We have advocated education community risk management concepts since 2007; primarily in NFPA Standard 1300 — Standard on Community Risk Assessment and Community Risk Reduction Plan Development (formerly NFPA 1600). The content of this title is close-coupled with FEMA’s National Incident Management System.
Recently the National Fire Protection Association Standards Council moved to consolidate its community risk management titles as described below.
“NFPA 1660 is in a custom cycle due to the Emergency Response and Responder Safety Document Consolidation Plan (consolidation plan) as approved by the NFPA Standards Council. As part of the consolidation plan, NFPA 1660 (combining Standards NFPA 1600, NFPA 1616, and NFPA 1620) is open for public input with a closing date of November 13, 2020.”
Discussion about school and university security are noteworthy.
As described on its title page, this product will be reconfigured as NFPA 1660 Standard on Community Risk Assessment, Pre-Incident Planning, Mass Evacuation, Sheltering, and Re-entry Programs. The title suggests that NFPA 1660 is being developed to meet market need for conformance and teaching tools. You may track movement in the concepts in the links below; many of them administrative:
NFPA 1660 will likely require one or two more revision cycles to stabilize
Public consultation on the Second Draft (NITMAM) closes September 9th. You may submit public input directly to NFPA by CLICKING HERE. We will have hosted several Security colloquia ahead of this deadline during which we will drill into technical and policy specifics.
University of Tennessee
We maintain this title on our periodic Security, Disaster and Risk colloquia during which time our thoughts on the economic burden of the expanding constellation of risk management standards will be known. Thoughts that we are reluctant to write. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue: [13-58] and [18-151]
Category: Security, Risk
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Robert G. Arno, Jim Harvey, Richard Robben
A wrongful death suit filed November 3, 2025 against FirstEnergy Corporation. Allegation: Improper maintenance and inspection of power infrastructure led to the son’s fatal electrocution near State College, Pennsylvania. It is a relatively new filing so s full public docket appears not available at this time. We include it in today’s agenda as we prepare our comments on the First Draft of the 2028 National Electrical Safety Code.
Here we shift our perspective 120 degrees to understand the point of view of the Producer interest in the American national standards system (See ANSI Essential Requirements). The title of this post draws from the location of US and European headquarters. We list proposals by a successful electrical manufacturer for discussion during today’s colloquium:
2026 National Electrical Code
CMP-1: short circuit current ratings, connections with copper cladded aluminum conductors, maintenance to be provided by OEM, field markings
CMP-2: reconditioned equipment, receptacles in accessory buildings, GFCI & AFCI protection, outlet placement generally, outlets for outdoor HVAC equipment(1)
(1) Here we would argue that if a pad mount HVAC unit needs service with tools that need AC power once every 5-10 years then the dedicated branch circuit is not needed. Many campuses have on-site, full-time staff that can service outdoor pad mounted HVAC equipment without needing a nearby outlet. One crew — two electricians — will run about $2500 per day to do anything on campus.
CMP-3: No proposals
CMP-4: solar voltaic systems (1)
(1) Seems reasonable – spillover outdoor night time lighting effect upon solar panel charging should be identified.
CMP-5: Administrative changes only
CMP-6: No proposals
CMP-7: Distinction between “repair” and “servicing”
CMP-10: Short circuit ratings, service disconnect, disconnect for meters, transformer secondary conductor, secondary conductor taps, surge protective devices, disconnecting means generally, spliced and tap conductors, more metering safety, 1200 ampere threshold for arc reduction technology, reconditioned surge equipment shall not be permitted, switchboard short circuit ratings
Photo taken by a friend of Mike Anthony (Thalassa Raasch, Harvard ’20) Now on the faculty at the University of Iowa
Today we review, and prepare a response to one of the 2028 National Electrical Safety Code technical committees Call for Public Comment on CP 6026 (RE: vegetation management around power and communication infrastructure). During tomorrow’s online meeting of the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee we will examine a first draft, put on the polish and then ship ahead of next Tuesday’s deadline.
