On November 18th, 2024, in Boston, USA, the Ministry of Construction delegation led by Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung worked with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) of the United States to discuss and learn about the system of standards and regulations on fire prevention and fighting; the state management system in the field of construction activities related to fire prevention and fighting, and cooperation opportunities between the two sides.
Attending the meeting, on the Vietnamese side, there were Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung, representatives of the Department of International Cooperation, the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, the Institute of Construction Science and Technology, the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department - Ministry of Public Security, the Vietnam Fire Prevention and Rescue Association, and a number of enterprises. On the NFPA side, there were Mr. Chris Dubay, Vice President and Chief Engineer of Engineering and Research, Ms. Olga Caledonia, Director of International Business Development, Mr. Mike Brunzell, Vice President of Global Business Development, Mr. Kenneth Burson, Senior International Coordinator of Government Networks.
Speaking at the reception, Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung thanked the NFPA leaders for taking the time to welcome and work with the delegation. The Deputy Minister discussed with the NFPA leaders the purpose of the visit, the current status of fire prevention and fighting for houses and buildings in Vietnam, legal regulations and the system of standards and regulations on fire prevention and fighting, and discussed the contents that the delegation was looking for.
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Overview the working session
In his welcoming speech, Mr. Chris Dubay expressed his pleasure to welcome the delegation of the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam to visit and work. He briefly introduced the NFPA fire safety standards system, the responsibilities of relevant entities in the construction and operation of fire safety-related works in the United States, responsibilities for design, inspection, appraisal/approval, acceptance, inspection during the using, and response solutions for existing works.
NFPA introduced the Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem solution, shared practical experience in developing framework regulations on fire safety and the application and adjustment of these regulations at the State level. According to NFPA's experience, the application of an advanced fire safety standard system needs to be combined with training for state management enforcement staff as well as other entities such as design consultants, construction contractors, operating units, investors, and users in the project, etc.
Two sides took a photo.
Through direct discussions and based on actual needs, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in delegation exchanges, professional exchanges, information and experience sharing on building and application of fire safety standards for houses and buildings in the coming time. The two sides agreed to continue discussions to sign a cooperation agreement on issues of mutual interest.