Jan/Feb 2022 Sprinkler Age

16

INDUSTRY FORECAST

JAN/FEB 2022

SPRINKLER AGE

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

TYRE

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VOL 41/01

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FEATURES 12 | TYRE TAKES TOP PRIZE

Industry Talent Showcased at National Apprentice Competition

16 | “CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM” AMID CHALLENGES

Members Surveyed for Outlook on Fire Sprinkler Industry

21 | CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

2022 Awards Honor Industry Advocates

22 | THE ANTIFREEZE LOOP(HOLE)

A Call for Action on NFPA 25

24 | HOW TO TAKE A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE

Sampling Sprinklers for NFPA 25 Field Service Testing

26 | AGC AND SAGE RELEASE 2022 OUTLOOK

Construction Firms Foresee Growing Demand for Most Types of Projects

28 | NFPA 25, 2023 EDITION

The 411 on 2023

30 | A TEE-RIFIC TIME

Sacramento Valley Golf Tournament Raises Funds for FFBI

31 | ABC RELEASES 2021 MERIT SHOP SCORECARD

Florida is the Number 1 Construction Business Climate State

32 | THE ROI OF MEMBERSHIP

Together We are Stronger

33 | SPRINKLER SYSTEM DESIGN IN MIND?

A Mix of In-Person and Virtual Learning Planned for 2022

34 | ITM PROGRAM DEVELOPS INSPECTORS

Registration Now Open for 2022

36 | MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS: BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

Members Save Time and Money With Products and Services to Better Their Business

38 | THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Members Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries

ON THE COVER: Matthew Tyre, Titan Fire Protection, Inc., Vista, California, won the 2021 National Apprentice Competition. Also in this issue: NFPA 25 and ITM.

6 CHAIR’S MESSAGE 8 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 10 FLASHPOINT 40 HIGHER STANDARDS 41 TECHNICAL CHALLENGES 42 AFSA NEWS 42 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 43 CHAPTER NEWS 44 #MEMBERSMATTER! 45 NEW MEMBERS 46 AFSA CHAPTERS 47 U.S. CONSTRUCTION 48 PRODUCT NEWS 50 PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 52 INDUSTRY NEWS 54 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS SPRINKLER AGE, (ISSN 0896-2685) is published bi-

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SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 5

I

CHAIR’S MESSAGE hope you all had a great holiday season and are looking forward to the new year as much as I am. I am praying that 2022 takes us further from the pandemic’s peak and allows us to move closer to the lifestyle we truly enjoyed before COVID. AFSA’s founding principle is training. That is the reason why AFSA was created in 1981… to train the merit shop contractor. When we asked our contractor members what additional training they needed, they responded with a resounding need for AFSA to develop a training program that creates certified inspectors. AFSA answered that request with a one-of-a-kind, 20-month program that can take a person from outside of our industry and create a NICET Level II inspector upon completion of the program, as well as complete the two-year experience requirement. If you haven’t focused your company on the ITM side of our industry, you’re missing out. Trust me, I started out in 1997 as a large, new installation contractor and loved it … until the first recession hit. That taught me that having a recurring revenue stream of business, even through a recession, was imperative if we were going to survive long term in this industry. We succeeded, thank God, and currently have a mix of 70 percent service to 30 percent new installation, which works for us quite well. The service side actually grows during the typical economic recession! If you’re thinking about it, look at AFSA’s ITM Inspector Development Program. The spring session starts April 11, 2022. Give it a try!

The mainstay of our training programs is our apprenticeship course and is highlighted each year with the National Apprentice Competition. The contest is held at our annual convention, and the 2021 finals were held at AFSA40 in San Antonio. All competitors were awesome and deserving of the title, but there must be a winner. This year’s winner was also the spokesperson for the group and did a tremendous job at that as well. See page 12 of this issue for more details. There will be a push this year to get every eligible apprentice to participate in the contest. It will be an experience of a lifetime for all the finalists!

As we start this new year, 2022, a few words come to mind about this tremendous association… “family,” “fraternity,” and “brotherhood.” Having been involved with the fire service over the last 40-plus years, as well as my dad’s 32-year career as a firefighter in New York State, I thought that the fraternity of the fire service was one of a kind. I know that if I ever get lost in this country, all I need to do is find a local firehouse, and I’ll have friends for life who would welcome me in immediately. What I found out about AFSA is that it also has the same “brotherhood.” The friends that I have made through this association have truly become family. When they celebrate, I celebrate with them, and when they suffer, so do I. We hug each other and pray for each other regularly. We are truly a family.

Collectively, within our membership, we have all the answers to any problem you may have. We bend over backwards to help fellow members every chance we get. Those of us who were fortunate enough to know George Church while he was alive learned that from him. He would put his company on hold to assist another member with an issue he could help them with. That’s what this association is about. So, as we enter 2022, let’s all work at growing our AFSA network of friends. Not only will we have a better professional network to help us in our day-to-day business, but they will also become part of our family. n

EDITORIAL: 214-349-5965

BOB CAPUTO, CFPS, Publisher, ext. 124

bcaputo@firesprinkler.org

D’ARCY G. MONTALVO, Editor, ext. 115;

dmontalvo@firesprinkler.org

ADVERTISING: 214-349-5965

REBECCA HERRING, Communications Specialist, ext. 134;

rherring@firesprinkler.org

CIRCULATION: 214-349-5965

REBECCA HERRING, Communications Specialist, ext. 134;

rherring@firesprinkler.org

AFSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS JACK A. MEDOVICH, P.E., Chair, 804-222-1381

LINDA M. BIERNACKI, First Vice Chair, 318-841-0330 PAUL DELORIE, Second Vice Chair, 603-432-8221 ROD DIBONA, Treasurer, 605-348-2342 JEFF PHIFER, Secretary, 803-438-2994

TED WILLS, Immediate Past Chair, 610-754-7836 LYLE HALL, 858-513-4949

R. DONALD (DON) KAUFMAN, 505-884-2447 CHRIS JOHNSON, 727-581-9339

MICHAEL F. MEEHAN, 757-213-3660 WAYNE WEISZ, 209-334-9119

AFSA LEADERSHIP BOB CAPUTO, CFPS, President, ext. 124 LAVERNE DAVIS, Vice President, Finance & Administration, ext. 112 JOHN AUGUST DENHARDT, P.E., FSFPE, Vice President, Engineering & Technical Services, ext.121

MARLENE M. GARRETT, CMP, Senior Director, Meeting & Education Services, ext. 118 LESLIE CLOUNTS, Director, Education Services, ext. 130 ROGER GRAGG, Director, Marketing & Information Technology, ext. 116 BRUCE LECAIR, Senior Director, Membership & Chapter Support, ext. 139

Sprinkler Age is devoted to the professional development of the fire sprinkler industry. Deadline is 1st of the month preceding publication.

Published by American Fire Sprinkler Association, 12750 Merit Drive, Suite 350, Dallas, Texas 75251.

Call (214) 349-5965, FAX (214) 343-8898, or email sprinklerage@firesprinkler.org for information.

Copyright © American Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc. All rights reserved. PRINTED IN USA. Unless expressly stated otherwise, all editorial and advertising material published is the opinion of the respective authors and/or companies involved and should not be construed as official action by or approved by Publisher or the Association.

Sprinkler Age is a membership benefit, provided free of charge to AFSA members. For information on non-member and/or foreign subscription rates, call (214) 349-5965.

ABOUT AFSA MEMBERSHIP AFSA annual membership dues are a sliding scale for Contractors and Associates and a flat fee for Authorities Having Jurisdiction. (Members receive a free subscription to Sprinkler Age.) Write or call AFSA for membership information. See AFSA’s website at firesprinkler.org.

JACK A. MEDOVICH, P.E. AFSA BOARD CHAIR

6 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

Rest assured—when you work with any of our ISO-certified fabrication Rest assured—when you work with any of our ISO-certified fabrication facilities, you’re benefitting from products and services that are held to facilities, you’re benefitting from products and services that are held to industry-leading quality specifications. industry-leading quality specifications.

VISIT US ONLINE AT FERGUSON.COM/FIRE

©2021 Ferguson Enterprises, LLC 1121 3462623

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

A

s I write this column every few weeks, I often find myself searching for the creativity required to discuss something of value that our members might actually be interested in reading. I don’t mind sharing the fact that it can be a challenge.

After all, I am the president, and I’m supposed to know what the members expect and want to hear about. I always want to discuss the value proposition of membership in the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) and the training programs we offer to our members in fulfillment of our mission. I am so very proud of the direction our Board of Directors is providing to reinvigorate ourselves and focus on delivering needed services for the membership. I am equally as proud of our staff for accepting the challenges we face in a very changing world.

We’ve added well-known and powerful staff to our Engineering & Technical Services Department to become known as the best this industry has to offer.

Many of you participated in our recent training survey to provide the feedback we need to ensure we are offering training that meets your business’s wants and needs, as opposed to assuming we know what those are. Thank you for the feedback, but I want to encourage our members to continue to provide us with your opinions, even when we’re not asking in a formal way. This is your association, and we couldn’t possibly have all the answers, especially as it relates to regional issues or needs. “We are stronger together” is more than just a tag line or a bumper sticker. It is a simple truth.

None of us could possibly address big industry issues alone while focusing on the daily work to strengthen our individual businesses. We must work together in the interest of fire and life safety and the promotion of fire sprinkler systems as the best possible solution for a fire-safe built environment.

Lightweight construction features—reduced municipal budgets and greater fire loads within the built environment­—all contribute to a greater need for our products and services.

I see the same challenges on the horizon we all see and hear about every day—inflation, predictions for an economic downturn, slower construction starts due to an increase in the cost of money, not to mention COVID-19 and all the spikes and variants we keep seeing. But let’s stop listening to the news media and look at the reality of our industry for a moment. During these last two years of the pandemic, our industry has flourished. Most of our members have greater backlogs of work than they’ve ever had and are making more money than ever before. The activity in mergers and acquisitions is rampant, with many of our largest members having been acquired or acquiring other members to such a degree that we’ve had to revise our membership dues structure to keep the pace of lost revenue resulting from this activity.

Let’s ask ourselves if the interest of investment firms purchasing fire sprinkler businesses is solely due to the

8 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

excitement of saving lives and property? Are investors seeing an opportunity to lose money in our industry? Obviously, the answer is a resounding no… hell, no! Our industry is thriving during a pandemic and an overall negative belief in the U.S. economic picture, and we need to respond and act upon the reality of what we see, not the negative message of the news cycle. Our industry is alive and well.

We need the robust training programs and recruiting efforts your AFSA is offering if we are to keep the pace of growth and demand for a well-trained and qualified workforce at every level.

Our design schools, ITM training, and apprenticeship and leadership programs are available from AFSA to help you as members to grow your business and limit your liabilities. Your participation in these programs is needed for AFSA to continue to offer them. When members are not utilizing these programs, we’re left to assume they are not needed. Our training programs are not “check-box” programs—we’re training the future of our industry. I want to challenge all of our members to get involved in providing professional development for your staff to ensure future success. I want to remind everyone that when your company is a member, all your people are members and have the same access to our services individually, as well as collectively. I want to challenge every member of our association and of our industry to see the marketplace as it really is, with an optimistic view and the opportunity for positive results from an investment in this industry. When outsiders like capital investment firms see the opportunity for success in our industry, we should see it, too. We should be investing in our collective futures as energetically and enthusiastically as outsiders do.

The American Fire Sprinkler Association was formed to provide training opportunities and to be the voice of the merit shop fire sprinkler industry. We are in this together, and together we are stronger. Our investment in legislative matters, training programs, and chapter leadership are all here for you as members, and we don’t exist without you. I encourage every member to be actively involved at the chapter level and invite your competitors to become members. Let’s enjoy our successes while planning our future because we are a critical and necessary industry. Welcome to 2022 and beyond. n

BOB CAPUTO, CFPS AFSA PRESIDENT

ENROLL FOR SPRING 2022

AFSA’S Graduates Lead the Industry

ITM

INSPECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

EFFECTIVE

ITM Program graduates achieve a 91% pass rate on NICET Level I & II exams*, exceeding the 66% national average.

Our 20-month program guides your novice inspector technicians as they gain knowledge and practical skills while learning to perform codecompliant inspections.

SAFE AFSA is committed to the safety of our students. Find out how AFSA is keeping students safe visit: www.firesprinkler.org/safe

UP-TO-DATE

ON-DEMAND

All program materials are based on NFPA 25, 2017 Ed., to correspond with current certification exams.

The first six months of the program is online and over 90% of the training is remote or on-demand.

*AFSA makes no implied or expressed warranty that studying these materials or passing the assessments or exams will ensure passage of the related NICET exams or certification by NICET.

www.firesprinkler.org/ITM

FLASHPOINT

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New Year brings resolutions. This year, why don’t you consider investing in yourself. Over the years, I have known many great layout technicians and engineers who are getting old. I do not mean old with respect to age. I mean old and outdated with regard to their training and staying current with technical changes in their field of expertise. In our busy careers, it is easy to put off training. However, training is a necessity if you want to do your best. Let me explain by giving an example.

A good friend of mine, Alex, is 49 years old. He started in the sprinkler field at the age of 17 as a helper. He worked his way up the ladder: apprentice, fitter, layout assistant, and now a senior NICET Level 4 layout technician. He was a student in AFSA’s apprenticeship training series program, competed in the 1995 National Apprentice Competition, and won second place. He is one of the best technicians I know. His real field experience makes his layouts work.

However, Alex is getting old. He is constantly producing work using the 2013 or 2016 editions of the NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems; NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes; and NFPA 13R; Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Low-Rise Residential Occupancies, standards. The 2019 edition is not in his sight. The 2022 edition is out, but it will be years before he even reads it. The 2025 edition is being worked on as I

write this. Due to time restraints, Alex struggles to meet his continuing education requirements for his NICET certification, but he always finds a way so that he complies with its requirements.

For Alex to keep excelling and not get old, he and his employer need to make sure he has the time and resources to stay young.

Taking classes or seminars, attending a convention, participating in the NFPA process, assisting NICET in updating their programs, obtaining additional certifications, or participating in other types of activities will do wonders for his career. Look at the example of Alex, and then look at yourself. Are you getting old, or is your career in great shape? Do you need to do a little more to stay in shape?

If you need help staying young, AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services & Education Services departments can assist. We have plenty of courses, seminars, webinars, an annual convention, our magazine Sprinkler Age, and other items. AFSA is out in the field presenting live in-person events. These programs allow attendees to keep their careers young. Participating in the NFPA process is another option. AFSA is active in approximately 48 different NFPA technical committees. My team knows the process well, and we can walk a member through it.

Do you have a suggestion to change a standard? Why not start by submitting a public input to the NFPA 13, 2025 edition. Once you do one public input, number two is easy. You will see how the “sausage” is made. It might not be pretty, but in the end, it works. And because you are involved in the process, it forces you to stay young. The 2025 edition of NFPA 13 is currently open for public inputs. The closing date is June 1, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. I also want to take a moment to discuss our Technical Review services. For 2021, we processed approximately 700 reviews. That averages to about three every workday. The growth of this service to our members has been tremendous. We are clearly becoming a more significant resource for our members’ staff. Some of these reviews are relatively easy, some require research, and others just do not have a good answer. The questions without good answers usually become public inputs to the applicable standard. Feel free to use this service. I feel humbled stating this, but numerous individuals have told me the AFSA technical team is at the top of the field. Well, I know my staff is good, but we will always strive to be the best we can be. Our members deserve nothing less.

Happy New Year, and make a resolution to stay young! AFSA will assist you, but you need to be an active participant. n

JOHN AUGUST DENHARDT, P.E., FSFPE AFSA VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING & TECHNICAL SERVICES

10 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

AFSA’s 29th Annual

NATIONAL APPRENTICE COMPETITION Apprentices could WIN UP TO $5,000 CASH, a SET OF BRAND NEW HAND TOOLS, and an EXPENSE-PAID TRIP for you and a guest determined by the sponsoring company.

For more details visit

f iresprinkler.org/competition

7 national finalists will receive an expense-paid trip to compete at AFSA’s National Convention, Exhibition and Apprentice Competition and a convention registration for their employer, tools, and cash prizes Employers may enter as many of your qualifying apprentices as you want! There is no cost to enter.

TYRE TAKES TOP PRIZE INDUSTRY TALENT SHOWCASED AT NATIONAL APPRENTICE COMPETITION REBECCA HERRING | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

T

he stage was set. On September 21, 2021, hundreds of onlookers flooded into the bustling exhibit hall at AFSA40: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition in San Antonio, Texas, to watch the 28th Annual National Apprentice Competition hosted by the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA).

This annual competition gives seven hopefuls a chance at winning $5,000, tools, and bragging rights for the next year, and the crowd couldn’t be more excited to watch the first competition since 2019.

The competition consists of two phases—a written test taken in spring to qualify as a top apprentice and written and practical exams taken in fall during AFSA’s convention. After the initial written test and outscoring over 100 other apprentice hopefuls to secure a spot as one of the top seven apprentices, Matthew Tyre, Titan Fire Protection, Vista, California, advanced to the competition finals in San Antonio. From there, Tyre tackled his toughest task yet—outscoring the six other contenders to emerge as the top apprentice in the 28th annual competition.

HOW DID HE GET HERE Tyre’s path to 2021’s top apprentice began in January 2018 when Tyre decided to work in the fire protection industry.

Inspired by his grandfather, who had been an inspector in

Matthew Tyre, Titan Fire Protection, Inc., Vista, California, won the 2021 National Apprentice Competition.

12 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

“MATTHEW HAS ... UNPARALLELED ENTHUSIASM AND WORTH ETHIC ... “ California, Tyre was looking for a career that didn’t involve sitting behind a desk, and he immediately felt pulled to fire sprinklers.

“I’ve always been a hands-on type of guy, and when I found out that my grandfather worked in fire protection, I looked into it and applied to a few different locations in California.”

You’ve heard the saying, “if it’s meant to be, it will be,” and that’s exactly what happened with Tyre’s fire protection career. After a few initial rejections, Tyre decided to take an interview at a plumbing company that he knew had a fire sprinkler division. “I was hoping I could get my foot in the door with the plumbing job and then ask to be transferred to fire sprinklers.” But fate had something even bigger in mind.

