Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Public safety

First responder preparedness

News and Updates

Keyword

Organization

FDNY Says 'Thanks' to NIST Engineers

May 13, 2014

Most New Yorkers may not realize it, but their first responders are better equipped for search and hazmat operations thanks, in part, to standard test methods

NIST Tests in New York City Suggest How to Improve Emergency Radio Communications

April 17, 2013

Radio communications can be unreliable in underground tunnels and other large, complicated structures, posing a safety hazard for emergency responders. New

House burning. Firefighters are using a host to douse the flames.

'Live Burns' in Spartanburg, S.C., Will Benefit Research and Firefighter Training

January 24, 2013

Fire researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and colleagues from fire service organizations will turn abandoned wood-frame

The New York City Fire Department, NIST and Underwriters Laboratories set fire to 20 abandoned townhouses on Governors Island, New York

Live Fire Tests with FDNY Will Guide Improvements in Fire Department Tactics

July 11, 2012

In the name of science, but with aim of saving lives, preventing injuries and reducing property losses, members of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)

NIST to Expand Work on Emergency Communications to Support FirstNet

March 6, 2012

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will significantly expand its work in support of an advanced wireless communications system for the

NIST and Partners Seek Input on Safer Ambulance Designs

November 22, 2011

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking input from paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and other interested parties on

NIST Posts Comments on Public Safety Communications Network

November 22, 2011

Commercial standards, created in an open forum and publically available, should be a key feature of a broadband communications network for the nation's

NIST Seeks Comments to Help Build Public Safety Communications Network

September 13, 2011

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking advice on possible key features of a new broadband communications network for the nation's

NIST Offering Free Access to Standards for First Responders

April 26, 2011

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES), in collaboration with the NIST National Center for

NIST researcher photographing the remains of the Sofa Super Store in Charleston, S.C., on June 19, 2007, the day after the fire that killed nine firefighters.

NIST Releases Final Report on Charleston Sofa Store Fire

March 15, 2011

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released its final report on its study of the June 18, 2007, fire at the Sofa Super Store in

New Guidance Issued for First Responders Collecting Suspected Biothreat Agents

November 24, 2010

Suspicious packages and powders have triggered more than 30,000 responses by U.S. law enforcement agencies across the country since 2001. These events are

Demonstration Network Planned for Public Safety 700 MHz Broadband

December 15, 2009

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) have announced plans to

TEDCO NIST NIH Bio-Imaging Technologies Showcase (9/2009)

October 6, 2009

A TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND FEDERAL MARKETPLACE EVENT TEDCO, NIST and NIH Present Bio-imaging Technologies For Commercial Adoption On Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Electronics engineer Dennis Camell aligns antennas in an old California silica mine for a NIST study identifying optimal frequencies for radio signal transmissions in tunnels.

Emergency Links: NIST Identifies 'Sweet Spot' for Radios in Tunnels

May 13, 2008

As part of a project to improve wireless communications for emergency responders, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have

NIST Software Makes Fire Gear Choice Easier

June 8, 2006

Firefighters know that protective "turnout gear" (pants and coats) can save their lives. Yet because there are several different attributes of protective

Urban Search and Rescue Robots Nationwide Deploy for Evaluation Exercise at Disaster City

March 31, 2006

Ground, aerial and aquatic emergency response robots from across the country will face realistic urban search and rescue challenges April 4-6 at Disaster City

Fire Panel Changes Offer Real-Time Fire Status Data

February 2, 2006

Fire panels, or "annunciators," are electronic devices that display data on building conditions in one easily accessible location. When used by first responders

NIST Urges Implementation of Recommendations from World Trade Center Investigation Final Towers Report Released Today at Congressional Hearing

October 26, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C.— William Jeffrey, director of the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), today called on the