Next Open Meeting: March 19. Keep in mind that much “bandwidth” is devoted to administrative issues; the technical specifics of primary interest to us referenced in case dockets that are referenced here: FERC Online
The current full complement of five FERC commissioners is relatively new as of December 23, 2025. The two most recent additions — Chairman Laura V. Swett (term expiring June 30, 2030) and Commissioner David A. LaCerte (term expiring June 30, 2026) — were confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2025.
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This restored FERC to its full five members after prior vacancies and transitions earlier in the year. The other commissioners (David Rosner, Lindsay S. See, and Judy W. Chang) have been in place since mid-2024 or earlier, but the current lineup only fully formed about two and a half months ago.
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This followed changes tied to the new administration, including shifts in majority and leadership.
January 22. Issues of interest discussed at the FERC Open Meeting on January 22, 2026, centered primarily on electric sector matters related to generator interconnection reforms, expedited processes for resource adequacy. Our interest lies in the effect of FERC action will have on the utility costs of educational settlements which, of course, practically involves all utilities and how those decisions are reflected in state tariffs.
One issue of particular interest for Michigan: Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO) Expedited Resource Addition Study (ERAS) process (Docket No. ER25-2454-002): The Commission addressed arguments on rehearing and sustained its prior July 21, 2025, order approving MISO’s ERAS framework. This provides an expedited interconnection study process for generation projects addressing urgent near-term resource adequacy and reliability needs in the MISO region. Discussions involved balancing reliability concerns (e.g., load growth, resource shortfalls) against claims of undue discrimination or preference in interconnection queuing, as raised by public interest groups. We will see these conclusions reflected in Michigan Public Service Commission action.Other agenda elements likely included routine administrative matters (e.g., A-1 Agency Administrative Matters, A-2 Customer Matters/Reliability/Security/Market Operations) and consent items (often non-controversial electric, gas, hydro, or certificate matters voted en bloc without discussion).
No major presentations were noted, and the meeting focused on these reliability/interconnection and market integrity issues amid broader grid challenges like queue backlogs, rapid load growth, and transitioning resources.The Q&A afterward involved energy media, with emphasis by Laura V. Swett on reliability concerns ahead of likely winter storms. The next public open meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 19th.
December 18. The public meetings are dominated by administrative procedures and mutual admiration. Technical issues that require in-depth, expert-level understanding of complex laws, rules, guidelines, and precedents beyond surface-level awareness appear deeper into the FERC website. There you will generally find:
Nuanced interpretation of statutes and agency decisions
Awareness of historical context and evolving policies
Insight into how rules interact with technical, economic, and operational realities
Impacts of changes and navigate compliance strategically
As interest and time allows we can pick through technical specifics regarding FERC oversight of interstate electricity with the IEEE colleagues.
Our Office of Engineering & Technology maintains the U.S. Table of Frequency Allocations, manages Experimental Licensing & Equipment Authorization programs, regulates operation of unlicensed devices, and conducts engineering & technical studies. https://t.co/MATs1ThyxL#FCC101
The FCC is the United States’ primary authority for communications laws, regulation and technological innovation. We provide a link to the August 3rd meeting during which time rules for Digital FM Radio and Non-Federal Spectrum Usage were discussed. Campus Security Radio, National Public Radio and Student Radio are central features of education community culture and safety and are typically available when the internet is not.
The founding of many education communities is inspired by faith communities. In many of them the place of worship was the very first building. College and university chapels are central places of worship for students, staff and faculty, and provide a space for solitude and reflection. A place for feeling at home in the world.
There are several hundred technical standards, or parts of standards, that govern how churches and chapels are made safe and sustainable. Owing to innovations in construction, operation and management methods, those standards move, ever so slightly, on a near-daily basis. They are highly interdependent; confounded by county-level adaptations; and impossible to harmonize by adoption cycle. That movement tracked here as best we can within the limit of our resources and priorities. That’s why it’s best to simply click into our daily colloquia if you have a question or need guidance.
