Jul/Aug 2017 Sprinkler Age

20 TIFFANY MOORE

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

JUL / AUG 2017

SPRINKLER AGE

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

VOL 36/04

RANDY MILLER

FIRE SPRINKLER ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

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SprinklerAge

Vol 36 / 04 July/August 2017

Features 10 | Miller Named Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year

Deputy Fire Marshal Key to Fire Sprinkler Victories in Washington State

16 | Listed Spray Sprinklers

What Else the Testing Tells Us

20 | Moore Named 2017 Young Professional of the Year

Third-Generation Contractor Dreams of a More Beautiful World

24 | Explore the Largest U.S. Fire Sprinkler Exhibit

AFSA36 Features Top Manufacturers, Suppliers in the Fire Sprinkler Industry

28 | Listing of Hanging and Bracing Components

Understanding the Testing Standards

32 | Identifying Microbes

What is Contaminating My Fire Sprinkler System?

36 | Commodity Classification Testing

ON THE COVER Deputy Fire Marshal Randy Miller is AFSA’s 2017 Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year. (Photo credit: Rachel Bauer Photography.)This issue also features AFSA’s Young Professional of the Year Tiffany Moore with Moore Fire Protection, Inc.

Reassessing the Fire Risk of Changing Commodity and Packaging

38 | Allsouth Makes Record Donation

Largest Donation to Date Will Help Fund Legendary National Apprentice Competition

40 | Does Your Company Have a Modern 401(k) Plan?

AFSA-Endorsed Retirement Plan Advisors Assist Members

44 | National Campus Fire Safety Month Turns 13!

Significant Drop Seen in Fire Deaths Over These Years

46 | Leading Across the Generations

The Story Behind the Message

48 | Fire Testing

Understanding Purpose and Scale

52 | Welcome to “Sprinkler City,” Canada

New Community Becomes First to Install Fire Sprinkler Systems in Every Home

54 | Thank You for Your Support!

Members Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries

6

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

8

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

56 AHJ PERSPECTIVE 58 AFSA NEWS 58 CALENDAR 59 CHAPTER NEWS 59 ASSOCIATION NEWS 60 NEW MEMBERS 61 U.S. CONSTRUCTION 62 PRODUCT NEWS 65 PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 68 INDUSTRY NEWS 70

SPRINKLER AGE, (ISSN 0896-2685) is published bimonthly for $33.95 per year by the American Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc., 12750 Merit Drive, Suite 350, Dallas, Texas 75251. Periodicals postage paid at Dallas, Texas and additional mailing offices.

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Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 5

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE EDITORIAL: 214 349 5965

BY MICHAEL F. MEEHAN AFSA Chairman of the Board

FRANK MORTL III, CAE, Publisher D’ARCY G. MONTALVO, Editor, ext. 115 dmontalvo@firesprinkler.org NICOLE DUVALL, Director of Communications, ext. 126; nduvall@firesprinkler.org ADVERTISING: 214 349 5965

NICOLE DUVALL, Director of Communications, ext. 126; nduvall@firesprinkler.org CIRCULATION : 214 349 5965

NICOLE DUVALL, Director of Communications, ext. 126; nduvall@firesprinkler.org

No industry is immune to the winds of change. We live in fascinating times and in the short span of a score of years we have watched the birth of new industries and the demise of giants. The list of new endeavors is long, stunning, and amazingly quick. What the Internet has done to media, what Amazon has done to retail, what Uber has done to transportation, and what Google and wireless have done to everything are marvels of capitalism and creative destruction and change.

We are obviously not immune to these forces, but it seems to me our sprinkler industry has not been turned upside down by these technological changes. We have not been off-shored or had our business model radically changed by a new app. Clearly we communicate differently, we design differently, we track our jobs differently, and we have different products to suppress fire. But, at the end of the day, it is still people on ladders and lifts installing pipe and fittings. Our most basic and root activity is not terribly different than what we were doing 50 years ago. It seems unlikely that this most basic of our activities will change any time soon, but I would not underestimate technology and human ingenuity, even when it comes to fire.

Nevertheless, on many levels we have changed. At a recent gathering of contractors I asked the question how many of those present had some type of low-voltage division within their organization. Nine out of 13 contractors raised their hands. It was a revealing moment. Many of us are installing detection and releasing systems as well as fire alarm systems, and we have discovered the low-voltage world is broad and diverse and touches on scopes of work that many sprinkler contractors never dreamed of years ago. In 2017 it is not unusual to hear of our peers installing not only fire alarms but security, video, card access, and nurse calls. Companies that, at their core are fire sprinkler contractors, are morphing into diverse organizations that are logically capturing additional scopes of work that was unusual ground just 20 short years ago.

Our mission at AFSA has always been clear – to represent the interests of merit shop fire sprinkler contractors. For 36 years that mission has not changed, but many of us have chosen to change our companies’ offerings, and today AFSA represents many merit shop sprinkler companies that have successful and thriving merit shop low-voltage divisions. Low-voltage work is not for everyone, but the trend that many of us are pursing must be recognized. n

AFSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MICHAEL F. MEEHAN, CHAIRMAN 757-213-3660 WAYNE WEISZ, FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN 209-334-9119 THEODORE C. WILLS, JR., SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN 610-754-7836 LINDA M. BIERNACKI, SECRETARY 318-841-0330 JACK A. MEDOVICH, TREASURER 410-787-0639 JOSEPH A. HEINRICH, IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN 785-825-7710 DONALD G. ALBARES, 504-837-0572 DWIGHT BATEMAN, 713-910-3242 PAUL DELORIE, 603-432-8221 ROD DIBONA, 605-348-2342 LYLE HALL, 858-513-4949 R. DONALD KAUFMAN, 505-884-2447 JEFF PHIFER, 803-438-2994 AFSA MANAGEMENT: 214 349 5965

FRANK MORTL III, CAE, President ROLAND J. HUGGINS, PE, Senior Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services, ext. 121 MARLENE M. GARRETT, CMP, Vice President of Meetings & Operations, ext. 118 BRADLEY ELLIOTT, Director of Member Services, ext. 135 LAVERNE DAVIS, Director of Financial & Administrative Services, ext. 112 NICOLE DUVALL, Director of Communications, ext. 126 LESLIE CLOUNTS, Director of Education Services, ext. 130 ROGER GRAGG, Director of Marketing & Information Technology, ext. 116 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.

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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.

6 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

BY FRANK MORTL III, CAE AFSA President

Dedication. The quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose. When we reflect upon why AFSA was incorporated in 1981, the phrase “dedicated to the educational advancement of its members” is the key reason the organization came into being. As I’ve said to numerous elected leaders within our group recently, although AFSA is considered quite young for a national trade association, in my opinion our lack of 100-plus years of existence have actually placed fire sprinkler contractor members in a better position to receive modern-day benefits and services. You see, the founding contractors of AFSA took the best of what parallel associations had been doing since the early 1900s and improved on areas of governance and services aimed to benefit dues-paying member organizations. In particular, AFSA took on the challenge to assist fire sprinkler contractors in maintaining a quality workforce – and created a Sprinkler Fitter Apprenticeship Training Series which continues to be the hallmark program of our dedicated Education Services Department.

Led by AFSA’s Director of Education Services Leslie Clounts, our Education Services Department is committed to offering cuttingedge training programs for the installation, design layout, and inspection, testing and maintenance of fire sprinkler systems. Last fall, Leslie celebrated her 20th anniversary as a staff member with AFSA, showcasing invaluable dedication and an exceptional proficiency to identify the unique needs of contractors looking to raise their level of professional training. Twenty years. And as anyone on the AFSA Board of Directors will tell you, Leslie is an A+ employee. Recently, Leslie has been laser-focused on the creation and execution of AFSA’s newest educational deliverable, our ITM Inspector Development Program. While still charged with the oversight of correspondence courses designed specifically for training apprentices in the fire sprinkler trade as well as our ever-popular specialized schools, Leslie is crafting a game-changer within our industry for contractors interested in developing an employee to become the ‘‘face” of their company to many customers from an ITM standpoint.

Born out of quarterly AFSA committee meetings where dedicated volunteers gather to create and/or improve industry programming, our ITM program is the perfect example of how AFSA staff strives to execute the vision of its elected leadership. A curriculum that was developed by contractors for contractors, Leslie has successfully facilitated on-demand and live training courses combined with a robustly-structured on-the-job training (OJT) and mentoring program with the goal of candidates passing NICET Level II water-based inspection certification exams in 19 months. With modules covering an introduction to the trade, NICET Level I exam and preparation, fire protection systems and inspection/ 8 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

testing procedures, water supplies and fire pumps, advanced inspection and testing procedures, inspection and testing review and field work, NICET Level II exam and preparation, as well as 15 days of live lab and classroom training, contractors who’ve enrolled students into the course since April of 2016 tell our office AFSA’s ITM program is one of the best professional investments they have ever made. A dedicated process, where $3,600 over 19 months generates an ITM professional ready to play a major role for fire sprinkler contractors during any economic climate.

AFSA’s hallmark educational feature, our apprentice training courses, again were written from a contractor’s point of view.

Developed through combined efforts of technical experts and AFSA contractor members, each level of the apprentice series includes photographs, drawings and tables to provide the latest graphic as well as written instruction on proper installation techniques and use of tools. Two AFSA staff members dedicated to course development and delivery of services to members include our Education Programs Specialist Richard Cevallos and our Education Systems Coordinator Jill Gamble. Though both Richard and Jill have only been on Leslie’s team since last year, their professional acumen and devotion to being service providers to members is profound.

Richard’s ability to build courses, design and maintain on-demand lessons, as well as format live seminar and webinar content is the tangible benefit participating contractor members realize when taking advantage of AFSA programming. Jill’s deft touch to expertly interact with members on a litany of issues ranging from training correspondence courses, e-Learning inquiries, testing challenges, as well as coordinating live seminar training content, provides anyone within a member company the assurance that an answer to their educational needs will be found efficiently and delivered to them with kindness and a high technical aptitude.

AFSA could not be more fortunate than to have such a skilled team at the helm of the core reason for its existence. Kudos to any fire sprinkler contractor who enlists the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage by tapping into the vast education and training resources offered to AFSA members. Remember, although our economic climate is currently strong, this is not the time to decrease professional development. The term “too busy to train” not only will lessen the opportunity for your contracting company to grow, but expose your workers to potential peril. When times are busy in the field, that’s when accidents happen if personnel are not properly educated and trained. Lean on AFSA’s Education Services Department and the many programs tailored to the needs of fire sprinkler contractors. Your team of Leslie, Richard and Jill welcome and encourage all requests to tap into their knowledge base and extreme AFSA dedication. n

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Miller Named Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year Deputy Fire Marshal Key to Fire Sprinkler Victories in Washington State CHARLOTTE JOHNSON | American Fire Sprinkler Association

Randy Miller has always had a vested interest in saving lives.

From his beginnings as a paramedic with Buck Medical Services in Portland, Oregon, all the way to his current 15-year career as deputy fire marshal in the Camas-Washougal Fire Marshal’s Office in Camas, Washington, Miller has demonstrated time and again his enthusiasm for fire and life safety.

While he has had many impressive accomplishments in his long career, the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is proud to honor him as Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year for his consistent efforts to ensure that fire sprinklers are installed in Camas homes.

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Miller was born in Florence, Oregon and raised in the city of Gladstone, a suburb of Portland. He is passionate about the Pacific Northwest. “I love to be out in it, hiking and golfing and kayaking,” says Miller. “You can be at the coast in an hour and the mountains in an hour.” However, like many recent high school graduates, in 1977 Miller was looking for a change. He left Oregon and traveled to Nampa, Idaho to attend college at Northwest Nazarene University. Nampa, right outside of Boise, was a big change from his home city of Portland, with a sugar beet factory on one end of town and a meat processing plant on the other. After three years studying business administration and physical education at Northwest Nazarene University, Miller returned home to Oregon the summer after his junior year ready for a change. His brother mentioned to him that the Portland Fire Bureau (PFB) was hiring, and Miller took a chance and applied.

The PFB test involves a written exam, a physical agility test, and an oral interview, and at the end of it all Miller scored quite high. But only 12 of the 100 potential hires were given positions, and Miller was not one of them. When he learned that one of the requirements for working at the PFB was to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), he enrolled in an EMT course. Miller discovered that he loved emergency medicine, and he went on to earn his paramedic degree.

After getting his degree, Miller went to work for the premier ambulance service Buck Medical Services in Portland. The job provided a large amount of exposure to a wide variety of 911 calls. Miller responded to calls from executives in high-rise buildings collapsing from cardiac arrest, to drug overdoses in the clubs of downtown Portland, and, of course, to many fires.

10 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

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The night the Camas, Washington City Council passed the sprinkler ordinance.

(From l to r): Miller, Councilman Greg Anderson, Ron Schumacher, and then-Chief Nick Swinhart.

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“Once, I started an IV in a house fire burn victim’s arm,” says Miller. “I remember the vein being in the open, as the skin had sloughed away. This, of course, would remain ingrained in my memory for years to come when I discovered what could and should have prevented the traumatic burn victim’s circumstances: residential sprinklers.”

As he worked for Buck Medical Services, he continued to take fire department tests, hoping to find a fire department nearby that was hiring. In 1991, he was golfing with a Vancouver firefighter who happened to mention that the City of Camas Fire Department was hiring paramedic firefighters. Miller tested in Camas, Washington, and got the job.

“It was an awesome change, coming to a small community where people are very friendly and wave at you,” says Miller.

“In the five years [that I worked] in Portland, I transported one person that I knew. In Camas, I became involved in the community. I attended Grace Foursquare Church, the largest church in town, so I ended up helping and transporting many people that I would come to know as friends.”

Miller worked there for several years and enjoyed it greatly, but he was committed to consistent self-improvement and continued to pursue educational opportunities. He attended several two-week courses at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland – courses such as Plan Review, Systems and

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Each year, the city of Camas rings the bell for The Salvation Army. Camas Mayor Scott Higgins, Fire Marshal’s Office Administrative Specialist Sherri Breitner, and Miller volunteered together for a shift.

When new homes were built and the builders installed sprinklers, Miller and his colleagues would be present at the open houses to point out the installation. “We would be in the garage at those open houses with a display and we would talk to people as they came out of the house and point out the sprinklers,” says Miller. “We would walk them back inside, show them the flat-cap sprinkler head. They expected to see these ugly sprinkler heads and got a pleasant surprise.”

A home in Camas that Miller helped to protect with a fire sprinkler system.

Structures, Fire Inspection Principles, Fire Investigation, and more. He also attended a year-long Building Codes class in Portland and obtained his ICC (International Code Council) certification. “I did everything I could to prepare myself,” says Miller, “and then in 2001, when an opening became available, I tested for the deputy fire marshal position and got hired. And I’ve been in this position ever since.”

In 2012 the City of Camas and the City of Washougal merged their fire departments to become the Camas-Washougal Fire Marshal’s Office, run by the City of Camas and charged with the responsibility of fire code enforcement and fire investigation in both cities. As the department grew, Miller began to take on more responsibility. His primary role has been plan review on systems and structures, as well as code review and issuing permits and conducting inspections on those systems and structures. He also conducts fire investigations and existing occupancy inspections, whenever possible.

Miller began to learn the value of residential fire sprinklers when he was just a few years into his new position as deputy fire marshal. “It’s an educational process,” says Miller. “Of course as a firefighter I had been exposed to commercial sprinklers, and of course we have a long history in the U.S. of protecting our stuff, with life safety becoming somehow secondary. But it didn’t take long to see the value of protecting lives with residential sprinklers.”

Indeed, it did not take long at all. Soon after his appointment, Miller began to lead the department in fire sprinkler advocacy.

12 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

Public education played a large part in what Miller and his colleagues accomplished. Every time they had a fire department open house, they would work to educate both the public and the home builders, setting up tables with home fire sprinkler kits, pictures of sprinklers, and 13 years of side-byside live fire sprinkler demonstrations. In 2003, they attempted to push a fire sprinkler ordinance through city council.

“The building industry came out in droves,” says Miller. “They got the Vancouver Housing Authority to step up and speak against sprinklers, and they got realtors to come in and speak against sprinklers. We had momentum for awhile, but the building industry mounted enough opposition to kill the deal.”

But out of that, Miller and his colleagues came up with an idea. They sat down with builders and developers to figure out ways to develop land that could usually be a challenge to build on because of fire access needs and other issues.

“We came up with compromises,” Miller explains. “We told them, you can have narrower streets in your subdivision, if you sprinkler it. You can have one way in, if you sprinkler it. You can have a gated community, if you sprinkler it. You can have steeper slopes or longer dead end roads or less hydrants, but you have to sprinkler the entire subdivision.”

Miller’s supervisor, Fire Marshal Ron Schumacher, was especially impressed with Miller’s ability to get sprinklers in one- and two-family homes. “He did it by working with the builders, city officials and community leaders in finding ways that were a win-win to all participants,” says Schumacher.

Miller and his four nieces.

Miller and his family in 2016.

“Smaller street widths, increasing the distance between hydrants, no additional system development fees for larger meters, and the requirement of no backflow devices helped in keeping costs down and making these life- and property-saving systems affordable.”

And it worked. For 10 years, Miller was consistently able to get a very high percentage of new homes built with sprinklers.

Even without an ordinance, 98 percent of homes in Camas and Washougal were being built with fire sprinklers, because developers wanted those deals.

Then, in 2016, Camas City Council Member Greg Anderson proposed that the department once again put forth a sprinkler ordinance, and this time it passed. The vote was unanimous, and all residential structures in Camas-Washougal are now required to be built with fire sprinklers.

Everyone who worked with Miller to get that legislation passed was quick to say how dedicated he was to the cause, especially Councilman Anderson.

“Randy’s depth of knowledge of the fire sprinkler topic, persistence, tireless number of hours of effort, attention to detail, and willingness to work with the builder/development interests in educating them, paid off when Camas adopted a 100 percent residential sprinkler ordinance,” says Councilman Anderson. “While working through the number of years it took to build council consensus, he remained cheerful and optimistic at all times. He never made it personal, but you could tell it was at the top of his professional goals. He wanted the city to adopt [residential fire sprinklers] for the safety of the residents, as well as the firefighters and first responders.”

The admiration that Council Member Anderson has for Miller is mutual. “Greg was instrumental in helping us move forward, as was the Mayor and every other councilmember that

supported him,” says Miller. “It was a 16-year process, and there were a lot of painful blows along the way. I had builders and developers go after my job, scream at me on the phone… there were some traumatic times over the years, so it was a very emotional day for me when it was a unanimous vote at the council meeting. It was a very rewarding day.”

Fire Marshal Ron Schumacher has known Miller for over 10 years and has been his supervisor for five. He is quick to give Miller credit for all the work he has done to keep Camas and Washougal safe. “Randy, with the assistance of other staff members, has overseen the installation of over 2,000 residential sprinkler system,” says Schumacher. “Not bad for a community of 20,000 people. Without Randy’s perseverance this would not have been accomplished.”

Given how much of himself he puts into making his hometown safer, it should be no surprise that Miller is deeply involved in his local community personally as well as professionally. He is active in his church and serves as a board member for the local Pathways Pregnancy Center. He regularly hosts family events at his home, like his mother’s recent 90th birthday party. “I love being part of the community,” says Miller. “I really have a sense of ownership when it comes to this community. That’s why pushing for sprinklers was a no-brainer.”

Since Miller began his work, four homes in the Camas-Washougal area have had fires that were controlled by residential sprinklers.

He is already seeing the impact of his efforts, and the results are gratifying. In addition, he has seen the pendulum of public perception swing from skepticism or even horror at the thought of home fire sprinklers, to recognition and approval. Because of the years of effort that Deputy Fire Marshal Randy Miller put into making residential fire sprinklers a reality in his community, he is able to rest easy knowing he has kept thousands of people safe.

Tracy V. Moore, president of Moore Fire Protection in Issaquah, Washington, met Miller through their mutual involvement with the Washington Residential Fire Sprinkler Coalition. Moore admits that as a fire sprinkler Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 13

sprinklers,” remembers Moore. “It worked. Camas, Washington now has an ordinance. But for years, even when they did not, most everyone thought that they did, because almost every house that was built in Camas was fully sprinklered, thanks to the tenacity, ingenuity, and creativity of Randy Miller.”

