After a tragedy such as the 2003 fire at the Cook County Building in Chicago, government officials revisit fire code exceptions made in the past. New building standards and code are published and as usual property owners are given exceptions and extended deadlines to comply with new code. However, the bottom line is that guidelines and standards adopted by government and the insurance industry are good for property owners and the public in the long run.
The NFPA standards adoption process allows for interested persons to comment on the standard/guideline by submitting proposals for consideration. The NFPA method of standard/guideline development allows for disparate interests to voice concerns and impact the final document. Further NFPA reviews standard/guideline on a regular basis to keep the guideline or code current.