NFPA Conference 2006 in Orlando

ORLANDO--Fire and security contractors, manufacturers as well as representatives from sectors as diverse as health care and the military will converge at the Orange County Convention Center here, June 4 through 8, for the National Fire Protection Association World Safety conference and exhibition. NFPA officials expect more than 300 exhibitors this year, said Lorraine Carli, NFPA assistant vice president of communications. Attendance numbers are done post show, but 2005 saw nearly 4,000 attendees, a 55 percent increase over 2004. Attendees came from every state and 50 foreign countries. Special highlights this year include the speakers, kicking off on the light side with Kevin Nealon from Saturday Night Live on June 4. The next morning, Cortez Lawrence of the United States Fire Administration will discuss lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and plans for the 2006 hurricane season. Last winter, Cortez was the emergency services branch chief in New Orleans, involved with fire, security, hazardous materials and health care. "Other areas of interest will be Liquified Natural Gas Safety mini-symposium; a new Industrial and Fire Safety and Security Track which emphasizes new technology in industrial fire protection and emergency response, fuel storage issues, security of industrial processes and code changes affecting the industry," Carli said. Pre-conference seminars are June 2 and 3, the exposition runs June 4 through 6 and the technical committee reports are June 7 and 8.