On his first day on the plumbing job, Tyre pulled into the parking lot and started chatting with a fellow employee. Tyre mentioned it was his first day in plumbing but that he hoped to transfer to the fire sprinkler division eventually. It turns out he’d managed to meet the superintendent of the sprinkler division and was transferred the very same day.

After getting his feet under him there, Tyre interviewed at Titan Fire Protection. “A former coworker helped me land the interview because he knew [Titan] had an apprentice program and that I was passionate about learning.”

After joining Titan in March 2018, Tyre served as a trainee for his first six months and was then enrolled in the CAFSA apprentice training program. He currently works as an apprentice with the company while still working through the program, which he is expected to complete this year.

His involvement in the apprenticeship program led Tyre to try for the competition. “I had been thinking about it for a couple of years. In 2020 I was a bit insecure about what my results might be and missed the deadline to take the test, but when 2021 rolled around, I was ready.” At this point, Tyre mentions he felt he had a much better grasp on fire sprinkler fitting, the fundamentals, and the practices and procedures of being a sprinkler fitter. “When I saw the deadline coming up, I was encouraged by my employer to take the test.”

Connor Jones, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, placed second during the competition.

James Ainey with Cox Fire Protection, Inc., Tampa, Florida, placed third in the competition.

Tyre says he spent two-and-a-half months studying and preparing. “I even spent the 10 days leading up to the test doing an hour or two reading each book level, just studying and doing the review questions.” Tyre notes that the refresher was a big help since he is in year four of his apprenticeship, and things from the early books were a bit rusty at times.

Finally, the test day arrived, and Tyre mentions he was “nervous but aware of what was at stake.” After all, 2021 was the last year Tyre would be eligible for the competition, so he knew the stakes couldn’t be higher.

And his hard work paid off in a big way when he got his results—Tyre had landed his place as one of the top seven apprentices in the country. “I went in and did my best [on the test] and wasn’t sure what to expect. I honestly didn’t think I’d done that well,” Tyre recalls. “But then, during our monthly shop meeting in August, at the very end of the meeting, Scott Uren, Titan Fire Protection’s president, made the announcement that I’d advanced in the competition. I was so excited and thankful. It was overwhelming.”

thread, and use fabricated materials for the installations per the drawing they were provided. This exercise required pipe threading, math, and pipe make-up skills to complete the mini-system within the four-hour time limit. The CPVC section of the system was joined using one-step solvent cement. After the entire system was installed and allowed to set, it was placed under a static water series ads.pdf 1 80 11/22/2021 3:57:20 PM pressure testcover of plate approximately psi, with points deducted for any leaks or pressure drop. During the mini-installation, the

We’re so good at this, you won’t even know we’re there.

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SAN ANTONIO SHOWDOWN

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With his initial advancement secured, Tyre was on his way to the 28th Annual National Apprentice Competition at AFSA40 to compete live. Phase II of the competition consisted of two portions: a written test, based on all four levels of AFSA/NCCER Contren® Learning Series Sprinkler Fitter curriculum, followed by a live competition practical in the AFSA exhibition hall.

For four hours on Tuesday, September 21, the seven apprentice finalists participated in the live competition by constructing and pressure-testing a miniature sprinkler system in front of a busy exhibition hall. Each finalist was given a drawing of the system and all of the required materials to install it. Finalists then constructed the system, comprised of five sprinklers, onto a 9-ft tall metal frame structure. Competitors had to measure, cut,

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Honorable Mention Winner Jonas Cassity, Kobobel Fire Protection, LLC, Windsor, Colorado.

apprentices were judged in three areas—accuracy, craftsmanship, and safety—to form their practical score, which was then combined with their written test score to determine the winner.

NATIONAL APPRENTICE COMPETITION DONORS $10,000

AllSouth Sprinkler Company

IN-KIND

BlazeMaster® Fire Protection Systems Core & Main Fire Protection Ferguson Fire & Fabrication Rapid Fire Protection Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co., Inc. Ridge Tool Company, (Emerson) Southeast Fire Protection Victaulic Viking Group, Inc. Viper Tradeshow Service

$1,000

American Fire Systems, Inc. Foothill Fire Protection, Inc. Southeast Fire Protection, L.P. VSC Fire & Security, Inc.

$500

AFSA Florida Chapter Bamford Fire Sprinkler Co. Cen-Cal Fire Systems, Inc. Foster Engineering Titan Fire Protection, Inc. Vanport Mechanical & Fire Sprinklers, Inc.

$300

American Automatic Sprinkler Brendle Sprinkler Co. Diamond Automatic Sprinklers, Inc. Kaufman Fire Protection Metro Fire & Safety Equipment Co. North East Fire Protection Systems, Inc. Western Fire Protection, Inc. Winsupply

$150

Capitol Sprinkler Service Corp.

Carolina Fire Control, Inc. Central Connecticut Fire Protection, Inc. Cole Fire Protection Services, Inc. Core & Main Fire Protection Cox Fire Protection, Inc. Eagle Sprinkler Co. Eastern Fire & Safety, LLC ETNA SUPPLY IT&M Division, Inc. Jimco Fire Protection, Inc. Loos & Company, Inc. M and M Fire Protection, Inc. Milwaukee Valve Co., Inc. Permabond Victaulic

$100

Telgian Corporation

14 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

Honorable Mention Winner Jason Collins, All Fire Solutions, Greenwood, Indiana.

Tyre noted that, “In a way [the live install] feels just like a normal day at work, except the part where the audience has all eyes on you. There is quite a bit of pressure with time management in the hands-on portion, but it is really doable and not too overwhelming. I just knew I had to get it done.”

AWARD-WINNING PARTY At the unforgettable Awards Party at Knibbe Ranch later in the evening of September 21, the hard work of the seven national apprentice competitors was recognized, and Matthew Tyre was named as the 2021 National Apprentice Competition winner.

“I got nervous when I heard third and second place announced, and I hadn’t heard my name yet,” remembers Tyre.

“But when they announced me as the first-place winner, the relief was immediate.” He says he felt the stress and anxiety from the last three months seep out, leaving nothing but excitement and gratitude toward all his coworkers at Titan, his supervisor, and his girlfriend, who was in attendance to see him win.

In addition to joining an exclusive group of past winners, Tyre received a $5,000 grand prize. Looking to the future, Tyre said, “I will continue to work hard. I’m going to finish my apprenticeship this year and continue on full steam.” He also mentions again how grateful he is “to my family, my beautiful girlfriend, my team at Titan, and especially Scott [Uren] for being amazing mentors throughout this journey. I owe a great debt to them for helping me get to where I am today.”

When asked about Tyre, Uren proudly states, “Matthew has always approached every task, assignment, and/or challenge with unparalleled enthusiasm and work ethic. We’re fortunate to have him as a part of our team.”

He continues, “As Matthew finishes out his apprenticeship with CAFSA this year, he continues to excel in both his in-class work, testing, and OJT. Matthew has already started mentoring our newer apprentices, and we are looking forward

Honorable Mention Winner Corten Dobesh, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Rapid City, South Dakota.

Honorable Mention Winner Jamnes Rico, Western Fire Protection, Inc., Poway, California.

to having him coach them up for future competitions. With Matthew’s seemingly endless energy, work ethic, and hunger for knowledge, his potential is truly limitless.”

He finishes by congratulating Tyre again on his win, “From the entire TFP Team, congratulations, Matthew! We are incredibly proud of you, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Connor Jones, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah won second place and a $3,000 cash prize, and James Ainey, Cox Fire Protection, Inc., Tampa, Florida, took third place and the $2,000 prize. Honorable mentions received $1,000 prizes: Jonas Cassity, Kobobel Fire Protection, LLC, Windsor, Colorado; Jason Collins, All Fire Solutions, Greenwood, Indiana; Corten Dobesh, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Rapid City, South Dakota; and James Rico, Western Fire Protection, Inc., Poway, California.

In addition to the cash prizes and an expense-paid trip to San Antonio to compete at AFSA40, each of the national finalists received a commemorative plaque, tools, and a complimentary convention registration for their employer to attend the convention.

the gateway to competing in the national competition. Entry forms for this year’s event at AFSA41: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, October 15-19, will be available spring of 2022. For more details, visit firesprinkler.org/competition. To view additional photos of the action, visit AFSA’s Flickr photo page at flickr. com/afsa. n cover plate series ads.pdf 2 11/22/2021 3:57:27 PM

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Started in 1994 by the late Robert L. (Bob) McCullough, then chairman of the Apprenticeship & Education Committee, AFSA’s Annual National Apprentice Competition was created to promote apprentice training and give recognition to the apprentices who are actively enrolled in the AFSA apprenticeship program. Nearly 30 years later, the competition continues to bring fire sprinkler apprentices from AFSA local chapters and member training programs from all corners of the United States together in the association’s foremost showcase of excellence in training among future industry leaders.

Enrolling in AFSA’s apprentice training program not only offers excellent education and a fulfilling career, but it is also

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“CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM” AMID CHALLENGES MEMBERS SURVEYED FOR OUTLOOK ON FIRE SPRINKLER INDUSTRY

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D’ARCY MONTALVO | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

s the New Year begins amid supply chain delays and a rise in the omicron variant of COVID, the construction industry continues to push forward. Member reports and professional forecasters in the sprinkler and construction industries seem to agree with last year’s predictions: “cautious optimism” going into 2022. What does this year hold for the construction and fire sprinkler industries? Sprinkler Age has compiled reports from professional industry forecasters and American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) members to gauge business last year and gain insight into 2022.

Region 3

Region 2 Region 7

Region 1

Region 6

INDUSTRY REPORTS Annual reports detailed in Engineering-News Record (November 18, 2021) include Dodge Construction, which predicts $892.6 billion in construction starts, a 12-percent increase for 2021, and $946.5 billion in construction starts for 2022, a six-percent increase. For residential construction starts, Dodge forecasts a four-percent growth for single-family in 2022, after an expected 17-percent jump in 2021. Dodge also predicts a 19-percent increase in 2021 and a 5-percent increase in 2022 for multi-family starts. For non-residential starts, an 8-percent rise is expected this year after a 12-percent jump last year. Labor and material shortages and increasing prices are noted as challenges for the New Year.

FMI Corp. is forecasting construction put-in-place for 2022 to be $1.560 billion, up from $1.519 billion in 2021. Total residential is expected to rise 2.7 percent in 2022, with a 4.1 percent rise in single-family and a 4.9 percent rise in multi-family construction.

This comes after an expected 12.3 percent increase in total residential construction put-in-place in 2021, with single-family at 14.1 percent and multi-family at 4.8 percent. Total non-residential is expected only to climb 1.8 percent from last year.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) estimates total housing starts will show a 13 percent increase for 2021, with single-family units up 10.7 percent and multi-family housing up 19.3 percent. For 2022, it forecasts a 1.7-percent drop in overall starts, with a 0.2 percent increase in single-family and a 6.2 percent decrease in multi-family.

Additional construction forecast reports can be obtained at enr.com and constructionexec.com. For insight on the fire

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Region 5 Region 4

Members from all of AFSA’s seven regions responded to the industry review and outlook survey. sprinkler industry last year and what’s expected for 2022, Sprinkler Age surveyed members throughout the country and compiled their comments here.

REGION 1 For 2021, Jeff Bridges, president, JB Fire Protection, Fullerton, California, reports that “COVID had little effect beyond the challenges created by supply lines” and that they “have a solid backlog already for 2022—it’s looking like another good year.”

He notes that problems for the coming year include “maintaining and, more specifically, expanding our workforce has been an ongoing issue for a few years. The lack of qualified help seriously stunts our chances at growth.”

Bridges continues: “Retrofit work continues to be a solid portion of our work, and industrial retrofits specifically have been solid.

Regarding NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes, installations, he says that “California requirements for fire sprinklers have increased new installs and retrofits of homes.

Multi-family housing is ‘off the charts’ in the number of jobs in progress. While business remains robust, volatile material prices and flat pricing of jobs keep it challenging to grow a business.”

In Northern California, Wayne Weisz, executive vice president, Cen-Cal Fire Systems, Inc., Lodi, California, notes that “in spite of everything COVID-related, 2021 was a good year. In the areas of California that we service, there really was no slowdown. We stayed very busy.”

Weisz says that for 2022, “commercial and multi-family work has been very steady. The first half of the New Year appears to be very solid, with most contractors we know having very strong backlogs. It’s anyone’s guess what may happen in the second half of the year.”

“We saw some supply issues in 2021,” he states. “Lead times for certain materials got longer in some cases, and we are not seeing much change there going into 2022. In addition, workforce issues continue to plague everyone, which affects our trade and virtually every business. COVID and some people’s non-willingness to show up for work have made for staffing problems that appear to extend into 2022.”

When asked about residential activity in the state, Weisz reports that “Contrary to what the media has said about a mass exodus from California, the single-family market is red hot.

Homes continually sell within days of going on the market, with most getting the asking price. Housing tracts are going up everywhere in our area. Multi-family new construction is as strong as it’s ever been.” He also says that NFPA 13D work is steady and should remain the same through 2022.

our busiest years.” This year looks to be just as busy, with Wilson saying, “Residential single-family homes do not seem to be slowing down even with material costs skyrocketing. I am seeing more government-funded and private sector projects that have been in the planning last year look to be moving forward with construction in 2022.”

“I expect 2022 to be a continuation of material shortages, construction delays, and proof-of-vaccination issues,” she continues. “On the upside, people seem to be more patient and accepting of delays.” Another area of concern for Wilson is a growing population deciding “work is not an option.”

“Good” is the word used to describe business last year, and going in 2022, reports Roger J. Wallace, regional manager, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado. He does note that container ship delays are starting to impact material availability. “Hopefully, manufacturers will consider the resettling of their foundries back into America. Material costs are going out the roof, but we hope to stabilize the cost. Every trade is impacted by the volatility of these cost increases.”

Wallace says the State of Colorado is in the process of developing its own fitter’s test. “We are participating in these discussions, and we appreciate the input from AFSA. We should be able to write a very comprehensive test. We are working on getting the test program set up before fitter license renewals. Our involvement is important to the process, and we have input with an item that involves our industry. Being proactive is better than cover series ads.pdf 3 11/22/2021 3:57:30 PM being reactive toplate changes.”

REGION 2 Joseph Faulkner with Sprinx Fire Protection, Inc. in Gig Harbor, Washington, reports that in 2021, the company “was shutdown initially for about three weeks. After construction was identified as ‘essential,’ business was sluggish but steady.”

“We have just about a year’s worth of work booked already,” comments Faulkner. “Business looks to be strong. Some projects are having financing issues, having to refinance. Prices of lumber may impact some of the wood-framed apartment complexes.

Permitting is much slower than normal due to city employees working remotely.”

While the amount of retrofit work stayed the same in 2020 for Sprinx, its single-family division increased, and single-family and multi-family residential activity grew.

He concludes: “I expect the economy to be strong in 2021, but retract slightly in 2022.”

Tracy Wilson, Inland Fire Protection, Wenatchee, Washington, also saw NFPA 13D installations increase last year. “Construction did not seem to slow,” she notes. “Part of our increase may have been due to a large amount of rural construction where fire-flow requirements forced homeowners into including fire protection to achieve credits where water was not available.”

Wilson also saw stricter enforcement of fire and building codes for large single-family homes.

She reports that 2021 was “very busy with lots of delays due to construction material shortages” but remarks it was still “one of

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“WE HAVE A SOLID BACKLOG FOR 2022—IT’S LOOKING LIKE ANOTHER GOOD YEAR.” The area has seen some code adoptions in the hillside areas.

“We were very proactive in these changes,” he notes. “The Marshall Fire will have a direct impact on future housing and new fire code regulations in numerous cities across America. It’s a shame we have to experience something like this to make changes, yet that is how the development of code changes start.”

He continues: “Locally, we implemented the requirement for screened vents; the installation of said vents to block flying embers from entering an attic; the usage of non-combustible materials in the exterior construction of homes; and banned wood planking on decks and soffits unless they were pretreated. Several communities have adopted these changes in their jurisdictions.

The list is evolving as we identify new products.”

Wallace, who serves as chair of AFSA’s Colorado Chapter, encourages members to get involved. “I see the positive impacts that AFSA and our Colorado ChaPter make in multiple communities. We are very proactive. One must participate to have a say. Standing on the sidelines makes you a bystander who will get run over.”

REGION 3 Doug Stoeckel, Protegis Fire Protection & Safety, Cincinnati, Ohio, reports that in 2021, “unprecedented material cost increases was our biggest obstacle to overcome. The volume of ongoing work and projects to bid continues to stay high going into 2022.”

For 2022, Stoeckel notes Protegis has a “healthy backlog and is hopeful for a good year.” That being said, “We are concerned that the trend in price increases will continue, which could affect construction going forward. In addition, manpower and training will continue to be a primary focus for decades to come.”

Regarding installations, Stoeckel says 50 to 60 percent of their work is retrofit of existing facilities, they have done “very few” NFPA 13D installations, and that multi-family housing has been “on fire” for several years and doesn’t seem to be slowing.

REGION 4 Linda Biernacki, president, Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana, saw 2021 start off “slow,” but “once things “started calming down from the COVID fears, we ended the year as one of our best.”

“Our backlog going into 2022 is strong,” she continues.

“However, with the new Omicron variant popping up, many of our potential projects for the first quarter have been delayed in

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issuing an NTP [notice to proceed]. I am hoping this is just a temporary delay, and once we get through this variant, the focus will shift back to getting back to work.”

Finding dependable labor, supply chain issues, and inflation are the most problematic in Biernacki’s area. “I don’t see any of those issues going away in 2022,” she says.

Biernacki notes that training employees hasn’t been a real problem logistically, thanks to new learning options AFSA developed due to COVID. “As a member of AFSA, I am thankful for our leadership and staff in continuing to develop educational programing for its members, in a variety of formats, so members can choose what is best for their employees and their company.

AFSA is best of class!”