Miller and Fire Marshal Ron Schumacher enjoy golfing together.

contractor working on the opposite end of Miller’s jurisdiction, it’s unusual that he knows Miller at all. “However, Randy’s name kept coming up over and over as someone who really thought outside the box and figured out creative ways to get his community protected with fire

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AFSA’s Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year award was created to honor individuals not directly involved in the fire sprinkler industry whose efforts have had national impact in advancing life safety and property protection through the use of automatic sprinklers. Each year, AFSA’s Legislative Committee selects a recipient from a pool of nominations, with approval of the AFSA Board of Directors. This year, Miller was nominated by Kraig Kirschner of AFCON in South El Monte, California. “Many in our industry know of Mr. Miller from afar,” says Kirschner. “I am one of those, and from my perspective he is most deserving of this attribution. Randy Miller is a proponent of good fire protection and safe dwellings in spite of any influence to the contrary. Sometimes one must make a stand, though it may be difficult, in support of one’s constituents, one’s customers and one’s conscience.”

There is very little doubt that Miller has done exactly that.

“Randy Miller has had a tremendous impact on the awareness of fire sprinklers and has demonstrated a commitment to the preservation of life and property to the highest degree,” says AFSA President Frank Mortl III, CAE. “Personally, I am thrilled that Randy has been selected for this award and look forward to honoring him in person during AFSA’s General Session at our Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition!”

AFSA’s Legislative Committee Chair Ted Wills, Jr. was instrumental in selecting Miller for this award, and has only glowing words for him. “We are very pleased to be awarding the AFSA Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year award to Mr. Randy Miller, deputy fire marshal for the city of Camas, Washington,” he says. “Randy’s support of sprinklers has been relentless even in the face of opposition from builders and the real estate groups. His persistence is an example I would hope other fire officials would emulate as we push towards a fully sprinklered America.”

Miller would like everyone to know that if they find themselves in the beautiful city of Camas, they should feel free to stop by his office to talk about residential fire sprinklers, as that is one of his favorite subjects. Miller will be presented with the Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year Award during the general session at the AFSA36: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition at the Bellagio Las Vegas on September 26. Visit firesprinkler.org/convention. n

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Listed Spray Sprinklers What Else the Testing Tells Us ROLAND J. HUGGINS, PE | American Fire Sprinkler Association

A common part of our industry is the use of Listed components. Other than the general understanding that this requirement provides a level of confidence that the devices will work, we typically don’t give the subject a lot of thought. There are multiple aspects of the underlying tests, though, that can shed light on other sprinkler discussions. Since spray sprinklers are the workhorse of our industry, this article will focus on UL 199, Standard for Safety: Automatic Sprinklers for Fire Protection Service. There are over 100 pages in this document and an amazing number of characteristics tested, of which only a small portion will be addressed. To further help reduce the information, the focus is pendent sprinklers with a 5.6 K-factor.

Let’s start the discussion looking at the exposure to pressure. Have you ever had someone express concerns about exceeding 175 psi when doing the hydrostatic test? Typically, we simply say that NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, dictates doing it. Now you can add that it is exposed to much greater pressures for its listing. As part of the leakage test, the pressure is increased quickly (not greater than 300 psi/minute) to 500 psi (all values are for sprinklers with a rating of 175 psi), it’s held for one minute, and then checked for leaks. It’s also tested for rupture (which includes its operating or releasing any operating parts) by exposing it to 700 psi for one minute. If you think a minute is too short, there’s also a 30-day test at 300 psi. The rate of exposure is controlled since resisting water hammer is a separate test. It exposes the sprinkler to pressure spikes of 500 psi at a rate of 60 cycles per minute. This goes on for 100,000 cycles (almost 28 hours). There can be no signs of physical damage nor observed leaks during the test. In addition, at the 16 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

conclusion of the test, it’s exposed to the leakage test. In closing this piece of the discussion, allow me to emphasize that this is not a basis for arguing that it is okay to design to pressures slightly higher than the rating of the components. Although the sprinklers won’t fail, the rating should be viewed as a wall versus a line drawn in the sand.

Next let’s look at the K-factor. For those who have been at the game a little while, back in the 1996 edition, we calculated the flow with a specific K-factor that was defined in the manufacturer’s cut-sheet. This perceived precision allowed some sprinkler models to require less pressure. In the 1999 edition, this was changed to a nominal K-factor. Considering how it’s determined, it’s interesting that it was ever so specifically defined. The K-factor is calculated by measuring the flow at a multitude of pressure points.

It starts at 7 psi, goes to 10 psi, then increased in 5 psi increments to 50 psi, and finally increased in 10 psi increments to 100 psi. Since 15 test points is obviously not enough, the test is continued by decreasing the pressures in the same pattern. The K-factor is calculated at each point then averaged.

The values vary and can go outside the range dictated by NFPA 13 but not by very much since all values must be within 5 percent of the average. For example, if the average were 5.3, individual points could be as low as 5.035 and no higher than 5.565. A final note addresses dry-type sprinklers.

Although they can be up to 4-ft long, the K-factor is calculated using the shortest length available from the manufacturer.

Another item that occasionally pops up is the discussion on engineering the density needed to control the fire.

Ignoring the issue about the ability to

fire model the interface between the water droplet and the fire, let’s talk about the ability to identify the density hitting the floor. Let’s first look at how well the water stays within the parabolic shape of the sprinkler discharge. We can answer this question by looking at the 10-pan distribution test. It uses a single row of 12-in. x 12-in. pans located 4-ft below the deflector that rotates at one revolution per minute. At this level, the acceptable discharge pattern is a 16-ft diameter circle. With 15 gpm flowing (for up to a K-5.6 and 21 gpm for K-8.0), the test is run for 10 minutes or until any one pan is full. The density for each pan is then calculated. The criterion for this test is that the density beyond the 16-ft diameter (the eighth pan) cannot exceed 0.03 gpm/ft2. With an average density inside the 16-ft circle of 0.746 gpm/ft2 that means the worst case scenario (that being both the ninth and tenth pans being at 0.03 gpm/ft2 with a cumulative 0.06 gpm/ft2) would be about 92 percent of the water inside the 16-ft dimension. This test, though, doesn’t tell us what the distribution is throughout the area. The pan is rotating so it will tell us the average discharge by distance from the center but it can’t identify if there are dryer or wetter portions throughout each arc of the circle. Additionally, there is no defined tolerance on the density between the pans inside the 16-ft diameter. There is an additional distribution test using 16 pans that identifies the minimum collection across the area. The 12-in. x 12-in. pans are grouped as a 4-ft x 4-ft box located 7-ft 6-in. below the deflector. This test requires a minimum average collection for all the pans (of 0.15 gpm/ft2 for a K-5.6) and no individual pan can be less than 75 percent of the assigned density. This doesn’t help define the density per individual square foot of floor space because the pans are centered between

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four sprinklers with a 10-ft x 10-ft spacing. As such, it is collecting water only from the outer half of the discharge pattern (with the first pan being a little over 4 ft from the centerline of a sprinkler) and there are varying degrees of overlapping discharge from the multiple sprinklers. The bottom line is that we know we are getting a good distribution of water but we cannot say with precision what is really hitting any particular portion of the floor.

Let’s now turn our attention to tests that look at sprinkler performance. This consists of activation and ability to control the fire. A quick look at activation covers the temperature rating and thermal sensitivity. The temperature rating is verified with a bath test that uses water for lower ratings and oil for higher ratings (>175°F). The

UL STANDARDS TECHNICAL PANEL Underwriters Laboratories’ (UL) Standards Technical Panels (STPs) are an important part of the process by which UL develops and maintains its standards for safety. An STP is a group of individuals, representing a variety of interests, formed to review proposals related to UL standards for safety. The development of ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and UL standards for safety greatly benefits from the expertise of individuals interested in the products affected by ANSI/UL standards.

UL standards are recognized nationally and internationally as the benchmarks for product safety.

The Standards Technical Panels (STPs) provide UL with the means to receive early input from those who are interested in the standards development process. AFSA Senior Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services Roland J. Huggins, PE and Senior Manager of Fire Protection Engineering Tom Wellen, PE are both members of several UL STPs. For more information, visit ulstandards.ul.com/ develop-standards/stps.

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sprinkler is placed in the bath which is then heated at a convenient rate (great phrase) until it is within 20°F of the rating (for higher ratings it’s within 30°F). It’s then raised at a sedate one degree per minute until it activates. The criterion is that it must be within 3.5 percent of the rating (for sprinklers rated up to 400°F). So if it’s rated at 175°F, it must operate between 168.9°F and 181.1°F. The next step is the thermal sensitivity. This test uses an air oven (effectively a looped ducted assembly) where the temperature and air velocity are controlled. This allows the response time index (RTI) to be verified based upon the time to activation. A 175°F quick-response sprinkler must activate within 12.1 seconds whereas a 212°F quick-response sprinkler can take 18.2 seconds (both use the same air temperature of 386°F). A 175°F standard-response sprinkler cannot operate faster than 19.4 seconds (that equates to an RTI of 80) nor slower than 84.8 seconds (that equates to an RTI of 350). This puts into perspective how much greater an impact the RTI has on activation than temperature rating.

Finally, let’s move on to the test that evaluates the ability to control the fire.

This is just for spray sprinklers (with up to a 8.0 K-factor with larger K-factors being addressed by the storage tests) that effectively address use with the occupancy hazard approach. It’s the 350-lb wood crib fire test. Sprinklers listed for storage are subjected to a larger fire in a rack assembly (granted the lower density storage applications use the standard spray sprinklers without a storage fire test). The wood crib is 4 ft x 4 ft and 21-in. high and constructed of layers of 2 x 4s, 4 x 4s, and 4 x 6s. There are large air gaps between the lumber and the alternating layers are rotated 90 degrees. This creates a lot of surface area and airflow presenting a robust fire. The impressive part is that there is an atomizing heptane torch beneath the crib that is flowing 0.9 gpm (burning the duration of the test). Just like the 16-pan fire test, there are four sprinklers spaced at 10 ft x 10 ft and the crib is centered between them. The test is run twice with each sprinkler discharging 15 gpm for one and 25 gpm for the

other (with larger flows for larger K-factors and extended coverage sprinklers). Although it’s easy to assume that if it passes at the lower flow, it will always pass at the higher flow. That’s not always the case.

Though rare, there have been cases where the increase in pressure changes the discharge pattern enough to fail the test. The test is run for 30 minutes with the sprinklers turned on after one minute from igniting the torch or the ceiling temperature reaching 1,400°F. The criteria are that the wood loss cannot exceed 20 percent and the ceiling temperature must be no more than 530°F above ambient within five minutes of starting sprinkler discharge. The temperature can oscillate around this value but it cannot exceed it for more than three consecutive minutes and the overall average cannot exceed it.

There are a ton of other tests that provide assurance that sprinklers will reliably operate for a long period of time. An understanding of these other tests can also shed some light on other aspects of the industry such as the basis for the allowed activation times on quick-response sprinklers for the 20-year field service test. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Roland Huggins, PE is senior vice president, engineering & technical services for the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). As part of the executive team he provides guidance on external operations regarding technical elements within the industry. His primary roles include defining technical positions for AFSA, directing the effort to improve the NFPA standards that drive the installation and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems covering 28 NFPA standards and 38 representatives, as well as oversight on all technical services in support of AFSA members. Roland is a graduate of the University of Maryland and registered in Fire Protection Engineering.

He is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), has served on the NFPA Standards Council, and is a member of multiple NFPA technical committees. Other NFPA activities have included participating on the editing of the Sprinkler Handbook and the Fire Protection Handbook. His national activities involve the NFPA Research Foundation, UL Standard Technical Panels, and NICET. Additionally, Roland is a proud United States military veteran.

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Moore Named 2017 Young Professional of the Year Third-Generation Contractor Dreams of a More Beautiful World NICOLE DUVALL | American Fire Sprinkler Association

Her whole life, Tiffany Moore has sought to make the world a better, more beautiful place – literally and figuratively. The third-generation fire sprinkler contractor grew up with one foot firmly rooted in fire protection and the other in the world of art in Issaquah, Washington – a historic mining town 15 miles southeast of Seattle.

Now, the 32-year-old director of operations at Moore Fire Protection is blazing her own path in the fire protection world through her involvement with the Washington Fire Sprinkler Coalition, the American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Pacific Northwest Chapter, and the AFSA’s NextGen Initiative.

For these reasons, AFSA is pleased to announce that Tiffany Moore of Moore Fire Protection in Issaquah has been elected by her peers as recipient of AFSA’s 2017 Young Professional of the Year (YPY) award. The award highlights the efforts of a young and talented fire protection professional, who is under 40 and demonstrates exemplary technical, professional and inclusive leadership skills not only in their own businesses, but also at a national level. The second annual award will be presented during the general session of AFSA36: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition at the Bellagio Las Vegas.

Be What You Desire She grew up around her family’s fire sprinkler business, but her mother was an artist. “Those were the two worlds I was around, and I chose the art path and went to school [at Rhode Island School of Design to study Illustration],” Moore recalled of her start. “It was 2007 when I graduated, so right before the economic crash.”

Struggling to find employment in the recession, Moore reluctantly accepted a position as a receptionist at her father’s fire sprinkler contracting business. “I basically I told myself I would work there a year, get myself put together, and then move on. But once I started working for Moore Fire, I absolutely loved it. I’m really good at knowing how to organize things, how to develop systems, how to make things more efficient. I started implementing all these changes. I quickly rose to become my dad’s right-hand person, and I just fell in love with the industry.”

Over the last five years, Tiffany Moore has helped grow Moore Fire from a small family business to a growing player in the Pacific Northwest. She started by hiring staff and doing something very millennial – she brought technology into the workplace.

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AFSA’s 2017 Young Professional of the Year is Tiffany Moore of Moore Fire Protection in Issaquah, Washington.

“The first major change that I made was the office was very old school when I started,” Moore recounted. “In the beginning, basically my job was physically filing paper work and drawings. It took forever.”

Moore realized she could quickly scan every piece of paperwork in the office into an electronic filing system and move Moore Fire to the point where they were no longer paper bound. Next came a new online project management system along with a few other technological upgrades, and suddenly, Moore Fire was much more efficient.

Balancing Art and Business A couple years after Moore started at Moore Fire, her father Tracy got involved with their local AFSA Pacific Northwest Chapter. “[My dad] and I go hand-in-hand, helping each other and being a team. After a couple years, he started bringing me to [chapter meetings to] see if I could implement any new changes, like helping with the website or social media,” Moore said, thinking back to her start with AFSA. After quickly refreshing their communications and marketing efforts and joining social media, the chapter started seeing results with increased attendance and membership. Ron

Meaghen Wills; Ray Fremont, Jr.; and Moore have fun while getting work done with the NextGen Initiative.

Moore and her fiancé Kevin Iacolucci are planning a November wedding.

Greenman of the AFSA Pacific Northwest Chapter said of the up-and-comer: “Her enthusiasm, drive, and creativity has brought the chapter into the 21st century, giving us a social media presence, re-invigorating the chapter newsletter, and creating a chapter branding. Tiffany Moore is inexhaustible.”

Fire Marshal Jeff LaFlam of the Northshore Fire Department, Northshore, Washington, who heads the Coalition, says Moore has been a tremendous asset. “Tiffany brings a special energy and commitment to her work that makes me feel good about passing the torch of fire sprinkler advocacy to the next generation.”

From the local AFSA chapter, her father introduced her to the Washington Fire Sprinkler Coalition in hopes that she could use her design talents to further the fire sprinkler cause. At the time, the Coalition was trying to pass legislation in Washington for a fire sprinkler mandate in residential homes, which ultimately did not pass.

It’s a Beautiful Time to Save Lives Moore is constantly seeking to see beauty and opportunity in the common things in life. In 2014, her father and Pacific Northwest Chapter Chair Tracy Moore traveled to AFSA headquarters in Dallas for a Chapter Leadership Conference where he met Meaghen Wills of Anchor Fire Protection in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania and chairwoman of AFSA’s new NextGen Initiative, its young professionals group.

Moore said, “Everybody was really frustrated. They went back to the drawing board to think of a new way to approach this.

Part of why we were denied was because the state was saying, ‘Why do we need to do it as a whole when you already have the ability to do it city by city?’”

Then, the idea for the Best Practices guide was presented. Fire Marshal Todd Short of the Redmond Fire Department in Redmond, Washington explained, “Tiffany has demonstrated an ability to take conceptual ideas and incorporate them into finished products. She formatted and provided the design of our state’s Best Practices Guide for the Installation of Residential Fire Sprinklers, an important work that is providing Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) an ability to achieve consistency in applying NFPA 13D.” In fact, the guide was so successful that it was featured at a Washington State Fire Marshal retreat, and the Coalition couldn’t be happier. Jeffrey Hudson, a field representative with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) based in DeSoto, Kansas said: “Tiffany has worked tirelessly for the Washington Fire Sprinkler Coalition to make sure that people of all walks of life and of all ages are more protected from fire by making this affordable technology and minimum building code standard adopted everywhere.”

Thinking NextGen sounded like something his daughter would enjoy, Tracy Moore suggested she reach out to Wills. “I called Meaghen because I had some questions about project management. It was the first time I met someone my age in a similar position doing exactly what I was doing. It showed me ‘wow, this is what the NextGen is about.’”

Moore works with the Washington Fire Sprinkler Coalition to educate fire officials about residential sprinkler systems and compliance with NFPA 13D. Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 21

Moore and fellow female chapter leaders and staff gathered during the Leadership Conference in Fort Worth, Texas earlier this year.

“I am really excited about Public Education & Awareness, because I feel like I can bring my illustration knowledge and marketing knowledge to help me create some different perspectives to generate awareness for our industry,” Moore mused. “For the Membership Committee, I love the idea of helping to grow our membership.”

Moore has combined her love of and talent in fine arts and dedication to the fire protection message into meaningful works such as this one.

When then-Chairman Joe Heinrich of Bamford Fire Sprinkler Co. in Salina, Kansas started NextGen, Wills and Moore took on the leadership role and started immediately recruiting members. AFSA Board Secretary and Director Linda Biernacki of Fire Tech Systems, Shreveport, Louisiana recalled, “I am personally excited about our young women leaders taking the initiative to get our under 40 members involved in the industry. Tiffany Moore is a go-getter. She is always willing to help and never backs down from a challenge.”

The group slowly began to gain traction on the national stage, but it wasn’t until the national convention in Phoenix that year that things really started to come together for the NextGen. At dinner one night with other NextGen volunteers, Moore remembered, “It was a great conversation talking about millennials in our industry, what we’re doing, why we’re here, what we are trying to do with NextGen. The whole convention got me really excited for everything we were doing. That gave me the foothold to AFSA national committees because of the introductions I made through Meaghen.”

In addition to serving as vice chair of the NextGen Initiative, Moore serves on three national AFSA committees: Apprenticeship & Education, Membership & Chapter Development, and Public Education & Awareness.

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First Vice Chair of the AFSA Board of Directors and Chair of the Membership Committee Wayne Weisz of Cen-Cal Fire Systems in Lodi, California, says he has enjoyed watching Moore grow and gain confidence on the national stage. “She started off understandably a little shy, but as her confidence has grown, her input has become very insightful and helpful.

When the NexGen group started to form, Tiffany got on board right away. She has become a respected leader within the very exciting and fast-growing NextGen group. Tiffany has a great attitude and a real passion for this association and the sprinkler industry as a whole. It is so nice to see a young person of her caliber come along and want to get involved with her industry.”

As she looks forward, Moore sees an increased need for programming, like the NextGen Initiative. “We’re going to be the next generation in the fire sprinkler industry regardless if we’re taught and trained or not. We’re trying to bridge that gap between the older and younger generation to retain and build upon the wealth of knowledge from the previous generation, to ensure the continual growth of our industry and never take a step back.”

The fire sprinkler industry – and AFSA – is growing, and as more baby boomers head towards retirement, the NextGen Initiative will become more impactful in the future of the industry.

“One of my favorite things about being involved in the fire sprinkler industry is that I get to meet and work with quality, passionate people, and Tiffany is certainly no exception,” Lainey Liotta of Tyco Fire Protection Products, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, said. “Tiffany’s passion for the

industry, and life in general, is evident in everything she takes on. Her creativity and knack for thinking outside of the box has not only helped her to become a respected voice within the fire sprinkler industry, but also be tremendously effective in educating younger generations within the community about the importance of fire protection.”

In five years, Moore hopes she is running Moore Fire alongside her father and working on a children’s book. “If I could create a children’s book now about the importance of fire sprinklers, I could really leave a mark for our industry in the world. I believe that creating awareness in young minds about the importance of fire sprinklers is how you make worldwide change for our future generations.”

Honoring a Bright Future Good leaders are innovators, forging a path for others to follow. Great leaders, however, inspire others to aim higher, dream bigger, and achieve greater.

“Tiffany’s abilities to seek positive outcomes and tackle challenging issues that others typically pass on have endeared her to fellow contractor representatives around the country, across all age spectrums,” says AFSA President Frank Mortl III, CAE. “Serving as an inspiration to NextGen advocates while offering a range of perspectives to more seasoned volunteers has placed Tiffany in a position to shape industry programming and impactful initiatives for years to come.”

