We live in an era of innovation, but innovation without safety is a risk we cannot afford. To do this work, and to do it well, we have to see what’s coming, and we have to remember what came before,” Pauley added.
He also linked the discussion to Saudi Vision 2030, describing it as “a bold and ambitious plan to transform the Kingdom's economy and to elevate its global stature.” He noted that achieving this vision required world-class infrastructure built on robust safety standards.
The NFPA day at Intersec Saudi Arabia, curated by NFPA and chaired by Zahi Daher, NFPA’s Country Manager in Saudi Arabia, brought together key stakeholders from government and industry to explore innovative ways to enhance fire and life safety in support of Vision 2030.