Fire Tech Systems has some low-income housing/apartment projects and some apartments on the residential side, but that market has been slow to come back in the area. There also hasn’t been much change in the demand for NFPA 13D systems.

Fire Tech Systems has some low-income housing/apartment projects and some apartments on the residential side, but that market has been slow to come back in the area. There also hasn’t been much change for demand of the NFPA 13D systems.

Steven Scandaliato, SDG, LLC, La Marque, Texas, saw a “significant slowdown” in 2021. “Projects were not canceled, but it took much longer to complete and get to billing milestones.”

He predicts 2022 to be “good to excellent” and notes that “several” delayed projects are starting back up.

As noted by others in this article, the workforce has been an issue in years past, and currently, Scandaliato says. “Also, material and supplier delays are causing big problems and causing project billings to get drawn out several more months instead of weeks.

The supply chain issue is going to be the issue for 2022. Having to wait eight to 10 weeks for valves and fire alarm equipment is creating big issues with project cash flow.”

Chris Kachura, P.E., major projects salesman and project manager, Southeast Fire Protection, Inc. (SEFP), Houston, Texas, says that business in 2021 was “better than expected.” He notes: “Across the board, we saw growth numbers that were ahead of expectations. Manpower continues to be an industry issue as we see less youth entering our industry. Couple this with COVID illnesses, and it made for an interesting year with managing manpower on projects. The bid market started slowly in Quarters 1 and 2 of the year, but closed much stronger in Quarters 3 and 4.”

Kachura says that SEFP “comes into 2022 with a contract backlog that was stronger than last year. The bid market already looks more active than it was at this time in 2021.” Problem areas for the coming year include finding a qualified workforce and COVID to some degree, although “it appears for the most part to be less of an impact than it was in Quarters 1 and 2 of 2021.”

Kachura hopes that trend continues. Still, he says that supply-chain issues remain the “single greatest problem for our businesses,” stating that “the volatility of the steel market has created numerous issues. We are seeing longer lead times in all our material lines.”

Residential activity is still seeing big growth in South Texas, but residential sprinklers are not required for single-family homes.

NFPA 13D remained at the same pace for 2021, and Kachura expects that trend to remain the same for 2022.

REGION 5 Cal Bruce, Fire Technology, LLC, Augusta, Georgia, reports that 2021 was “on target with previous years.”

“I’m not sure about 2022,” he says. “Bidding is starting to tighten up with more bidders on fewer projects.” Bruce also noted that more general contractors are requesting vaccination proof.

Bruce saw a decrease in retrofit work in his area, and the company’s NFPA 13D and residential work has remained steady last year and going into 2022, with no significant changes foreseen.

Andy Johnston, fire sprinkler manager, Master Draft Plumbing Contractors, Daytona Beach, Florida, says business was “good” in 2021 and expects the same for 2022. He also doesn’t foresee many problems for his area.

Jeffrey Dunn, president, Carolina Fire Protection, Inc., Dunn, North Carolina, says that “business was steady in 2021.

Our backlog remained strong throughout the year. Like everyone else, labor and material costs were higher than anyone could have anticipated. All in all, it was a good year.

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The outlook for Carolina Fire Protection’s region is “decent” heading into 2022. “It seems as though backlog is not quite to the point it was late last year, and that we will not be starting 2022 as strong as we did 2021.”

Dunn notes that an increase in labor and material costs is sure to continue early in 2022. “The supply-chain issues are a definite concern. The lack of building materials certainly affects our industry. As new variants to the coronavirus emerge, I think all businesses may have to pivot at some point and adjust. The labor shortage is a big concern for every business.”

Carolina Fire Protection did “about the same amount” of NFPA 13D work in 2021 as it did in 2020. “That type of work is not a significant share of what we do, and I expect it to be about the same in 2022,” Dunn says. He does note that retrofit work “increased slightly” in 2021 over 2020, “although that portion of work for us is not back up to pre-pandemic status.”

Ronald Davis, engineer designer, Clark Patterson Lee, Greensboro, North Carolina, says that in 2021, they “still had building design projects that required fire sprinkler design” and that business for 2022 “looks good.”

REGION 6 “Business was good this year,” says Terry Victor, Johnson Controls Fire Protection, Upperco, Maryland. “COVID-19 didn’t negatively impact our business and may even have had a positive impact overall. We did experience some resistance to

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“2021 START[ED] OFF SLOW ...

BUT WE ENDED THE YEAR AS ONE OF OUR BEST.” performing inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) from some customers due to COVID restrictions, but we eventually worked through those.”

Victor reports that backlogs “look good” for 2022. “We expect a good year overall. The only remaining issues have to do with the supply chain and workforce. Of course, pricing is higher due to the supply and demand for construction workers and materials in general.”

Maintaining a workforce is an ongoing problem, in all areas, for Victor. “I believe the supply chain will eventually be corrected in early 2022, but hiring qualified individuals who want to work for a living is a huge problem. Training will be needed for all disciplines once people are hired.”

Marcelino De Celis, senior application engineer, fire systems, Armstrong Pumps, North Tonawanda, New York, says they had a “good year” in 2021, and they expect 2022 to be better than the past year. “Maintaining a workforce and deliveries are difficult because of supply-chain issues ongoing.

We are looking forward to a good year this year!”

REGION 7 Albert Gentes, president, Alpine Sprinkler, Inc., South Burlington, Vermont, says that COVID “did affect” operations in 2021 and that he expects 2022 to be “so-so,” anticipating some issues going into the New Year, including needing manpower.

“Everyone is having the issue of finding a qualified workforce, not just us,” he states. On a positive note, retrofit work did increase for the company. NFPA 13 projects remained the same.

Paul DeLorie, senior vice president, Hampshire Fire Protection, Inc., Londonderry, New Hampshire, reports that “Business was mixed [in 2021] as we had plenty of it, but it wasn’t very profitable.”

Going into 2022, DeLorie is “optimistic” that business will be better. “We have a great backlog, and that work has good material input costs. Our job mix is broad, and we can utilize our teams effectively.”

“The problem for this year and beyond is workforce and workforce development,” notes DeLorie. “This isn’t new, but it’s getting acute. Just like the rest of our industry, our sprinkler fitters are aging out, and we don’t have enough apprentices. Our design engineers are also aging out. Our design trainees are progressing, but they need more time to grow and excel. There are many work opportunities in our territory, but we are mindful of our engineering capacity and the dilemma of turning down opportunities. The very time-consuming nature of 3D design, modeling, and clash detection adds to our deliberation.”

Other areas of concern for DeLorie are COVID and the supply chain. “We have a few projects where we have been meaningfully impacted with our workers being ineligible due to a positive test. Also, we have some fitters and apprentices refusing to be vaccinated and risk not working when a given project or business requires vaccine verification.”

He continues: “Supply chain issues are limited to specialty items like diesel-driven fire pumps that now have very long lead times. So far, we can anticipate and plan our material acquisitions and build our work without interruption.”

Regarding residential activity in the area, DeLorie says that while they don’t have a mandate for sprinklers in single-family homes, “large apartment complexes are plentiful.” He notes that while they receive their share of those projects, they aren’t very profitable, saying it depends on the prime contractor.

GOING FORWARD As AFSA members across the country push forward and embrace all the challenges 2022 has to offer, they remain optimistic.

“We are thankful to still be in business, given all the world has faced over the last couple years,” notes Dunn. “Hopefully, the pandemic will subside for good, inflation will reverse its path, and the overall economy can get back to running smoothly in 2022.”

“The fire sprinkler industry is a great industry to be in— always has been and always will be,” notes Victor. “While many of our companies enjoy the financial benefits of having a thriving contracting business, we should be proudest of the lives and property we save through the installation and servicing of fire sprinkler systems. We provide a valuable public service that is seldom recognized or promoted. Keep up the good work!” n

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS 2022 AWARDS HONOR INDUSTRY ADVOCATES

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he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is accepting online nominations for its top honors: the Henry S. Parmelee award, Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year award, and Young Professional of the Year award. Awards will be presented during AFSA41: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition in Las Vegas this October, and the recipients will be featured in Sprinkler Age magazine. Visit firesprinkler.org/awards to submit a nomination.

HENRY S. PARMELEE AWARD AFSA’s highest honor, the Henry S. Parmelee award, is given in recognition of an outstanding individual who has dedicated himself or herself to the professional advancement of the fire sprinkler industry and to the goal of fire safety through automatic sprinklers. AFSA members may nominate someone with a long-term commitment to improving the industry. The award was instituted in 1983 to give recognition to distinguished industry professionals and to memorialize Henry S. Parmelee, an outstanding pioneer in the industry who is recognized as the inventor of the first commercially successful closed sprinkler. July 1 is the nomination deadline for the 2022 award.

FIRE SPRINKLER ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD This award was created to honor individuals not directly involved in the fire sprinkler industry whose efforts have had a national impact in advancing the fire protection industry and automatic fire sprinklers. Previously known as the Fire Service Person of the Year, the award was renamed in 2001 to better reflect the diversity of backgrounds, including the fire service, as well as legislative, code, and standards-setting groups in which individuals can have a major impact on the industry.

Previous recipients include Louisiana State Fire Marshal H. Butch Browning, Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Spokesman Ron Hazelton; California State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover; Congressman Jim Langevin; and Senator Rick Santorum. The nomination deadline for the 2021 award is April 1, 2022.

George DiMatteo (left) received his 2021 Henry S. Parmelee award from AFSA’s 2019-2021 Chair of the Board Ted Wills at AFSA40.

future career in this field of expertise; and inspire fire protection companies and the fire protection community to invest even more in the development and excellence of the profession. Scott Cox, Cox Fire Protection, Tampa, Florida; Tiffany Moore, Moore Fire Protection in Issaquah, Washington; Stuart Weeks, American Fire Protection, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina; and Meaghen Wills, Anchor Fire Protection in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania; are past recipients. Nominations for the 2022 YPY award are due by April 1, 2022. Nominees do not need to be a member of AFSA to be eligible.

FIRE SPRINKLERS SAVE LIVES AWARD In addition to the awards presented annually at convention, AFSA’s Fire Sprinklers Save Lives award is presented year-round to recognize individuals outside the fire sprinkler industry who help dispel the myths about fire sprinklers by generating public awareness about this life-saving technology. AFSA’s Public Education & Awareness Committee accepts and recommends nominees for this award, and they are approved by the AFSA Board of Directors. The nomination will be considered at the next meeting of the committee.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD

WINNERS ATTEND AFSA41

The Young Professional of the Year (YPY) award honors the contributions of promising fire protection specialists and serves to: reaffirm the growing importance of fire sprinkler knowledge in the world of business and construction management among the next generation of industry leaders; promote the emergence of young talented professionals in the field of fire protection, thus fostering interest for the fire sprinkler profession and a

Join AFSA to celebrate this year’s honorees at AFSA41: Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition, October 15-19, 2022, at the Bellagio Las Vegas. To nominate someone, visit firesprinkler.org/awards. n

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THE ANTIFREEZE LOOP(HOLE) A CALL FOR ACTION ON NFPA 25

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KEVIN HALL, M.ENG., P.E., ET, CWBSP, PMSFPE | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION he end is neigh! Listed antifreeze solutions have been required in new systems since the 2013 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, but the sun has been setting on nonlisted antifreeze in existing systems since language was introduced in the 2011 edition of NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. As the requirement currently states in the 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020 editions of NFPA 25: 5.3.4.4 Except as permitted by 5.3.4.4.1 and 5.3.4.4.3, all antifreeze systems shall utilize listed antifreeze solutions.

5.3.4.4.1 For systems installed prior to September 30, 2012, listed antifreeze solutions shall not be required until September 30, 2022, where one of the following conditions is met: (1) The concentration of the antifreeze solution shall be limited to 30 percent propylene glycol by volume or 38 percent glycerine by volume.

(2) Antifreeze systems with concentrations in excess of 30 percent but not more than 40 percent propylene glycol by volume and 38 percent but not more than 50 percent glycerine by volume shall be permitted based upon an approved deterministic risk assessment prepared by a qualified person approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

Premixed solutions utilizing 30-percent propylene glycol or 38-percent glycerine have been permitted to remain in accordance with section 5.3.4.4.1(1), and where a risk analysis has been prepared, concentrations up to 40 percent of propylene glycol or 50-percent glycerine are permitted where approved in accordance with section 5.3.4.4.1(2). Additionally, both NFPA 13 and NFPA 25 permit nonlisted premixed solutions of propylene glycol to be used in ESFR systems where the ESFR sprinklers have been specifically listed for that use. It should be noted that the inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) standard only permits the nonlisted premixed solutions to remain. An antifreeze system cannot be refilled unless it is with a listed solution complying with all of the listing requirements.

These requirements are intended to put pressure on manufacturers to start developing listed solutions and to have a resolution in the near future. That intent worked, and there are now several listed solutions on the market, and manufacturers continue to provide products with lower and lower minimum-use temperatures. Based on that intent, when applying the requirements of

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the 2011 through 2020 editions of NFPA 25, nonlisted antifreeze systems would have to be removed and refilled with listed solutions after September 30, 2022, with the exception of the approved premixed solutions in early-suppression fast-response (ESFR) systems which is still permitted by section 5.3.4.4.3.

THE LOOPHOLE Public comments were submitted for the 2023 edition of NFPA 25 to revise section 5.3.4.4 and remove the allowances in section 5.3.4.4.2 since the standard would be adopted and published after the September 30, 2022, sunset date. The technical committee made a second revision based on this proposal; however, they did not do exactly what the submitter suggested. In the NFPA standard development process, this action is known as “Reject, but see.” Because the committee did not remove section 5.3.4.4.2 in its entirety for the 2023 edition, there is now a major conflict in the application of NFPA 25 across the United States—and the world—due to jurisdictions across the globe adopting various editions of the ITM standard.

The language in the 2023 edition does not allow sprinkler systems to be refilled with nonlisted antifreeze—only those premixed solutions that test within their approved concentration limits are permitted to remain. This creates a scenario where sprinkler contractors would be put in a position where existing systems filled with nonlisted premixed solutions would have to be refilled with a listed solution or converted to dry systems in jurisdictions using the 2020 edition of NFPA 25 and earlier, only to have that very same nonlisted premixed solution be acceptable to remain when the jurisdiction adopts the 2023 edition a few years later.

Another fatal flaw in the proposed language is the option to utilize listed antifreeze solutions outside of their listing requirements.

The result of FR-75 and SR-7 would now permit listed solutions to ignore the installation instructions of the manufacturer.

5.3.4.4.1* Where used to replace nonlisted antifreeze solutions, listed antifreeze solutions shall be permitted to be used outside their listing limitations, provided the temperature range limitations are not exceeded.

While the intent was to permit larger volumes of listed antifreeze to be installed and follow the remaining requirements of the listing, the proposed language only requires the minimum use temperature to be followed when replacing nonlisted solutions with listed solutions. Using a solution outside of its listing

parameters can be problematic based on the rigorous testing that these listed solutions went through based on the criteria contained in UL 2901, Antifreeze Solutions for Use in Fire Sprinkler Systems. While this option is only available when replacing a nonlisted solution with a listed one, consideration should be given to install the listed solution following as many of the installation requirements as possible.

It should be noted that NFPA 25 does not have a retroactivity clause, and all the requirements become enforceable on all existing systems upon adoption. Due to this special circumstance, there needs to be a modification to the standards to correct the antifreeze loophole. There are two options to remedy the situation, which include a Notice of Intent to Make a Motion (NITMAM) to reverse the second revision made by the committee or a Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA) needs to be submitted for the 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020 editions of NFPA 25 to revise the sunset clause and permit remixed solutions to remain.

OPTION 1: NITMAM According to the regulations of NFPA, “Anyone wishing to make an allowable amending motion at an NFPA Technical Meeting must declare their intentions by filing, within the published deadline, a Notice of Intent to Make a Motion (NITMAM). NITMAMs submitted on Public Comments (PC) can only be submitted by the original submitter of the PC or their duly authorized Designated Representative. NITMAMs can be made by anyone if the NITMAM is on a Committee Comment, Second Revision, Second Correlating Revision, or in the case of a new standard, a NITMAM to Return the Entire NFPA Standard.” (National Fire Protection Association, 2021) If it is the opinion of the industry that only listed solutions should be utilized in antifreeze systems, then a NITMAM must be submitted to reverse the actions of the committee’s second revision.

The NITMAM would be permitted to be made by the submitter of PC-141 to accept an identifiable part of the public comment which would revise sections 5.3.4.4.2 and 5.3.4.4.3 and their corresponding annex notes from the second draft. This would align the requirements of the ITM standard with the installation standard.

OPTION 2: TIA Within the NFPA standard development process, “Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) are amendments to an NFPA standard processed in accordance with Section 5 of the Regulations Governing the Development of NFPA Standards. TIAs have not been published in a First Draft Report and Second Draft Report for review and comment. An issued TIA automatically becomes a Public Input for the next edition of the standard and is then subject to all of the procedures of the standards development process. TIAs are published in NFPA News, the National Fire Code Subscription Service, and any further distribution of the standard after being issued by the Standards Council.” (National Fire Protection Association, 2021) If it is the opinion of the industry that premixed solutions should be permitted to remain so long as the concentration tests

within the appropriate levels, then a TIA is in order. The TIA would need to address the sunset date, which is present in NFPA 25 from the 2011 edition through the 2020 edition, and permit the premixed solutions to remain even after September 30, 2022, has passed.

CONCLUSION The route taken to correct the discrepancy among the various editions of NFPA 25 depends on the merits associated with premixed solutions. The legacy antifreeze solutions mixed in the field created an ignitible (blame the NFPA 30 committee for the King’s English spelling of ignitable) solution, but the lower concentrations of premixed solutions have fared well over a short period of time.

High concentrations of antifreeze in systems that had high pressures and used smaller K factor sprinklers caused an atomized solution to disperse from the sprinkler system and caused an increase in heat release rates. However, recent testing and use over the last nine years suggest that 30-percent propylene glycol or 38-percent glycerine premixed solutions add no additional negative impact to the fire control of a sprinkler system.

