The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Board of Directors has appointed two new members to the NFPA Standards Council: Jeffrey J. Foisel of Dow Chemical, Midland, Michigan and Kenneth W. Richards, Jr., fire chief/fire marshal, Old Mystic Fire Department, Old Mystic, Connecticut are each serving a three-year term effective January 1, 2019.
NFPA also announced that current member James Golinveaux of Viking Group, Inc. was reappointed for a one-year extension that began January 1, 2019. Jeffrey J. Foisel serves as a research and development environment health and safety delivery leader for Dow Chemical in Midland, Michigan.
Integrated management systems
Foisel has over 25 years in lab safety and facilities combined with additional roles in process safety, integrated management systems, and auditing. He has been active with NFPA since 2007, serving on NFPA's Industrial Fire Protection Section board of directors where he is currently finishing his second year as chairperson.
Foisel has also been active on the NFPA 45, Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals technical committee. He continues to serve as a board member for the UC Center of Lab Safety since its inception. Foisel has a BSE degree in chemical engineering from Grove City College.
Executive fire service leadership
Richards has served as the career fire chief/fire marshal of the Old Mystic Fire Department for 25 years
Kenneth W. Richards, Jr., MS, EFO, CFO has been a member of the Fire Service for 43 years starting in 1976 at the age of 14 as a Junior Firefighter in Old Mystic, Connecticut. Richards has served as the career fire chief/fire marshal of the Old Mystic Fire Department for 25 years. Currently, he is the 1st Vice President of the New England Division of The International Fire Chiefs Association (NEDIAFC), and a 27-year member of the NFPA.
Serving as a member of the Fire Service Training Technical Committee for 17 years and its chair for the past 8 years. Richards earned his Bachelor of Science in Fire Technology from Charter Oak State College and holds a Master of Science in executive fire service leadership from Grand Canyon University.
NFPA standards development activities
He is also a 1999 graduate of the National Fire Academy executive fire officer program, a certified chief officer from the Center for Public Safety Excellence, a Fire Officer IV NFPA Standards and a Fire Instructor III NFPA Standards.
The NFPA Standards Council, appointed by the NFPA Board of Directors, is comprised of 13 members. The responsibilities of the Council include overseeing NFPA standards development activities, ensuring compliance with the NFPA Regulations and Rules, and serving as the appeals body over matters related to standards development.