The Young Professional of the Year award honors the contributions of promising fire protection specialists and serves to reaffirm the growing importance of fire sprinkler knowledge among the next generation of industry leaders.

NextGen Initiative Chair Meaghen Wills of Anchor Fire Protection, Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania and 2016 Young Professional of the Year said, “Tiffany’s enthusiasm for the fire sprinkler industry is apparent in everything she does. Her work with Washington State on fire sprinkler education, volunteering her time with the Pacific Northwest Chapter, and her leadership in the NextGen Initiative has propelled her to where she is today. She is a leading young professional in our industry.”

The award also seeks to promote the emergence of young, talented professionals and inspire companies to invest even more in the development and excellence of the profession.

NextGen Initiative member Amanda Rehker of BlazeMaster, Cleveland, Ohio recounted: “It has been a pleasure watching Meaghen and Tiffany work as a team to bring NextGen to the next level. Tiffany is one of the most welcoming individuals I have ever met, and she has such a strong passion to help grow the fire protection industry.”

The Young Professional of the Year second annual award will be presented to Moore during the general reception Tuesday, September 26 at AFSA36: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition in Las Vegas. n

Roberto Rios, Jr. Receives Honorable Mention Roberto Rios Jr. of Symons Fire Protection in Poway, California has been selected as the Honorable Mention winner for AFSA’s Young Professional of the Year award.

Rios started at Symons Fire Protection as a steel fitter in 2011, and within his first year of employment he was running the biggest jobs that the company took on.

“Everything we threw at him he excelled at,” says Jamil Shamoon, vice president of Symons Fire Protection. “He has continued to excel in the industry as a leader and problem solver. I have had the pleasure of watching him grow from a fitter all the way into project management, sales and estimating. When we look at young professionals in our organization, he exemplifies the American dream of being able to go as far you want in life with hard work and dedication.”

In 2012, Rios was promoted to a superintendent position running the entire commercial side of Symons Fire Protection. He has been surpassing expectations in that position ever since. When told he had received Honorable Mention, Rios was thrilled.

“The simple fact that my boss nominated me for an award gives me the satisfaction of knowing that my hard work is not overlooked,” says Rios. “Sometimes we think that because we don’t get that pat on the back, we are not appreciated. To me, the littlest things count more than a public recognition.”

Rios’ mentor once told him that success doesn’t come from what you occasionally do, it comes from what you do constantly. “So he told me it’s important to work hard and do what you like,” says Rios, “and I have been for the last 17 years. I am happy, I am grateful to have such a great place to work, and to be allowed to do what I love to do: fire protection.”

The Young Professional of the Year award is intended to recognize the efforts of an outstanding young fire sprinkler professional. This award will be presented to a young professional that has made great strides and contributions to the fire protection industry since entering the business, and can be either a contractor, manufacturer, or supplier.

Nominations must be submitted to AFSA via email to AFSA Director of Communications Nicole Duvall at nduvall@firesprinkler.org, or mailed to: AFSA, Attn: Award Nominations, 12750 Merit Drive, Suite 350, Dallas, TX 75251. A letter stating which award the nomination is for, the nominee’s name and contact information, and a brief statement of why he or she is deserving is all that is required. Guidelines for recommendation are: • Nominations can be made by any employee of an AFSA member in good standing.

• Self-nominations are prohibited.

• Nominees must be 40 and under as of December 31 of the award year.

• Nominees must be employed by an AFSA member company at the time of the presentation to receive the award.

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Explore the Largest U.S. Fire Sprinkler Exhibit AFSA36 Features Top Manufacturers, Suppliers in the Fire Sprinkler Industry The American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) 36th Annual Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition (AFSA36) is offering this year’s largest display of fire sprinkler products and services in the country! Visit Las Vegas and the top fire sprinkler industry manufacturers and suppliers September 24-27 at the Bellagio Las Vegas. This year’s event will feature 114 companies in 144 booths, 45 technical and mana-

gerial seminars, the National Apprentice Competition, fun-filled optional tours, and entertaining social events! This is three days with 600-plus decision makers, representing 200-plus contractor companies – a valuable opportunity to grow your business, your contacts and your knowledge!

Exhibits and Engagements Meet new faces and reconnect with friends as

you visit companies from around the globe, each exhibiting innovative products and services in the industry.

Leading manufacturers and suppliers will present the latest technology during two exhibit hall sessions: the ever-popular Chairman’s Reception on Tuesday, September 26 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and the unopposed Exhibit Hall afternoon Wednesday, September 27 from 12:303:30 p.m.

AFSA 2017 Convention Exhibitors (as of June 6, 2017)

A-C Fire Pump Systems, Dallas, TX AFCON, South El Monte, CA AFSA, Dallas, TX AGF Manufacturing, Inc., Malvern, PA American AVK Company, Minden, NV American Backflow Products Co., Tallahassee, FL AMES – A Watts Brand, North Andover, MA Amtrol, West Warwick, RI Anvil International LLC, Exeter, NH ARGCO, Carlsbad, CA Armstrong Pumps Inc., North Tonawanda, NY ASCO Power Technologies/Firetrol Brand Products, Cary, NC ASURIO, Inc., Broomfield, CO Backflow Direct LLC, Rancho Cordova, CA BlazeMaster, Breckville, OH Blue River Underwriters, Dallas, TX Brecco Corporation, Phoenix, AZ Buckeye Fire Equipment, Arlington, TX BuildingReports, Suwanee, GA Bull Moose Tube Company, Chesterfield, MO C-Aire, Dresser, WI Center for Life Safety Education, Dallas, TX Chengdu Wesson Tech Co., Ltd., Chengdu, China Cintas Corporation, Mason, OH Cla-Val, Costa Mesa, CA Clarke Fire Protection Products, Inc., Cincinnati, OH Croker Division: Fire-End & Croker Corp., Elmsford, NY CST Storage, Kansas City, MO Dixon Fire, Chestertown, MD Doringer Cold Saws, Gardena, CA Dyne Technologies LLC, Woodbury, MN EasyFlex, Garden Grove, CA Eaton, Highland, IL Eaton Corporation, Airdrie, Alberta, Canada EJ2 Engineering Group, Inc., Peoria, AZ Elkhart Brass Manufacturing, Elkhart, IN Engineered Corrosion Solutions, St. Louis, MO Ferguson Fire and Fabrication, Newport News, VA

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Fire Protection Products, Inc., Carlsbad, CA Fire Tech Productions, Centerville, OH Fivalco, Inc., Anaheim, CA FlexHead Industries, Holliston, MA General Air Products Inc., Exton, PA Global Vision, Inc., Osseo, MN Globe Fire Sprinkler Corporation, Standish, MI Guardian Fire Equipment, Inc., Miami, FL Gulf Coast Tank and Construction, Wallis, TX Harrington, Inc., Erie, PA HD Supply Fire Protection, St. Louis, MO Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, Frankfort, IL Hose Monster Company, Lake Zurich, IL HRS Systems, Inc., Petersburg, TN Hydratec, Inc., Windham, NH Independence Tube, Chicago, IL Inspect Point, Troy, NY Jet Industries, Phoenix, AZ JG Innovations, Inc., Janesville, WI Job Gmbh, Ahrensburg, HA, Germany Johnson Controls, Lansdale, PA Landsdale International, Westville, NJ Loos & Company, Inc., Naples, FL Kinger Industry, Inc., City of Industry, CA M.E.P. Cad, Henderson, NV Metraflex Company, Chicago, IL Milwaukee Valve Co., New Berlin, WI MobileEyes (TradeMaster, Inc), Troy, MI National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA NCCER, Alachua, FL NICET, Alexandria, VA Noble Company, Spring Lake, MI Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK Pace Machinery Group, Inc., Wasco, IL Pace Supply, Corp., Rohnert Park, CA Paragon Industries, Inc., Sapulpa, OK Patterson Pump Company, Toccoa, GA Peerless Pump Company, Indianapolis, IN Pentair CADDY, Solon, OH

Pentair Flow Technologies, LLC, Delavan, WI Permabond Engineering Adhesives, Somerset, NJ PHD Manufacturing, Inc., Columbiana, OH Potter Electric Signal Company, LLC, St. Louis, MO Potter Roemer, City of Industry, CA Project DocControl, Tampa, FL Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co., Inc., Elmsford, NY RIDGID, Elyria, OH Seneca College – School of Fire Protection, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ServiceTrade, Inc., Durham, NC SIGMA Piping Products, Houston, TX Smith-Cooper International, Commerce, CA Solberg, Green Bay, WI South-Tek Systems, Wilmington, NC Spears Manufacturing Company, Sylmar, CA SPP Pumps, Norcross, GA Superior Tank Co., Inc., Rosenberg, TX System Sensor, Lansdale, PA Talco Fire, Portland, OR Texas Manufacturing Company, Whitesboro, TX The Hose Monster Company, Lake Zurich, IL Tigerflow Systems, LLC, Tulsa, OK Tornatech International, Inc., Montreal, QC UL, LLC, Northbrook, IL United Brass Works, Inc., Randleman, NC United Fire Systems, Kenilworth, NJ Uponor, Apple Valley, MN US Saws, Tampa, FL Vandewater International Inc., Plantation, FL Victaulic, Easton, PA Viega, LLC, Broomfield, CO Viking Corporation, Hastings, MI W.S. Carley, Itasca, IL Wheatland Tube, a division of Zekelman Industries, Chicago, IL Wheeler-Rex, Ashtabula, OH Winsupply, Dayton, OH Zurn Wilkins, Paso Robles, CA

The Chairman’s Reception is the most anticipated event at AFSA’s annual convention. AFSA Chairman of the Board Mike Meehan, VSC Fire & Security, Virginia Beach, Virginia, will host the reception and will offer the first look at this year’s exhibits. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will be served as you visit with manufacturers and suppliers.

The next afternoon, the hall will open once again to attendees. The National Apprentice Competition sprinkler installation practical test will take place in the hall during this time and convention goers will be able to watch as the top seven apprentices cut, thread and install a steel and plastic pipe system with sprinklers. Judges will perform a pressure test on each system and calculate points earned in this phase of the competition. You will have the opportunity to watch this competition to the end and decide for yourself who you think the judges will deem most successful.

Then join AFSA Wednesday night as the Apprentice Competition champion is crowned during a party for the ages.

Our “Rat Pack” theme will feature music by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Marilyn Monroe.

The era of their greatest tabloid fame coincided with the “Mad Men” ‘50s into the ‘60s when, in retrospect, things seemed simpler and a particular kind of jet-set culture was captured in their antics. A night of fun that includes dinner, drinks and live entertainment will cap off the convention. Be there to see to whose name is added to the AFSA Apprentice “Hall of Fame” plaque and takes home the top prize – the title of the nation’s top fire sprinkler apprentice and $5,000 cash.

Networking Night and Day In addition to the evening events where you will mingle and visit with industry peers, the days of AFSA’s convention are filled with opportunities as well!

For contractors and exhibitors with an “all access” registration, three hot breakfasts and three hot lunches are provided. Contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers can gather together to

AFSA 36: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition welcomes you to Las Vegas! This year’s theme is AFSA + Vegas: A Winning Combination and promises to offer your best bet for networking, education, and contacts within the fire sprinkler industry.

share ideas and share information on products while enjoying a great meal together. This meal offer is valid for one breakfast and one lunch per night reserved at the Bellagio Las Vegas in the AFSA group block.

AFSA’s NextGen Initiative also offers opportunities to interact with professionals 40 and under. A full day of networking will be offered September 25 with a “Leading Across the Generations” workshop offering CEU and CPD credits, a reserved seating luncheon with NextGen members, and an evening reception with AFSA’s Young Professional of the Year and other emerging young professional leaders. The reception is a great opportunity to share your insights and chat with AFSA Board of Directors while building your network with the AFSA NextGen Initiative. The relationships you make here could last a business lifetime! For more information and to join the NextGen, visit firesprinkler.org/NextGen. Optional tours are another way to connect and have fun with fellow

industry members. Try out clay target shooting in the rolling desert terrain; float 12 miles of the Colorado River through Black Canyon and see Hoover Dam, one of the seven man-made wonders of the world; operate huge Caterpillar bulldozers and excavators in a giant construction playground; or zip line through the desert landscape down a series of four different cables at over 50 mph. If you prefer to flex your culinary skills, then check out the Tuscany Kitchen Cooking Competitions. Participate in one or all three days of team challenges, enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and compete to win a Bellagio gift certificate!

It’s the Bellagio, Baby! Convention attendees be sure and book your stay at this year’s convention headquarter hotel – Bellagio Las Vegas – and be transported to an elegant European resort. Take one step onto the fountainfronted property and you will instantly find yourself amid lavish rooms, award-winning restaurants, and a luxurious spa, all the while surrounded by works from the world’s most Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 25

renowned artists. From the natural light bathing the lobby through glass ceilings to the fresh flowers and trees of the Bellagio Conservatory and Gardens, everything about Bellagio tells you that you’re not in Las Vegas anymore!

Guests will enjoy first-rate dining options, exclusive shopping at Via Bellagio, and exciting nightlife at The

Bank and Hyde Bellagio. In addition to the free breakfast and lunch offer for “all access” convention registrants, the entire AFSA room block is located just steps away from all meeting spaces.

AFSA’s group rate for Bellagio Las Vegas is $249 per night plus tax for a deluxe city view and $279 per night plus tax for a deluxe fountain view (limited availability). Call (888) 987-6667 to make your reservations.

TOP 10 REASONS TO ATTEND AFSA36 1. GET INSPIRED by our line-up of nationally recognized speakers. The industry’s biggest and best, provides the most bang for the buck with prominent panelists as well as expert industry practitioners with topics and tips to help you remain strong, competitive and profitable during uncertain times.

2. GET CEU/CPDs at relevant workshops. Offering three jammed-packed days of intensive, record-breaking 45 educational and managerial seminars, the AFSA show provides an unparalleled opportunity for attendees to earn CEU/CPD credits. With concurrent seminars, you’ll want to bring several people from your company.

3. BE UP-TO-DATE ON NEW STANDARDS Learn the ins-and-outs of the 2016 editions of NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, and NFPA 14. Plus, get a preview of the 2017 edition of NFPA 25 and the 2019 edition of NFPA 13. Don’t get burned from a lack of knowledge. System design professionals will benefit from a working knowledge of this process, and it is especially important for those involved in the design-build market.

4. GET MORE, FOR LESS For contractors and exhibitors with an “all access” registration, three hot breakfasts and three hot lunches are provided free. Contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers can gather together to share ideas and share information on products while enjoying a great meal together. This meal offer is valid for one breakfast and one lunch per night reserved at the Bellagio Las Vegas in the AFSA group block.

5. LEARN THE TRICKS AND TRAPS before you take steps to expand your business plan into other areas such as inspections, residential, or storage or with dozens of member-driven educational sessions with hundreds of ideas. AFSA guarantees that you will leave the convention with solutions, strategies, and creative ideas to incorporate into your business.

6. MAKE CONNECTIONS that will last throughout your career. The networking events and social opportunities at AFSA36 are incredibly popular and a useful place to start making connections.

PARTICIPATE in the seminars, ATTEND the 26 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

general session, WALK the exhibition hall, NETWORK at the Chairman’s Reception, ENJOY the Rat Pack-themed show, and APPLAUD the winners at the awards party.

7. TRACK INDUSTRY TRENDS that can affect your business. Attending the AFSA36 allows you to glean information about current and future trends. The information learned can easily give you a leg up on your competition.

8. MEGA EXHIBIT HALL As host to the industry’s largest and most comprehensive exposition featuring products and services of more than 100 companies from across the globe, AFSA’s exhibition is a proven opportunity for people to connect with great prospects as well as grow and cultivate their existing networks.

9. DISCOVER LAS VEGAS Experience the best of the city at Bellagio Las Vegas. Take one step onto the fountain-fronted property and you will instantly find yourself amid lavish rooms, awardwinning restaurants, and a luxurious spa, all the while surrounded by works from the world’s most renowned artists. Best of all, with the special room rate negotiated for the 2017 convention, you’ll enjoy this luxury for no more -–and in many cases, much less – than other hotels in the surrounding area.

10. A LASTING IMPACT So many resources to explore, with access to speakers and workshops on a multitude of industry- and businessrelated topics – this event has the potential to equip and inspire you to make a lasting difference in your business (and add to your bottom line).

NEED ONE LAST REASON TO ATTEND? 11. SUPPORT YOUR ASSOCIATION by attending the convention. AFSA is a member-driven organization and we depend on and value your membership. AFSA36 content is a direct result of your input, participation and investment.

AFSA is confident that you will make a profit on your investment with the learning, networking, trade show and social opportunities available at the 2017 AFSA convention.

Group rates are available September 21-30, 2017, but reservations must be made by August 25, 2017, to ensure AFSA convention rates. After August 25, 2017, room rates are based on availability. Be sure to ask booking agent to confirm your reservation includes both the resort fee and complimentary Internet.

Register Now to Save! For those attending the full convention, the regular registration deadline is August 11, 2017. Register by that date to save the most! Late registration dates, with higher fees, are August 12-31, 2017. After September 1, registrations must be made onsite at the convention registration desk in Las Vegas, but fees higher than online rates will be incurred. You can read details about and register to attend all convention-related events online at firesprinkler.org/convention. n EDITOR’S NOTE: For companies who would like to get in on the excitement, there may still be exhibit space available.

Potential exhibitors are encouraged to contact AFSA’s Vice President of Meetings & Operations Marlene Garrett as soon as possible via phone (214) 349-5965 ext. 118 or email mgarrett@firesprinkler.org to discuss availability.

HOTEL RESERVATION ALERT! AFSA has been made aware of third-party vendors soliciting AFSA exhibitors and attendees posing as our housing vendor. These companies mislead you to think they are working on our behalf. Companies that use this tactic include Exhibitor Hotel Reservation Services (EHR), Global Housing, and National Travel Associates. They are not endorsed by or affiliated with AFSA or its show and entering into financial agreements with such companies can have costly consequences such as no hotel reservations and no free networking meals nor complimentary internet access. To receive full AFSA hotel benefits, you must book directly with the hotel by phone or using the link found on AFSA’s convention website at firesprinkler.org/convention.

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Listing of Hanging and Bracing Components Understanding the Testing Standards TOM WELLEN, PE | American Fire Sprinkler Association

What is behind a listing? We know the components are tested, but to what degree? This information can help if an Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is questioning the loading of an application using a listed support or brace. This article will provide some background of what the components go through for listing and provide an overview of two different Underwriter Laboratories (UL) testing standards: UL 203, Pipe Hanger Equipment for Fire Protection Service for Fire Protection System Supports, and UL 203A, Sway Brace Devices for Sprinkler System Piping for Seismic Applications.

Since UL is generating testing standards, it’s important that the testing standards are credible. It needs to be mentioned that UL doesn’t generate the standards on their own. The standards also have Standards Technical Panels (STPs) consisting of manufacturers and other fire protection industry representatives. The STPs serve as the consensus body for both American National Standards (ANS) and National Standards of Canada (NSC). The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredits the UL testing standards in the USA. For Canada, this is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and enables UL to develop documents for the National Standards of Canada (NSCs).

UL 203 will be covered first. Its scope addresses the performance of pipe hangers for use in supporting sprinkler systems, water-spray systems, and other piping used for protection.

Similar to Chapter 9 of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, the UL standards do not cover products fabricated from iron or steel rods such as U-type hangers, hanger rods, and coach screw rods. The minimum hanger rod sizes in the standard align with the requirements of Chapter 9 of NFPA 13.

The components that make up the hangers have to be made of ferrous materials. (See Figure 1.) As such, there are no burn tests applied to these components. There is an exception for nonferrous materials, such as plastics, where further evaluation would be required for exposure to fire and aging. The thickness of the iron or steel has to be at least 3/16 in. An exception is when a protective coating is applied. The other exceptions to the minimum thickness are retaining straps, clevis-type hangers or other flat iron hangers from steel at least 1/8-in. thick, C-clamps that meet other UL criteria, and pressed-steel concrete inserts at least 1/8-in. thick. When the metallic 28 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

coating is applied to the component, the coating goes through a thickness test. Acid is mixed with distilled water and a water droplet is applied at a rate of 100 (+5) drops per minute. Each sample is subjected to three or more points on the component. The test is run until there is a first appearance of the base metal shown by a change of color. A thickness of coating factor is applied and multiplied by the time in seconds required to expose the base metal.