While the writing has been on the wall for over 10 years and several code cycles, it is perfectly acceptable to change your mind once new information has been presented. The use of premixed antifreeze solutions fills a gap in available technologies that would permit the colder environments to keep their antifreeze systems in service and not require a costly upgrade to a dry system—if that is even feasible. After the publication of the 2023 edition of NFPA 25, AFSA intends to submit and support a TIA to modify the language in the 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020 editions of NFPA 25 and allow the use of low-concentration premixed solutions to remain so long as they are maintained and tested in accordance with the rest of the ITM standard as recommended by the latest actions of the NFPA 25 technical committee. n REFERENCES: National Fire Protection Association. (2021, November 15). Notice of Intent to Make a Motion (NITMAM) and the NFPA Technical Meeting. Retrieved from NFPA: https://www.nfpa. org/Codes-and-Standards/Standards-Development/How-the-process-works/Notice-of-Intentto-Make-a-Motion National Fire Protection Association. (2021, November 15). Tentative Interim Amendments, Errata, and Formal Interpretations. Retrieved from NFPA: https://www.nfpa.org/ Codes-and-Standards/Standards-Development/How-the-process-works/TIAs-Errata-and-FIs ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Hall is the coordinator of engineering and technical services for the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). He is a member of, and involved in, several National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) technical committees responsible for developing the model codes and standards including, NFPA 1 Fire Code, NFPA 13/13R/13D Installation of Sprinkler Systems, NFPA 20 Installation of Stationary Fire Pumps for Fire Protection, NFPA 30 Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, and NFPA 915 Remote Inspections. He also represents AFSA on numerous UL standard technical panels responsible for revising and maintaining the product standards used in the sprinkler industry. Hall is a registered professional engineer in Delaware and Maryland, NICET III-certified in water-based system layout, a Certified Water-Based System Professional (NFPA), and a professional member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park, in fire protection engineering. Prior to his association and committee work, Hall worked for Reliance Fire Protection in Baltimore, Maryland as a project manager overseeing projects of various sizes and complexity for the Contracts Division.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 23

HOW TO TAKE A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE SAMPLING SPRINKLERS FOR NFPA 25 FIELD SERVICE TESTING

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GRANT LOBDELL | DYNE FIRE PROTECTION LABS he current 2020 edition of NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, states that sprinklers shall be replaced or tested periodically, as shown in Table 1. A harsh environment, such as a corrosive atmosphere, is an environment that could accelerate sprinkler degradation faster than expected. Specific examples of harsh environments can be found in Annex A, Explanatory Material, Section A.5.31.1.2.Testing can certainly be a cost-effective alternative to replacement.

Just 4 or 1 percent (whichever is greater) of the sprinklers in a sample area are to be removed from service and sent to a recognized testing laboratory acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for field service testing. However, should even just one of the sprinklers sent in for testing fail to meet the sensitivity and functionality requirements, all sprinklers in the area represented by that failure will still need to be replaced. Therefore, it is imperative that the sprinklers removed from service and sent to the laboratory for testing are representative of the sample area.

DEFINING THE SAMPLE AREA NFPA 25 does not define the sample area. Upon the decision to test instead of replace, the sample area is to be determined by the building owner in consultation with their designated representative, if applicable. Sample areas can be as large or as small as desired. When determining the sample area, the building owner and/

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Environment*

Sprinkler Type

Replacement or Initial Test

Subsequent Testing (if applicable)

Harsh

NOT listed corrosion resistant

5 years after install

Every 5 years thereafter

Listed corrosion resistant

10 years after install

Every 10 years thereafter*

Dry sprinkler

15 years after install

Every 10 years thereafter*

Fast response

20 years after install

Every 10 years thereafter*

All other types

50 years after install

Every 10 years thereafter*

NOT harsh

*Should any sprinklers remain in service 75 years after install, subsequent testing should then occur every five years.

Table 1: Sprinkler replacement or testing intervals according to the current, 2020 edition of NFPA 25. or their designated representative will want to consider a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the environment the sprinklers are in and the cost of testing versus replacement. For example, given the different environments, a building owner of an apartment building featuring both living units and a parking garage may choose to treat the conditioned living units and unconditioned parking garage as two separate areas. In this situation, the building owner or their designated representative would send 4 or 1 percent (whichever is greater) of the sprinklers from each area instead of just 4 or 1 percent (whichever is greater) from the whole building. The outdoor elements of the parking garage could certainly have a greater impact on the degradation of the sprinklers found there compared to those found within the conditioned living units. The benefit of separating the sprinklers based on the different environmental conditions is evident when considering replacement costs should one or more sprinklers fail.

For instance, consider the ramifications

of just one sprinkler in the parking garage failing in the previous example. If the parking garage and living units were treated as one sample area, the parking garage failure would prompt the replacement of all sprinklers in the building, including those in the living unit, which may or may not have experienced the same degradation as those found in the parking garage. However, had the living units and parking garage been separated into two different areas, only those sprinklers in the parking garage would need to be replaced if a failure occurred in the sprinklers representing that area.

While it may have required more samples to be tested, separating these areas limited potential replacement costs.

THE FLOOR-LEVEL INSPECTION A floor-level inspection should be completed annually, and any sprinkler that shows the following signs should be replaced according to NFPA 25: • Leakage, • Corrosion detrimental to sprinkler performance,

• Physical damage, • Loss of fluid in the glass bulb heatresponsive element, • Loading detrimental to sprinkler performance, and/or • Paint other than that applied by the sprinkler manufacturer.

This floor-level inspection, and the replacement of any sprinklers that fail this inspection, should occur before sampling for the field service test. Only those sprinklers remaining in service after the floor-level inspection should be considered for testing.

SAMPLING SPRINKLERS IN A SAMPLE AREA With the sample area defined and those sprinklers that fail the annual floor-level inspection replaced, 4 or 1 percent (whichever is greater) of the remaining sprinklers in the sample area should be removed from service at random. Sprinklers should not be selected simply because they were the most accessible or based on their appearance.

HANDLING MULTIPLE TYPES OF SPRINKLERS IN A SAMPLE AREA Each type of sprinkler in the sample area should be represented in the sample set sent to the laboratory for testing. Of the 4 or 1 percent (whichever is greater) sprinklers sampled, there should be at least one of each type of sprinkler found in the chosen sample area. If there are more types of sprinklers in the area than the minimum amount required, additional samples would need to be included in the sample set. In other words, more than 4 or 1 percent (whichever is greater) of the sprinklers in the sample area may need to be sent in if there are more than 4 or 1 percent (whichever is greater) types of sprinklers found in that area.

Note, however, that for the purposes of the field service test, similar sprinklers that only differ in orientation (upright, pendent, sidewall) can be considered the same type. The field service test determines the sensitivity of the sprinkler, which is a measure of the sprinkler’s release mechanism performance, and whether or not the waterway clears upon

activation, which is an assessment of the water seal performance. The water distribution pattern, which is the result of the deflector design and orientation, is not assessed as part of the field service test. Therefore, the orientation has no impact on the field service test and can be ignored when determining different types of sprinklers for sampling. Sprinklers differing in age, manufacturer, temperature rating, release mechanism design, water seal design, and/or finish, though, would all still be considered different types of sprinklers and should be represented in the sample set. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Grant Lobdell is the general manager at Dyne Fire Protection Labs—an ISO 9001 certified and 17025 accredited testing laboratory providing quick, reliable, and independent analysis of fire sprinklers, firefighting foams, antifreeze solutions, and dry chemical agents to help building owners and/or their designated representatives fulfill various laboratory requirements in inspection, testing, and maintenance standards. Lobdell can be reached at (800) 632-2304 or grant@dyneusa.com.

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SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 25

AGC AND SAGE RELEASE 2022 OUTLOOK CONSTRUCTION FIRMS FORESEE GROWING DEMAND FOR MOST TYPES OF PROJECTS

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onstruction contractors expect increasing demand for numerous types of projects in 2022 despite ongoing supply chain and labor challenges, as most firms plan to add workers this year, according to survey results released by the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage. The findings are detailed in “Expecting Growth While Coping with the Lingering Impacts of the Pandemic: The 2022 Construction Hiring & Business Outlook.”

“Contractors are, overall, very optimistic about the outlook for the construction industry in 2022,” says Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “While contractors face challenges this year, most of those will be centered on the need to keep pace with growing demand for construction projects.”

The percentage of respondents who expect a market segment to expand exceeds the percentage who expect it to contract— known as the net reading—in 15 of the 17 categories of projects included in the survey. Contractors are most optimistic about the market for highway and bridge construction, which has a net reading of positive 57 percent. They are similarly optimistic about transit, rail, and airports projects, with a net reading of 51 percent, and water and sewer projects, with a net reading of 50 percent.

These segments all stand to see increased federal investments because of the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure bill. Contractors are also

26 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

upbeat about demand for federal construction projects, with a net reading of 37 percent, and power construction, with a net reading of 29 percent.

The highest expectations among predominantly private-sector categories, with a net reading of 41 percent each, are for warehouses and other healthcare facilities, which includes clinics, testing facilities, and medical labs. The outlook for hospital construction is also strong, with a net reading of 38 percent.

Contractors were also optimistic about multifamily residential construction, with a net reading of 32 percent, and manufacturing construction, with a net reading of 27 percent. Expectations were more subdued, however, for public buildings, with a net reading of 20 percent; kindergarten through 12th-grade school construction, with a net reading of 19 percent; higher education facilities, with a 16 percent net reading; and lodging, with a 6 percent net reading. Only two categories received negative net readings, both of -8 percent: retail and private office construction.

Optimism about the growing demand for many types of construction projects is leading many firms to plan to hire workers this year. Seventy-four percent of respondents expect their firms will expand headcount in 2022, compared to just 9 percent who expect a decrease. Forty-seven percent of firms expect to increase their headcount by 10 percent or less. However, 22 percent say their headcount will grow by 11 to

25 percent, and 5 percent anticipate an increase of more than 25 percent.

Adding those workers will be a challenge, however. An overwhelming 83 percent report they are having a hard time filling some or all salaried or hourly craft positions, compared to only 8 percent who say they are having no difficulty. And three-fourths of respondents say it will continue to be hard to hire or will become harder to hire this year.

The pandemic continues to impact the construction industry, association officials noted. Eighty-four percent of respondents report costs have been higher than anticipated, while 72 percent say projects have taken longer than anticipated because of the pandemic. As a result, 69 percent have put higher prices into bids or contracts, while 44 percent have specified longer completion times.

Supply chain bottlenecks are also impacting construction. Only 10 percent of firms report they have not had any significant supply chain problems.

Sixty-one percent have turned to alternative suppliers for materials, and 48 percent have specified alternative materials or products.

Rising construction costs and slowing schedules have contributed to a significant number of project delays and cancellations. Forty-six percent of contractors report having a project delayed in 2021 but rescheduled, while 32 percent had a project postponed or canceled that has not been rescheduled.

“The last two years have become increasingly unpredictable, due in large

part to the coronavirus and public officials’ varied reactions to it,” says Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But, assuming current trends hold, 2022 should be a relatively strong year for the construction industry.”

Officials with Sage noted that firms are being more strategic about information technology as they try to remain competitive in the current environment.

Sixty-one percent of contractors indicate they currently have a formal IT plan that supports business objectives.

An additional 7 percent plan to create a formal plan in 2022.

“Amid the challenges the industry faces, technology plays an essential role in keeping teams connected and projects moving,” states Dustin Stephens, vice president of Construction and Real Estate, Sage. “The past few years have highlighted just how crucial mobile and cloud-based solutions are, and we will continue to see these technologies play an integral role in helping construction firms bounce back.”

Stephens added that most firms plan to keep their technology investment about the same as last year. When asked whether they planned to increase or decrease investment or stay the same in 15 different types of technologies, the majority of respondents—ranging between 69 and 89 percent—said their investments would remain the same.

Association officials urged public officials to take steps to help the industry recover in 2022 and avoid measures that will undermine the sector. They noted that the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates will prompt many vaccine-hesitant workers to leave the relatively few employers covered by the orders and move to smaller firms that are not covered by the rule and employ over 60 percent of the industry’s workforce.

“Given how many firms are currently looking to hire, many vaccine-hesitant workers will be able to switch jobs instead of taking a shot they have already resisted for over a

year,” Sandherr says. He added that the administration’s plans to increase tariffs on Canadian lumber and maintain existing ones on other key construction materials will make it harder for firms to accurately bid upcoming projects and complete them on schedule.

Sandherr said the association will continue to push for new federal investments in workforce development and make sure Congress keeps its promise to boost funds for infrastructure. He added the association would continue to encourage construction workers to get vaccinated and is planning to release new Spanish-language public service ads on the subject later this month to accompany a series of ads encouraging vaccinations AGC released last year.

“Our ultimate goal is to make sure that contractors’ optimistic outlook for 2022 becomes a reality,” Sandherr states.

The Outlook was based on survey results from more than 1,000 firms from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Varying numbers responded

to each question. Contractors of every size answered over 20 questions about their hiring, workforce, business, and information technology plans. To view Expecting Growth While Coping with the Lingering Impacts of the Pandemic: The 2022 Construction Hiring & Business Outlook or for more information, visit agc.org. n EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated General Contractors of America is an organization of qualified construction contractors and industry-related companies dedicated to skill, integrity, and responsibility. Operating in partnership with its chapters, the association provides a full range of services satisfying the needs and concerns of its members, thereby improving the quality of construction and protecting the public interest.

Is it Time to Sell Your Business?

Do You Need a Transition Plan for Your Business?

George Wagner and Spencer Hines served as advisors to United Sprinkler Company, Inc. in its recent ownership transition to Ridge Fire & Life Safety, LLC. The management of United Sprinkler commented about the transaction and experience saying, “The process of selling United Sprinkler was much more than we anticipated. Without your direction and assistance, we would never have been able to accomplish the sale on our own.”

United Sprinkler provides inspections, testing, maintenance, and construction for clients in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The company was founded in 1972 and has enjoyed 49 years in business. It has an excellent reputation among contractors, business owners, and fire code officials.

George Wagner and Spencer Hines operate as a partnership and advisory enterprise specializing in assisting closely held, private companies in their transition of ownership. While it deals with multiple types of businesses, this partnership has a particular emphasis in fire sprinkler companies because of years of personal experience and operational knowledge throughout the industry.

For more information on transitioning or selling your business, contact us today to design a plan customized to your needs.

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NFPA 25, 2023 EDITION THE 411 ON 2023

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JOSH MCDONALD, MSET, CFPS | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

he key to offering the best service to customers is to keep up with the industry’s latest developments.

Understanding what is inevitably coming allows you to keep customers informed (no one likes surprises in our industry), appropriately structure and determine contractual obligations, and will separate your business from competitors. NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, is unique because it is one of the few standards that does not incorporate a retroactivity clause. The intent is that the industry should use documents at publication. Realistically, local legislation typically pushes the industry to an individual standard edition. Practices and requirements in the latest edition of NFPA 25 should be utilized as it has been reviewed and determined as best practice by the NFPA technical committee. Some of the recent technical committee discussions and changes involved topics that come up regularly: remote inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM), NFPA 25 definitions, and a qualified person(s).

TERMINOLOGY Sprinklers, pipe, fittings, hangers, braces, and supports are all required to be inspected from the floor level annually. Discussion around “floor level” became confusing when discussing attic spaces with plywood laid across the beams or open warehouses with mezzanines. The term is now defined with further annex explanation as: 3.3.15 Floor Level. The surface in a building or structure that is constructed to be walked on under normal conditions without the use of any special safety devices or measures.

A.3.3.15 A normal walking surface, such as a mezzanine, should be used to get as close as is practical to the components being inspected without the use of special safety gear or apparatus, such as a safety harness. This definition is not intended to apply to flooring put down in an unoccupied attic. It is also not intended to apply to ladders, scaffolding, or lift equipment when inspecting sprinklers, water mist nozzles, pipe, tubing, fittings, hangers, braces, and supports.

The term “exercise” is another term that was unclear and potentially led to the improper testing of many pieces of equipment. This term will now be defined as:

28 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

3.3.12 Exercise. A particular movement or series of movements applied to system components to ascertain their operational status and functionality.

A.3.3.12 Exercise. Examples of exercising components include operating control valves through their range of motion, operating system components, or moving a valve from its seat.

It is essential to understand that the ITM activities are utilized to reasonably determine that they will operate in a fire scenario.

Turning a control valve slightly will not guarantee that it will fully close or open when needed. A quarter turn of a control valve activating a tamper switch is not sufficient for a control valve test.

The committee clarified the definition to ensure that the pieces of equipment are operated through their entire range of motion.

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL The committee concluded that “qualified personnel” was more accurate as it could include a single person or multiple people conducting the activity. The definition of “qualified” also required some guidance as it was entirely up to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) without explanation. The definition and explanation that was confirmed on the second revision are as follows: 3.3.35* Qualified Personnel. Competent and capable individual(s) having met the requirements and training for a given field acceptable to the AHJ. A.3.3.35 Qualified Personnel. See 4.1.1.3.1 for more information on qualified personnel.

4.1.1.3.1* Qualified personnel shall meet at least one of the following qualifications: 1. Meets the requirements and training for a given field acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction 2. Is certified by a nationally recognized fire protection certification organization acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction 3. Is registered, licensed, or certified by a state or local authority to perform inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems A.4.1.1.3.1 Many required ITM frequencies, such as daily, weekly, and monthly inspections to verify proper or required air

and water pressure maintenance, can be performed by building maintenance personnel, while other required functions should be performed by personnel with specialized knowledge in training.

Examples of ITMs that would typically require more qualified personnel include but are not limited to conducting and evaluating annual fire pump tests, trip testing valves, and foam system tests. Many locations may not have municipal AHJ interaction/oversight (or contact with insurance company risk consultants acting as AHJs, etc.). In these cases, ITM tasks that could adversely affect system performance should be completed by qualified personnel with specialized knowledge that is acceptable to the AHJ. This could include personnel that are registered, licensed, or certified by a nationally recognized fire protection certification organization, state, or local authority. Such qualified personnel typically have the competency to not only complete the ITM tasks but also understand the system performance criteria and potential of the work being completed.

