Narrowband  |  2023-02-10

Intertek Completes the World’s First Evaluation of Emergency Communications Devices to the NFPA 1802 Standard to Motorola Solutions and L3Harris

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

The NFPA 1802 standard defines performance requirements for radios and speaker microphones designed for use in environments in which firefighters, hazmat teams, and other agencies operate.

The standard outlines design, performance, testing, and certification requirements for radios used in emergency response situations

Intertek, a Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, has completed the world’s first evaluation of radio equipment used by emergency personnel to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1802 Standard on Two-Way, Portable RF Voice Communications Devices for use by emergency services personnel in the hazard zone. Upon successful completion of testing by Intertek, the first NFPA 1802 certifications were issued by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) to Motorola Solutions and L3Harris.

The NFPA 1802 standard defines performance requirements for radios and speaker microphones designed for use in environments in which firefighters, hazmat teams, and other agencies operate. For more than 50 years, portable radios have served as a valuable tool to facilitate critical communications on the scenes of emergency response situations. With the potential for extreme environmental exposure and the crucial importance of their use, testing and evaluation to ensure that these devices will continue working under the most extreme environments is vital.

"It is an honour for Intertek to be the first third-party lab to complete an NFPA 1802 evaluation," said Chad Morey, Technical Analyst for Intertek’s PPE team. "We are proud that we were able to lend our radio testing expertise to the development of this new standard, which enables Intertek to be more attuned to the testing and certification needs of radio and speaker microphone manufacturers."

Intertek provides rigorous evaluations and expansive testing capabilities to guarantee that, even under the most stressful or hazardous conditions, personal protective equipment will provide sustained protection