In this podcast episode, I invited Chris Jelenewicz, the CEO of SFPE, to bring me up to date on the society. The SFPE Handbook on Fire Protection Engineering is undergoing a major revision with the sixth edition expected by summer's end, expanding to five volumes with significant new content on emerging topics like wildland fires and lithium-ion batteries. In this episode, we cover how the handbook is written, edited and when it will be released to the public.
Some highlights from the episode include:
• The new handbook will feature 11 sections, 104 chapters, and contributions from over 200 authors
• New innovative "living document" approach allowing updates without waiting for full revision cycles
• First-ever introductory chapter on the history and evolution of fire protection engineering
• Expanded content on wildland-urban interface fires, growing from one chapter to seven
• New chapters addressing lithium-ion batteries, fire safety during construction, and fire extinguishment fundamentals
• Multiple access options: print volumes, online subscription, and individual chapter purchases
• Available through university libraries via SpringerLink
• More global perspective with international contributions
We have also discussed the incoming SFPE events, including the Annual Conference in Vancouver (October 2025), celebrating SFPE's 75th anniversary, a Storage Symposium at UL in Chicago (August 2025), and a Battery Symposium in Lisbon (November 2025).
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