The hanger has to support a load Figure 1. Hangers have to be made so a pull test is applied. The of ferrous materials. weight of metallic pipe is calculated for a span of 15 ft and multiplied by 5 and a fixed load 250 pounds-force (lb-f ) is added. The alternative is to apply a table within the testing standard of the pull test loads for metallic pipe. The minimum load for a hanger is 750 lb-f starting at the 3/4-in. nominal pipe size. The loads increase up to 7900 lb-f for larger pipe sizes to 12-in. nominal pipe size.

Thermoplastic pipe has lesser loads for hangers where the weight is calculated for the maximum span of water-filled plastic pipe multiplied by 5 plus a fixed load 250 lbs-f that is applied. A table is also provided for plastic pipe as an alternative for the pull test load requirements. The table starts with 1/2-in. nominal pipe size with a load of 340 lb-f up to 4-in. nominal pipe size with a load of 750 lb-f. Riser clamps are also included in this test where the riser clamp is tightened to the torque value indicated by the manufacturer.

This ensures that when a listed hanger is used for the appropriate pipe size, the hanger will support the load. When selecting a listed component, one applies just the weight of the water filled pipe to the listed value. There is no need to calculate five times the weight of the water-filled pipe or the 250-lb increase when applying a listed hanger since that is already included in the listing process.

Concrete inserts, expansion anchors, and powder-driven anchors are also included in this testing standard. The setup for the concrete inserts closely duplicates the intended installation in the field in concrete blocks. This standard includes how

Figure 2. Tension/compression used for UL/FM hangers and UL sway brace fittings.

Photo credit: AFCON.

to prepare the concrete blocks where it’s cured for 28 days. The pull test has the test loads per the table for metallic pipe as described above. The load is applied for one minute without rupture, pull out, or release of the load.

The expansion anchors are installed per the manufacturer’s instructions into cured concrete blocks. The load is increased until the required loading is achieved for the anchor. Other fasteners, including powder-driven studs, are installed into cured concrete blocks or steel. Welding studs are welded to not less than 3/16-in. steel plates per the manufacturers instructions. C-clamps are tested in each possible position to address any installation orientation and a different sample is used for each test. The loading for these fasteners and attachments are also applied per the table in the testing standard for metallic pipe. Prior to the pull test, the fasteners and hangers are also subjected to a vibration test for 100 hours.

An upward thrust test is completed for pipe hangers, surge clips, or other surge accessories. The devices intended to restrain vertical movement have to withstand a force of 340 lbs without a displacement of more than 1/8 in. These devices also go through a tensioncompression test apparatus that mimics their intended installation.

(See Figures 2 and 3.) That sums up the testing of hangers.

Next we’ll look at the UL 203A standard for sway brace devices for sprinkler system piping. The scope covers sway brace devices for fire protection piping in locations subject to earthquakes. The braces include rigid sway braces that are intended for resisting both tension and compression loads and non-rigid sway braces intended for resisting loads in tension only. This standard also includes restraint devices to restrict the movement of the pipe.

Figure 3. Tension/compression used for UL/FM hangers and UL sway brace fittings.

Photo credit: AFCON.

The sway brace fitting or structural attachment fitting is made from flat iron or steel and the thickness of the metal shall be at least 7 gauge (3/16 or 0.1875 in.). The exception, similar to the hanger requirements, is when protective coatings are applied such as a zinc coating, hot-dipped galvanized or zinc-iron alloy-coated or galvannealed. Other finishes are permitted when it provides corrosion protection equivalent to the coating indicated in the previous sentence. Cables are zinc coated in accordance with an ASTM standard or equivalent corrosion resistant coating or material.

Rigid sway bracing goes through a load test as installed per the manufacturer’s installation instructions. This will duplicate their intended field installation. The load applied will be 1.5 times the manufacturers load rating or the load rating specified by the Minimum Rate Load table within the standard, whichever is greater. The load is held for one minute on both tension and compression without excess movement. The movement permitted is split between pipes less than 4 in. where 1 in. horizontal movement is allowed and pipe sizes greater than or equal to 4 in. allows up to 2 in. of horizontal movement. The test angles in degrees range from 30 to 90 where the maximum movement is specified at each test angle. This ranges from 1/2 in. to 1 in. for the 30-degree angle and 1 in. to 2 in. for the 90-degree angle.

This is dependent on the nominal pipe size. Cracking or detachment of a component is not allowed. Bending is allowed provided the movement has not been exceeded and there is no evidence of failure.

Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 29

The structural attachment fittings and adapters also have to withstand 1.5 times the rated load specified by the manufacturer.

The load is applied for one minute without a reduction of the test load both in tension and compression. There cannot be more than 1 /2-in. movement for nominal pipe sizes less than 4 in. and no more than 1 in. for nominal pipe sizes greater than or equal to 4 in.

Non-rigid fittings and cable have to be capable of maintaining 1.5 times the rated load applied in tension for one minute without movement the same as rigid sway bracing. The rated load of the cable and the necessary hardware to secure it to the pipe is equal to the minimum breaking strength divided by 1.5.

Restraint devices are load tested by installing the component per the manufacturer’s instructions. The restraint devices are attached to the pipe and installed in the tension-compression test apparatus duplicating field conditions. A compressive load is applied until 300 lb-f is applied or greater if specified by the manufacturer. A device designed for tension is loaded to the same 300 lb-f or greater if specified by the manufacturer and held for one minute. Additional tests are completed if the device provides a point of rotation. The displacement is measured in compression and/or tension.

The assembly test of the sway brace fitting cannot exhibit permanent deformation exceeding the ranges specified in the table of the standard. The 1- to 2-in. nominal pipe size allows 0.126-in. deformation and 0.218-in. deformation for up to 12-in. nominal pipe size.

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Shear bolts are also tested per the standard. A torque is applied to the amount identified in the manufacturer’s instructions.

The manufacturer has to submit at least 12 shear bolts or similar hardware and individually mounted with the shank in a mounting device. The torque is applied until the device shears to determine the maximum torque. That sums up the testing requirements of the seismic bracing components.

The devices submitted to UL for testing go through rigorous testing in the laboratory. This is intended to be extreme so the devices can be applied for just about any type of field condition.

Most importantly, installing the hanging and bracing devices per the manufacturer’s instructions meets the intent of NFPA 13. At times, an Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) may feel the need to question the loading and require the installing contractor to exceed the NFPA 13 standard requirements. There is no need to go beyond the installation requirements of the NFPA 13 standard due to the comprehensive testing completed by UL. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tom Wellen, PE, is senior manager of fire protection engineering in AFSA’s Technical Services Department. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology, Fire Protection and Safety Technology from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, and is actively involved NFPA and SFPE. Wellen has over 25 years of designing, testing, reviewing, and engineering experience.

He is a registered fire protection engineer in California and Texas and serves on committees for NFPA 13, NFPA 14, NFPA 20, and NFPA 101.

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Identifying Microbes What is Contaminating My Fire Sprinkler System?

TIM O’LEARY | Huguenot Laboratories

Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) refers to corrosion caused by the presence and activities of microorganisms – microalgae, bacteria, and fungi. While microorganisms do not produce unique types of corrosion, they can accelerate corrosion reactions.

Microbial action has been identified as a contributor to rapid corrosion of metals and alloys exposed to soils; seawater, distilled water, and freshwater; crude oil, hydrocarbon fuels, and process chemicals; and sewage. Many industries and infrastructure are affected by MIC, including fire protection systems.

MIC is a complex problem involving various aspects of materials science, electrochemistry, and microbiology that necessitates the involvement of scientists and engineers from various disciplines to take on this challenge. Also, the potentially large number of microbial types and activities involved challenges us to develop better mechanistic understandings of how these microorganisms and activities influence corrosion processes. The traditional understanding of MIC involves the formation of a biofilm that provides a niche for corrosive microorganisms to proliferate. Recent research has demonstrated that metal surfaces alone can produce redox, oxygen, and nutrient gradients without an established biofilm. Many treatment mitigation and monitoring strategies operate under the assumption that a substantial biofilm presence exists.

MIC is identified by evaluating the physical conditions, chemical composition of the water, microbiology, and metallurgy of the fire sprinkler system. The integration of this data is what ultimately determines the extent to which MIC may be contributing to the observed corrosion. Therefore, the techniques used to identify MIC are varied and cross-disciplinary and require expertise in materials, corrosion, microbiology, chemical treatment, and asset operations.

Although microbiological conditions are only one piece of the MIC puzzle, the counting of viable bacteria has historically received the most emphasis. Serial dilution using liquid culture media, has been the predominant method used to identify viable bacteria.

The type (formulation) of the culture medium and incubation temperature determines the numbers and types of microorganisms that will grow. Since no culture medium can approximate the complexity of a natural environment, liquid culture provides favorable growth conditions for the natural microbiological population under ideal circumstances.

Since microorganisms are ubiquitous, and some are capable of life in even the most extreme environments, the greatest challenge is determining the degree to which MIC contrib32 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

utes to corrosion in conjunction with other relevant corrosion mechanisms. For example, biofilms that increase MIC susceptibility in fire sprinkler systems often occur where the fluid velocity is low enough to promote water accumulation and solid particle deposition. Deposit or sediment buildup create under deposit corrosion (UDC) mechanisms, where the concentration of cells will occur. Distinguishing the relative contributions of the biofilm and concentration of cells, for example, the corrosion threat assessment for MIC should be conducted to support the establishment of mitigation measures that are likely to have the greatest benefit.

Understanding the different bacteria species and the effects they have in promoting corrosion is an important first step in the assessment process. MIC can actively or passively attack the metal components of a fire sprinkler system. “Active” aerobic bacteria are a species that grow in the presence of free oxygen such as water. “Passive” anaerobic bacteria thrive in an oxygen depleted environment. Anaerobic bacteria is normally found under layers of biological waste that can form a gel-like mass.

Examples of microbiological influenced corrosion (MIC).

This mass can extend over large areas, which can foster additional deposits that promote under-deposit corrosion. The resulting deposits will cause flow obstructions within fire sprinkler systems. Passive MIC can attack large areas and generally account for the greatest metal loss which leads to pinhole leaks in fire sprinkler systems.

Proper identification of MIC bacteria requires biological testing for the specific species of bacteria.

The different types of bacteria associated with MIC in fire sprinkler systems are: • Aerobes (AERO) – Aerobic bacteria grow and live in the presence of oxygen, and are a diverse group that include slime-formers and low nutrient bacteria. Aerobes are important to MIC because

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they produce extracellular polymers (“slime”) that bind cells to the surface and trap particulates, forming deposits. Aerobic slimes also regulate what permeates the deposit. Aerobes use oxygen, preventing it from reaching the underlying surface which creates an ideal site for anaerobic bacterial growth (such as APB and SRB) and involvement of these bacteria in MIC. • Anaerobes (ANA) – There are both obligate anaerobes, which cannot grow in the presence of oxygen and may be killed by oxygen, and facultative anaerobes, which are capable of growing in the presence or absence of oxygen. Anaerobes include slime and acid-formers and help create conditions under which other MIC-related microbes, such as sulfatereducing bacteria, can flourish.

• Acid-producing bacteria (APB) – There are both obligate APB, which cannot grow in the presence of oxygen and may be killed by oxygen, and facultative APB, which are capable of growing in the presence or absence of oxygen. APB feed on organic nutrients and excrete organic acids that are very important in MIC and contribute to rapid and severe under-deposit acid attack/pitting. The presence of APB is the best indication of “mature” MIC communities and possibly advanced pitting corrosion.

• Low-nutrient or slime-producing bacteria generally produce the thickest slime formation under aerobic conditions. This species produces a variety of extracellular polysaccharide polymers. It is these long chain molecules which act as the foundation and cement for the formation of biofilm. The slime-like growth coating the inside of pipes is called the biofilm. The purpose of this slime layer appears to be protective. Under harsh environments (e.g., temperature changes) slime layers can get thicker. As the biofilm matures, aerobic bacteria creating the biomass produce metabolic by-products all the while consuming oxygen.

This facilitates micro-environments underneath the biofilm which can then support the growth of anaerobic bacteria. The slime forming bacteria are an important part of the microbial influenced corrosion.

• Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is an aggressive group of anaerobic bacteria that generates hydrogen sulfide (H2S). SRBs can cause a number of significant problems for fire sprinkler systems and have been well documented as the most aggressive contributor of corrosion within fire sprinkler systems. SRB microorganism are difficult to detect because they are anaerobic in nature and grow

More examples of microbiological influenced corrosion (MIC).

deep down in biofilms (slimes) as part of a microbial community.

The only means of removal of SRBs is replacement of the pipe or a chemical cleaning and secondary treatment of the system with bacterial and corrosion inhibitors. Removal of the nutrients and bacterial contamination is the only remediation option.

• Iron-related bacteria (IRB) are a species of bacteria that converts soluble iron ions (ferrous) to insoluble iron ions (ferric). IRB is very common due to the steel piping environment of a fire sprinkler system. This species of bacteria are identified as aerobic and anaerobic in nature. The reduction of oxygen in a fire sprinkler systems may limit the aerobic species development. The anaerobic species require a similar remediation option of pipe replacement or a chemical cleaning and treatment program to remove this corrosion threat.

Common strategies for internal MIC mitigation in fire sprinkler systems include chemical cleaning and chemical treatment.

Chemical cleaning can be effective in removing deposits/biofilm that promote MIC. A further benefit of removing deposits is increasing the effectiveness of chemical treatment by allowing the chemical to reach the exposed metal surface. Chemical treatment is typically performed using corrosion inhibitors (some with the added benefit of a biostatic tendency), and combinations of these chemicals.

There is a misconception in the fire sprinkler industry that the application of nitrogen inerting in wet systems will eliminate MIC. Nitrogen helps to dilute the available oxygen that may be available in the trapped air at the highest elevations of a fire sprinkler system.

Nitrogen by itself does nothing to address the damaging effects of (UDC) under deposit corrosion or anaerobic bacteria such as SRB (sulfate-reducing bacteria).

Monitoring the effectiveness of MIC mitigation measures must include corrosion monitoring in addition to any microbiological monitoring that is performed, since ultimately the goal of mitigation is to control corrosion. Often MIC mitigation programs are focused on measuring microbial numbers, types or activity, but is not a replacement for a ASTM corrosion monitoring program.

Biocides or biostatic inhibitors are still the chemicals of choice when mitigating MIC; however, inhibitors usually need to be combined with a chemical cleaning program to enhance their effectiveness, especially if the biofilms and corrosion are already firmly established. Biostatic corrosion inhibitors for fire sprinkler systems have proven to be effective in controlling corrosion. Laboratory testing has confirmed that some low-toxicity film-forming corrosion inhibitors can inhibit MIC development.

Testing that simply addresses the reduction of microbial populations without addressing the corrosive changes in water quality is insufficient. To develop an effective mitigation program, it is necessary to have water analysis and metallurgical testing completed. Understanding the overall water quality and level of bacterial contamination is a critical first step in the corrosion mitigation process. Metallurgical analysis morphology corrosion patterns are utilized to confirm bacterial related corrosion damage. Once a mitigation program is selected, an effective monitoring and inspection programs can be developed to control microbiological growth, and reduce the corrosiveness of the environment inside the fire sprinkler systems. n REFERENCES: 1 Dr. Dan Pope PhD (BTI-Labs Web Site 2017).

2 B.J. Little, J.S. Lee, Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2007).

3 NACE Standard TM0194-2004, “Field Monitoring of Bacterial Growth in Oilfield Systems” (Houston, TX: NACE International, 2004).

4 NACE Publication 3T199, “Techniques for Monitoring Corrosion and Related Parameters in Field Applications” (Houston, TX: NACE, 2013).

5 NACE Standard TM0212-2012, “Detection, Testing, and Evaluation of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion on Internal Surfaces of Pip Lines” (Houston, TX: NACE, 2012).

6 NACE Publication 3T199, “Techniques for Monitoring Corrosion and Related Parameters in Field Applications” (Houston, TX: NACE, 2013).

7 Steve Leyton, (Protection Design Consulting, website 2017).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tim O’Leary is the president and CEO of Huguenot Laboratories. He has over 30 years of corrosion management experience in water treatment. He can be reached at Huguenot Laboratories by phone at (800) 228-3793 or by email at tim-oleary@huguenotlabs.com.

Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 35

Commodity Classification Testing Reassessing the Fire Risk of Changing Commodity and Packaging DAN STEPPAN, CHRIS GATES | UL

Protecting investments is critical for business owners, risk managers, and insurers alike. We all know how quickly fire can spread and how devastating it can be. At UL, our fire suppression group offers a broad range of experience, expertise, and tests that can aid in fire suppression strategies in the event of a fire within a warehouse.

As materials, technologies, manufactured products, and packaging evolve and change, the fire properties of these

items also change. Products that were classified a particular way 20 years ago may not be given the same classification today, and therefore, fire protection plans may need to change.

Commodity classifications and groupings are fluid, so it’s important to reassess the fire risk of your commodities and packaging every time the packaging or products change. At UL, we perform commodity classification testing to help business owners find the best way to protect the storage of products.

The Benefits of Commodity Classification Testing The devastation of fire should not be understated. In most cases, if there is a severe fire in a company’s warehouse, a company’s entire stock of finished goods is likely lost. This loss can have a serious detrimental effect on the company’s business continuity and even on their supply chain management. Although reducing fire risk to zero isn’t possible, there are ways to reduce risk of a complete loss and to mitigate damages by being proactive. UL offers commodity classification testing that can help companies understand their products’ hazard class, which, when combined with the review of the sprinkler system and other building features in accordance with NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, can minimize damage in the event of a warehouse fire.

At UL, we conduct commodity classification testing at our Northbrook, Illinois facility to help our clients assess the effectiveness of their current fire suppression protocol.

When you’re designing a new warehouse facility, in order to make sure your facility is adequately protected, you’ll need to consider things like warehouse storage parameters, building and storage height, aisle width, sprinkler clearance, sprinkler orifice size (K factor), temperature rating, and more. But most importantly, you have to understand the hazard level of the products in your warehouse and protect for the most severe hazard. UL can help you do that with commodity classification testing services. Whether you’re designing a new warehouse, changing products, or just want to be sure you’re properly protected, commodity classification testing can be an invaluable tool.

Figure 1. UL Commodity Classification Test. Photo courtesy of UL. 36 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

Once we’ve conducted the commodity classification tests, we are able to provide a more accurate ranking with respect to NFPA 13. The goal of more accurate classifica-

tion is to find more effective ways to protect products and prevent fire spread and significant loss in the event of a warehouse fire.

How Commodity Classification Testing Saved a Beer Distributor Big Money We saved one of our clients potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars by doing commodity classification testing on products found in their warehouse. This beer distributor had changed their pallets from wood to plastic. NFPA 13 specifications called for a more severe commodity classification with the use of plastic pallets, which may have meant they’d have to completely change their fire suppression system (a huge expense) or switch back to wood pallets for storage, which would have increased expenses as well.

Although NFPA 13 says that product stored on plastic pallets is one or two classes higher than that stored on wood pallets, we were able to show, through commodity classification testing, that the water content in the beer was sufficient to contain the spread of fire – even when stored on plastic pallets. Thus the manufacturer was able to keep the lower classification while continuing to use less expensive, cleaner plastic pallets. In this case, the testing proved quite valuable. Without it, the distributor would have had to follow NFPA 13 rules, which would have led to a significant expense. But with UL’s commodity classification testing, they were able to save money and keep their processes in place.

Although we can’t guarantee a positive result like this one after every test series, most of our clients find value in commodity classification testing. Even if they don’t save money, testing can lead to implementing improved fire protection protocols, which can, in the long run, prevent disastrous fires and devastating losses.

You know the potential effects of a large warehouse fire and how quickly fire can spread when conditions are right. Whether you’re a building owner, risk manager, or insurer, UL can help you figure out whether you’re underestimating the risk of fire in warehouse storage and what steps you may need to take in order to reduce the chances of catastrophic loss in the event of a fire.

Contact an engineer today or visit ul.com/cctesting to learn more about how you can benefit from commodity classification testing. n

Figure 2. UL Large Scale Warehouse Simulation Fire Test. Photo courtesy of UL. container and plastic pallet industries. Steppan can be reached via phone at (847) 664-3574 or email at Daniel.Steppan@ul.com.

Chris Gates is a graduate of Marquette University with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering.

