July/August 2020 Sprinkler Age

16 JAMIL SHAMOON IS AFSA’S YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

JUL / AUG 2020

SPRINKLER AGE

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

VOL 39/04

AFSA’s 2020 Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year

Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci

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JUL / AUG 2020 VOL 39/04

FEATURES 10 | A VOCAL ADVOCATE AND FIERCE DEFENDER

Maryland State Fire Marshal Geraci Named Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year

14 | COVID AND ITS IMPACT ON CONSTRUCTION

AFSA Contractor Members Cautiously Optimistic in Face of Pandemic

16 | SHAMOON NAMED YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

The American Dream Still Exists

20 | PLEASE RETURN YOUR SPRINKLER TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION

Navigating Airport Sprinkler Design

22 | AFSA39 POSTPONED IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY

AFSA Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition Scheduled to Return to Orlando in 2023

23 | NICET POINTS AND EDUCATION CREDITS

NICET’s New Portal Rounds up Half Credits

24 | SAVE ON ALL ON-DEMAND RECORDED WEBINARS

Half-off “Summer Sale” for AFSA Members

25 | ASK THE ACCOUNTANT

Updated Revisions to PPP Loan Forgiveness Interim Final Rule

26 | AIRPORT TERMINALS

Glazed Openings and Baggage Handling Design

28 | BACK TO BASICS: RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER PIPE SIZING

NFPA 13D, 2019 Edition

30 | PROTECTING AMERICA’S VETERANS FROM FIRE

AFSA Partners with Homes for Our Troops to Donate Residential Fire Sprinkler System

32 | AIRPORT PROTECTION

Beyond the Terminals and Hangars

34 | FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY

Considerations of Mass Reopening

36 | EDUCATING GENERATION Z ABOUT FIRE SPRINKLERS

School Project Spreads Awareness

38 | LOOKING BEYOND THE STORM

How to Remain Competitive in the New Era of Construction

41 | HAVE YOU JOINED THE SPRINKLERFORUM?

Email Discussion List is a Technical Resource for the Fire Sprinkler Industry

ON THE COVER: Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci is AFSA’s 2020 Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year. Mini cover: Jamil Shamoon, Symons Fire Protection, Inc., Poway, California, is AFSA’s Young Professional of the Year.

6 8 44 44 45 46 47 47 48 49 50 51 53 54

CHAIR’S MESSAGE FLASHPOINT AFSA NEWS CALENDAR OF EVENTS CHAPTER NEWS AFSA CHAPTERS NEW MEMBERS U.S. CONSTRUCTION DESIGNER’S CHALLENGE ITM CHALLENGE PRODUCT NEWS PEOPLE NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

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42 | THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Members Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 5

CHAIR’S MESSAGE

EDITORIAL: 214-349-5965

NICOLE DUVALL, Publisher,

R

Director of Communications & Social Media,ext. 126; nduvall@firesprinkler.org

ather than make this article just one more message about the coronavirus, I thought that I would take a different tack. I want to instead address the idea that we are not in uncharted waters but that we have lived through tough economic times in our nation before. In 2008, we experienced the housing crisis. In the early 2000s, we saw the dot-com crash. In 1990, we had runaway inflation.

At each of those moments, you could hear the same refrains of doom and gloom. Yet, what did we do as a nation, as a group of contractors? We got back to work. It was not easy, and it was not immediate—this recovery will be the same.

Yet, the people I am counting on right now to see us through are those in the trades. Every single time that we have needed to rebuild and grow as a country, it has been the trades who have been the engines of that growth.

Also, it seemed during those crises that we forgot about the economic growth before each one. I do not want any of us to allow the last three months to cause us to forget about the past 36 months, where we saw tremendous and vibrant growth.

We can get back to that place, and how you vote this November will decide what track you want us to be on.

As you are aware by now, we have made the tough decision to cancel AFSA39: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition in September. I know many of you look forward to attending our convention each year, as do I. It is the time of the year when you get to make new friends and catch up with old ones—where so much business gets done face-to-face. Take this opportunity to reach out to someone you do not know within our organization and forge a connection. A single email or LinkedIn connection could mean great things for your future.

The central part of our organization has been education. While in-person training will not be available for some time, there is still a plethora of online learning opportunities to take advantage of. I want to commend our AFSA staff who run them as it has not been easy to pivot more of our material to the online world and to handle the larger-than-expected online attendance. Please know that I am grateful to a staff who can adapt to ever-changing circumstances.

As I write this, many young men and women have just graduated from high school. Some are still unsure about their future, and others are looking forward to joining the trades. Let us make them feel welcome and give them a place in our organization so that we may mentor them and train them for the work that is about to come.