Qualifications will vary per jurisdiction. The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) has multiple programs and resources to help earn and maintain the education needed for most jurisdictionally required qualifications.

revision cycle. The First Draft report is slated to be posted by March 22, 2022, and after posting, the document will be open for Public Comments.

More information and access to submit a public input can be found at www.nfpa.org/915next. AFSA’s Coordinator of Engineering & Technical Services Kevin Hall, M.Eng, P.E, ET, CWBSP, PMSFPE, and AFSA’s Manager of ITM Technical Training John Johnson, CFPS, represent the Association’s membership to ensure the merit shop contractor is taken into consideration throughout the standard and its process. Questions can be directed to AFSA’s Engineering and Technical Services Department via email at technical@firesprinkler.org. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joshua McDonald, MSET, CFPS, is a technical programs specialist for AFSA, where he is responsible for developing, updating, and delivering technical content. He has experience in all areas of training for fire protection industry professionals, including web-based and hands-on learning. McDonald also has experience with risk engineering applying to the installation and ITM of fire protection systems. As a manufacturer, McDonald has been involved in the research and development of new fire protection products, and has extensive experience with NFPA 25. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in fire protection and safety engineering technology and Master of Science degree in Fire Safety and Explosion Protection from Oklahoma State University. McDonald is a member of NFPA and SFPE.

AUTOMATED INSPECTIONS AND TESTING The fire sprinkler industry is unique as the technology used for Henry Parmelee’s automatic sprinkler has not changed significantly since the late 1800s. However, technology and the automation industry have changed drastically in the last 10 years, especially since the early 1800s. The 2017 edition of NFPA 25 was the first edition to include requirements for automated inspections and testing. The 2020 and 2023 code cycles have been used to iron out the wrinkles now that the technology is gaining traction.

No-flow tests were permitted to be remotely monitored in the 2020 edition with a requirement that qualified personnel shall be able to respond to the pump location upon the abnormal condition within five minutes. Many people realized that having someone qualified in the pump room in five minutes was impractical as most sites may not have that person on staff constantly or are far from the contractors. The second draft changed the initial suggested time from eight hours to four hours (see below) to reduce the time that equipment could be impaired.

8.3.2.10.4 Qualified personnel shall be able to respond to the pump location upon abnormal conditions within 4 hours.

The information was discussed at the time of second revision, but may be subject to change upon the final publication of the NFPA 25, 2023 edition.

Constantly changing technology and discussion are inevitable. The use of remote video inspection (RVI) or virtual inspections requires niche expertise and is not specific to the ITM of water-based fire protection systems. NFPA 915, Standard for Remote Inspections, is going through its first SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 29

A TEE-RIFIC TIME SACRAMENTO VALLEY GOLF TOURNAMENT RAISES FUNDS FOR FFBI

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he American Fire Sprinkler association’s (AFSA) Sacramento Valley Chapter (SVC) held its end-of-year mixer, dinner, and meeting on December 8, 2021, at Crawdads River Cantina in Sacramento, California.

The highlight of the evening was a $10,000 donation to the Fire Fighters Burn Institute (FFBI). Chapter members were proud to present a check to FFBI Executive Director, who attended the event. FFBI is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded by Sacramento Fire Captain Cliff Haskell and the Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522 in 1973 for the purpose of establishing a local burn treatment facility; providing recovery programs for burn survivors; providing fire and burn prevention through public education; funding education for burn team professionals, firefighters, and burn survivors; and supporting burn treatment and rehabilitation research.

The donation was raised at the chapter’s First Annual Top Golf Tournament fundraiser on October 22, 2021, in Roseville, California. With 22 bays reserved and over 135 players and volunteers, the Top Golf event was a huge success and an entertaining event for everyone involved. Seventeen teams with six players each competed for bragging rights. Walter Ryba of Alwest Fire won “Highest Score,” Tyler Weisz of Cen-Cal won “Longest Drive,” Jordan Hopkins of Elite Automatic won “Beat the Pro.” “This event was so popular with chapter members that we are already planning for next year!” comments SVC Executive Director Paulene Norwood. “We look forward to some friendly competition and plan to add more activities, including a ‘Hole-in-One contest.”

For more information about the chapter, visit sacvalleyafsa.org. n

30 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

Joe Pick of FFBI was pleased to accept a donation from SVC members. From l to r: Domonik Horak of Ferguson, Bryan Tilos of Core & Main, SVC Chair Jordan Hopkins, SVC Executive Director Paulene Norwood, Robert Lynch of PACE Supply, Past SVC Secretary Hal Burton, and Past Chair of AFSA National Wayne Weisz.

Participants playing, mingling, and networking at the Top Golf Tournament.

Jordan Hopkins won the “Beat the Pro” contest at the Top Golf event.

ABC RELEASES 2021 MERIT SHOP SCORECARD

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FLORIDA IS THE NUMBER 1 CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS CLIMATE STATE

ssociated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has released its seventh annual Merit Shop Scorecard, a ranking based on state policies and programs that encourage workforce development, grow career and technical education, strengthen careers in construction, and advocate for fair and open competition for taxpayerfunded construction projects.

Florida returned to the top of the rankings in 2021 based on the state’s continued encouragement of fair and open competition and innovative approaches to recruiting and upskilling craft professionals, many of whom see construction as a worthwhile alternative to careers negatively impacted by the pandemic. A year-to-year high performer, Florida ranked fourth in 2020 and claimed the top rank in 2018 and 2019. Arizona followed Florida in second place this year, down from first in 2020.

Rounding out the top five, South Carolina ranked third, Georgia ranked fourth, and Wisconsin ranked fifth. Other states to receive an A ranking in 2021 include Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Iowa, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

“The resiliency of our outstanding industry has been on full display throughout the year,” says Ben Brubeck, ABC’s vice president of regulatory, labor, and state affairs. “From economic and regulatory headwinds to talent shortages, supply chain bottlenecks, high inflation rates, and a lingering pandemic, ABC member companies continue to invest in their people and deliver work safely, ethically, and profitably.

The top states in this year’s rankings, like Florida and Arizona, set the standard nationwide in policies and programs that enable our contractors to do what they do

best in delivering work that betters our communities. Equipping the construction workforce with the tools to succeed, such as policies that create an exemplary business environment for merit shop construction contractors, is important for local and nationwide economic stability and the future vitality of this industry, especially considering the expected increase in public construction projects in the coming year.”

Notable drops in the 2021 rankings include Massachusetts, which fell eight spots due to a decreased investment in workforce development and subsequent outcomes, and Virginia, which fell six spots due to its final implementation of

both a costly and unnecessary prevailing wage and the repeal of policy of government neutrality on project labor agreements. The bottom tier of states includes Alaska, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Illinois, and Washington, each receiving F ratings in project labor agreements (PLAs) and prevailing wage and right-to-work policies.

The 2021 Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard rates state laws, programs, policies, and statistics in seven categories: PLAs, prevailing wage laws, right-to-work laws, public-private partnerships, workforce development, career and technical education, and job growth rate. Learn more at meritshopscorecard.org. n

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SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 31

THE ROI OF MEMBERSHIP TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER BOB CAPUTO, CFPS | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

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embership in the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) brings a measurable return on investment (ROI). Like any business decision, contributing dues to a trade association must bring value for the members and for the fire sprinkler industry in ways that matter. When I was a younger man starting out in this industry, membership meant participation and knowledge. We didn’t have the internet or as many electronic distractions (like color television). Ok, there may not have been dinosaurs roaming the jobsites, but we did have pagers and two-way radios for communication. We had fewer options, thin-wall pipe was relatively new in our industry, and power tools had a cord. Obviously, we can get information easier and in other ways in this modern era.

What I see now in hindsight is that my employers of yesteryear were more interested in having a well-educated workforce than they were fearful of exposing their people to other companies that might attempt to lure them away. Turnover is expensive, and no right-minded employer wants to spend money developing people for other companies to benefit from. I understand this concern, but it is short-sighted.

I remember as a child being told of the woodcutter who was too busy cutting wood to stop and sharpen his ax. Sometimes, we need to take a moment to see what working smarter can bring us.

Today’s workforce is not fooled by short-term gains but rather is attracted to those destination employers who are willing to be inclusive to let the next generation of people have a say and see a longer runway in terms of longer-term opportunities.

Of course, pay and benefits matter, but they matter less to this generation than time. Work-life balance matters more today than it did to my generation (commonly called geezers) who worked to provide for family and retirement goals.

Membership in AFSA can help you develop your business and your people in substantive ways that will help ensure you are the employer of choice in your markets. The AFSA mission states, “We are the voice of the merit shop fire sprinkler contractor. We educate and train the industry while promoting fire protection systems to save lives and property.” This statement, these words guide the activities, program development, and decisions we make every day here at AFSA. Where we dedicate our time, energy, and resources are constantly evaluated— measured against those two sentences.

32 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

When your company is a member, your employees are members, and we deliver on ways to support them so they can support your company and impact your bottom line in measurable ways. Our SprinklerForum provides online chat opportunities with peers to discuss challenges and problems for solutions that may not be obvious. Our technical services group responds to technical questions within a day, in most cases, saving time and money for our members. This alone is worth the price of admission.

AFSA offers the industry best-in-class training for designers, apprentices, and inspectors, and we provide programs few individual companies could afford to develop or provide on their own. Still looking for the ROI in AFSA membership? We are stronger together, and we are listening to our members with a willingness to invest in the programs you tell us are relevant and needed for your individual and collective growth. We want to help fill the pipeline with a knowledgeable and productive workforce in fulfillment of our stated mission.

AFSA cannot meet this goal alone. We need help from our members. We are stronger together because this is your association. We need your help to get others in your region to join and participate in strengthening our association. We need you to take advantage of our program offerings so we can continue to afford the cost associated with developing and delivering them. An investment in your workforce is an investment in the future of your company and your industry.

Helping us help you is more than a movie tagline… it’s a lifeline. Fire it up! Get involved and pull others into this circle!

Together, we can deliver the return on investment that makes us stronger. As we continue to come out of the COVID bubble, AFSA staff members are looking forward to seeing you in person at a chapter meeting soon. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bob Caputo, CET, CFPS, is president of AFSA. He currently serves as chair of NFPA 24/291 Private Water Supply Piping Systems committee and as an alternate member of NFPA 13 Sprinkler System Installation Criteria committee. Caputo has written and presented seminars throughout the world on fire protection and life-safety systems and has developed AFSA and NFPA education and training materials.

SPRINKLER SYSTEM DESIGN IN MIND? A MIX OF IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL LEARNING PLANNED FOR 2022

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he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is set to train fire sprinkler system designers in 2022 with its popular Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School—and there’s big news! A new class format that features a blend of in-person and virtual learning will be offered this year, saving employers time and money while expanding their services with sprinkler system design.

NEW FOR 2022—BLENDED LEARNING AFSA’s Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School has long been popular with the fire sprinkler industry, often selling out far in advance. With its in-person training program, students spend two weeks learning all aspects of fire sprinkler design in a classroom with instructors. Students and employers who prefer this format have one last chance to attend this school in-person for a full two weeks: March 28–April 8, 2022, at AFSA’s Training Center in Dallas. After that school, AFSA will unveil its new blended learning format.

Each blended school will be held over a four-week period and feature a mix of virtual and in-person training. The plan includes two live webinars per week in the three weeks leading up to in-person training. The webinars will be two-and-a-half hours in length and held midday on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Exercises will be assigned through Canvas. The fourth week of learning will be held in person and taught by AFSA’s expert technical staff, focusing on hydraulics and layout. This new format will be offered three times in 2022: • May 26 – July 1 in Orlando, Florida; • August 18 - September 16 in Dallas; and • October 20 – November 11 in San Diego, California.

“This new blended school allows AFSA to cover the essential elements of system layout while offering convenience and cost-savings for employers,” comments AFSA’s Senior Director of Meeting & Education Services Marlene Garrett, CMP. “Designers are only away from their offices for one week with the new plan, saving on travel costs and time away from work.”

AFSA’s school covers what designers need to know about sprinkler system layout in accordance with the 2019 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.

This class is designed for trainees and entry-level technicians with at least six months’ experience, as well as those with

experience in the sprinkler trade looking to make the transition to design.

The school presents a comprehensive, practical approach to preparing fire sprinkler system drawings. Students receive two full weeks of instruction—60 percent is the study and review of NFPA 13 (2019 edition), and 40 percent is the preparation of fire sprinkler system layout, shop drawings, and how to do hydraulic calculations by hand. There is no CAD or third-party software taught in this class.

For more information, contact AFSA’s Meetings & Events Coordinator Liz Rosemiller at liz@firesprinkler.org org (214) 349-5965 ext. 117 or visit www.firesprinkler.org/schools. Early registration is encouraged! n

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 33

ITM PROGRAM DEVELOPS INSPECTORS REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR 2022

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he American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance (ITM) Inspector Development program is preparing to welcome students to its Spring 2022 ITM class virtually on April 11. Now is the time to invest in your workforce and expand your services! The program features a blend of learning tools, environments, and styles that combine to make a highly immersive and comprehensive training package for future inspectors, including on-demand lessons; live webinars; on-the-job training (OJT) guidance; instructor support; and two in-person live sessions that include mock field inspections, lab instruction, classroom training, role play, class tours, and NICET I & II exam prep.

PROVEN TRACK RECORD Since the program’s inception in 2016, the passing averages for students continue to impress: 91 percent of AFSA students pass their Level I exam, and 92 percent pass the Level II Inspection & Testing exams, all on their first attempts.

All told, AFSA averages a 92-percent pass rate for Level I and Level II exams versus the national average 63-percent rate.

AFSA was the first to offer an industrywide ITM Inspector Development Program, which aims to develop “green” or beginner technicians into NICET Level II-equivalent inspectors. With the evergrowing need for a well-trained, well-rounded workforce in mind, AFSA’s ITM program goes far beyond just providing technical training. Led by AFSA Manager of ITM Technical Training John Johnson,

34 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

Victaulic valve cleaning exercise during AFSA’s ITM Inpsector Development program at General Air Products in Exton, Pennsylvania.

CFPS, and other accomplished industry experts, the program’s small class size allows instruction to be tailored to individual students’ interests, strengths and needs both inside and outside the classroom.

“The instructor is absolutely a 10.

More like a 20,” comments one student.

“I have been in this industry for 30 years, and I thought I had a knowledge of NFPA 25. Now, I have the confidence to reference the information quickly and effectively, thanks to your program.”

In addition to the lessons, AFSA offers you guidance every step of the way, starting with candidate selection. AFSA provides the tools to not only help you pick your trainee but to offer unrivaled support to them along the way. AFSA also provides hands-on tools, such as the Contractor Manager Guide, train-thetrainer information, and more that help you establish support for your candidate.

While technical learning is essential to the program, it also includes methods

for the development of soft skills such as role-play to further prepare your inspector for situations they may encounter in the field and how to conduct themselves professionally.

WHAT’S INVOLVED? Three key figures play pivotal roles in the success of AFSA’s ITM Inspector Development Program: AFSA, the student, and the employer. AFSA’s program delivers a blended learning environment that includes 56 hours of on-demand courses and 21 hours of live, interactive web instruction; live in-class lectures; and hands-on field and lab inspections and testing training. The instructors encourage and foster character-building traits and help students strengthen communication skills, both written and verbal.

Students are the second key players in the program’s success. Students must commit approximately three hours a week to program studies (much is done online

and on-demand). They also must keep pace with program activities, including OJT tasks led by their supervisors as recommended in the program. This helps to ensure students’ readiness to score well on pre-scheduled NICET exams.

Employers are the final key to unlocking a successful ITM training experience. Vet/recruit the right candidate(s). Designate an in-house supervisor/instructor to oversee the students’ ITM training. Adhere to program activities and related timeline with regards to OJT tasks as recommended, which involves documenting and verifying work experience as required by NICET as part of their certification process. Employers must also ensure students keep pace within the program cycle and are duly prepared as each new phase of this comprehensive 20-month program begins.

INVEST IN YOUR WORKFORCE AFSA’s program was developed by seasoned industry experts with 65-plus years of combined industry experience and

50-plus years of teaching the fire protection community around the globe. Recently, students in Cycle 9 tested for their NICET level II and students in Cycle 11 tested for their NICET level I certifications.

“The November and December 2021 ITM classes both tested with a 100-percent success rate on their NICET examinations!” comments AFSA Director of Education Services Leslie Clounts. “We are so excited to see these students, with their employer’s support, embrace this program and their training to become skillful, knowledgeable, and impactful ITM inspectors.”

In just 20 months, your inspection team can “hit the ground running” as you start this service within your company or expand your team. Pairing AFSA’s ITM Inspector Development Program with proper OJT and supervision will position contractors to educate a “green” inspector in-house and prepare him or her to help grow your company.

Interested in registering a student?

Registration is now open for the Spring 2022 class, which will virtually launch on

Flow test with students out in the field.

April 11. Plus, the first six months of the program is conducted online! A limited class size maximizes student learning outcomes, so early registration is encouraged. Find more details and register online at firesprinkler.org/itm or contact Clounts at lclounts@firesprinkler.org or (214) 349-5965 ext. 130. n

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MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS: BUSINESS SOLUTIONS MEMBERS SAVE TIME AND MONEY WITH PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO BETTER THEIR BUSINESS

T

REBECCA HERRING | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) strives to provide the best benefits to members to help advance their businesses in new and advantageous ways and also simplify business practices where possible. AFSA currently offers eight “Business Solutions,” endorsed by elected merit shop fire sprinkler contractor representatives, which include: a 401(K) retirement

plan, background screening for potential employees, drug testing, freight service, health insurance, office supply discounts, and travel discounts.

“These solutions are an opportunity for AFSA’s members to receive discounts to help business operations run smoothly,” comments AFSA’s Manager of Membership and Chapter Relations Meda Merritt. “These offerings are a great way to save your company money.”

NEW! TRIPPLANET TripPlanet is an invite-only platform that gives you access to deeply discounted airfare and hotel rates. TripPlanet offers members up to a 60-percent discount when compared to other online travel sites­­— worldwide access to 500-plus airlines, 900,000-plus hotels, and 50-plus car rental agencies. Travel discounts on cruises, entertainment tickets, vacation homes, and tours are coming soon. Visit the AFSA business member discounts page at firesprinkler.org/member-discounts to access an exclusive invitation.