He has 28 years of fire protection and loss prevention experience including 18 years in the HPR insurance industry. This experience includes conducting loss prevention consultative audits of various hi-tech and manufacturing occupancies, field staff management and overall account loss prevention coordination. He is currently a staff engineer with UL’s Building and life safety technologies division. He has been with UL in Northbrook, Illinois since 2006 where he has been involved in the development and conduct of large-scale fire testing and calorimetry. Gates currently serves on the NFPA 30B technical committee and as the membership chairman for the Chicago Chapter of SFPE. He can be reached via phone at (847) 664-2618 or email at Christopher.Gates@ul.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Dan Steppan began his career at UL in 1993 after working in the aerospace industry in component and system design engineering. He currently holds the position of senior staff engineer at the Northbrook, Illinois fire test facility, working primarily in large-scale fire research. Steppan received his Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1989. He has been involved in large-scale fire research and commodity classification testing since 1996 and certification experience includes UL Listings in the warehouse sprinkler, intermediate bulk Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 37

Allsouth Makes Record Donation Largest Donation to Date Will Help Fund Legendary National Apprentice Competition CHARLOTTE JOHNSON | American Fire Sprinkler Association

In 1994, Allsouth Sprinkler Company’s founder, Robert L. “Bob” McCullough, was the chairman of the American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Education & Apprenticeship Committee. In his role as chairman, he was instrumental in the formation of AFSA’s Annual National Apprentice Competition, as well as early development of AFSA’s four-level apprenticeship training series.

The competition was created to promote apprentice training and give recognition to the apprentices who are actively enrolled in the AFSA Apprenticeship Program. In 2000, the AFSA Board of Directors voted and approved to create an award to honor McCullough for his dedication to the competition and to training. The Robert L. McCullough AFSA Training for Excellence Award is displayed each year at the National Apprentice Competition. The award features the first place winner’s name of each competition, dating back to the first year. It is housed at AFSA’s national office in Dallas, Texas.

Over 20 years later, the competition continues to bring fire sprinkler apprentices from local AFSA 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.

This July, Allsouth Sprinkler Company celebrated 35 years as a member of AFSA. In addition to being one of AFSA’s oldest members, Allsouth has now become the largest donor to the Annual National Apprentice Competition with their $10,000 donation. Their magnanimous donation will go toward offsetting the expenses for the competition finalists.

“This very generous donation to the apprentice competition is extremely appreciated as it supports the best of the best fire sprinkler fitters in their endeavor to achieve recognition for excellence in their careers,” says AFSA’s Vice President of Meetings & Operations Marlene Garrett, CMP. “It is a very touching reminder of the legacy of Robert L. McCullough from Allsouth Sprinkler many years ago who gave life to what has been the annual apprentice competition for 24 years.”

John J. McCullough, current CEO of Allsouth Sprinkler Company and son of Robert L. McCullough, is very proud of the contributions that his late father made to the industry and to AFSA. “My father was heavily involved in building the foundation for the apprenticeship program and competition,” says McCullough. “His contributions and accomplishments have been of great value to myself, our company and to our industry. Of all the things that he taught me, investing in 38 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

In 1994, then AFSA Chairman of the Board Don Becker (left) and Apprenticeship & Education Committee Chairman Bob McCullough (right) announced that Martha Grazier, Advanced Fire Protection, Woodinville, Washington, was the first-place winner of AFSA’s inaugural National Apprentice Competition.

education is the most crucial to the development of our younger generations. We are proud to be a part of the AFSA and support their efforts in this as well.”

Every year, seven finalists, apprentices representing member companies from across the country, compete to become the winner of this national competition. These contestants take a practical test in the exhibit hall during the AFSA Exhibition each year, as they cut, thread and install a steel and CPVC piping system with sprinkler heads and perform a pressure test. Attendees of the convention have the opportunity to see this competition from beginning to end. The seven finalists receive an expense-paid trip to compete at the convention, accommodations at the convention, a free full convention registration for each finalist’s employer, a cash award and a brand new set of hand tools.

This year, the National Apprentice Competition will take place in Las Vegas at AFSA36: Convention, Exhibition and Apprentice Competition at the premier hotel on the Vegas Strip, Bellagio Las Vegas.

Names of first-place competition winners are added each year to the Robert L. McCullough AFSA Training for Excellence Award plaque at AFSA headquarters. Learn more about McCullough’s indelible mark on the fire protection industry and the legacy he leaves through AFSA education and training by visiting firesprinkler.org. n

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Does Your Company Have a Modern 401(k) Plan?

AFSA-Endorsed Retirement Plan Advisors Assist Members ALLAN H. STRANGE, JOHN F. BARON and MELISSA G. GARRETT The Strange Group of Janney Montgomery Scott

401(k) plans are now the primary way most Americans save for retirement, but from the early days in the 1980s to the Pension Protection Act of 2006, many aspects of the 401(k) world remained opaque, unregulated and expensive, especially for small business. In many ways, that was the “experimental phase” for 401(k) plans as companies transitioned away from providing pensions.

Now 401(k) plans hold $4.8 trillion (along with another $7.4 trillion in IRAs) in assets on behalf of more than

Our group has been endorsed by the AFSA to provide retirement plan advice to AFSA members. We thought we would start with an article addressing two broad themes in retirement plans: the structure and features of a modern retirement plan benefit and the ongoing management of a plan. In our practice, we manage plans based on four pillars of a retirement plan – service, cost, performance and operational efficiency. All of this is based on the fiduciary standard as the foundation of a well-managed retirement plan. If each service provider

option of whether to contribute pre-tax dollars (401(k)) or make qualified withdrawals at retirement that are tax-free (Roth 401(k)), has clearly stated and separate fees for each service provider, and offers a variety of low-cost and actively managed investments (See Figure 1 on page 41.)

So you have a modern 401(k) plan set up. Next, let’s talk about setting a fiduciary foundation for your plan and the four pillars of the ongoing management of your plan.

“Our experience with The Strange Group has been nothing but positive since our very first communication. After sharing with Allan Strange and John Baron my frustrations with previous 401(k) providers, they customized a plan for Anchor Fire Protection that both increased participation and generated enthusiasm on behalf of the employees. The Strange Group has been accessible and responsive to our employees, a pleasant change from past providers.”

– Ted Wills

Fiduciary Standard Each service provider to your plan should be able to act as a fiduciary in their role to the plan. There are various fiduciary standards for each service provider, but in general, the fiduciary standard means that your service providers are legally obligated to act in your best interests. In our advisory role, we serve under ERISA code 3(21) and must act in accordance with the responsibilities and expectations of that code.

52 million active participants and millions of former employees and retirees, according to the Investment Company Institute. The light is finally shining on company retirement plans and every business owner and employee can benefit from a greater understanding of company retirement plans. The world of company retirement plans has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. However, many company retirement plans are still operating the same as they did 10 to 20 years ago. In fact, the features, cost and fiduciary standard of care previously available only to large companies is now very accessible for small company plans.

Service Recall that your plan has four primary service providers; the administrator, recordkeeper, advisor and investment companies. The first three provide a direct service to the plan.

They fill a vital role for the plan and are compensated for their work. So what should you expect out of each?

• Administrator Like an accountant for the plan, an administrator is ultimately more valuable when they bring ideas to you about how to improve the plan structure and function. Completing required forms and notices should be just the starting point for their role. We always require that our administrators provide us and the client with

40 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

adheres to their fiduciary standard and keeps the four pillars up to date, you will have a plan that is truly a benefit to business owner and employees.

First, who are the service providers to a 401(k) plan?

• Administrator • Recordkeeper • Advisor • The Investment Companies So What Makes a Modern 401(k) Plan Different? A modern 401(k) plan allows employees to participate sooner and completes the enrollment process for them, gives employees the

Plan Feature

Experimental Phase 1980-2006

The Modern 401(k) 2006-present

Enrollment

•

• • •

• •

Usually a year after hire date with little notice of eligibility.

Employee has to actively decide to participate.

Savings rate never increases unless the employee actively decides to raise it.

Automatic enrollment immediately or within three months of hire date.

Employee has to actively decide not to participate.

Deferral rate automatically increases up to a goal set by the company or the employee.

Deferral Types

Pre-tax contributions

Both pre-tax and Roth contributions.

Plan Expenses

Usually most of the compensation paid to the Administrator, Recordkeeper and Advisor was hidden in the investment expenses through ‘revenue sharing’

The Administrator, Recordkeeper and Advisor are all compensated through a clearly stated fee noted on participant statements. No revenue from the investments is shared with any other part of the plan.

Investments

• •

• •

Plan Reviews

Rare or not routine

At least once a year and documented

Employee Meetings

Focus on investment performance.

Focus on education and financial wellness.

Actively managed mutual funds Money Market fund as the default investment.

A mix of active and index-based mutual funds Target Retirement funds as the default investment.

Figure 1. Experimental phase versus modern 401(k) plans.

a single point of contact for the plan who manages the entire relationship.

• Recordkeeper Your recordkeeper should provide a modern website for you and your employees, have an open investment platform and act quickly in response to requests.

• Advisor The advisor should review with you at regular intervals and provide advice to the company on plan structure and investments. The advisor should be a contractual fiduciary to the plan.

Cost Cost has improved dramatically over the last 10 years. We chalk this up to new disclosures, competition and technology.

Cost is also a moving target for two reasons: • The dynamics of your plan are always changing.

• Costs have been dropping for every service provider to the plan over the past 10 years. (See Figure 2 below.)

Best practices on cost: • Your advisor should provide the cost of each service provider separately in your plan reviews. Ask your advisor if there are any cost components that can be improved within the current group of service providers. Investment expenses are easy to improve with a fund or share class change and this is where we are currently finding the most cost savings within plans.

• Benchmark your plan every three to five years by putting the plan out for bid for administration, recordkeeping and advisory services.

Performance Participants can invest their money how they please among the investment options that you provide.

The duty of the plan sponsor and advisor is to make sure that the options provided are the best possible.

• The plan should have a mix of low-cost index-tracking options and actively managed funds where the active manager uses a unique investment strategy that is not provided by an index fund, has a good performance record and charges reasonable fees.

Figure 2. Expense ratios of actively managed and index mutual funds. Expense ratios are measured as asset-weighted averages. Data exclude mutual funds available as investment choices in variable annuities and mutual funds that invest primarily in other mutual funds. Sources: Investment Company Institute, Lipper, and Morningstar.

Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 41

Figure 3. Target date mutual fund assets have more than quadrupled since 2008. Data include mutual funds that invest primarily in other mutual funds. Source: Investment Company Institute.

• An Investment Policy Statement (IPS) should be established for the plan and investment option performance

should be regularly reviewed based on that IPS. Investments should be replaced if they violate the standards set in the IPS. • For the default investment the industry standard is now target retirement funds. (See Figure 3.)

Operational Efficiency Technology has allowed smaller plans to access huge improvements in operational efficiency.

• We prefer that our plans are “bundled.” This means that the Administrator also runs the Recordkeeping platform so one service provider is responsible for entire processes like loans and distributions.

• Beyond that, smaller administrative efficiencies like electronic notice delivery are common and can be added.

• The biggest step is Payroll integration where modern recordkeeping platforms can link with payroll provider and keep both payroll and 401(k) up to date without your HR involved! Suddenly manual, paper-based tasks can be both automated and online. This is definitely an example of a large company plan feature that is now available to smaller plans.

42 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

Conclusion Your company retirement plan is an important benefit for companies to provide and for employees to use to save for retirement. Now that pensions are largely in the past, the 401(k) plan has become the primary way that companies offer a retirement benefit. We hope that we can help each member of AFSA develop and maintain a modern 401(k) plan benefit for their employees. Please reach out to any one of us to get started. n ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Allan H. Strange, John F. Baron and Melissa G. Garrett are members of The Strange Group Janney Montgomery Scott and are ready to assist AFSA members with retirement planning needs. The Strange Group is an AFSA-endorsed business solution.

Contact Strange at 804-595-9368 or astrange@ janney.com, Baron at 804-595-9372 or jbaron@ janney.com, and Garrett at 804-595-9452 or mgarrett@janney.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Strange Group Janney Montgomery Scott will present the seminar “Safety, Insurance, & Retirement: AFSA Has You Covered” during AFSA 36: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition on Tuesday, September 25. The Strange Group Janney Montgomery Scott is an AFSA-endorsed Business Solution for AFSA members. For a listing of all endorsed services, visit firesprinkler.org/business-solutions.

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National Campus Fire Safety Month Turns 13!

Significant Drop Seen in Fire Deaths Over These Years ED COMEAU | Campus Firewatch

National Campus Fire Safety Month brings together schools and communities to teach college students about fire safety every September. Each year I send a letter, co-signed by parents who have lost children in college-related fires, to the nation’s governors asking them to sign proclamations, and over the 18 years that this program has been in place there have been 370 proclamations (to date) signed recognizing September as Campus Fire Safety Month as well as

resolutions in the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

The idea for National Campus Fire Safety Month came out of a conversation I had in 2005 with a staffer for the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones who introduced the first resolution in Congress. That year, a dozen governors signed proclamations and since that start it has grown to about 35 states annually.

In September, education programs are held across the country to teach students about their role in fire safety – how to choose fire-safe housing, whether it is on- or off-campus; how to prevent a fire and what to do if one does break out.

These skills are not only for the time they are in school, but are lessons for life. Knowing about sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, two ways out, cooking safety – all of these will be important to know long after they leave college.

Does National Campus Fire Safety Month make a difference?

As a catalyst for promoting fire safety and education programs, the result has been a significant drop in the number of college-related fire deaths. From a high of 20 fire deaths in the 2006-2007 academic year, fatalities have dropped to a point where in 2015-2016 there were no fire deaths for the first time since this information started being compiled in 2000. (See Figure 1 on page 45.)

And a very important point to note is that the vast majority of deaths, 87 percent, occur in off-campus housing, not in residence halls or Greek housing. The last fire death that happened in a residence hall was in 2005 and the last in Greek housing was in 2006. This is an incredible testimony to the work that schools are doing to make these occupancies safer by installing sprinkler systems and educating students about dangers such as smoking, cooking and candles.

Photos (from l to r, clockwise). 1) A student was killed when she was trapped in her third floor apartment by a fire that started in the stairwell, her only way out. Credit: Boston Fire Department. 2) A student was killed when a fire broke out in his basement apartment. He was trapped without a second way out. Credit: Campus Firewatch.

3) This house was destroyed by a fire when students were trying to refuel a lit camping lantern inside a pumpkin.

4) Two students were killed by a fire that trapped them on the third floor of this off-campus house.

44 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

This success in on-campus and Greek housing must be continued, but we also need to turn our focus to the off-campus environment. Many of the places where students are living are converted oneand two-family homes or apartments, and in many college towns, off-campus

Campus-related fire fatalities 25 20 15 10 5 0

Figure 1.

housing is in strong demand which means that landlords can charge high rents. As a result, students try to fit as many people as they can into a unit, which creates a number of dangers from over-occupancy.

In a study done by the United States Fire Administration, student behavior was also identified as a contributing factor, specifically alcohol consumption and smoking. According to the study, in all the fatal fires, there were no sprinkler systems present and often the smoke alarms were missing or disabled when the fire broke out in the middle of the night, a deadly combination.

Education is key in overcoming this problem. Let’s be honest, these older homes are never going to see a sprinkler system, but if we can educate students and, more importantly their parents, who are often paying the rent, about picking fire safe housing, we can address this. More college towns are seeing developers building multi-unit, sprinklered buildings with the goal of attracting students – and it is working.

However, if the students and parents don’t know to look for features such as sprinklers, alarm systems and two ways out, they may not consider these as an option because students are often focused on three things – close to campus, cheap, and they have their own room.

There are a lot of campus fire safety education resources available and I’ve compiled an At-a-Glance page at campus-firewatch.com. All this material is free and has been developed either by Campus Firewatch or in partnership with other organizations through FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grants.

What can you do? Each year we work on getting more governors signing proclamations, and if you go to campusfirewatch.com/proclamations, you can see which states have issued proclamations so far as well as a copy of the letter and model language for a proclamation.

By contacting your governor, you can have a significant role in helping this along, because there is nothing like hearing from a constituent to get things moving.

Together, we have made a difference, and we can use these opportunities to continue to educate tomorrow’s generation about the difference they can make in fire safety! n

Contact the school and fire department in your area and see if they would like to put on a side-by-side demonstration.

Live fire is always a huge draw, and maybe you can be the one that gets the community or school thinking along this line, helping to educate students.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ed Comeau, owner of writer-tech.com, has been publishing Campus Firewatch since 2000.

He is the former chief fire investigator for the NFPA, a fire protection engineer for the Phoenix Fire Department and was a fire fighter for the Amherst, Massachusetts Fire Department while getting his degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts. You can reach him at ecomeau@campus-firewatch.com.

Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 45

Leading Across the Generations The Story Behind the Message TRU PETTIGREW | Tru Access

Uniquely diverse and multifaceted, the millennial generation influences racial, cultural, economical, political, and social realities in the world today.

So any business, organization, denomination, institution, or movement that wants to stay relevant and thrive in today’s world, must adjust and adapt its practices and culture to connect with and include millennials.

In my book, Millennials Revealed, and corresponding workshop “Leading Across The Generations,” I discuss ways to help bridge the generational divide and help individuals and organizations understand how to best connect with members of this important and influential generation.

I’ve had the good fortune of spending 20-plus years of my life working with, learning from, leading, empowering, inspiring, and being inspired by what many consider the most fascinating generation in American history: the millennials (although I’m sure there a some baby boomers who may have something to say about that).

Over the course of my life, I have engaged millennials as an artist, marketing executive, entrepreneur, speaker, coach, mentor, leader, confidant, and friend. And although I’m a Gen X-er, I enjoy the great pleasure of also being married to an amazingly gifted, talented and beautiful millennial. I’ve engaged (literally and figuratively) with millenni-

als across many disciplines and have been able to leverage my experience and expertise to help older generation clients, colleagues, customers, and counterparts understand how to connect with this unique generation in a meaningful way.

I wrote Millennials Revealed to help bridge the painfully obvious gaps that I have seen develop and continue to grow between millennials and their older generation counterparts over the years.

While many individuals and organizations simply focus on calling out and complaining about millennials, they’re not taking any steps to resolve the issues. There are also some who have taken steps to address the issues and fell short, because they are taking a transactional approach to a challenge that requires a transformational solution.

My experience with this generation has taught me three really important principles about how to effectively engage millennials. Those three principles are as follows: 1. Be more transformational and less transactional.

2. Always remember that the “why” is more important than the “what,” “how,” or “where.”

3. Be inclusive. Where there is no inclusion there is no commitment.

Figure 1. UL Commodity Classification Test. Photo courtesy of UL. 46 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

I’ve leveraged my experience and expertise to go well beyond these three principles in the book and subsequent workshops. The content in these properties goes on to reveal the seven biggest millennial expectations that they have of themselves and the organizations that they choose to align themselves with. I obviously couldn’t stop there, though. The real insight comes in sharing why these expectations exist for this generation and how to effectively meet and manage those expectations.

The world is in desperate need of heroes, and I believe millennials are well positioned to be the hero generation that can and will save the world from many of the social, economic, racial, and political ills we are currently experiencing. They need help, though. Millennials need and deserve better than to be just labeled with negative stereotypes such as lazy, entitled, and selfish and denied a seat at the table.

And older generation leadership, institutions, and organizations need and deserve better than to be relegated as irrelevant and outdated by millennials, especially considering the invaluable wisdom, contribution and opportunities these individuals and institutions provide. Millennials Revealed the book, and the “Leading Across The Generations” workshop both appreciates, addresses, and meets all audiences where they are and guides them to the intersection point of where and how they can and should co-exist.

conference calls, and 75 percent prefer to collaborate in small groups to generate big ideas! So when it comes to millennials, this is the collaboration generation. n

businesses Alloy Access and Octagon Access respectively, all of which were acquired by larger organizations both public and private. He has been featured in such prominent publications as The New York Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, and Fortune magazine for his marketing expertise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tru Pettigrew, Tru Access, is an author, life coach, award-winning marketing executive, and inspirational speaker. His primary areas of expertise include millennial insights, leadership development, discovering purpose, and inclusion strategies.

Pettigrew’s background and experience include co-founding qualitative research agency Y-Access, and millennial & lifestyle marketing

EDITOR’S NOTE: During AFSA36: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition, Tru Pettigrew will present his workshop, “Leading Across the Generations” on Monday, September 25. Millennials have ushered in a new era, with new expressions and new expectations.

This session helps attendees understand how to be more effective 21st-century leaders by leveraging the power of insight, influence, and inclusion. Guests walk away with a proven cross-generational leadership model that can be applied right away! For more information visit firesprinkler.org/convention.

Millennials are the collaboration generation that thrives in climates of inclusion.

Do not be misled by the “me-me-me” and “selfie” generation labels placed on millennials. I believe these stereotypes are born more out of attributes of passion and behaviors of self expression that have been inspired and magnified by the advent of technology in a way that was never possible before.

This generation actually prefers more collaborative work environments, social settings and life experiences. They prefer to collaborate as a team when it comes to work projects. They want to collaborate with managers and supervisors to resolve challenges together as a team versus being given a directive and operating independently. They grew up on soccer teams, basketball teams, baseball teams, track teams and football teams. They believe in teams and have grown up benefiting from the results of collaborative teamwork.