Richard Miniter observes that the United States was founded as four distinct religious utopias, each originating from different regions and historical periods in England (and the broader British Isles). These groups, shaped by conflicts like the English Civil War, brought competing visions of society, governance, and faith that continue to influence American culture and politics today.1. New England Puritans (from East Anglia): Strict, communal Calvinists seeking a “city upon a hill” with moral oversight and collective piety.
2. Cavalier culture in Virginia and the South (from southwest England): Hierarchical, Anglican/Royalist tradition emphasizing order, honor, and aristocratic values.
3. Middle States (influenced by the West Midlands): More tolerant, pluralistic Quaker and other nonconformist approaches fostering commerce and individual liberty.
4. Appalachian borderlands (from the English-Scottish border): Scots-Irish Presbyterian folkways stressing independence, martial honor, and anti-authoritarian egalitarianism.These enduring subcultures create ongoing tensions over freedom, authority, and religion in America.
Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi.
The 13th century Eucharistic chant of Ave verum corpus was set to music by Mozart in 1791 to be sung especially to celebrate the feast day.
The image criteria of our WordPress theme does not permit many images of college and university chapels to be shown fully-dimensioned on sliders or widget galleries. We reproduce a few of the outsized images here and leave the complexities of financing, designing, building and maintaining of them in a safe and sustainable manner for another day. CLICK HERE for the links to our Sacred Space Standards workspace.
Click on any image for author attribution, photo credit or other information*.
“Beware the Ides of March” is a famous warning from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. In the play, a soothsayer tells Caesar on February 15, 44 BC, to beware the “Ides of March”—the 15th day of March in the Roman calendar. The phrase foreshadows Caesar’s assassination on that exact date by senators including Brutus. It has since become a cultural idiom symbolizing impending danger, betrayal, or a fateful day to be cautious
Abstract: A specific land is required to design the transmission line to construct effectively and maintain properly is called right of way of transmission line. It is calculated by considering mainly three electrical quantity related transmission line such as electric field, magnetic field and radio interference. Corona effect is considered for the evolution of right of way. By considering these parameters, it provide idea related to effect surrounding the area nearby transmission line.
The determination of transmission line right of way for public electric utilities typically involves a combination of legal considerations, regulatory requirements, environmental assessments, and public engagement:
Planning and Route Selection: Public electric utilities assess their power transmission needs based on factors such as population growth, energy demand, and infrastructure upgrades. They consider various potential routes and alternatives, taking into account factors like terrain, existing infrastructure, land use, and environmental sensitivities.
Environmental and Impact Assessments: Utilities conduct environmental and impact assessments to evaluate the potential effects of the proposed transmission line routes. These assessments examine factors such as wildlife habitats, endangered species, wetlands, water bodies, cultural or historical sites, and scenic landscapes. The purpose is to identify potential impacts and propose mitigation measures.
Regulatory and Permitting Process: Public utilities must comply with applicable laws and regulations governing transmission line development. This includes obtaining necessary permits and approvals from relevant regulatory agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. The requirements vary depending on the jurisdiction, but they often involve environmental agencies, land management agencies, and public utility commissions.
Public Engagement and Consultation: Utilities engage in public consultation and outreach to gather feedback from affected communities, landowners, and stakeholders. They conduct public hearings, open houses, and meetings to inform the public about the project, address concerns, and consider alternative routes suggested by the community. This engagement helps ensure transparency and public input in the decision-making process.
Negotiations and Eminent Domain: Utilities negotiate with landowners along the proposed transmission line route to acquire the necessary right of way. In some cases, if an agreement cannot be reached, utilities may exercise eminent domain, which is a legal process that allows them to acquire the land for public use while providing just compensation to the affected landowner.
Legal Framework: The legal framework for determining transmission line right of way varies by jurisdiction. Laws related to land use, zoning, environmental protection, and eminent domain play a role in defining the process and requirements for securing right of way.
Procedures vary depending on the country, state, or region where the transmission line is being developed. Local regulations, environmental conditions, and public engagement practices will influence the overall process.
We are consolidating over 10+ years of coverage of sport standards by the season now. This is our first cut breaking the topic into four separate seasons. Join us today at the usual hour when we sort through stabilized literature and the codes and standards open for public consultation
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwBpic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
