HELP Projects

NASFM-Volpe Partnership on Hydrogen 2009: Hydrogen-Related Activities and Findings

To support the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of and transition to hydrogen as an alternative fuel to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and provide for a more sustainable future, the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) has worked with the US Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (DOT RITA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on educational projects that took two tracks: 1) ensuring that code enforcement officials are prepared to deal with the permitting and inspection of hydrogen infrastructure; and 2) ensuring that emergency responders are prepared to recognize and safely respond to incidents involving hydrogen.

Although primary government-funded support for NASFM’s hydrogen-related projects ended in 2008, NASFM has continued to conduct limited activities to address hydrogen code-related issues. The reports below provide the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center of DOT RITA with an update on those activities and recommendations for future activities to support the Government’s ongoing promotion of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels. The State of Work under NASFM’s Contract # 09-P-80019 with the Volpe Center required 6-month and 12-month written reports that comprised the following topics:

• Activities conducted to date through the Hydrogen Executive Leadership Panel (HELP), an organization formed by NASFM to bring together emergency responders, government regulators, scientists, consumers and experts from the automotive and energy industries to facilitate a safe and orderly transition to hydrogen as an alternative fuel source;
• Current activities to educate fire and building code officials regarding hydrogen fueling stations and telecommunication towers using hydrogen as the backup power supply;
• Demonstration of a code official database that identifies adopted codes and contact information for each jurisdiction;
• Update on training resources being developed or adopted as part of the NASFM hydrogen transition program; and
• Outline of what is needed in the way of next steps to ensure code officials and emergency responders are adequately prepared for the safe and orderly introduction of hydrogen in their communities (12-month report only).

Link to 6-month report from NASFM to the Volpe Center, May 2009
Link to 12-month report from NASFM to the Volpe Center, November 2009

 

Click here to view a pdf of HELP's strategic plan.

Program Area 1: Alternative Energy and Emergency Responder Safety

Project 1: Consensus emergency response and rescue training strategies and materials.

Please Note: The US Department of Energy has a Web-based Introduction to Hydrogen Safety for First Responders course that provides an "awareness level" overview of hydrogen for fire, law enforcement, and emergency medical personnel.

Project 2: Identification and assessment of new and different auto safety risks posed by alternative energy technologies.

Project 3: Consensus recommendations to minimize flame spread, smoke and toxic gases that impede safe and efficient rescues and other suppression activity in mass transit fires.

Project 4: Safe and cost-effective adaptation of alternative energy technologies for emergency vehicles.

Program Area 2: Permitting and Other Safety Standards that Facilitate the Transition

Project 1: Adoption of Model National Code language for use by code officials in the permitting of hydrogen infrastructure.

Project 2: Adoption of "placeholder" standards to provide guidance to state and local code officials while the Model National Codes are being amended.

Project 3: Standards development activity coordinated with other Standards Development Organizations.

PDF icon November 2006 Codes Development Areas of Activity

Program Area 3: Community Acceptance

Project 1: Consensus best practices related to the selection, planning and operation of alternative energy technology demonstration projects.

Project 2: "Hydrogen 101" for state and local code enforcement officials.

Project 3: HELP outreach to other organizations involved in the transition.