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According to a 2015 millennial workplace study conducted by IdeaPaint, 82 percent of millennials believe that brainstorming meetings are effective, 90 percent prefer in-person meetings over Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 47

Fire Testing Understanding Purpose and Scale ROBERT J. AGNEW & HAEJUN PARK, PhD | Oklahoma State University

Fire testing is an exciting and important component of the science of loss control.

This line of research has many aspects that professionals in the fire prevention and suppression industries should be familiar with in order to better serve the public good. In this article, a basic introduction to the purpose of fire testing, fire testing scale, and the limitations of testing results are provided.

First, the why, or purpose, of fire testing may vary widely; it may be simply to obtain a thermo-physical property of a material, to assess fire hazards associated with a product, or to discover new science.

Material testing provides information about a given material, independent of

how the material is used. For example, the ASTM D93, Standard Test Methods for Flash Point by Pensky-Martens Closed Cup Tester, provides a singular datum point of the flash point of a flammable or combustible liquid. The flash point provides a measure of ignition propensity, allows for categorization, and becomes a basis of establishing subsequent regulation, e.g., storage quantity limits. For plastics, a similar measure is provided by the ASTM D2863, Measuring the Minimum Oxygen Concentration to Support Candle-Like Combustion of Plastics (Oxygen Index).

Material testing may also be understood in terms of ignition testing and flame spread testing, especially in regard to some product testing methods. The

Figure 1. OSU methenamine pill test, looking at the ignition characteristics of expanded polystyrene foam with and without added fire retardants.

ASTM D2859, Standard Test Method for Ignition Characteristics of Finished Textile Floor Covering Materials, uses a small ignition source (a methenamine pill) to ensure that carpet will not support flaming combustion if challenged by a small ignition source such as an ember from a wood fire place. (See Figure 1.)

Whereas the ASTM E84, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (Steiner Tunnel), provides both a Flame Spread Index (FSI) and a Smoke Development Index (SDI).

Indices are used to provide a relative or comparative hazard scale; for example, FSIs are zero for cement board and 100 for red oak planks, to even higher for other materials. These indices provide fire prevention and suppression officials with benchmarks to set code requirements for interior finishes.

Product testing is usually focused on new products coming to market. For example, a common fire test required by most jurisdictions is the ASTM E1590, Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of Mattresses. This test uses a burn cell wherein a mattress is placed and subject to a known ignition source. The test criteria limits the total peak heat release of the mattress to better protect residential occupancies from flashover. Product testing such as the Steiner Tunnel or Mattress test are typically undertaken by

48 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

independent, for-profit laboratories such as QAI Labs that have certification in accordance with ISO 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

While product testing is usually focused on new products, NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, paragraph 5.3.1.1.1 requires the testing of sprinkler head performance after 50 years in service for standard response sprinklers and 20 years for quick response sprinklers.

While NFPA does not explicitly state a testing criteria, the industry practice is to use the plunge test from UL 199, Standard for Automatic Sprinklers for Fire Protection Service. UL 199 utilizes a test oven, not actual fire, to assess the performance of the sprinklers.

Besides material and product testing, some fire tests are conducted to advance the state of fire science and are therefore tests of discovery. Often, standardized fire tests are used in a test of discovery. Fire research facilities such as Oklahoma State University’s Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology Program research new fire retardant materials. By using a standardized test such as ATM E1354, Standard Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke Release Rates for Materials and Products Using an Oxygen Consumption Calorimeter, comparisons between formulations of fire retardants in plastics can be made. While standardized tests provide ready comparisons between materials and products, often times no standardized test can adequately answer a research question such as how expanded plastics burn in the oxygen-limited environment below grade. This test was conducted in a partnership experiment with QAI Labs and OSU. A final attribute of fire testing in this article is scale. Fire tests are often categorized as small, large, or real scale. Product testing and research testing are often conducted across the scale spectrum. Small-scale testing has the primary advantage of reduced cost. Test such as the ASTM E162,

Figure 2. Radiant panel at OSU – a calibration burn with a piece of hard board.

Surface Flammability of Materials Using a Radiant Heat Energy, (Radiant Panel, Figure 2) allow a small sample to be tested with multiple repeats to determine the interior finish rating of a material.

As the scale increases to large, the cost increases rapidly, which often results in reducing the number of tests repeated especially for research purposes. The large-scale tests, however, typically provide for more realistic fire scenarios.

This more realistic fire size is important as the radiative effects of fire do not typically scale linearly. Important large-scale fire tests include NFPA 286, Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Evaluating Contribution of Wall and Ceiling Interior Finish to Room Fire

Growth (Room Corner Test); ASTM E119, Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials (Wall and Floor Assemblies); and NFPA 285, Standard Fire Test Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior NonLoad-Bearing Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components.

The largest fire tests are of the real scale variety. Real-scale tests provide the greatest level of realism available in fire testing. However, this comes with extraordinarily high costs (burning racks full of product), an increasing difficulty in controlling variables, and often no repeat confirmation tests. Some notable real-scale fire tests include FM Global’s development of the Early Suppression Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 49

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Fast Response sprinklers for storage occupancies and the National Institute for Standards and Testing (NIST) Simulation of an Attic Fire in a Wood Frame Residential Structure (flow path).

No matter what scale is adopted for a specific fire testing, it is important to understand that the selected scale is intended to fulfill the purpose of the fire testing at minimum. For example, fire-resistance ratings of wall and floor assemblies cannot be measured from small-scale fire testing as the specimen is too small to demonstrate the structural performance of an assembly.

A discussion on fire testing would not be complete without mention of the limitations of fire testing. Undoubtedly, fire testing provides useful information, but in no way can a fire test ever completely reflect real-world fire conditions. Consider the question, “How long will a two-hour rated fire wall last in a real fire?” The answer is, we do not know. The two-hour wall should last longer than a one-hour wall. But how much longer? These tests provide us a measure of relative performance only, and that is important to remember.

With respect to product testing, the requirement is that the item under test passes the criteria, be it by the closest margin or a substantial margin. Passing the test by a close margin is a financially wise proposition for a product manufacturer. Adding extra, or unnecessary, protection increases cost without a strict benefit. One should consider however, if a manufacturer can “study for the test” and thereby create a product that passes the test criteria, but does not necessarily provide real-world protection. It should be noted that no standardized fire testing perfectly represents the real world, but as it is “standardized,” we have implicitly agreed with the current test method. This, of course, does not mean that it cannot be disputed.

Through fire testing, many advancements have been made in the field of fire loss control. The experiments conducted by fire researchers have led to better designs for fire sprinklers, safer homes, new fire retardant materials, and many other products. Fire

testing has also been used to prove new technologies to code officials, including plastic piping for use in residential sprinkler systems. With the increasing popularity of performance-based designs, the call for fire testing research will continue to increase as well. By having a working understanding of parameters of standardized fire tests, fire loss control professionals can be better informed of how products will perform in fire conditions, which tests they should specify, and how the test results may not reflect behavior in a real fire. n ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Rob Agnew is a graduate of the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Technology program and went on to earn a master’s degree in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science at OSU. Prior to returning to OSU, Agnew was a senior manager in the defense sector. With 18 years in the Environmental, Health & Safety field, Agnew has extensive experience in implementing a broad spectrum of compliance programs in an international environment. His areas of specialization and interest include: fire testing, health effects of fire retardants, vapor intrusion, and silica exposures in construction.

Dr. Haejun Park is an assistant professor in the OSU Department of Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture and Architectural Engineering from Hanyang University, South Korea, and his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Park worked for a consulting firm as a fire engineer in Melbourne, Australia developing performance-based fire safety design solutions for various types of buildings. Then, he worked for Building Research Association in New Zealand conducting research with a focus on flame extension phenomena out of an opening. Park’s research interests include performance-based fire safety design methods and regulations, fire dynamics and modeling, the effects of building design features on fire development and human behavior in egress, and many other topics relevant to fire safety of buildings.

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Welcome to “Sprinkler City,” Canada New Community Becomes First to Install Fire Sprinkler Systems in Every Home Faced with building an entire community – jobs, parks, schools and residences – from the ground up, developer Brookfield Residential took an innovative approach to address an issue that could have ended the project before it began.

The selected location in Alberta, Canada, was too far from the nearest fire department to be considered safe in the case of fire. Brookfield’s solution? The new community, Livingston, became the first residential ground-up community in Alberta to install fire sprinkler systems in every home. The community had its grand opening in March.

Over 10,000 homes will be built in 10 years as a part of this community, and all the residences, as well as small occupancy commercial areas, will be sprinklered.

Setting the Safety Standard Among Canadian provinces, British Columbia has its own charter and has written bylaws requiring mandatory sprinklers. Since the early 1990s, the city of Vancouver has required all new residential buildings to have sprinkler systems. The rest of Canada, however, does not have the same laws and municipalities can’t create bylaws that override provincial laws. Any residence sprinklered outside of British Columbia is done voluntarily, or as some acceptable request in lieu of another mandate on site.

However, Livingston is the first community to voluntarily install residential fire sprinkler systems above the minimum building code. The builders are not receiving any incen52 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

tives, but recognized a trend in the industry and want to be ahead of the curve. In doing so, they establish themselves as experts in the field and recognize the added value for the community and buyers.

“There’s no real financial incentive,” says Sean Pearce, a consultant working with builders Brookfield Residential.

“I think the hope is that we start to adopt the models that the United States has enacted, but are not yet in place in Canada.”

Jessie Seymour, Sr., manager of strategic marketing at Brookfield Residential, considers the fire sprinklers to be an investment in safety.

“For the homebuyer, it is a testament that our focus is on safety within the community. We believe that this will eventually, and hopefully, become the standard in Calgary. This pilot project in Livingston adds an extra layer of safety,” she states. “This is an investment in safety.”

Saving Lives and Property Livingston, on the north side of Calgary, will include more than 11,000 homes in seven neighborhoods, 12 parks, six schools, 20 percent open space and an anticipated 1 million square feet of commercial and institutional space, providing more than 7,000 jobs. Brookfield Residential is responsible for the townhomes, duplexes and single-family homes with rear detached garages.

Those structures and residents will be safer, thanks to fire sprinklers. In 2013, a study was conducted by Fire Chief Len Garis and Dr. Joseph Clare at the University of the Fraser Valley

The builders purchased BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler Systems, listed for use in light hazard applications.

in Abbosford, British Columbia, to study the impact of sprinklers on life safety and fire spreading. It was found that, in the time studied (October 2006-October 2011), 91.3 percent of the 9,481 residential fires occurred in buildings without sprinklers in British Columbia. These fires were responsible for 99.3 percent of the deaths that occurred and 94.1 percent of the injuries.

The same study also found that the death rate per 1,000 fires increased by 13.7 times in the absence of fire sprinklers.

Sprinklers cut the risk of dying in a home fire by 80 percent, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Home fire sprinklers also protect firefighters, maintain structural stability and prevent flashover, allowing fire crews to conduct search-and-rescue operations and attack the fire. Sprinklers save property as well as lives, reducing the average property loss per home by about 70 percent in a fire.

According to a Home Fire Sprinkler Cost Assessment report from the Fire Protection Research Foundation, it costs about $1.35 per sprinklered square foot to install a fire sprinkler system. For the average 2,600-ft2 house, that comes to about $3,500 – less than carpet upgrades and whirlpool baths.

Generating Awareness Residential sprinklers and their life- and propertysaving benefits were featured in the article “Fire Safety at Home” in Brookfield Residential’s Live Up magazine. The article includes a photo of a living room asking readers to “Spot the sprinklers,” demonstrating how the smooth plates covering the heads are flush with the ceiling and only 21/2-in. in diameter. The article also addresses common myths associated with residential sprinkler system and lists benefits of having them installed.

For more information about the Livingston community, visit alberta. brookfieldresidential.com/calgary/ livingston. For more information about BlazeMaster fire sprinkler systems, visit blazemaster.com. n

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Members Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries As the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) celebrates its 36th anniversary in 2017, we also recognize those members who are celebrating milestone membership anniversaries. These member companies have belonged to AFSA for 15 or more years of continuous membership.

“Trade associations like AFSA have staff, but the heart and soul of any trade organization are its members,” comments AFSA Manager of Chapter Relations Kevin Korenthal. “When we celebrate the anniversary of longtime and even new members, what we’re actually doing is commemorating the day those members decided to play a role in helping shape the industry from which they derive their income. Congratulations to all of our members celebrating an anniversary this month.

Here’s to many more years of helping fire sprinklers save lives!”

Several members are celebrating milestone anniversaries in July and August 2017, including Contractor Members Nicholson Sprinkler Corporation, Richmond, Virginia, and Sentry Fire Protection, York, Pennsylvania. Nicholson’s Anthony D. Shultz and Sentry Partners Jack A. Nagle and Joel A. Warner took some time to share their experiences and knowledge learned in the fire protection industry and over the past 25 years with AFSA. How did you get involved in the fire sprinkler industry? Nagle: Strictly by happenstance! I graduated from college in June 1974 and was employed by a steel supplier in a sales training program. My wife and I moved to a new home and became friends with neighbors, one of whom was a salesman for Automatic Sprinkler Corporation of America (ASCOA). We met their friends, one of whom was the new district manager for ASCOA, who asked if I’d be interested in

AFSA Milestone Membership Anniversaries July and August 2017

35-Year Anniversary Contractor Members AllSouth Sprinkler Company, Buford, GA Central Fire Protection, Inc., Conyers, GA

25-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Howe, Inc., Sioux Falls, SD Nicholson Sprinkler Corporation, Richmond, VA Sentry Fire Protection, Inc., York, PA Teem Sprinkler Co., Inc., Winston-Salem, NC Texas Sprinkler, Grapevine, TX Associate Members Texas Manufacturing Company, Whitesboro, TX

20-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Fire Equipment, Inc., Medord, MA Recon Fire Services, Inc., Fort Worth, TX

15-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Atlanta Sprinkler Inspection & Maintenance, Winder, GA Pierce Fire Protection Services, Inc., Warwick, RI Telgian Corporation, Phoenix, AZ 54 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

joining their team. After many conversations I said yes and went to work for Automatic in November 1974.

Shultz: My father was the district manager for Automatic Sprinkler Corporation of America in Richmond, Virginia, and he got me a job making deliveries for the summer during college break.

Warner: I was asked by a friend if I liked drafting, which is something I enjoyed doing in school. I started out drawing plans and 45 years later I’m still going strong.

How did you get involved with AFSA? Nagle: When my partner and I went into business in May 1991, we entered the market as an open shop company. We did some research and found AFSA. So, we have been AFSA members almost from day one of our business.

Warner: We needed the best technical support we could get and AFSA was there.

What is your favorite or most used AFSA benefit? Nagle: Quite often over the years we have utilized AFSA’s technical assistance when questions arise as to an interpretation of NFPA codes with owners or Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs).

Although not an official interpretation, most times it is accepted as a viable answer by most authorities.

Shultz: The Sprinkler Forum, technical updates and training.

Warner: Both the informal interpretations and the webinars. I also enjoy reading Sprinkler Age. What is your favorite AFSA memory? Shultz: Getting a tour of the Medical College of Virginia Burn Unit to see how they treat burn patients and how they use the money that is raised from the AFSA Virginia Chapter golf tournament.

What is your favorite AFSA convention memory? Nagle: We’ve attended many AFSA conventions and I really enjoyed playing in the golf outings, seeing and spending time with people you may only get to see once a year or every couple of years. And I definitely won’t forget the convention in Palm Springs, where we went on the desert Jeep tour. We were fortunate enough to see big horn sheep, which is a rare site on those trips. In our excitement, the driver stopped on a steep incline and dropped the drive shaft. We had to wait for another ride, but we all made it back safely and lived happily ever after!

Shultz: I always enjoy the seminars and vendor presentations.

Warner: I have been fortunate to attend numerous AFSA conventions. The Dallas convention in 1993 was very memorable, spending time at Billy Bob’s and kicking field goals at the Dallas Cowboys’ football stadium.

What is the most significant change you’ve seen in AFSA or the industry over the past 25 years?

Nagle: The most significant change in our industry since I started in 1974 has to be the rapid development of technology.

When I started, the sprinkler choices were so limited, by today’s standards. Now we have residential, extended coverage, large drop sprinklers – the list goes on and on!

Perhaps the sprinkler that I think has had the most impact has been the different early suppression, fast response (ESFR) sprinklers. I feel that it has revolutionized the way warehouses are protected and all but eliminated the need for in-rack sprinklers.

Shultz: The increased use of high-pressure mist systems and lack of young people wanting to get involved in a trade.

Jack Nagle (left) and Joel Warner, partners in Sentry Fire Protection, Inc., are celebrating a silver anniversary in July 2017 with AFSA.

are many other things that are important such as having good people working with you, keeping up with the technology, and developing good working relationships with customers. But in the end, hard work seems to top the list.

thought too much about what I might be doing if I were not in the fire protection business. I have always enjoyed what I do and continue to enjoy my work. I have always taken pride in being involved with an industry that is devoted to saving lives.

Shultz: Communication, alignment with competent people, and treating those people with respect.

Warner: ... missing a lot of good times! I’ve never regretted the decision I made a long time ago.

Warner: Never give up and look for solutions even if you need to think “out of the box.” Realize that others may have ways of doing things that can benefit you.

Here’s to You! AFSA congratulates the members celebrating these anniversary milestones and looks forward to celebrating with more members in the future. Recognition in Sprinkler Age will be done in five-year anniversary increments and is available to all membership types. n

If I weren’t working in fire protection, I would be... Nagle: I really haven’t

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2. Short Term Policy – if you missed the Open Enrollment deadline you don’t have to be uncovered, consider Short Term Medical Insurance to help bridge your coverage gap until the next Open Enrollment Period. Not available in the State of California.

Warner: Technology, technology, technology! Forty-five years ago who would have thought of calculated systems and not needing rack sprinklers, due to ESFR sprinklers.

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What’s the key ingredient to your success? Nagle: I think that, as anyone who has been successful in this or any other industry will tell you, it boils down to two things: hard work and determination. There

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Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 55

AHJ PERSPECTIVE

BY RONNY J. COLEMAN

Say Misty for Me As most firefighters know, the more finely divided a fire stream is, the more of an effect it will have on heat production. This fine line of distinction is what makes the difference

between a solid stream and fog nozzle on the fire ground. If we look at the fire triangle, the fire relies on the presence of three elements in order to grow large enough to destroy lives

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and property: oxygen, heat, and fuel.

The removal of any one of these three elements will extinguish a fire.

Removing heat through vaporization is one of the fundamental principles of fire extinguishment.

Conventional sprinklers fight fires by the process of wetting or cooling combustible materials with water droplets. When these particles enter a fire plume, there is a rapid vaporization which removes heat.

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ince 1978, we have published FPC/Fire Protection Contractor for the benefit of fire sprinkler contractors and the fire sprinkler industry. Covering over 70 topics, we focus on helping fire protection contractors, engineers, designers, sprinkler fitters, apprentices, and fabricators, manufacturers, and distributors of fire protection products used in automatic fire sprinkler systems. We also reach fire marshals, inspectors, architects, unions, universities, libraries, and more, totaling over 40 categories.

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In the past, we have not drawn much of a distinction between solid stream and fog applications when it comes to sprinkler systems. However, droplet size and contact with burning material is one of the most essential performances of a sprinkler when activated. It now appears that there may be a new technology emerging that does draw the distinction between solid stream and a misting technology. For purposes of definition, what makes a solid stream or classifies it as a mist is the size of the water droplets. When compared to sprinkler droplets, water mist is extremely small. Generally, 99 percent of the volume of spray is in drops with diameters less than one thousand microns. A water mist system is a fire protection systems which utilizes extremely fine water spray.

The residential fire sprinkler market has provided a potential location for using water misting systems. At the same time, there has been an interest in reducing water damage for special risks, which provides another focused opportunity for traditional occupancies.

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As mentioned in a previous column, the Fire Protection Research Foundation has highlighted the positive opinions of fire sprinklers by home-

owners. Furthermore, the progress on research and applications of water mist systems in fire suppression has been substantial over the last decade. The combination of these two trends places priority on seeing where we could improve upon residential fire protection by the use of new technology.

There are several new technologies that are under consideration. Using Google search “water mist sprinkler system” you should be able to identify at least a half a dozen. NFPA 750, Standard on Water Mist Fire Protection Systems, has now been promulgated for the design, installation, maintenance, and testing requirements for water mist fire suppression systems.

This standard further defines three separate pressure regions for water mist generating technologies: low, intermediate and high pressure systems. Each of these pressure zones is allowed under NFPA 750.