AFSA CONTRACTORS INSURANCE SOLUTION This AFSA-endorsed program was created in 1989 and continues to be the program of choice for fire sprinkler contractors nationwide. Operations include system design; fabrication; and installation, inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based systems.

Other operations may be included as long as 51 percent of the operations are fire sprinkler installation, service, and repair.

(We do not exclude the installation of CPVC jobs.) Visit breckis.com/program/ fire-sprinkler-contractors-elite/.

AFSA MEMBER SAVINGS PROGRAM

AFSA’s newest Business Solution for members is access to TripPlanet, an invitation-only platform that provides access to deeply discounted airfare and hotel rates.

36 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

AFSA members can access exclusive discounts on the products and services they use most. The best part is that this service is completely free. No fees, no obligations—just great business and personal saving benefits! Get discounts at many of your business’s most frequented

stops, including Office Depot, hotels, Avis/Budget, pharmacies, ADP, and many more. Visit afsa.savingcenter.net.

BACKGROUND SCREENING & DRUG TESTING SERVICE Quick Search provides AFSA members with background screening and drug testing at a significant discount.

Screening your applicant is a small price to pay to eliminate employees who have criminal records, driving violations, or worker’s compensation claims history.

With experience searching more than 3,000 county databases, Quick Search’s expert researchers have provided accurate and compliant candidate experiences to more than 5,000 organizations on more than 5,000,000 screening reports. Visit quicksi.com.

FREIGHT LTL SERVICE AFSA, in partnership with UPS Freight, offers the AFSA/UPS Freight® Savings Program, a program designed to help increase efficiencies and reduce costs. With the AFSA/UPS Freight Savings Program, you’ll receive discounts on LTL freight shipping, trade show services, and cross-border shipping— with no fees or minimum shipping requirements. Visit tforcefreight.com/ltl/ apps/home/.

cost, service, performance, and operational efficiency. For more information, call (804) 595-9368 or email thestrangegroup@janney.com.

HEALTH INSURANCE Researching health insurance can be very time-consuming and very frustrating for those who aren’t extremely savvy in the healthcare arena. AFSA members can obtain a free, no-obligation quote through Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants, Inc. (MMIC). Now, AFSA membership allows for a free discount pharmacy card, saving up to 60 percent on prescription medications. Visit mmicinsurance.com/AFSA.

RESIDENTIAL CONTRACTOR COMPANY ACCREDITATION

procedures, training, and business practices to assure homeowners and regulators that single-family residential systems are installed properly. Visit publicsafetyexcellence.org.

LET AFSA HELP YOU BETTER YOUR BUSINESS AFSA is constantly looking to provide new services and benefits to its members, so check back for new business solutions often! Members can take advantage of these resources and learn more about any of AFSA’s offerings by visiting firesprinkler.org/ member-discounts or contacting AFSA’s Membership Department via phone at (214) 349-5965 or email at membership@firesprinkler.org. n

CPSE developed the Residential Fire Sprinkler Contractor Accreditation Program (ReFSCAP) in cooperation with AFSA, the International Code Council (ICC), and the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA). Accreditation identifies credible policies,

401(K) RETIREMENT PLAN AFSA has endorsed Allan Strange and The Strange Group at Janney Montgomery Scott as its 401(K) retirement plan consultant. AFSA has a longstanding relationship with Allan Strange and his team, who have been managing the Association’s assets for over 20 years. In addition to managing assets for associations and families, The Strange Group partners with employers to provide fiduciary retirement plan management.

Retirement plans have been under significant scrutiny regarding plan administration and investment fund fees, and many large plans have faced classaction lawsuits. The Strange Group’s goal is to consult with every plan sponsor within AFSA to ensure that each AFSA member’s 401(K) plan is up-to-date on SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 37

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT MEMBERS CELEBRATE MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES

T

he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is recognizing members who are celebrating milestone membership anniversaries. The member companies featured here have belonged to AFSA for 15 or more years of continuous membership.

“During a time where the world is chaotic and filled with uncertainties, one thing that is certain is AFSA would not exist without our dedicated members,” comments AFSA Manager of Membership & Chapter Relations Meda Merritt.

“Thank you for your support and making AFSA the organization that it is today.”

Several members are celebrating milestone anniversaries with AFSA in January and February 2022, including EBL Happy Anniversary to AFSA Milestone Members!

January–February 2022 40-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Bamford Fire Sprinkler Co., Inc., Salina, KS 30-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Chespeake Sprinkler Company, Odenton, MD Freedom Fire Protection, LLC, Cooksville, MD Associate Members Accu-Fire Fabrication, Inc., Morrisville, PA 25-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Metropolitan Fire Protection, Broomall, PA Northern Mechanical Contractors, Inc., Trevose, PA 20-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Century Fire Protection, LLC, Duluth, GA Fire Solutions, Ashland, VA Paramount Fire Systems, El Cajon, CA Designer Members Chase Engineering, PC, Essex Junction, VT 15-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Inspection Services & Fire Protection, Santa Rosa, CA Roanoke Sprinkler, Inc., Roanoke, VA Total Fire Protection, Grand Rapids, MI Unifour Fire & Safety, Inc., Hickory, NC Vegas Valley Fire Protection, Las Vegas, NV Designer Members EBL Fire Engineering, Baltimore, MD

38 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

Engineers, LLC, Baltimore, Maryland. Jeff McBride, P.E., principal with EBL, shared some of his favorite AFSA memories and things he’s learned.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE FIRE SPRINKLER INDUSTRY AND AFSA? McBride: “I graduated as a fire protection engineer from the University of Maryland in 1987. My first employer was an early pioneer in the fire protection engineering field and immediately brought me on to fire sprinkler projects doing design, consulting, and reviews from day one. The AFSA Chesapeake Bay Chapter was forming around the early part of my career, and I started attending local chapter meetings on a regular basis.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OR MOST USED AFSA BENEFIT? McBride: “I like the Tech Updates, ITM Connection, and Sprinkler Age magazine that are shared around the office. As the prevalence of webinars and virtual training has expanded, I have attended several in the last year alone.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AFSA OR AFSA CONVENTION MEMORY? McBride: “When I was more active with the local chapter, we did a couple of charity installations of fire sprinkler systems for deserving facilities. I always enjoyed these.”

WHAT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE YOU’VE SEEN IN THE INDUSTRY? McBride: “When I first entered the industry in the late 1980s, fire sprinkler systems were not as universally applied as they are in the building codes over the last three decades.

Residential fire sprinklers were just gaining an accepted foothold, and single-family residential fire sprinkler systems were just beginning to appear on the market. I have also seen so many of the local fire sprinkler contracting companies that I worked with early in my career retire or get acquired over the years, and that is somewhat bittersweet.”

WHAT’S THE KEY INGREDIENT TO YOUR SUCCESS? McBride: “My success has been a result of being in a great industry that continues to grow and evolve.”

IF I WEREN’T WORKING IN FIRE PROTECTION, I WOULD BE… (FILL IN THE BLANK).

McBride: “It has been so long since I did anything else, I am not sure. I did work as a project cost estimator for a non-fire protection contractor before college, so that is possibly where I may have ended up if I had not entered this field.”

CELEBRATING AFSA MEMBERS Recognition for milestone membership anniversaries in Sprinkler Age will be done in five-year anniversary increments and is available to all membership types. Congratulations to these members! AFSA looks forward to celebrating with more members and is excited to continue offering a trial membership program for contractors and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs).

Contractors have numerous resources at their fingertips as an AFSA member, including access to free Technical Reviews, which are written interpretations available from the Engineering & Technical Services Department, on any subject related to automatic fire sprinklers. Members have reported covering the cost of their dues with savings from just one job, based on a Technical Review!

AFSA membership offers substantial discounts on training for sprinkler fitter apprentices, system layout designers, ITM inspectors, supervisors, and project managers. AFSA contractor

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members are entitled to a free, initial legal consultation, over the phone, with a nationally known attorney who specializes in labor litigation. Members gain industry information and legislative updates through networking at chapter meetings, local and regional events, and during AFSA’s national convention.

Some of the benefits for Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) who join AFSA include access to AFSA’s technical resources such as webinars, Technical Review library, and Tech Update newsletter. Each year AHJs receive a complimentary day of seminars, including “Fire Sprinkler Plan Review” and a seminar specifically catered to AHJs, as well as a free exhibit hall pass for AFSA’s convention.

“From the time that an owner is told they must have a sprinkler system installed through the final inspection, it’s a team process among the owner, contractor, and AHJ,” comments AFSA’s Senior Director of Membership & Chapter Support Bruce Lecair. “The more each of us knows about the codes and regulations, the better the system is installed, and the safer the occupants are in the building. We welcome AHJs to partner with us to protect the public the best way possible.”

For more details on AFSA membership, visit firesprinkler. org/join or contact AFSA’s membership team: • Western U.S.: Bruce Lecair at blecair@firesprinkler.org; • Eastern U.S.: Dominick Kasmauskas, CFPS, regional director of membership and chapter support, at dkasmauskas@ firesprinkler.org; or • Meda Merritt, manager of membership and chapter relations, at mmerritt@firesprinkler.org. n

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W

HIGHERSTANDARDS elcome to the American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) newest column, “Higher Standards.” This periodic column will discuss the association’s activities in the code- and standarddevelopment process, future changes, and key discussions that are happening behind the scenes. The information gathered through committee meeting discussions is invaluable, and the intent of this column is to pass that knowledge on to our membership.

AFSA is currently involved with several organizations that develop and maintain codes and standards. Those organizations include the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Society of Sanitation Engineers (ASSE), American Water Works Association (AWWA), International Code Council (ICC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), and Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL). Within these organizations, AFSA sits on numerous NFPA technical committees that govern the requirements for codes and standards affecting the fire sprinkler industry.: • AWWA Fire Protection Committee, • ICC Exam Development Committee, • SFPE Continuing Professional Development and Standards Making committees (in addition to AFSA’s Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John Denhardt, P.E. serving on its board of directors), and • several UL Standard Technical Panels.

If we look at the specific numbers, AFSA’s footprint in the NFPA standards-development process has grown substantially. Just over the last year, AFSA has gained 53 additional seats on 32 technical committees. Overall, AFSA represents the merit shop contractor—as well as our Associate and AHJ (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) members—with a total of 101 seats on 48 technical committees for 38 codes/standards. AFSA has doubled out representation on these committees and amplified AFSA’s mission and vision through active participation in the process.

This year will be busy in the standards development process with the following key dates to keep an eye on: • January 4, 2022 – NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems, 2023 Public Comments were due • January 5, 2022 – NFPA 22, Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection, 2023 Public Comments were due • February 22, 2022 – NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, 2023 NITMAMs (Notice of Intent to Make A Motion) due • June 1, 2022 – o NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2025 Public Inputs due o NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary

Pumps for Fire Protection, 2025 Public Inputs due o NFPA 24, Standard for the Installation of Private Fire

Service Mains and Their Appurtenances, and NFPA 291,

40 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

The NFPA standards-development process.

Recommended Practice for Water Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants, Public Inputs due Even though the 2022 editions of NFPA 13, NFPA 20, NFPA 24/291 have just been published, the three-year revision cycle is a tight window, and work on the next editions of the standards begins almost immediately. In an effort to simplify and clarify the documents, AFSA has prepared proposals for every relevant standard, but we rely heavily on member feedback to let us know of any issues that you are dealing with that may be alleviated by a change in the codes or standards.

In later issues, come back to this column to see additional updates to the codes and standards, including product standards revisions, posted tentative interim amendments (TIAs), key submission deadlines, and any issues you may need to keep an eye on as they work their way through the process.

Finally, with an increased footprint, AFSA will be looking for more members to represent AFSA on technical committees in the future. If there is a committee of interest to you, please reach out to me at khall@firesprinkler.org. Organizational representatives are preferred in the NFPA process, and we are always available to assist in getting you up to speed on the proper policies and procedures in the standarddevelopment process. n

KEVIN HALL,M.ENG, P.E., ET, CWBSP, PMSFPE AFSA COORDINATOR OF ENGINEERING & TECHNICAL SUPPORT

TECHNICAL CHALLENGES CAN YOU MEET THE CHALLENGE?

Each issue, AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department presents technical challenges. Besides testing yourself and your co-workers, these exercises are excellent preparation for professional certification tests and also may count as continuing education hours. Check with your certification organization.

Update for 2022—each issue of Sprinkler Age will focus on one set of challenge questions related to the technical theme of that issue. To participate, carefully read through and work the problems. Then check your answer in the next issue. Test your knowledge and that of your co-workers today!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY QUESTIONS

The following questions are based on NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, 2020 edition.

1. Sprinklers manufactured prior to what year requires replacement per NFPA 25?

A. 1920 B. 1915 C. 1900 D. 1945 2. Which chapter in NFPA 25 explains the procedures and frequencies for testing valves on fire protection systems?

A. Chapter 12 B. Chapter 14 C. Chapter 10 D. Chapter 13 3. At what frequency are diesel fire pump fuel tanks required to be tested for water and foreign materials?

A. Monthly B. Quarterly C. Semiannually D. Annually 4. The following flushing method consists of flowing water from the yard mains, sprinkler risers, feed mains, cross mains, and branch lines, respectively, in the same direction in which water would flow during a fire. What is the flushing method called?

A. The hydraulic method B. The hydropneumatic method C. The hydrostatic method D. The pneumatic method 5. What entity is responsible for correcting or repairing any deficiencies or impairments?

A. AHJ B. Owner C. Installing contractor D. Inspecting contractor

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AFSA NEWS AFSA WELCOMES VALENTINE

The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is pleased to welcome Victoria B. Valentine, P.E., as its director of engineering & technical services.

In this role, she will support the department and spearhead the development of AFSA’s federal apprentice training program.

“We are excited to have Victoria join our team,” states John August Denhardt, P.E., “She brings added value to our already powerful technical services staff.”

Before joining AFSA, she worked for the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) as the director of professional qualifications from 2017 to 2021. Valentine holds a B.S. in civil engineering and an M.S. in fire protection engineering, both from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

Also, she is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.). Contact Valentine at valentine@firesprinkler.org.

CALENDAR MARCH 2022 28 - APRIL 8

• Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Dallas, TX firesprinkler.org/design

APRIL 2022 11

• AFSA ITM Inspector Development Program Cycle 13 Kick-Off firesprinkler.org/itm

OCTOBER 2022 25

• AFSA ITM Inspector Development Program Cycle 14 Kick-Off firesprinkler.org/itm

15-19

• AFSA41: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition Bellagio Las Vegas firesprinkler.org/afsa41

Seminars subject to change. Call (214) 349-5965 to confirm locations and times.

For more events and details, visit firesprinkler.org and click on “Events” and “Events List.”

42 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

DENHARDT APPOINTED TO NFPA, SFPE BOARDS

AFSA’s Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John August Denhardt, P.E., has been selected to serve as a trustee on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire Protection Research Foundation. As the research affiliate of NFPA, the Foundation is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to plan, manage, and communicate research in support of the association.

Denhardt was also elected to the Society of Fire Protection (SFPE) Board of Directors. The SFPE Board of Directors is the single governing body of the society and actively promotes the objectives of the society.

BUILDING VALUE THROUGH SAFETY

Have you visited afsasafetyportal.com yet? It’s AFSA’s member-only safety resource! This virtual library delivers the accident-prevention and safety-related information you need to educate your staff, help prevent claims, and create a safe work environment. Developed by the AFSA Insurance & Safety Committee in partnership with Blue River Underwriters, an AFSAendorsed insurance partner, AFSA’s online Safety Portal is a customized safety website built with the specific needs of fire sprinkler contractors in mind. With over 1,000 resources and references, AFSA’s Safety Portal aims to address some of the key issues in fire sprinkler construction safety today, such as electrical safety, ladder safety, loss control, personal protection, and vehicle safety. Whether members are in need of OSHA regulations, workplace safety posters, or even loss statistics to better prepare their staff, AFSA’s Safety Portal helps to make your place of business and job-sites safe and compliant. To learn more, visit afsasafetyportal.com.

STAY IN THE KNOW WITH SPRINKLER AGE

Sign up to receive your own free copy of Sprinkler Age magazine— print, digital, or both! Qualified industry professionals can sign up for a free subscription online at sprinklerage.com/subscribe. For more information or to view the digital edition, visit sprinklerage.com.

AFSA HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST OPEN

From now until April 1, 2022, eligible high school seniors can visit afsascholarship.org to apply for one of AFSA’s high school scholarships. Open to 2021-2022 high school seniors who want to pursue a college degree or trade school education, the scholarship offers the chance to win one of 10 scholarships. The best part? The AFSA scholarship contest has no essay-writing required. Instead, applicants simply visit the website, read a short passage on fire protection and fire sprinklers, and answer questions about the reading. Each correct answer offers one entry into the scholarship contest, with a total of eight entries possible per applicant!

Winners are randomly selected to receive a one-time $2,000 AFSA scholarship payable to their respective college, university, or trade school.

To learn more and apply for the scholarship, visit afsascholarship.org before April 1, 2022. n

CHAPTER NEWS VIRGINIA

The AFSA Virginia Chapter entered a float/display for the Mechanicsville Rotary Christmas Parade in Hanover County, Virginia, on December 5, 2021. The idea was proposed by Board Member Jason Gill, Crews & Gregory Fire Sprinklers, Inc., during its November chapter meeting as a potential outreach/awareness event to promote the industry and attract anyone seeking a career.

With unanimous Board approval, Gill went to work applying for a parade spot and then building the display—a simulated fire with smoke and a sprinkler discharging water (blue LED lights) onto the fire. His two sons also helped with the build, working several evenings to complete it in time. The float was a hit with the crowd and received lots of fanfare with comments such as “Do you know that float is on fire?”, “Wow, that is cool!”, and “The fire looks real! How’d they do that?”

