NFPA Show Preview: Learning, leading and Las Vegas
Isabelle Crow
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From public outreach to system design, NFPA C&E 2025 addresses the full lifecycle of safety planning with technical guidance, expert sessions and peer-reviewed practice updates
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Conference & Expo is returning to Las Vegas in 2025, bringing together thousands of professionals committed to advancing fire and life safety. Taking place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from June 16 to 18, with a Technical Meeting to follow on June 19 and 20, the event provides a platform for practical education, peer exchange and the latest updates in codes, standards and technology.
Hosted annually, the NFPA Conference & Expo draws attendees from a wide cross-section of roles, including fire safety engineers, emergency responders, facility managers, code enforcers, government officials and industry researchers. It is widely regarded as a focal point in the safety calendar for those involved in preventing fires, managing risks and ensuring compliance across the built environment.
Set in one of the most accessible and high-capacity venues in the U.S., the 2025 event is expected to match the scale of previous years, delivering a full programme that spans education sessions, networking opportunities and a technology-focused exhibition.
Across the three main days of the conference, attendees will be able to choose from over 130 education sessions covering key industry sectors, ranging from building safety and fire protection systems to electrical safety, emergency response and community risk reduction.
The event officially begins on Monday, June 16, with registration opening in the morning and continuing throughout the day. The General Session scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. will serve as a major gathering point for attendees, featuring keynote speakers and updates from NFPA leadership. From that point onward, the agenda is filled with sessions and activities that will run through Wednesday afternoon, followed by the two-day Technical Meeting, where proposed changes to the NFPA codes and standards are debated and voted upon by eligible attendees.
Diverse learning tracks across disciplines
For many attendees, the educational programme is the core attraction of the event. Across a packed schedule, sessions are organised by topic and professional discipline to ensure that content is accessible and relevant to attendees’ specific roles and responsibilities.
In the area of building and life safety, sessions will cover emerging risks in modern construction materials, occupant protection strategies and compliance with standards such as the NFPA 101® Life Safety Code®. One session, titled “Mastering Life Safety Plans for Healthcare Facilities,” offers a comprehensive overview of the application of NFPA 101® in complex environments. Another, “Navigating Challenges in Distribution: Warehouse Development, Design and Inspections,” is expected to draw interest from those managing large commercial and industrial spaces.
Connecting codes to practice
In the electrical safety stream, NFPA 70®, better known as the National Electrical Code® (NEC®), will be a central theme, with dedicated sessions addressing updates, case studies and implementation practices. Technical talks such as “Lightning Protection Systems – Updates to the 2026 Edition of NFPA 780” and “Applying NFPA 70B & 70E to Electrical Installations, Maintenance and Modernization” will provide insight into how standards are evolving to accommodate both legacy infrastructure and new technologies.
Community risk reduction (CRR) will also feature prominently in the programme, with a series of sessions examining how fire departments, municipal leaders and public safety advocates are approaching prevention. Presentations like “Measuring the Call That Didn’t Happen: Translating CRR Impacts to Outcomes” and “Building Impactful CRR Teams: A Framework for Success” reflect a growing emphasis on proactive risk mitigation strategies. Another session, “The Science of CRR 101,” will look at the methodologies underpinning today’s prevention programmes and risk assessment tools such as CRAIG 1300®.
For emergency response professionals, the Conference & Expo provides opportunities to explore contemporary challenges through focused discussions and hands-on case reviews. Presentations like “Guardians of the Flames: Protecting Our Firefighters” and “Gearing Up – A Review of PPE for Female Firefighters” will address issues related to safety, equipment design and operational planning.
The response to modern threats such as lithium-ion battery fires and active shooter incidents will also be addressed through technical sessions and panel discussions. The session “NFPA 3000 and the Red Cross Response to the Lewiston Mass Casualty Incident” offers a particularly timely analysis of coordinated multi-agency response during crises.
The fire protection systems track will look at developments in detection, suppression and maintenance standards, with sessions geared toward engineers, designers and inspectors. Presentations like “NFPA 25–2026: Five Changes You Need to Know” and “Simplifying Fire Alarm Wiring and Performance Requirements” will help attendees stay current with recent and upcoming revisions to key documents. New topics, such as hybrid fire extinguishing systems under NFPA 770, are also included in the line-up, reflecting the increased diversity of systems being deployed in modern buildings.
Innovation and interaction on the expo floor
Another highlight of the event is the expansive Expo, which opens on the afternoon of June 16 and continues through to June 18. The exhibition offers attendees the opportunity to interact with product manufacturers, solution providers and service specialists across all disciplines.
Spread across a large floor area, the Expo includes technology showcases, vendor demonstrations and exhibitor theatre presentations. Each day of the exhibition has set opening hours, beginning with a shorter session on Monday afternoon and extending into fuller days on Tuesday and Wednesday. The exhibition includes companies demonstrating new approaches to detection and suppression, updates in PPE, digital tools for incident reporting and analytics and innovations in power supply and battery safety.
Education continues on the floor with the NFPA Products & Solutions sessions, which provide code-specific guidance and insight from the association’s technical team. These drop-in presentations offer attendees opportunities to ask questions and gather updates directly from subject matter experts.
Running concurrently with the main conference is the NFPA Spotlight on Public Education (SOPE), a three-day programme focused on fire and life safety education in community settings. SOPE includes eight education sessions tailored to outreach professionals, including fire prevention officers and public health educators.
A platform to shape future standards
The final segment of the event is the Technical Meeting, scheduled for June 19 and 20. While the full agenda will be confirmed in April 2025, this meeting allows eligible participants to vote on proposed changes to NFPA’s codes and standards. It is a vital component of the association’s consensus process and attracts stakeholders from across the safety ecosystem.
By participating in the Technical Meeting, attendees are able to shape the regulatory and operational standards that govern the fire and life safety industry. This component of the programme reinforces the association’s commitment to transparency, stakeholder input and consensus-driven development of codes.
As the event approaches, NFPA will continue to release updates on session speakers, exhibitor lists and onsite logistics. The 2025 edition of the Conference & Expo promises a rich and varied experience, with structured opportunities for technical education, peer learning and hands-on interaction with safety technologies.
The International Fire and Safety Journal team will be at the NFPA Conference & Expo on stand Stand #1554.
