NFPA Conference & Expo

Calling Out

I've noticed that virtually every Conference attendee I've seen so far is using a phone/PDA.  They're making calls, checking email and surfing the web.  And they're using a variety of devices, but it appears that the Blackberry is the device of choice.  Just curious, which "phone" do you use, and how do you use it? 

- Bob Finn

PS: If you're attending our conference here in Las Vegas, be sure to download our conference application on your smartphone. It's a great resource!

How would you improve the educational content at the NFPA conference?

The 2010 NFPA Conference & Expo will feature a fantastic line up of education sessions (see the full list, PDF, 1.1 MB), and we'd like to continue to build on the quality of the sessions at future conferences. But we need your help! Please take a few moments to tell us how we could improve the conference portion of the event.

• What topics or specific sessions you would like to see?
• What kind of formats you prefer (e.g. lectures, case studies, round table discussions)?
• What else could NFPA do to improve the educational portion of this event?

This is your conference, so let us know how we can make it more valuable for you.

It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post". Thank you.

- Eric Holden

Why do you attend NFPA meetings?

We recently surveyed people who attended our annual conference in Las Vegas last June, asking them a variety of questions about how they learned about the meeting, activities, and for feedback on the education topics we offered.

We’ll be reporting on some of the key findings of our survey. But more importantly, we want you to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts and opinions. 

It’s easy to reply. Under each entry on this blog, there’s a link for “comments”. Just click on that link, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your thoughts in the white box at the bottom of the page. Then select “post”. (You can also read other people’s thoughts by clicking on the “comments” link.)

OK, back to the survey. We asked attendees at the Las Vegas conference for the #1 reason they attended. Among the top answers:

• For general education or information
• To help me perform my job better
• Keep me up-to-date on the latest codes and standards information
• Networking opportunities

So if you’ve attended one of NFPA’s annual conferences in the past few years, what motivated you to attend? And if you’re thinking about attending this year’s meeting in Chicago, what will be the determining factor in your decision to attend?

We look forward to hearing from you.

So...what did you think?

Our exhibitors have packed up and gone home, and the hallways of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center are teeming with attendees from another association. NFPA's 2008 World Safety Conference & Exposition is officially history (as is the name of the event - starting next year, it will be called the NFPA Conference & Expo).

So if you attended our conference in Las Vegas last week, we'd like your feedback. What did you think of the event? Our expo? The offering of educational sessions? If you've got an opinion, we'd like to hear it.

It's easy: just click on the “comments” link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your thoughts in the white box at the bottom of the page. Then select “post”.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

What you think of this year’s line-up?

Have you had a chance to review all of the activities planned for our conference in Las Vegas this June? If not, here’s an overview of our schedule.

It’s going to be a busy few days, with a great line-up of pre-conference seminars, education sessions, a special performance by Penn & Teller, a three-day exposition featuring more than 323 exhibitors, and a chance for members to vote on proposed changes to NFPA documents.

We’re interested to know what you think of this year’s line-up.

• Are there any sessions that you’re particularly interested in attending?
• Are there any specific speakers that you’re looking forward to hearing from?
• Are there any “hot topics” that you’re interested in learning more about that don’t seem to be addressed?
• Do you see any sessions you’d like to attend but conflict with another scheduled presentation or event?
• Any other comments or suggestions?

It’s easy to reply. Just click on the “comments” link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your thoughts in the white box at the bottom of the page. Then select “post”.

Do you need paper handouts?

In a recent survey of NFPA conference attendees, we asked about paper handouts of presentations.

About 4 in 10 of attendees at our Orlando conference in 2006 said that paper handouts were “essential”. But more who attended our Boston conference in 2007 said that paper handouts were “nice to have, but not necessary”.

One idea was for NFPA to offer online access to conference presentations, both one month prior and following our June conference.

What do you think? Do you still want to receive paper handouts at the NFPA meeting or would an online solution work for you?

It’s easy to reply. Just click on the “comments” link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your thoughts in the white box at the bottom of the page. Then select “post”.

Why do people attend our meetings?

Last summer, NFPA conducted a survey of people who attended our World Safety Conference & Exposition® in Boston in June. We asked a variety of questions about prior attendance, how they learned about the meeting, conference activities, and for feedback on the range of educational topics we offered.

With this blog, we’ll be reporting on some of the key findings of our survey. And more importantly, we’ll be asking you to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts and opinions. 

It’s easy to reply. Under each entry on this blog, there’s a link for “comments”. Just click on that link, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your thoughts in the white box at the bottom of the page. Then select “post”. (You can also read other people’s thoughts by clicking on the “comments” link.)

OK, back to the survey. We asked attendees at the Boston conference for the #1 reason they attended. Here are the top five answers we heard:

1. Keep me up-to-date on latest codes/standards developments
2. To help me perform my job better
3. For general education or information
4. Because NFPA is the developer of the codes
5. Networking activities

So if you’ve attended one of NFPA’s annual conferences in the past few years, what motivated you to attend? And if you’re thinking about attending this year’s meeting in Las Vegas, what will be the determining factor in your decision to attend?

We look forward to hearing from you.