Several chapter members and their families walked behind the float on the 1.8-mile parade path. Timothy “Hooper” Loscomb, Eagle Fire, Inc., his daughters, wife, and mother-in-law joined Bob Beckwith, United Sprinkler Company, and Tom Hornsby, VSC Fire & Security, handing out flyers and candy to the parade audience. Gill’s youngest son manned the smoke machine while his oldest son and his girlfriend joined Gill in the tow vehicle, playing Christmas music and sending Christmas greetings to the crowd.

A first for the chapter, the parade proved to be a unique way to promote fire sprinklers and careers in the trade to a broad audience. The parade crew handed out over 200 “Become a life Saver” career flyers to young men and women in the crowd, while the younger parade attendees enjoyed over 500 pieces of candy given away. The chapter’s executive director, Steve McGee, has received numerous communications from individuals interested in a career and seeking more information. Visit virginiaafsa.org. n

4

1

2

3

The AFSA Virginia Chapter was a big hit at the Mechanicsville, Virginia, Rotary Christmas Parade in December 2021. Photos: 1. Jason Gill and his son Aydan pose in front of the chapter’s float. 2. Hooper Loscomb and Tom Hornsby (back) helped prepare the float before the parade started. 3. The chapter’s float on display before the parade. Chapter members walked alongside the float, handing out candy and information about fire sprinkler careers. 4. A behind-the-scenes look at how the special effects were constructed—blue LED lights were the “water droplets” discharging from the fire sprinkler, controlling the flames.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 43

#MEMBERSMATTER!

A

s we enter 2022, it is time to resolve a few common myths. I have listed five of the most common misunderstandings (myths) that we receive just about every week during membership calls and communications. Please take a look and if you have any questions other than these five, feel free to give us a shout out.

Myth Number 1—Only members can attend AFSA chapter meetings. Non-members can attend chapter meetings, but only AFSA members can join the chapter! It is also advised to have separate fees for non-members that are adjusted for the chapter AFSA members. Having non-members attend is a great way to show them the value of being an AFSA member and a chapter member. We encourage all our chapters to invite non-members or to have special meetings and events for member recruitment.

Myth Number 2—Only the company member who joins is a member. When a member joins from a company, the dues are based on company revenue, and, as a result, the employees of the company are also members. In fact, we encourage all the company employees, branches, and offices to have access to the AFSA training, communications, and other member benefits.

Employee access to benefits enhances the company benefits, and we encourage AFSA companies to register accordingly.

Your next top designer starts here!

Myth Number 3—Only non-union contractors can be members of AFSA. This is a common misconception for members of the fire sprinkler industry. The fact is that AFSA was started based on the need to train non-union fire sprinkler contractors and their fitters who did not have access to the union apprenticeship training. This resulted in the need to establish a separate association whose members are primarily non-union companies. But, it is a fact that some of our members are union members or have union branches within their company. We do accept union companies along with non-union company members.

Myth Number 4—AFSA dues are set upon joining and are not readjusted over time. AFSA dues are based on annual revenue, and as time moves on and companies grow or scale down, the dues are adjusted accordingly. AFSA does not ask for proof of revenue, and members are trusted to adjust as their companies grow. If the Membership Team sees where companies are expanding, we will send a letter to the company and follow the letter with a phone call to adjust the dues to the correct dues category.

Myth Number 5—Chapters are not required to meet regularly. Chapters are bound under the requirements listed in the AFSA Chapter Agreement form to hold chapter meetings throughout the year, post the meetings on the AFSA website calendar, and take and send minutes of the meeting to AFSA’s Membership Department. Chapters are reimbursed for their meetings and are eligible for additional chapter development fund monies provided they meet those requirements. The meetings are an AFSA member benefit that many members look forward to as a tool for sharing information, camaraderie, and learning about legislation, local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) requirements, fire sprinkler products, training, and other valuable information. It is very important that each of our 31 chapters meet regularly. In fact, it is a 2022 Membership Team goal that we attend each of our chapters’ meetings at least once. Please list your meetings on the calendar so that we can schedule to attend.

I hope that this article helps to dispel a few myths and leads to better communication. We look forward to hearing from you over the course of the year and visiting our chapters and our members. Your membership is what drives AFSA! n

AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School 3/28-4/8 DALLAS, TX AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 44 SPRINKLERwww.firesprinkler.org/design

BRUCE LECAIR AFSA SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP & CHAPTER SUPPORT

AFSA NEW MEMBERS New members as of January 1, 2022.

CONTRACTORS

DESIGNERS

AHJS

Andrew Schmitt Westbury, NY

Mike Visnagra Commerce, CA

Ahern Fire Protection Fond Du Lac, WI

Century Fire Protection Ellicott City, MD

Ayesha Hayman Charlotte, NC

Quentin Maver Harrisburg, NC

API Group Amherst, NY

Dynalectic Libertytown, MD

Bryan Calixto Santa Fe Springs, CA

Stephen Otero Columbia, TN

Atomic Fire Protection, LLC Riverwoods, IL

Elite Fire Protection Systems Southlake, TX

Charles Wayne Derflinger Gallatin, TN

Steven Mixon Fort Worth, TX

B & B Plumbing & Construciton, Inc. Atwater, CA

James M. Maddry, P.E. Martinez, GA

Ervin R. Espinoza Miami, FL

Thomas Michael DeBeer Charlotte, NC

Deering Fire Protection, Inc. Knoxville, MD

PGA Experts, Inc. St. Lambert de Lauzon, QC, Canada

Frank Eubanks Griffin, GA

AED Design Group Los Angeles, CA

Arencon, Inc. Mississauga, ON, Canada

Fire Systems, Inc. Smyrna, GA

Greg Schmitz Los Angeles, CA

Fire Tech West, LLC Hillsboro, OR

Isak Klicic Chicago, IL

Front-Line Fire Protection, LLC Middleton, MA

Jason Schurtz Fairfield, OH

HarvPro Fire Protection Vacaville, CA

Jason Wilson Los Angeles, CA

Hyundai Plumbing & Fire Protection Waukegan, IL

John Schurtz Fairfield, OH

Indian Nation Fire Tulsa, OK

Jeff Gibson Antioch, IL

Legacy Fire Protection Idaho Falls, ID

John Malescio White Plains, NY

Matherly Fire Protection, Inc. Visalia, CA

Johnny Hoskins Brighton, CO

Nemesis Fire Santa Rosa, CA

Kenneth Nolen Hendersonville, TN

RPI Plumbing and Fire Vancouver, WA

Kevin R. Bol Lakewood, CO

Santa Rosa Fire Equipment Service, Inc. Cotati, CA

Kevin Yang Santa Fe Springs, CA

Seamless Fire Protection San Jose, CA

Marco Mack Aptos, CA

Sirina Fire Protection Corp.

New Hyde Park, NY

Michael Galleano Anaheim, CA

Systems Fire Control Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico

Michael Prill Broomfield, CO

TruTest, LLC Farmington, UT

Michelle Douglas Riverside, CA Jim Barger Downey, CA

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 45

AFSA CHAPTERS ALABAMA

alfiresprinkler.org Hunter Brendle – Pres.

334-270-8571 Greg Willis – Exec. Dir. 334-567-4257

ARIZONA

Jason Williams – Chair.

480-421-8411 Makenna Leathers – Exec Dir. 804-222-1381

ARKANSAS

David Nabors– Chair.

501-225-4910 Coleman Farrar – Exec. Dir. 479-461-3863

CAROLINAS

afsacarolinaschapter.com Jason Graham – Chair.

919-243-2469 John Turnage – Exec. Dir. 919-624-3456

CHESAPEAKE BAY

afsachesapeakechapter.org Jason Martin – Chair.

240-848-2710 Danielle Fowler – Exec. Dir. 410-972-1122

COLORADO

GREATER BAY AREA

afsacoloradochapter.org Roger Wallace – Chair.

719-337-6550 Kim Cook – Exec. Dir. 704-213-4368

afsa-gba.org Dave Karrick – Chair.

925-417-5550 Alicia Karrick - Exec. Dir. 510-398-9185

CONNECTICUT

afsadfwchapter.org CJ Bonczyk – Chair.

817-529-1693

ILLINOIS-INDIANA

Sklyer Bilbo – Chair 217-342-2242 Mitch Bortner – Vice Chair 206-348-0078

FLORIDA

afsafl.org Suzanne Saults – Chair.

727-556-2790 Jessica Cox – Exec. Dir. 813-784-3624

LOUISIANA

lafiresprinkler.org Randy Laguna – Chair 504-464-6236 ext 224 Ellen Ballard – Exec. Dir. 318-688-8800

GEORGIA

georgiafiresprinkler.org Allen Cagle – Chair.

770-554-5285 Bonnie Pinson – Exec. Dir. 770-310-2754

MICHIGAN

afsamichiganchapter.org Doug Irvine, Jr. – Chair.

616-784-1644

AFSA AFFILIATE MEMBERS

OKLAHOMA AFFILIATE

ofsa.info Tim Hollon – Pres.

918-851-2416

afsapatriot.org Chad Dubuc – Chair.

508-431-9938

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

socalafsa.com Jeff Bridges – Chair.

941-413-0526

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

TENNESSEE

Thomas Bowlby, Jr. – Chair.

908-226-5313 Victor Lugo – Exec. Dir. 201-635-0400

sacvalleyafsa.org Jordan Hopkins – Chair.

916-672-8415 Paulene Norwood – Exec. Dir. 916-296-0635

NEW MEXICO

SAN DIEGO

UPSTATE NEW YORK

NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND

SCHUYLKILL

UTAH ROCKY MOUNTAIN

NEW JERSEY

Mark McKenzie – Chair.

913-432-6688 Brett Heinrich – Exec. Dir. 785-825-7710

DALLASFORT WORTH

PATRIOT

Marc Huag – Chair.

701-232-7008 Tina Hoff - Exec. Dir. 701-799-1899

GREATER KANSAS CITY

afsact.org Rick Russo, Jr. – Chair.

203-877-7983

MINNESOTADAKOTAS

Paul Chavez – Chair.

505-898-9197 Jeriod Towery – Vice Chair 505-410-4007

Scott Uren – Chair.

858-722-1470 Rhonda Gudger – Exec. Dir. 951-326-4600 afsamac.org Christopher M. Campion, Jr. – Chair.

732-798-0911 Carly English – Exec. Dir.

Ryan Gadhue – Chair.

802-865-3600

OHIO

afsaoh.org Bill Hausmann – Chair 937-859-6198 Scott Huber – Exec. Dir. 513-942-1500

SOUTH CAROLINA

scfsa.org Nikki Ray – Chair.

864-207-8545 Ashley McAdams – Exec. Dir. 864-561-4088

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

afsatennesseechapter.org Casey Milhorn – Chair.

615-349-5278 David Pulliam– Exec. Dir. 901-484-0605

afsaupstatenychapter.org Justin Petcosky – Chair 607-296-7969

afsautahchapter.org Mark Winder, Jr. – Chair.

385-630-8064 Brent Heiner – Exec. Dir. 801-544-0363

VIRGINIA

virginiaafsa .com Bob Beckwith – Chair.

540-659-4675 Steve McGee – Exec. Dir. 757-544-0520

afsanw.org Chris Russell – Chair.

360-734-4940 Ron Greenman – Exec. Dir. 253-576-9700

TEXAS AFFILIATE

fscatx.org David Stone – Pres.

713-466-9898 Sarah Kiefer – Exec. Dir. 512-844-6632

Pacific

Northw

est

Sacramento Valley Greater Bay

Michigan

Utah

Southern California

San Diego

d n er lan rth ng Upstate No w E e New York N Patriot Connecticut New Jersey Schuylkill

Minnesota-Dakotas

Arizona

Colorado

New Mexico

Indiana-Illinois

Greater Kansas City Oklahoma (Affiliate)

Arkansas

Dallas Fort Worth

Alabama Louisiana

Chesapeake Bay Virginia Carolinas

South Carolina Georgia gia

a

id

or

Fl

Texas (Affiliate)

Tennessee

Ohio

46 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

U.S. CONSTRUCTION REPORTS TOTAL CONSTRUCTION STARTS SOAR IN OCTOBER

TOTAL CONSTRUCTION FALLS SHARPLY IN NOVEMBER

MONTHLY SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE

MONTHLY SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE

MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, In Millions

Oct. 2021 Sep. 2021 Nonresidential Building $357,232 $276,587 Residential Building $388,582 $420,580 Nonbuilding Construction $268,350 $175,974 Total Construction $1,014,164 $873,141

MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, In Millions

Nov. 2021 Oct. 2021 Nonresidential Building $281,090 $355,335 Residential Building $398,570 $388,386 Nonbuilding Construction $188,140 $268,532 Total Construction $867,800 $1,012,253

Total construction starts pushed 16 percent higher in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.01 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts gained 29 percent, and nonbuilding moved 52 percent higher in October, while residential starts lost 8 percent.

The month’s large gains resulted from the start of three large projects: two massive manufacturing plants and an LNG export facility. Without these projects, total construction starts would have fallen 6 percent in October.

“Economic growth has resumed following the third quarter’s Delta-led slowdown. However, the construction sector’s grip on growth remains tenuous,” stated Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Construction Network. n

Total construction starts fell 14 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $867.8 billion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonbuilding and nonresidential building starts bore the brunt of the decline, falling 30 percent and 21 percent, respectively, after seeing sharp increases in October as three large projects broke ground. Residential starts gained a modest 3 percent. Without October’s large projects, total construction starts in November would have increased by 5 percent.

“Large projects aside, the underlying trend continues to point to a modest recovery in construction starts,” stated Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Construction Network. n

Prepared by Dodge Data & Analytics

% Change 29 -8 52 16

Prepared by Dodge Data & Analytics

THE DODGE INDEX (Year 2000=100, Seasonally Adjusted) October 2021... .................215 September 2021... ............185 YEAR-TO-DATE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Unadjusted Totals, In Millions

10 Mos. 2021 10 Mos. 2020 Nonresidential Building $237,117 $213,425 Residential Building $353,873 $292,155 Nonbuilding Construction $165,419 $161,780 Total Construction $756,409 $667,360

% Change -21 3 -30 -14

THE DODGE INDEX (Year 2000=100, Seasonally Adjusted) November 2021... .................184 October 2021... .....................214

% Change 11 21 2 13

YEAR-TO-DATE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Unadjusted Totals, In Millions

11 Mos. 2021 11 Mos. 2020 Nonresidential Building $261,969 $235,997 Residential Building $386,086 $320,518 Nonbuilding Construction $180,649 $178,101 Total Construction $828,704 $734,616

% Change 11 20 1 13

INDUSTRY LEADING TR AINING FIRE SPRINKLER FITTER APPRENTICE TRAINING Levels I-IV Recognized curriculum in all 50 states Customizable to fit your company’s needs Nearly 600 training hours Streamlined online testing with 24/7 access Online access to student history and grades

AFSA members save over 30% per course

www.firesprinkler.org/fittertraining SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 47

PRODUCT NEWS THE HYDRA-TAP™ INTRODUCED

Introducing The Hydra-Tap™ for NFPA 25 focused fire sprinkler contractors when conducting forward flows and fire department connection (FDC) backflushes.

After draining, on flanged, grooved, or wafer 4-in. and 6-in. check valves, insert The Hydra-Tap through the ball-drip outlet and lock it into place. This action pins the clapper to the roof of the valve housing inside the check and allows for reverse flow without flipping. Scale down an often two-plus-hour service down to 20-30 minutes—no more jacks, hydraulic spreaders, sawzalls, sledge hammers, wedges, pinched gaskets, and special trips to the hardware store. Visit hydra-tap.com or call (503) 482-8999.

TYCO® REDESIGNED LFII RESIDENTIAL CONCEALED PENDENT SPRINKLER

Johnson Controls announces the newly redesigned Tyco Series LFII residential 4.9 K-factor concealed pendent sprinkler.

With an increased vertical adjustment level of 3/4-in. (19.1-mm), the new LFII sprinkler provides more adjustability than many current products available, which only offer 1/2-in. (12.7-mm) adjustability. This gives contractors added flexibility when cutting fixed sprinkler drops. The flat profile of the cover plate assembly conceals the sprinkler operating components above the ceiling for an appealing design in homes, apartments, dormitories, and hotels.

The Tyco Series LFII residential concealed pendent sprinkler is available in both ordinary 155° F (68° C) and intermediate 200° F (93° C) temperature-rated configurations. Both sprinkler models are designed with heat sensitivity and water distribution characteristics proven to help control residential fires and improve the chance for occupant evacuation.

The sprinklers are intended for use in wet pipe systems for one- and two-family dwellings, mobile homes, residential occupancies up to and including four stories in height and residential portions of any occupancy, per NFPA 13, 13D, and 13R. They are UL and C-UL Listed and have a maximum working pressure of 175 psi (12.1 bar). A disposable protective cap is provided to protect the sprinkler during ceiling installation.

The Tyco Series LFII Residential Concealed Pendent Sprinkler complements a full line of Johnson Controls fire suppression prod-

48 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

ucts. Together, they help serve the Johnson Controls mission of reimagining building performance to serve healthy people, healthy places, and a healthy planet. Visit tyco-fire.com.

NEW ENGINEERING GUIDE ON FIRE SAFETY FOR VERY TALL BUILDINGS

The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), the International Code Council (ICC), and Springer have released a new engineering guide: “Fire Safety for Very Tall Buildings.” The 2021 edition provides information on the fire safety performance of tall, very tall, and super tall buildings. Topics featured in the engineering guide include emergency egress, fire resistance, building envelope, suppression, detection, alarms, and smoke control, with new guidance on considerations for existing buildings, energy storage systems, aerial vehicle platforms, and unique building features such as observation decks and fireworks displays. Additional information in the guide consists of performance-based design and international practices.

“We know that very tall buildings impose unique fire protection challenges and require new engineering solutions above and beyond traditional methods,” states Nicole Boston, CAE, chief executive officer, SFPE. “This engineering guide provides fire safety engineers and fire protection professionals with specific and necessary engineering principles to overcome the challenges of fire and to protect very tall buildings, their occupants, and first responders.”