A challenge for the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is how to treat these misting systems within the context of community wide fire protection. Almost all of the water misting technologies are independent of water supply. They utilize stored water as an opposed to domestic water supply and they have different mechanisms of control other than traditional valves. From the perspective of a fire marshal, you should be studying these misting technologies long before you are asked to approve one.

One of the priorities of managing a fire problem is to be able to select the right fire sprinkler system to match the risk. Therefore, you should be familiar with all of the types of water misting technology.

Summary Over the last three decades, we have significantly increased the number of sprinkler systems in our traditional occupancies. In spite of the opposition to residential sprinklers, we now have more dwellings protected than ever in the past. The net result is a changing fire environment. But, the evolution of new technologies is likely to

challenge our knowledge in achieving inroads into complex fire risks.

Water misting technology requires that the AHJ thoroughly understand how these systems function different than traditional systems. The time to learn about them is now and not when a first set of plans comes across your desk. n REFERENCES: 1. Mawhinney, J.R., Fire Protection Water Mist Suppression Systems, NFPA Handbook, 18th Edition, 1997 2. marioff.com/water-mist

3. Liu, Zhigang, Kim, Andrew K, “A Review of Water Mist Fire Suppression Systems – Fundamental Studies,” Fire Risk Management Program National Research Council, Canada ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ronny J. Coleman is currently the president of Fireforceone.

He is a past president of the IAFC and CFAI. Over his lifetime, he has received numerous awards including the AFSA’s 1989 Henry S. Parmelee Award, the 2011 Mason Lankford Award from the Congressional Fire Services Institute, and the Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award from Fire Engineering in 2014. He continues as a contributor to the fire service in many ways.

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Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 57

AFSA NEWS

Williams

Noble

Williams, Noble Appointed to NFPA Technical Committees The American Fire Sprinkler Association is pleased to announce that Jason Williams, CET, manager of ITM technical training, and Tom Noble, CET, technical programs specialist, have been appointed to several 2017 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) technical committees.

Jason Williams has been appointed to serve on the technical committee for NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems.

He has nearly 20 years of extensive hands-on industry experience. Williams manages all technical aspects of the AFSA Inspection, Testing and Maintenance (ITM) Inspector Development program, serving as primary instructor for the live webinars and classes as well as maintaining existing program materials.

Tom Noble has been appointed to five technical committees: NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Oneand Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes; NFPA 13R, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Low-Rise Residential Occupancies; NFPA 22, Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection; NFPA 24, Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances; and NFPA 101, Life Safety Code® Residential Occupancies. Noble has 22 years’ experience in the fire protection industry. He is tasked with preparing any and all material for the AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School, as well as co-teaching the school. Noble also writes informal interpretations on technical questions.

Anyone interested in getting more involved with the development of NFPA codes and standards is very much encouraged to do so! Visit nfpa.org or contact AFSA Senior Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services Roland J. Huggins, PE at (214) 349-5965 or rhuggins@firesprinkler.org.

Stringfellow Promoted to Accounting Coordinator Angelica Stringfellow has been promoted to the position of accounting coordinator. Stringfellow joined the American Fire Sprinkler Asso58 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

Stringfellow

Zamora

ciation (AFSA) in May of 2016 as an accounts receivable associate. Stringfellow attended Texas Women’s University and graduated in 2009 with a degree in biology and a minor in sociology. In her new role she is responsible for supplies, advanced accounts receivable duties, inventory and shipping. Visit firesprinkler.org.

Zamora Joins AFSA Staff Lizzett Zamora has joined the staff of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) as the financial & administrative assistant. She comes to AFSA with a background as an executive secretary assistant and seminar coordinator, with certifications in massage therapy and child development from Eastfield College and Brookhaven College, both of the Dallas County Community College District. Her new role includes entering payables from vendors and employee expenses, along with other administrative tasks.

Visit firesprinkler.org.

November Class Added to Design School Due to popular demand, AFSA has added a class to its 2017 Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School line-up: November 6-17.

The only other dates currently open for registration are August 14-25 and October 2-13.

The school provides two weeks of instruction, 60 percent of which is study and review of NFPA 13 (2016). The other 40 percent is preparation of fire sprinkler system layouts, shop drawings and hydraulic calculations. The school is designed to train a beginner to be productive immediately upon returning to work.

This class is designed for those with no experience, or those who need assistance with design. The students learn by actually planning and drawing sprinkler systems while studying and applying NFPA 13 (2016 edition).

Enroll now for one of the remaining 2017 Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning Schools.

Classes are kept small to provide an enriched learning environment for each beginning designer. As such, these schools sell out fast. Register at firesprinkler.org/schools.

ITM Fall 2017 Cycle: Last Chance to Save!

Need inspection training? Are you wanting to

create or grow an inspection side of your company? AFSA has the perfect program for you – the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance (ITM) Inspector Development program. The first three cycles of this program have been a big success, and this fall is your last chance to take advantage of special introductory pricing.

Thirty-four contracting companies enrolled in the Year One cycle from 16 states and three countries, and, on NICET Level I exams, there was a 91 percent first-time pass rate! For an overview of how this AFSA training program can lead your green inspector to Level II NICET certification in 19 months, visit firesprinkler.org/itm. n

Calendar August 14-25 AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Dallas, TX firesprinkler.org/schools

September 24-27 AFSA36: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition Bellagio, Las Vegas, Nevada firesprinkler.org/convention

October 2-13 AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Dallas, TX firesprinkler.org/schools

16 ITM Inspector Development Program Live Webinar Kick-Off firesprinkler.org/ITM

November 6-17 AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Dallas, TX firesprinkler.org/schools Seminars subject to change. Call (214) 349-5965 to confirm locations and times. For information on Chubb and/or OSU programs, visit firesprinkler.org and click on “Training Calendar.”

CHAPTER NEWS Greater Bay Area/Sacramento Valley The Greater Bay Area Chapter and the Sacramento Valley Chapter had their annual joint meeting on May 25 in Sacramento with over 125 attendees.

Assistant Deputy Director Daniel Berlant of CAL FIRE spoke, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal gave an update regarding California fitter certification updates. President Frank Mortl III, CAE was on hand to discuss recent AFSA updates, and James Golinveaux, president and CEO of Viking Group Inc., gave a presentation on NFPA 13 changes. For more details visit sacvalleyafsa. org and afsa-gba.org.

Ohio The AFSA Ohio Chapter held its Summer Social on June 22 in Reynoldsburg. Dave Listermann, president of Concord Fire Protection, gave the opening comments, and Chapter Chairman Bill Hausmann welcomed the crowd. State of Ohio Fire Marshal Jeff Hussey presented, and representatives from Fire Tech Productions, Reliable and Victaulic also gave presentations. The event concluded with drinks, food and networking at the Prost Beer & Wine Café in Reynoldsburg. Visit afsaoh.org.

Sacramento Valley On June 22, the Sacramento Valley Chapter of AFSA presented Storage Occupancies (NFPA 13, 2016 edition) in Roseville at the Bill McAnally Racing/NAPA AutoCare Center with instructor Russ Leavitt. It was an all-day seminar with breakfast hosted by 1st Service Insurance and lunch hosted by AGF Manufacturing, HD Supply and PACE Supply. Visit sacvalleyafsa.org.

Southern California On June 15, the Southern California Chapter of AFSA held a luncheon meeting at J.T. Schmid’s Restaurant & Brewery in Anaheim. Steve Leyton was the guest speaker and he spoke about the relationship between the C-16 Contractor and third-party engineers. AFSA Board of Directors Region 1 Director Lyle Hall gave the chapter a national update. There was a raffle sponsored by HD

AFSA President Frank Mortl III, CAE was honored to present at the Greater Bay Area/ Sacramento Valley annual joint meeting.

In June, AFSA Sacramento Valley members were updated on NFPA 13, 2016 edition.

AFSA Ohio Chapter members celebrated summer with a packed meeting on June 22, including training, networking and socializing.

Supply Waterworks and all the proceeds went to benefit the chapter. Visit socalafsa.com.

Virginia On May 16 the AFSA Virginia Chapter held a recruitment mixer at the Smartmouth Brewing Company in Norfolk. There were 37 attendees. AFSA Chairman of the Board Mike Meehan of VSC Fire & Security, AFSA Board member Jack Medovich of FLSA, and AFSA Manager of Chapter Relations Kevin Korenthal attended the event. Everyone had a great time socializing and enjoying the craft beer, pizza and cookies.

On June 6 the chapter held a Board meeting and regular meeting at the Marriott at Center City in Newport News. There were 37 attendees. George Bogris of Mintzer, Sarowitz, Zeris, Ledva, & Meyers, LLP gave an update on

Left photo: AFSA’s Virginia Chapter’s recruitment mixer was a fun opportunity to network at Smartmouth Brewing Company. Right photo: The Virginia Chapter’s June meeting included an update on CPVC issues.

the CPVC issues going on in the industry, and a general review of current types of legal issues that sprinkler contractors are encountering.

Bogris also talked about the need for proper documentation and record keeping to protect a company. Dave English of Potter Signal Company gave a 15-minute product update on its Nitrogen Generator products.

Please join the chapter October 3-4, 2017 for the AFSA/Burn Survivors Foundation Trade Show and the 24th Annual Burn Survivors Golf Tournament. Visit afsavirginia.com. n

ASSOCIATION NEWS Georgia The March 14, 2017 meeting of the Georgia Fire Sprinkler Association (GFSA) was held at SPP Pumps in Norcross. In addition to regular business, Ralph Watson with Globe Sprinkler gave a presentation about the nine configurations of the new RCW multi-purpose valve. Joshua Leonhardt of Leonhardt Piping spoke of the shortage of young talent in the fire sprinkler industry and encouraged the creation of a GFSA branch of the NextGen Initiative. The 17th Annual Bob McCullough Memorial tournament is scheduled for November 6, 2017. Visit georgiafiresprinkler.org. n

Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 59

AFSA MEMBERSHIP New Members The following is a list of new contractor members that have joined as of June 15, 2017.

Region 1

Region 2

Region 4

Region 5

International

Contractor B&L Automatic Lancaster, CA

Contractor Affordable Fire & Safety Gilbert, AZ

Contractor Accurate Fire Equipment Co. Tulsa, OK

Contractor American Fire Technologies Willington, NC

Contractor A.R.T Fire Protection, Inc. Canada

California State Fire Protection Wildomar, CA

Lockheed Martin Littleton, CO

BMF Solutions, LLP Cypress, TX

Lifeline Fire Protection Clermont, FL

Active Fire & Safety Canada

Excel Fire Protection Systems, LP McKinney, TX

McCoy Fire & Safety, Inc. Auburn, AL

Escape Fire Protection Canada

Region 6

National Hydronics Group Canada

International Fire Equipment Richmond, CA Service Pro Fire Protection Oxnard, CA

Region 3 Contractor Jayhawk Fire Sprinkler Topeka, KS Southport Fire Protection Caledonia, WI

Fire Safe Protection Services Houston, TX RES Fire Sprinkler Forney, TX

Contractor E.I. DuPont, Spruance Site Richmond, VA

Titan Fire Protection, Ltd. Canada

Horizon Fire Protection, Inc. Chesapeake, VA

Trio Fire Systems Duncanville, TX

Kinetix Upper Chichester, PA Pecora Mechanical, Inc. Linden, NJ

AFSA Chapter Contacts Alberta, Canada Kevin Mozark – Pres.

780-203-5263 Arkansas Coleman Farrar – Chair.

479-986-909 Wallace Reed – Vice Chair.

501-945-2900 Carolinas afsacarolinas.com David Smith – Chair.

828-327-4116 John Turnage – Exec. Dir. 919-624-3456 Chesapeake Bay Jay Zollars – Co-Chair.

410-286-3314 Danielle Fowler – Exec. Dir. 410-635-3022 Connecticut afsact.org Rick Russo – Chair.

203-877-7983 Wendy Callahan – Exec. Dir. 978-855-6495

Florida afsafl.org Chris Johnson – Chair.

800-327-7604 Carolyn Mohr – Exec. Dir. 239-771-3907

Mid-Atlantic afsamac.org Meaghen Wills – Chair.

610-754-7836 Michael Leister– Exec. Dir. 215-362-0700

Ohio Bill Hausman, Chair 937-859-6198 Don Eckert– Exec. Dir. 513-310-9660

Greater Bay Area Cory Riley – Chair.

510-490-7873 Lorelei Upshaw – Exec. Dir. 925-954-5031

New Jersey Thomas Bowlby Jr. – Chair.

908-226-5313 Robert K. Melofchik – Exec. Dir. 201-741-0056

Greater Kansas City Mark McKenzie – Chair.

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

New Mexico Pete Newstead – Vice Chair.

505-884-2447 Dave Wilson – Exec. Dir. 505-573-6712

Louisiana Linda Biernacki – Chair.

318-688-8800 Mark Taylor - Vice Chair 504-837-0572

North Central Michael Winiecki – Chair.

651-484-5903 Michelle Loren - Exec. Dir. 320-676-3771

Michigan Doug Irvine, Jr.- Chair 616-784-1644 Frank L. Mortl – Exec. Dir. 517-285-7665

Northern New England Ryan Gadhue – Chair.

802-865-3600 Tim Stone – Exec. Dir. 802-434-2968

Pacific Northwest afsanw.org Tracy Moore – Chair.

425-271-5598 Ron Greenman – Exec. Dir. 253-576-9700 Rocky Mountain Brent Heiner – Chair.

801-544-0363 Adam Millward – Exec. Dir. 801-216-4545 Sacramento Valley sacvalleyafsa.org Bill Gray – Chair.

916-663-3582 Paulene Norwood – Exec. Dir. 916-296-0635 San Diego As called by Chair.

Ron Aday – Chair.

858-513-4949 Rhonda Hill – Exec. Dir. 858-513-4949

South Carolina scfsa.org Jason Strickland – Chair.

843-664-0077 Jule Buffington – Exec. Dir. 803-951-2800 Southern California Jeff Bridges – Co-Chair.

714-285-0200 Terry Housholder– Co-Chair.

714-632-8646 Amber Barrios - Exec. Dir. 562-833-9492 Virginia afsavirginia.com Jack Medovich – Chair.

804-222-1381 George Wagner – Exec. Dir. 757-486-3103 Yankee Roger Piacentini – Chair.

631-689-6869 Joshua Fitzgerald – Exec. Dir. 617-903-3191

AFSA Affiliate Contacts Alabama Affiliate alfiresprinkler.org Charles Bielair – Pres.

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

60 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

Georgia Affiliate georgiafiresprinkler.org Ray Vance – Chair.

404-226-8304 Billy Wood – Exec. Dir. 404-226-8304

Oklahoma Affiliate ofsa.info Gary Field – Chairman 918-266-2416

Texas Affiliate fscatx.org David Stone – Pres.

713-466-9898 Carol McCain – Exec. Dir. 281-361-8069

CONSTRUCTION REPORTS U.S. Construction...

April Construction Starts Retreat 13 Percent The value of new

construction starts in April dropped 13 percent from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $647.8 billion, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. The decline followed three straight months of gains, which saw total construction activity rising 20 percent from the lackluster amount reported back in December. Much of April’s slide for total construction reflected a steep 39 percent plunge by its nonbuilding construction sector, which had been lifted in March by the start of two large pipeline projects – the $4.2 billion Rover natural gas pipeline in Ohio and Michigan, and the $2.5 billion Mariner East 2 propane and natural gas liquids pipeline in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, residential building slipped a more moderate 5 percent in April, and nonresidential building receded only a slight 1 percent as it basically held steady with its pace in February and March. During the first four months of 2017 total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were $213.9 billion, down 4 percent from last year’s January-April period. If the volatile manufacturing plant and electric utility/gas plant categories are excluded, total construction starts during the first four months of 2017 would be up 4 percent compared to last year.

Monthly Summary of Construction Contract Value Prepared by Dodge Data & Analytics

MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, In Millions April 2017 March 2017 % Change Nonresidential Building $233,443 $236,242 Residential Building $295,377 $311,212 Nonbuilding Construction $118,950 $195,795 Total Construction $647,770 $743,249

U.S. Construction...

New Construction Starts in May Edge Up One Percent At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $651.2 billion, new construction starts in May increased a slight 1 percent from April, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. Public works construction bounced back 30 percent from its subdued April amount, helped by the May start of four large pipeline projects totaling a combined $3.0 billion. This enabled the nonbuilding construction sector (which also includes electric utilities and gas plants) to register a 23 percent gain in May, offsetting modest 4 percent declines for both nonresidential building and housing. Through the first five months of 2017, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were $274.3 billion, down 5 percent from the same period a year ago. If the volatile manufacturing plant and electric utility/gas plant categories are excluded, total construction starts during the first five months of 2017 would be up 2 percent relative to last year.

Monthly Summary of Construction Contract Value Prepared by Dodge Data & Analytics

-1 -5 -39 -13

MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, In Millions May 2017 April 2017 % Change Nonresidential Building $219,269 $229,314 Residential Building $284,941 $296,874 Nonbuilding Construction $146,942 $119,451 Total Construction $651,152 $645,639

-4 -4 +23 +1

THE DODGE INDEX (Year 2000=100, Seasonally Adjusted) April 2017...............137 March 2017.....................157

THE DODGE INDEX (Year 2000=100, Seasonally Adjusted) May 2017...............138 April 2017.....................137

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

4 Mo. 2017 4 Mo. 2016 % Change Nonresidential Building $72,184 $68,731 +5 Residential Building $93,962 $94,027 -0Nonbuilding Construction $47,759 $60,719 -21 Total Construction $213,905 $223,477 -4

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

5 Mo. 2017 5 Mo. 2016 % Change Nonresidential Building $92,468 $88,014 +5 Residential Building $120,873 $120,470 -0Nonbuilding Construction $61,007 $81,137 -25 Total Construction $274,348 $164,679 -5

Canada Construction...

Canada Construction...

April CANADATA Y-T-D Figures on Construction Starts

May CANADATA Y-T-D Figures on Construction Starts

Types of Construction

Types of Construction

Apr

Apr

May

May

TOTAL CANADA 2017 2016 ($ Millions) Offices 7,831 46,285 Retail Misc.

12,643 16,216 Hospitals/Clinis 201,251 370,225 Educational 273,363 104,426 Manufacturing 75,142 24,450 Water and Sewage 306,225 181,442 Roads 593,952 810,970 Power Infrastructure 248,172 73,727 Bridges 30,966 64,003 ALL CONSTRUCTION 4,187,714 5,108,159

TOTAL CANADA 2017 2016 ($ Millions) Offices 11,420 55,520 Retail Misc.

13,596 11,673 Hospitals/Clinis 80,415 29,221 Educational 157,023 388,618 Manufacturing 35,452 19,751 Water and Sewage 629,353 429,988 Roads 930,843 1,022,745 Power Infrastructure 27,039 100,419 Bridges 85,554 179,537 ALL CONSTRUCTION 4,701,258 10,318,802

*Start figures are also available for many more categories of construction and according to provincial, city and county levels of regional detail. CanaData is a statistics-gathering and forecasting agency for the construction industry and is a part of CMD Canada, (416)-758-6400.

*Start figures are also available for many more categories of construction and according to provincial, city and county levels of regional detail. CanaData is a statistics-gathering and forecasting agency for the construction industry and is a part of CMD Canada, (416)-758-6400.

Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 61

PRODUCT NEWS display which featured a variety of the company’s newest and most popular products for residential fire sprinkler systems, including the new Model VK494 flat plate concealed sprinkler. The 4.9 K factor Model VK494 is cULus Listed for use in any residential occupancy and is available in ordinary (155°F) and intermediate (200°F) temperature ratings. It is the first residential “flat concealed” sprinkler to be approved in both an ordinary and intermediate temperature ratings at the minimum required residential flow rates for 16x16-ft, 18x18-ft, and 20x20-ft coverage areas. Additionally, the flat plate concealed design comes in a variety of color finishes, for a smooth ceiling look that doesn’t compromise on design.

Visit vikinggroup.com.

Tyco Introduces AquaMist ULF The new FM-approved Tyco AquaMist ULF is a complete fire protection solution including pumps, valves, discharge nozzles, pipes and fittings that offers improved ventilation and continuous protection. Suitable for below-floor installation and concealed spaces, the AquaMist ULF solution uses up to 80 percent less water than a pre-action sprinkler system, reducing the risk of damaging electrical equipment. Ideal for data centers, the AquaMist ULF is the only solution that guarantees rapid detection and discharge in a range of ventilated conditions. The AquaMist ULF can reduce supply piping and water storage tanks, saving space in data centers that have limited floor and ceiling space. Visit tycofsbp.com.

