From the Academy President
The Academy already has another busy year planned for 2020. We will have a presence at many meetings and discussions regarding issues important to the Fire Sprinkler Industry. Here’s a look at the highlights from the recent past and what’s in store for the next couple of months:
NFPA 13, 13R, and 13D
The Sprinkler System Installation Criteria Committee (SSI) met in August and thanks to NFPA Staff Liaison, David Hague and our Chairman, Ray Grill, we rolled through the first draft of changes that are proposed for the 2022 Edition of the Fire Sprinkler Standards. Cecil Bilbo chairs the task group responsible for Chapters 9 through 12 in NFPA 13. We coordinated a lot of the work regarding the obstruction rules among the different types of sprinklers.
In conjunction with the NFPA 13 Committee meeting, the Fire Protection Research Foundation also held a meeting of the Automatic Sprinkler Research Council to discuss potential research projects for the Fire Sprinkler Industry. This is an international group of sprinkler industry leaders that advises the FPRF on which projects should receive priority in funding and effort.
The NFPA 13 Correlating Committee met in Phoenix on December 12th & 13th to discuss the changes proposed in the First Draft Committee meetings. This group is the technical committee responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the NFPA Sprinkler Standards. They truly are the group in charge of NFPA 13! They seemed generally pleased with the First Draft Revisions that were proposed and meeting Chairman, Bill Koffel, made quick work of the meeting agenda.
NFPA 14
On March 25th and 26th, we will be traveling to Austin, Texas to attend a meeting of the NFPA 14 Committee as we begin to consider development of the 2022 Edition of the NFPA’s “Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems”. We are scheduled to have demonstrations of fire hose exercises and operations of pressure reducing valves. This is always an exciting and innovative committee with which to work. If you have changes to be made to this Standard, you must submit a Public Input by January 9th. If there is any change you’d like to see, you can submit it here.
NFPA 88A
The first meetings we will participate in will be those of the NFPA Committee on Garages and Parking Structures. We will be meeting to discuss changes to the entire NFPA 88A document. “The Standard for Parking Structures” was first released in 1932. With the rapid development of automated parking systems, electric cars and their charging stations, and a recent castastrophic parking garage fire in Liverpool, England where 1400 cars were destroyed from a fire in a single vehicle (see the story here), the work of this committee has taken on a new sense of urgency. We will meet in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 14th and 15th. Any new language we will contemplate will become part of the 2022 edition of the Standard.
NFPA’s FIRE PROTECTION RESEARCH FOUNDATION
We will also renew and continue our work with the Fire Protection Research Foundation’s Task Group on Emerging Technologies and PoE (Power Over Ethernet). This task group has been charged with discussing and identifying important principles and standards that should be utilized as we develop and deliver new and emerging technologies across the IoT (Internet of Things). The FPRF has recently issued a Project Prospectus for "Cybersecurity for Fire Protection Systems”. Stay tuned to see where this project goes. January meetings are yet to be scheduled.
A word of special congratulations to Amanda Kimball, FPE for her new appointment as Executive Director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation. The Academy remembers when she started with the FPRF in 2011 and when she was appointed Research Director. The Foundation will be well served in having a leader with such a strong work ethic and passion for life safety.
UNDERWRITER’S LABORATORIES
The Academy has also been participating in the development of “UL Standard 1821B, Plastic Pipe Compatibility”. This Task Group is headed by Underwriter’s Laboratories Principal Engineer for Fire Suppression Products, Jeff Hebenstreit and will meet again in the second week of February 2020. We will hear what UL Engineers have developed as far as a protocol for compatability testing in CPVC Piping.
NFSA Engineering and Standards Committee
Another committee that I enjoy (in fact it is likely my favorite meeting) is the NFSA’s Engineering and Standards Committee. This group leads the Fire Sprinkler Industry in advancing the technology and in setting direction when issues arise. This committee meets March 31st and April 1st in Newport Beach, California. At this meeting, the industry’s technical positions will be discussed and determined as it relates to the next edition of the Fire Sprinkler Codes and Standards.
PEOPLE AND OTHER INDUSTRY NEWS
AFSA - The Academy would also like to congratulate John Denhardt, FSFPE for accepting the position of Vice President of Engineering for the American Fire Sprinkler Association. The AFSA published a press release that says they have “selected John August Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE, as its new Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services, effective January 6, 2020. Denhardt will be responsible for strengthening AFSA’s engineering and technical approaches to meeting member, industry and operational priorities, with an emphasis on service, quality, and integrity.”
We have worked with John on the NFPA 13 Committee and other industry projects for more than 20 years. His work ethic and family values are second to none. Good luck in your new position, John!
Viking Group, Inc. - Sending out a heartfelt congrats to James Golinveaux, Viking’s President and CEO on the Fall 2019 completion of the Viking Research, Development and Education Facility in Hastings, Michigan. Here is a video of James explaining his vision. And if you want to see photos of what they actually built, you can see the builder’s post on Facebook here.
VSC Fire and Security - The Academy is pleased to learn that VSC Fire and Security (formerly Virginia Sprinkler Company) is being purchased by Markel Group. Markel is a specialty insurance company based in Henrico County, Virginia. We have worked with VSC in the past and value the relationship we have had with them for over 30 years. The Richmond Times-Dispatch quoted VSC CEO Michael Meehan as saying, “The integrity of our people and our work cannot be compromised, and we’ve invested in that since day one. When thinking about the next 60 years at VSC, we knew we needed a partner that shared our values and would allow us to continue running VSC the way we have for so long. We are confident Markel is that partner.” (Full article here.)
There is so much ahead of us this year. I look forward to making this a GREAT decade for our industry!
Sincerely,
Cecil Bilbo, president