SFPE provides rapid dissemination of the most recent and advanced work in fire protection engineering, fire science, and the social/human dimensions of fire. Recently published books in the SFPE book series include “Fire Safety for Very Tall Buildings” and the 2021 “International Handbook of Structural Fire Engineering,” with additional titles forthcoming. Added to the expertise of the Code Council in model codes, standards, and building safety solutions, and Springer’s scientific and technology experience, the new publication provides a tool for all fire safety and design professionals all over the world.

“The population growth of many urban centers in numerous countries and the increase in the number of super-tall buildings being built have necessitated advances in fire protection engineering and associated technologies,” says Beth Tubbs, PE, FSFPE, ICC senior staff engineer and incoming SFPE president. “The second edition of ‘Fire Safety for Very Tall Buildings’ is an excellent product of the partnership between SFPE, ICC, and Springer Publishing and provides critical guidance for engineers and fire safety professionals.”

The new “Fire Safety for Very Tall Buildings” is available for prices beginning at $109, with an additional 40-percent discount to SFPE members and the standard ICC member price discounts. The 276-

page guide is available in various formats from SFPE and ICC. Institutional licensing options are available to academic, government, and corporate entities from SFPE. “Springer Nature is very pleased to publish the ‘Fire Safety for Very Tall Buildings Engineering Guide,’ second edition, making this important work available in print and electronically through the extensive SpringerLink platform,” remarks Michael Luby, senior editor and publisher liaison, Springer. “This marks an important milestone in our strategic collaboration with the Society and its affiliates.”

A complete table of contents, purchase options, and additional information is available from SFPE at sfpe.org or from ICC at shop.iccsafe.org.

REFRESH YOUR FLOW TESTING

NFPA AND VIPHOMELINK ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALLIANCE

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and vipHomeLink announces an exclusive collaboration whereby NFPA will serve as the official fire and electrical safety information and knowledge provider for vipHomeLink’s digital home management platform.

NFPA is devoted to eliminating death, injury, and property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. NFPA provides information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training and education programs, outreach and advocacy, and through global partnerships. vipHomeLink is a U.S. technology company that provides a customized digital home engagement and claims prevention platform to the insurance industry and other corporate partners designed to boost homeowner engagement and improve loss ratios over time. vipHomeLink’s technology-driven solutions engage, enable, and empower homeowners to make their homes safer, more valuable, and more enjoyable.

Through the relationship, NFPA will provide vipHomeLink with expert information relating to fire safety, wildfire protection, home fire prevention, electrical codes and safety, and other related hazards affecting homeowners. vipHomeLink will curate and design original content around NFPA’s trusted subject matter experts and provide actionable, tailored insights directly to homeowner members. This content will be delivered through vipHomeLink’s digital home application platform, and across multiple public channels, including its website, blog, podcasts, and social media channels. Visit nfpa.org.

ABC UNVEILS SAFETY TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has issued its online Safety Technology Guide, a resource for contractors looking to implement construction technology for the best possible safety performance. The Safety Tech Guide details how to identify, choose and implement technology to achieve a safer and more efficient jobsite.

Learn more at abc.org/SafetyTech. n

MORE ACCURATE. MORE EFFICIENT. MORE RELIABLE. The Hose Monster Company’s™ patented line of Pitotless Nozzles can make the lumbering task of flow testing easier and safer than anything else out there, perfect for a one-monster crew.

THINKING ABOUT UPGRADING YOUR FLOW TEST? VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PITOTLESS NOZZLES AND ALL OUR INDUSTRYLEADING EQUIPMENT.

HOSEMONSTER.COM SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 49

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS IN MEMORIAM: ROBERT DUNN

MEEHAN

CLEMENTS

LEADERSHIP CHANGES AT VSC FIRE & SECURITY

VSC Fire & Security, Inc. (VSC) has announced the retirement of President and CEO Michael Meehan. Effective immediately, Meehan will transition to serve as CEO of VSC through the remainder of the year, officially retiring in December 2022.

As part of this transition, VSC also announces that current Chief Operating Officer Tommy Clements will lead the company as the new president. As the company’s fifth president in its 63year long history, Clements will head company operations to bolster its growth and further its mission to deliver integrated, cutting-edge fire protection, life safety, and security services to its customers across the southeast region of the U.S. “We are both elated and saddened to announce Mike’s retirement,” says Clements. “For the past 43 years, Mike has offered his service and expertise in many different capacities at VSC. In the last two decades, the company has thrived under his leadership and guidance as he built upon the success of his predecessors.

On behalf of our entire company, we wish him the best in his well-earned retirement.”

A Little Rock, Ark. native, Clements has been in the sprinkler business since 2009 and joined VSC in 2017. He has a B.S. in electrical engineering from Mississippi State University and earned his MBA from the Stetson School of Business and Economics at Mercer University. Clements and Meehan have been working alongside each other in Richmond since November 2019.

“I have been able to see first-hand the incredible growth and accomplishments this company has made, and we continue to find new ways to serve our customers’ needs,” says Meehan. “Though it is bittersweet to announce my retirement from the company where I have had the pleasure of working for these past 43 years, I am confident that Tommy is the right person to propel the company forward.”

50 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

Members and staff of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) were saddened to learn of the passing of Robert (Bobby) Dunn, who passed away peacefully on November 4, 2021, after a courageous battle with cancer. Surviving to cherish his memory are his mother Aura, his wife of 31 years Anna, daughter Regan, son Evan, brothers Carl and Edward and sisters Rita and Cynthia, grandchildren Landon and Adalynn.

Dunn started in the fire protection industry in the early 1980s, quickly realizing his passion. He moved his way up over the years, eventually opening A.R.E. Fire Protection in 2000 with his wife. In 2010, they closed the business and took the experience gained to Fire & Life Safety America. Dunn spent his remaining career at FLSA, joyfully sharing his knowledge. He very much enjoyed what he did, helping to shape young minds for the future of the industry.

“To me, the most important and profound trait of Bob was his personality. He always placed others in front of himself. He would drop whatever he was doing to help a coworker or even a stranger. His purpose every day was to make everyone around him smile,” comments AFSA Chair of the Board Jack Medovich, P.E., Fire & Life Safety America, Richmond, Virginia. “Bob lived the type of life that we all should live. His glass was always half full and he saw the best in everyone. There will be a hole left here on earth with his departure, but heaven just gained an angel we lovingly called The Gentle Giant.”

Dunn was a member of AFSA’s Sprinkler Fitter Apprenticeship Training Series update team and a long-time apprenticeship training instructor who brought his years of teaching and field experience to the team. “Bobby was a person who loved his profession and enjoyed teach-

ing others about it,” comments AFSA’s Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John August Denhardt, P.E. “It was my honor to have worked with him over the years. God bless you, Bobby. I will miss you but never forget you.” n Meehan began his career with VSC as a pipefitter when he was 19 years old. He has a B.A. in government and political science from George Mason University. Meehan is a principal on the NFPA 13 committee and past AFSA National Chairman. He holds a NICET Level IV senior certification.

2022 ABC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) board of directors has elected Stephanie Schmidt, president of Poole Anderson Construction, State College, Pennsylvania, as the 2022 ABC national chair of the board of directors during a meeting at the association’s annual Leadership Institute in Aventura, Florida. Visit abc.org to view the other members of ABC’s 2022 executive committee, who will take office on January 1, 2022.

NFPA’S CADE RETIRING

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announces that long-time emergency response leader Gregory B. Cade will retire at the end of this year after 11 years with the association. Cade has been an effective and pas-

sionate NFPA liaison to the fire service for more than a decade, culminating his leadership legacy that began more than 50 years ago.

NFPA appointed Cade the organization’s government affairs division director in 2010.

Six years later, he transitioned to his current role as an NFPA regional director serving the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. In this capacity, Cade has collaborated with fire service leaders, code enforcers, and others in the interest of improving fire, building, and life safety outcomes. He was regularly seen out and about at industry meetings or virtually onscreen during the pandemic, promoting helpful NFPA tools and resources, including codes and standards, trainings and certification, public education materials, home fire sprinkler information, membership benefits, research reports, and more.

Cade holds a Bachelor of Science degree in fire science from the University of Maryland.

Stakeholder engagement in the territories that he has served will transition to the remaining seven NFPA regional directors. Visit nfpa.org. n

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! On October 13th the AFSA Virginia Chapter held the 28th Burn Survivor's Golf Tournament.

Our sponsors and supporters helped donate $60,000 to benefit the Central Virginia Burn Camp and the Old Dominion Firefighters Burn Foundation.

PRESENTING George Wagner | Harry Hoffon

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Eagle Fire Inc. Ferguson Fire & Fabrication

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FLSA VSC Fire and Security

Service Trade Mike Meehan Viking Supply Old Dominion Firefighters Foundation Atlantic Constructors Fire Solutions Performance Fire (2)

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Zurn Rosewood Corporation Checkmark Services Central Virginia Burn Camp General Air Products Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Extinguish Fire Corporation United Sprinkler Company American Automatic Sprinkler Magic City Sprinkler Cornet AFSA National Johnson Controls/JCI (2)

INDUSTRY NEWS WINSUPPLY ACQUIRES BOTH LOCATIONS OF H2O SUPPLY

Winsupply Inc. has completed the purchase of both H2O Supply locations.

“H2O is an exceptionally run wholesale distributor serving both the Dallas and Fort Worth markets. We are beyond excited to welcome Jay Katz and his team to the Winsupply Family of Companies. Our intention is to expand our footprint deeper into the south while continuing to offer amazing services,” says Greg Holbrock, vice president of M&A due diligence and financial integration.

The locations will continue to do business as H2O Supply. Visit winsupplyinc.com.

NFPA FIRE PROTECTION RESEARCH FOUNDATION TURNS 40

The National Fire Protection Research Foundation, the research affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), was founded 40 years ago to sponsor and promote research and the development of technology that helps to protect life and property from fire. The mission of the research group back in 1982 was to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of fire protection systems and safety messaging for the benefit of the public and workers. Seventeen years after its launch, the name of the organization changed to the Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF or Foundation). Today, the research arm continues to be guided by the same core principles—only with a much broader reach, given a wide array of emerging hazards, persistent life safety challenges, and global demand.

The Foundation is a separate, independent, nongovernmental organization with its own board of trustees and a team of five that effectively manages more than four dozen research projects at any given time.

FPRF research reports have been downloaded by safety-focused practitioners in more than 160 countries and cover everything from fire suppression systems, emergency response, public policy, public education, detection and signaling, industrial hazards, wildfire, electrical services, and building safety.

52 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022

The FPRF staff plans, facilitates, and manages research, specifically in support of the NFPA mission to make the world safer from fire, electrical, and related hazards, and regularly assists NFPA technical committees with difficult problems. The Foundation works with many organizations and individuals, including project sponsors who help to fund efforts; project contractors who do the research; and advisory panels comprised of volunteers who provide subject matter expertise (panels are distinctly separate from NFPA technical committees and function according to the FPRF’s policies for the conduct of research). Visit nfpa.org.

ASC ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS ACQUIRES VALUE ENGINEERED PRODUCTS

ASC Engineered Solutions (formerly Anvil & Smith-Cooper International), a producer and supplier of precision engineered pipe connections, valves, support solutions, and related services, has acquired Value Engineered Products (VEP) of Denver, Colorado. Value Engineered Products (VEP) offers the plumbing, mechanical, and industrial piping industries a series of insulated pipe supports designed to meet the broadest range of applications and piping material types, such as hot piping from 120 °F to 1200 °F to cold piping from -250 °F to 225 °F. Founded in 1990, VEP provides a patented shield product designed for all types of piping, as well as seismic applications, and has built its reputation on providing responsive customer service and innovative product design. Visit asc-es.com

NFPA RELEASES FIFTH U.S. NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released its Fifth U.S. Needs Assessment report, which found that while some fire department needs have declined, some unmet needs have remained constant, and many areas have increased need. This includes aging facilities and apparatus, a lack of behavioral health and safety programs, and challenges in providing training and certification for structural firefighting and other community needs.

Published every five years since 2001, the U.S. Needs Assessment report reflects the re-

sults of a survey sent to most U.S. fire departments. The survey includes a broad range of questions that work to identify where U.S. fire departments are experiencing gaps in equipment, staffing, and training, among other needs and resources.

The latest report underscores that the roles and responsibilities of fire departments continue to expand with no sign of stopping. From wildland urban interface (WUI) fires and active shooter incidents to hazardous materials response and traffic control duties, fire departments are being asked to do more and more, but in many cases, without the resources to support those expectations.

Ben Evarts, data collection and research manager at NFPA, points out that while some fire department needs are being addressed, challenges remain across the board. Following are some of the key findings from the November 2021 report: • The COVID-19 pandemic made personal protective equipment (PPE) a part of the global lexicon, but it also uncovered challenges: lack of availability, price scalping, and counterfeit PPE. These issues have put the health of firefighters at risk as communities struggle through a supply chain under immense pressure. Nearly half (47 percent) of all departments still had unmet needs for medical PPE at the time they completed the survey (between September 2020 and February 2021).

• Staffing remains a constant need for all fire departments, regardless of career, combination, or volunteer status. Since 2015, most fire departments have seen flat firefighter staffing levels.

• Maintaining fire department infrastructure has proven a daunting task for many departments and is compounded by the need for modern facilities that meet today’s fire service missions. Examples of infrastructure challenges include design considerations that minimize exposures for firefighters, private or separate facilities for men and women, and backup power systems.

• Protecting firefighters’ own health and safety remains a pressing challenge, with the majority of fire departments (72 percent) lacking programs to maintain basic firefighter fitness

and health. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of all fire departments do not have behavioral health programs. Of those that do, 90 percent offer post-traumatic stress support; and just one-third (34 percent) have relationships with behavioral specialists.

Previous Needs Assessment reports included additional state-level reporting. NFPA will be working in the coming months to produce these types of reports for selected states. Visit nfpa.org.

ABC’S CONSTRUCTION BACKLOG SLIPS IN DECEMBER

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) reports that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell to 8.2 months in December, according to an ABC member survey conducted from December 16 to January 4. The reading is down 0.2 months from November 2021 but up 0.9 months from December 2020.

ABC’s Construction Confidence Index readings for sales, profit margins, and staffing levels increased in December. All three indices stand above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations of growth over the next six months.

“Demand for construction services in America remains strong,” says ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Contractors have been upbeat about sales and employment prospects for months. What changed in December is that a growing fraction of contractors now believe that profit margins will rise during the next six months despite rising costs due to labor shortages and volatile materials prices.

“Backlog fell in the infrastructure category, but activity in that category is set to heat up in 2022 as federal infrastructure funds tied to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 begin to flow,” says Basu. “Backlog in the heavy industrial category also declined on a monthly basis, but over the past year backlog in this segment has climbed dramatically as manufacturers attempt to address goods shortages and more CEOs consider bringing some of their supply chains back to America. Industry backlog could be negatively impacted by elevated steel and other materials prices, with some projects canceled and others redesigned to shift away from intense steel use.”

Visit abc.org/economics for the Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index, plus analysis of spending, employment, GDP, and the Producer Price Index.

SERVICETRADE RECEIVES $85 MILLION GROWTH INVESTMENT LED

BY JMI EQUITY

ServiceTrade, a provider of software as a service (“SaaS”) applications for commercial service contractors, has announced that it has received an $85 million growth investment led by JMI Equity (“JMI”), a growth equity firm focused on investing in leading software companies. Existing investors Frontier Growth and Bull City Venture Partners also participated in the funding.

With the additional capital, ServiceTrade will increase the pace of new product innovations to continue to meet the heightened demand from commercial service contractors.

ServiceTrade was founded in 2012 by Billy Marshall and Brian Smithwick to meet the unique technology needs of commercial service contractors. Previously, the lack of contractor-focused solutions had forced many, like Smithwick, to develop custom service management software to optimize their contracting and service management workflows. Today, the company’s applications are used widely by service contractors that provide inspection, maintenance, repair, and project services for the critical fire safety, mechanical, and electrical systems in commercial and industrial facilities. As part of the transaction, Greenberg and Stephen Jones of JMI will join Richard Maclean and Matt Williams of Frontier Growth and Marshall on the ServiceTrade board of directors. Visit jmi.com.

CONSTRUCTION ADDS 22,000 JOBS IN DECEMBER, JOBLESS RATE FALLS TO 5 PERCENT

Construction employment increased by 22,000 jobs between November and December 2021 as nonresidential construction firms added workers for the fourth month in a row while residential construction employment slipped, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) of government data. Association officials said the new employment figures are consistent with the results of a new outlook survey they will be releasing on January 12.

“Nonresidential contractors are increasingly busy and are eager to hire even more workers,” states Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But the low rate of unemployment and record job openings in construction show how difficult it is bringing enough workers on board.”

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2022 53

INDUSTRY NEWS CONT. Simonson noted that the unemployment rate among former construction workers in December was 5.0 percent, which tied the lowest December rate since at least 2000 and was down from 9.6 percent a year earlier. He added that industry job openings totaled 345,000 at the end of November, an all-time high for November data.

Construction employment in December totaled 7,560,000, an increase of 22,000 for the month and 160,000 or 2.2 percent for the year.

However, industry employment still trails the

pre-pandemic peak, set in February 2020, by 88,000 positions.

Nonresidential construction firms added 27,000 employees in December, following a pickup of 25,700 in November. The category comprises nonresidential building contractors, with a gain of 3,700 employees; specialty trade contractors, with 12,900 more workers than in November; and heavy and civil engineering construction, which added 10,400 employees. But nonresidential employment remains

OCT 14-19

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169,000 below the February 2020 level. The sector has regained only 74 percent of the jobs lost at the outset of the pandemic.

Residential construction employment dipped for only the second time in 2021, by 4,100 employees in December. Residential building contractors, such as homebuilders and general contractors that concentrate on multifamily construction, added 700 workers during the month, while residential specialty trade contractors shed 4,800 employees. Residential employment in December remained 82,000 above the February 2020 mark.

Association officials said the jobs figures reflect the industry optimism indicated in the annual Outlook survey. But they cautioned that labor shortages continue to challenge contractors who are struggling to hire enough workers to keep pace with demand.

“The industry appears well poised for a strong recovery in 2022, but there are certainly clear challenges, including labor shortages, that could undermine construction this year,” says Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. n

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