Ahead of his retirement, outgoing NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley discusses emerging risks, safety ecosystems, and protecting communities in a changing world
Firstly, please introduce yourself and your background.
My name is Jim Pauley, and I am the President and CEO of NFPA. I joined the organisation in 2014 after spending 30 years in the electrical and energy industry and I will retire at the end of July. I am an engineer by training and much of my career was in the private sector, so moving into a mission-driven non-profit marked a significant shift. However, beyond my 12 years as President and CEO, I was an active participate on a number of NFPA Technical Committees, so I understood NFPA’s purpose and impact. What has kept me so engaged with NFPA for so long is the people, the purpose, and the organisation’s historic commitment to safety.
Since becoming President and CEO in 2014, how have you seen fire detection and suppression technologies evolve in terms of artificial intelligence (AI), integration and real-world effectiveness?
As in many areas of life and industry, AI, IoT connectivity, and data integration are having an enormous impact on fire protection.
The real opportunity is not any single technology, but how we connect these innovations into a comprehensive safety ecosystem. AI, real-time data, intelligent detection, and smart building systems can help us identify risks sooner and respond more effectively. However, technology alone is not the answer. It must be built on a foundation of consensus-based codes and standards and guided by experienced professionals who understand how to apply it. Technology should enhance human expertise, not replace it. The combination of innovation, standards, and professional judgement is where the greatest gains in safety will be achieved.
What are your proudest moments and achievements from your time at NFPA? Which of these do you believe has had the greatest impact on fire safety?
I think the organisation has achieved a lot in the last 12 years, and I’m proud to have led the team that made so many goals a reality. If I had to identify the achievement with the greatest impact it would be the development of the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™, which helped articulate a simple but powerful idea: safety does not happen by chance. Safety is a system that requires a connected system of stakeholders, codes and standards, enforcement, education investment, preparedness and an informed public working together to reduce loss and save lives.
I’m also proud of NFPA’s growth as a global organisation built through strong partnerships, including our deepening relationships across the Middle East. The opening of our regional office in Riyadh in 2024 is another milestone, as it reflects our long-term commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and strengthening safety infrastructure across the region. Most recently, the launch of NFPA LiNK 3.0 at Intersec Dubai 2026 marked a significant step in advancing the digital transformation of safety.
How is NFPA adapting its codes, standards and training programmes to address emerging risks such as lithium-ion battery storage systems, EV fires and energy transition technologies?
Some risks are too complex for any single discipline to address alone. They require shared planning, shared language, and shared responsibility. We are seeing a similar challenge today with lithium-ion batteries and the broader energy transition.
Batteries are now part of nearly every aspect of modern life. They power phones, laptops, tools, scooters, e-bikes, vehicles, homes, businesses, and energy storage systems. They are essential to innovation and to the clean energy transition. But they also introduce hazards that are not always visible or well understood by consumers, policymakers, building owners, or even some parts of industry.
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