Viking Products Featured as Sprinkler System of Choice in PCBC Expo Right-Sized Living “Flex House” Viking’s Freedom® Residential Sprinkler System was chosen to protect a new flexible, intelligent, and “rightsized” model home on display at this year’s PCBC Expo. The Flex House, presented by Green Builder Media and Shelter Dynamics, was a model home that features a flexible living space that is completely connected, intelligent, resilient, and sustainable. Along with high craftsmanship and a customizable design, the Flex House comes loaded with standard safety features. A Viking Freedom® residential fire sprinkler system is included as standard equipment. The Flex House floor plan includes four sprinklers; two ceiling pendants for the kitchen and dining room, and two horizontal sidewall models for the living

Victaulic Introduces New FireLock® Innovative Groove System (IGS) for Small Diameter Hard-Pipe Solutions Victaulic announces the launch of its FireLock® Innovative Groove System (IGS) for 1-in. fire protection piping. The FireLock IGS line includes Installation-Ready™ fittings, an Installation-Ready™ Rigid Coupling, branch line outlets and adapters, as well as the VicFlex™ Series AH2-CC Braided Hose and the RG2100 roll grooving tool. These IGS products feature a new, patented IGS groove specification, optimized for 1-in. pipe, and are cULus Listed and FM Approved for service up to 365 psi. The RG2100 roll grooving tool is a first-of-its-kind tool that forms a Victaulic IGS groove into either Schedule 10 or Schedule 40 1-in. pipe. This innovative tool eliminates measuring and adjustment by the operator, as compared to threading,

room and bedroom.

At the PCBC expo, Viking also had its own

and effortlessly cold forms the IGS groove to specification every time. Victaulic’s IGS prod-

62 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

ucts can be used to create hard-pipe sprigs, pendants, and arm-overs, without using a wrench or threading dies. Visit victaulic.com.

Tyco Announces Model TN-17 Horizontal Spray Nozzle Tyco has introduced the newest addition to its line of special application sprinklers with the launch of the Model TN17 Horizontal Spray Nozzle. This 16.8 K-factor nozzle was specifically engineered to address fire protection challenges in road tunnels. The TN-17 Nozzle joins Tyco’s tunnel solutions family of products, including the TN-25 Nozzle, to round out a total tunnel solution offering. The TN-17 Nozzle is UL Listed and has been proven to perform successfully in rigorous third-party fire tests. This product joins Tyco’s robust tunnel solutions product line, offering broader protection options for road tunnel fire protection deluge systems. The TN-17 was designed to meet requirements for minimized water use while maximizing coverage area. With its ability to provide extended coverage and superior performance, the Model TN-17 Nozzle allows for a single pipe to run the length of a tunnel, compared to traditional designs that use multiple mains, branch lines and drop pipes in order to provide sufficient coverage. This back-to-back nozzle design allows for reduced material and installation costs. Visit tycofpp.com/tunnels.

C-Aire Compressors Introduces New Compressor with Innovative Digital Pressure Switch C-Aire Compressors, a designer, builder and distributor of high quality commercial grade air compressors for the fire protection market, announces the release of a compressor model with a digital pressure switch which eliminates the need for an air maintenance device.

The switch can be set to the desired pressure in seconds, saving time and money.

It is 27-in. tall and whisper quiet making it ideal for quiet settings such as nursing homes, office buildings, apartments and

@

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THE AFSA WAY... To assist contractors in maintaining a quality workforce, the American Fire Sprinkler Association and its Fire Sprinkler eCampus offer hundreds of online training programs that award CEUs (as recognized by IACET) and CPD credits (as recognized by NICET).

Online courses include: • Applied Sprinkler Technology / System Layout • Hydraulic Calculations • Seismic Bracing • Beginning CAD • Codes, and many other topics...

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with easy to understand settings. Both the unit and switch are UL listed in both USA and Canada. Visit c-aireinc.com.

churches. The unit mounts to risers 2.5 in. and larger and can also be installed on drywall, cinder block or concrete walls. A mounting bracket and 30-in. steel braided flex hose is included. The digital pressure switch has a setting range of 5-55 psi and has a minimum differential of 5 psi. The digital pressure switch has a large screen

RIDGID® Enhanced Inspection Cameras The latest generation of RIDGID® hand-held inspection cameras are purpose-built to help plumbers inspect, locate and diagnose issues faster than ever. The Micro CA-150 and Micro CA-350 inspection cameras are for professionals working in tough environments who require the latest technology for quick jobsite feedback and project implementation. The Micro CA-150 inspection camera has a large 3.5in. color display for clear and fast diagnosis in tight dark spaces. Plus, the camera’s internal memory can save up to 20 images that can be reviewed later, on-screen. The Micro CA-350 inspection camera, now standard with a 12V rechargeable Li-Ion battery, lasts up to eight hours and takes only 45 minutes to recharge, so plumbers can perform more inspections in a shorter period of time. The camera’s image rotation and digital zoom make capturing still images and videos easier. Visit RIDGID.com.

QUELL Fire Sprinkler System As storage facilities and their distribution methods have evolved, so have challenges of protecting them. When installing a fire protection system

COOL UNDER PRESSURE MECHANICAL HOT TAPPING MACHINE • Hot tap up to 4” valves on steel, galvanized, copper, brass or PVC pipe.

DM3MECH

• Pressure rated 300 psi for ambient temperatures, 125 psi for steam systems.

• Order with or without hole saws.

Reed Manufacturing Company Erie, PA USA • www.reedmfgco.com

64 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

in these spaces, different risk levels must be considered for a custom solution designed to meet the long term needs of the facility. The QUELL Fire Sprinkler System offers ceilingonly fire protection specifically for cold storage and unheated warehouses using a unique “surround and drown” approach to controlling a fire. QUELL fire sprinkler systems help maximize storage and lower costs, while also providing greater flexibility and dependable performance. Visit tyco-fire.com.

TrueAlert ES Notification Appliances SIMPLEX TrueAlert ES notification is the industry’s first advanced line of intelligent, fully addressable notification appliances. Constant electronic supervision of each notification appliance and revolutionary self-testing capability help ensure that TrueAlert ES appliances will work when needed and enable building owners to avoid tedious and expensive after-hours manual testing. The flexible wiring architecture can cut installation time by up to one-third, and TrueAlert ES notification provides powerful documentation and reporting capabilities to support code compliance efforts. Plus, TrueAlert ES addressable speakers have the capability to deliver audio messages to specifically targeted areas within a building during an emergency.

Visit tycosimplexgrinnell.com. n

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Graf

Edgar

Lubrizol Announces Senior Leadership Changes The Lubrizol Corporation announces changes to its senior leadership team. Bob Graf, previously corporate vice president of research and development, is named corporate vice president of data science and analytics, a new position for Lubrizol. With Graf’s new role, Julie Edgar joins Lubrizol’s senior leadership team as corporate vice president, research and development and chief sustainability officer.

Tesham (Tesh) Gor joins Lubrizol’s senior leadership team as corporate vice president, corporate strategy and consumer insights. These changes were effective June 1, 2017. Visit lubrizol.com.

Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co. Welcomes Gist The Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co. welcomes Kyle Gist as its newest outside sales

Gor

Gist

Cable

representative in the Southwest. Gist has a background in both the military and international security field. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Infantry, the Texas Army National Guard Calvary, and spent some time doing private security contracts overseas. Based in Dallas, Gist’s territory includes the DFW metroplex, Southern Louisiana, Oklahoma, and West Texas. As a sales representative, Gist reports to Daniel T. Merritt, Southwestern regional manager. His responsibilities include the building and maintaining of viable working relationships with the fire sprinkler contractors in his region. Visit reliablesprinkler.com.

HD Supply Fire Protection Promotes Cable HD Supply Fire Protection announces the promotion of Trent Cable to district manager. In his new role, Cable oversees fire protection branches in Memphis and

PeCoy

Nashville, Tennessee; Richmond, Virginia; Tucker, Georgia; and Concord, North Carolina. Cable joined HD Supply in Concord in 1993. He has worked as a warehouse associate, inside sales specialist, stock listing manager, and for the last 16 years as branch manager. As branch manager, Cable led sales growth that included earning three company Mark of Excellence Awards, Branch of the Year Award in 2011, and was instrumental in helping the branch earn yearly Elite and Premier Awards. He is a member of AFSA and NFSA, attends yearly trainings, and serves as a facilitator for HD Supply’s internal training program for the company’s associates. Visit hdsupply.com.

PeCoy Named Automatic Fire Protection President Automatic Fire Protection, Inc. has announced the promotion of Michael PeCoy

CLSE’s Plan Review & Acceptance of Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems This two-part online audio program with downloadable handouts describes the review process of fire sprinkler systems for one- and two-family dwellings, in accordance with the NFPA 13D standard (2007 edition).

Fire Sprinklers 501–Part 1: Design & Installation Concepts

This seminar describes the history of NFPA 13D, and how it differs from NFPA 13 and NFPA 13R. It discusses the exceptions allowed

by NFPA 13D in certain circumstances, and covers water supply requirements and how they are determined and evaluated.

Fire Sprinklers 502–Part 2: Review of Plans & Submittals

Designed in accordance with NFPA 13D, this seminar leads the student through the detailed step-by-step process of reviewing a fire sprinkler system plan designed for protection of a single-family home.

The student will download plans and supporting documentation to follow in the plan review process.

Convenient, affordable education available at www.clse.org

Center for Life Safety Education | www.clse.org

Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017 65

as their new president. PeCoy, formerly vice president, brings more than 33 years of service and industry experience to the position.

He will be responsible for leading the company’s growth plan as well as other key executive roles. PeCoy joined AFP in 2002 as Dallas branch manager and since then has demonstrated extensive industry knowledge and leadership qualities. Automatic Fire Protection, Inc. is a full-service fire protection company located in Texas since 1970. Visit automaticfireprotection.com.

NFPA Announces 2017 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has named Dolly Hulin, fire and life safety education division chief for the Thomasville Fire Department in North Carolina as the 2017 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year. Hulin was recognized at NFPA’s 121st Conference & Expo in Boston. Hulin has been exclusively using NFPA programs and materials since 2005. She calls NFPA the “onestop-shop” for all of her fire department’s education and prevention efforts. She is known for her extraordinary commitment to fire and burn prevention education and her outreach efforts include Safety Fest, an event she created to raise awareness during Fire Prevention Week. The event is attended by more than 20 area agencies and hundreds of residents. Hulin formed a partnership with a local supermarket to provide NFPA cooking safety tip sheets in each grocery bag containing a Thanksgiving turkey. She also helps nearby communities launch their own fire safety programs, and teaches hunter safety classes, where she makes sure to provide fire safety information to enthusiasts. At every turn, Hulin ensures that all participants know the importance of having smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in their cabins and campers. Visit nfpa.org.

kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Wes Letson comes to Viking SupplyNet from the steel fabrication industry where he most recently served in a business development, sales and estimating role with Garrison Steel. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Birmingham Southern College.

Phillip Skillern joins Viking SupplyNet from Grainger Industrial Supply where he served as a territory sales representative and a public sector account manager. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in sports administration from Louisiana State University. Visit vikinggroupinc.com.

ASA Members Elect 2017-18 ASA President Members of the American Subcontractors Association, a national trade organization representing construction subcontractors, specialty trade contractors, and suppliers, elected Jeff Banker, Banker Insulation, Chandler, Arizona, to serve as the association’s 2017-18 president.

Banker’s term began on July 1. He succeeds Robert Abney, division president of the Southaven, Mississippi, branch of F.L. Crane. ASA members also elected Courtney Little, ACE Glass Construction Corporation, Little Rock, Arkansas, as vice president; and Anthony Brooks, Platinum Drywall, Maumelle, Arkansas, as treasurer.

During the ASA Board of Directors meeting, held in conjunction with ASA’s annual convention, SUBExcel 2017, in Denver, the Board appointed Brian Cooper, AROK, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, as secretary for 2017-18.

These officers will serve a one-year term, July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018. Visit asa-online.com.

Viking SupplyNet Announces New Territory Sales Managers Viking SupplyNet is pleased to welcome both Wes Letson and Phillip Skillern as new territory sales managers in the Southeast Region. Letson, who joined the company effective May 1, 2017, will be responsible for developing and enhancing the company’s relationships with fire protection contractors in Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, and the Central and Southeastern portions of Tennessee. Skillern, who joined the company effective

NFPA Announces Elections The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) elected Jim Sullivan, Jeff Cash and Roger Montembeault to its board of directors at the association’s annual Conference & Expo in Boston. The three-year term for each member took effect upon the close of the conference. Two board members, Russ Leavitt and Eric Rosenbaum, were re-elected to a second term. Kwame Cooper, a retiring member of the board, was previously elected to serve as the assistant treasurer. Sullivan is the president of IDG International Publishing Services, where he previously served as vice president of licensing, and as director of finance and administration. Cash is the fire chief and emergency manager for the City of Cherryville, North

June 12, will be responsible for further developing Viking SupplyNet’s business in Ar-

Carolina, Fire Department. Montembeault is the consultant/owner of The Montem-

66 Sprinkler Age | July/August 2017

beault Group, Inc. He has previously served as president/owner of Flotronix Corporation; executive vice president of General Signal Corporation; vice president of sales and marketing for Peerless Pump Co.; and general manager for Goulds Pumps. Visit nfpa.org.

NCN-SFPE Scholarship Awarded On April 28, the Northern California/Nevada Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (NCN-SFPE) awarded the 2017 Annual Academic Scholarship to five students in fire protection engineering programs across the country: Matthew Atwell, Jacob Ludeman, and Randy Wu at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Stephen Zimmerman at Eastern Kentucky University; and Andrew Klein at the University of Maryland. Awards totaled $10,000 this year with each recipient receiving $2,000. The purpose of the scholarship is to support Fire Protection Engineering students from the greater Northern California/ Nevada Region, and to promote the expansion and advancement of the Fire Protection Engineering profession. Any student meeting the minimum requirements is encouraged to apply for the 2018 awards. For more details, visit ncnsfpe. n

NCN-SFPE scholarship awardees (with certificates) from left to right: Randy Wu, Jacob Ludeman, and Matthew Atwell. Not shown: Andrew Klein, and Stephen Zimmerman. SFPE scholarship committee members, from right to left: Marcus Berona, and James E. Art. In back: Ron Mahlman, Conner and McGill. Not shown: Gene Childs.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

NFPA Announces Theme for Fire Prevention Week In a fire, seconds count. Seconds can mean the difference between residents of our community escaping safely from a fire or having their lives end in tragedy. That’s why this year’s Fire Prevention Week theme: “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!” is so important. It reinforces why everyone needs to have an escape plan. This year, NFPA is encouraging you to draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit. Also, practice your home fire drill twice a year, and conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home. Don’t forget to teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them. And once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.

For more details visit nfpa.org/public-education/ campaigns/fire-prevention-week.

Johnson Controls and Tyco Complete Merger With a vision to create a safe, comfortable and sustainable world, a newly formed Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI) has begun operations following the successful completion of its merger with Tyco, marking a historic turning point for both companies. By uniting Johnson Controls, the number one provider of building efficiency solutions with Tyco, the number one provider of fire and security solutions, the new company is uniquely positioned as a leader in products, technologies and integrated solutions for the buildings and energy sectors.

With $30 billion in revenue and 117,000 employees (following the anticipated spinoff of the Adient automotive business in October), this powerful combination brings together best-in-class product, technology and service capabilities across controls, fire, security, HVAC and energy storage, to serve the full spectrum of end markets including large institutions, government, commercial buildings, retail, industrial, small business and residential. Tyco and Johnson Controls’ buildings platforms create immediate opportunities for growth through cross-selling, complementary branch and distribution channel networks, and expanded global reach for established businesses. For details visit johnsoncontrols.com.

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Viking SupplyNet and FlexHead® Industries Announce New Distribution Partnership Viking SupplyNet announces a new strategic partnership with FlexHead® Industries to offer the complete line of FlexHead flexible sprinkler connections and accessories. For more than 25 years, FlexHead products have been used in a wide array of structure types, including commercial, industrial, institutional, cleanroom, cold storage, and more. FlexHead sprinkler connections are FM Approved and UL Listed for many types of applications, and are qualified for use in Seismic Design categories C, D, E, and F. In addition to FlexHead branded products, Viking SupplyNet is also now a premier distributor of the SprinkFLEX® line of flexible sprinkler hose assemblies. FlexHead and SprinkFLEX products are available from more than thirty Viking SupplyNet distribution centers in North America. Visit vikinggroupinc.com.

Anvil International Acquires AFCON Anvil International announced that it has acquired AFCON, a leading provider of patented fire protection pipe hangers and seismic bracing products. “This acquisition strengthens Anvil International’s hanger and seismic bracing product line to offer the best fire protection package in the industry,” says Dean Taylor, vice president of Anvil International.

“We are excited to work with Kraig Kirschner, the former CEO of AFCON. Our emphasis will continue to be on innovation and further development of pipe hanger products.” Visit anvilintl.com.

Winsupply Opens New Plumbing and Mechanical Company in Houston Winsupply Inc., one of the largest distributors in the nation, has opened a new Winsupply company in Houston serving plumbing, mechanical and industrial contractors throughout southeast Texas. Winsupply of Houston – Plumbing and Mechanical is the third new company opened by Winsupply in 2017. Vince Roach is the president of the new company. He is joined by coowner Corey Teague, vice president. Roach and Teague, along with seven other employees, have more than 60 years of combined experience in plumbing, mechanical and industrial supplies distribution. Visit winsupplyinc.com.

NFPA’s Annual U.S. Firefighter Fatalities Report Shows 69 On-Duty Deaths in 2016 The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released its annual U.S. Firefighter Fatalities report, which showed a total of 69 U.S. firefighter fatalities while on duty in 2016. This represents the fifth time in the past six years that the to-

tal number of deaths has been below 70. Of the 69 firefighter fatalities, 39 were volunteer firefighters, 19 were career firefighters, eight were employees of federal land management agencies, one was a contractor with a state land management agency, one was a member of a facility fire brigade and one was a prison inmate. Although the largest share of deaths usually occur at the scene of fires, in 2016 the largest share of deaths (a total of 17) occurred while firefighters were responding to and returning from alarms. The next largest share of fatalities (a total of 15) occurred while firefighters were operating at fires. By far, this number reflects the lowest number of fire ground deaths since NFPA began conducting the annual study in 1977. It also represents the third consecutive year that the total has been below 25 deaths. Visit nfpa.org.

Fire Protection Research Foundation Hosts 21st Annual Suppression, Detection and Signaling Symposium The Fire Protection Research Foundation, an affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), announces it will be cohosting the 21st annual Suppression, Detection and Signaling Symposium (SUPDET® 2017) with the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany) as part of a joint conference with the 16th International Conference on Automatic Fire Detection (AUBE ’17). The symposium will be held September 12-14, 2017 at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Hyattsville, Maryland. This year’s program will feature over 80 presentations over a three day period focused on the latest development in research, technology, and applications for the fire protection community, and how they can be put to use by the fire protection community. SUPDET/AUBE 2017 welcomes professionals and researchers in the fields of fire alarm, suppression, enforcement, insurance, and emergency communications to share their expertise and research, and to exchange ideas. Visit nfpa.org/2017supdetaube.

NFPA Encourages Grillers to Keep Safety in Mind During barbeque season, grill masters are reaching for their spatulas, eager to usher in the long-awaited cooking season. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) urges grillers to be particularly mindful of cooking safety. According to NFPA’s latest “Home Grill Fires” report, three out of five households own a gas grill, which means a lot of great food and family times. But, it also means there’s a notable risk of home fires. From 2009-2013, an

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INDUSTRY NEWS CONT. annual average of 8,900 home fires involved grills, hibachis or barbecues, and almost half of all grilling injuries involved thermal burns. Although many (nearly half) of grillers do so yearround, grilling fires peak in July, followed by May, June and August. Visit nfpa.org.

“Tiny Homes” Movement Prompts NFPA to Offer Guidance An alternative to traditional housing options, tiny homes are growing in popularity. These permanent dwellings, known for their small size and economical living costs, are cropping up

across the U.S., as are concerns regarding the applicability of building and life safety codes for these unique dwellings. Addressing these concerns, NFPA has released a new white paper, “Applying Building Codes to Tiny Homes.” The paper underscores general code requirements guiding traditional home construction and the applicability of these requirements for tiny homes.

Code provisions highlighted in the paper include requirements for room size, means of escape, stairs, smoke alarms, and automatic fire sprinklers. The paper also highlights

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code provisions for sanitation and how the National Electrical Code® can safeguard homes of all sizes against electrical hazards.

If a tiny home’s design does not fully adhere to code requirements, building codes allow for code exceptions, allowances, and equivalencies that serve as acceptable alternatives. For instance, certain building codes permit the use of alternate materials or construction methods when the original provisions in the code cannot be met. Download the report at nfpa.org. n

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TFP2017010 Mar/2017