I do not know what the next few months will bring. But as I look back on our history and look years into our future, I see an organization that can weather any storm. I see a group of contractors and people who say, “Why not?” rather than “We can’t.” I see an organization that does not give up but instead plows ahead to make tomorrow better than today. THINGS WILL GET BETTER, I PROMISE. n

D’ARCY G. MONTALVO, Editor, ext. 115;

dmontalvo@firesprinkler.org

ADVERTISING: 214-349-5965

REBECCA HERRING, Communications Coordinator,

ext. 134; rherring@firesprinkler.org

CIRCULATION: 214-349-5965

REBECCA HERRING, Communications Coordinator,

ext. 134; rherring@firesprinkler.org

AFSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS TED WILLS, Chair, 610-754-7836 JACK A. MEDOVICH, P.E., First Vice Chair, 410-787-0639 LINDA M. BIERNACKI, Second Vice Chair, 318-841-0330 PAUL DELORIE, Treasurer, 603-432-8221 JEFF PHIFER, Secretary, 803-438-2994 WAYNE WEISZ, Immediate Past Chair, 209-334-9119 DWIGHT BATEMAN, 713-910-3242 ROD DIBONA, 605-348-2342 LYLE HALL, 858-513-4949 R. DONALD (DON) KAUFMAN, 505-884-2447 CHRIS JOHNSON, 727-581-9339 MICHAEL F. (MIKE) MEEHAN, 757-213-3660 JAY STRICKLAND, 301-474-1136

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

MARLENE M. GARRETT, CMP, Vice President, Program Operations & Education Services, ext. 118 LIZ MESSNER, CAE, IOM, Vice President, Membership & Communications, ext. 135

LESLIE CLOUNTS, Director, Education Services, ext. 130 NICOLE DUVALL, Director, Communications & Social Media, ext. 126 ROGER GRAGG, Director, 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.

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

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

ABOUT AFSA MEMBERSHIP

TED WILLS AFSA BOARD CHAIR

6 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

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.

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FLASHPOINT

T

his month, I want to discuss a term that is often talked about, but in my opinion, is not well understood: “reasonable.” NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2019 edition, uses this term in its purpose statement, section 1.2, and 10 other times in the body and Annex A of the standard.

Section 1.2.1: “The purpose of this standard shall be to provide a reasonable degree of protection for life and property from fire through standardization of design, installation, and testing requirements for sprinkler systems, including private service mains, based on sound engineering principles, test data, and field experience.”

NFPA 13 does not define this term. As I have been taught when a term is not defined, we use Webster’s Dictionary, which has the following definition: “Being in accordance with reason, not extreme or excessive, moderate, fair, inexpensive, possessing sound judgment.”

So, the standard wants sprinkler systems designed and installed that are not extreme or excessive, moderate, fair, inexpensive, and based on sound judgment developed through many years of fire protection with sprinkler systems and the resulting data. The sprinkler system is to afford a degree of protection for life and property from fire through standardization of design, installation, and testing requirements for sprinkler systems, including private service mains, based on sound engineering principles, test data, and field experience. The above makes sense to me, but do the people using and developing the standard fully understand and remember this concept?

NFPA 13, 2022 edition is in cycle as I write this column.

The technical committees and the task groups are working on the second-draft comments. Reviewing many of the submitted comments, I wonder if the submitters understand the term “reasonable.” For example, during this cycle, the Sprinkler System Discharge (SSD) Technical Committee has been considering modifying the room-design method to address a concern that was raised. In the application of the room-design method, all walls need to have a fire-resistive rating equivalent to the water-supply duration. What does “all” walls mean? To me, “all” means every wall. Is that the desired or true intent? Is a room with three interior walls and one exterior wall designed in accordance with the room-design method acceptable if the exterior wall does not have a fire-resistive rating, but the interior walls meet the requirements? The technical committee discussed this issue. While the technical committee agreed that the exterior wall does not need a fire-resistive rating, the current language of the standard did not state that. One member of the technical committee shared an example where an Authority Having

8 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

Jurisdiction (AHJ) would not allow the room-design method to be utilized because of the non-fire-resistive rated exterior wall. While the AHJ was “technically” correct in their exact reading of the standard, were their requirements reasonable or did the technical committee just not consider anyone would require an exterior wall to be fire-resistive rated to utilize the room-design method? In any case, it appears revised language will address this issue for the 2022 edition of the standard.

In my daily work activities, I receive numerous telephone calls, emails, and other correspondence from members describing AHJs and “experts” who are requiring protection schemes that are far from reasonable. I am fully aware and support the idea that an owner should receive all which they specified and contracted for from the sprinkler contractor.

However, when an AHJ requires a protection scheme because of “what-ifs” and “their” interpretation of the standard, this is not reasonable. While the standard has been developed and approved by qualified individuals to set a minimum level of requirements to provide a reasonable degree of protection, modifications and gross misinterpretations by individuals need to be kept in check.

The entire concept of providing a reasonable sprinkler protection of a property needs to be questioned. Otherwise, our industry will receive major push back from the public as being overreaching and not worth the investment. Excessive regulation is not what is needed. Good and reasonable sprinkler protection based on sound engineering principles, test data, and field experience is what is desired and required by the standard.

Hopefully, the readers of Sprinkler Age will understand what the term “reasonable” means. I know AFSA’s technical staff understands the term and if our members don’t believe we are being reasonable, let us know as we need to be kept in check, too.

While the above opinions are based on NFPA 13, most other standards that sprinkler contractors utilize have similar language, and the concept is the same. n

JOHN AUGUST DENHARDT, PE, FSFPE AFSA VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING & TECHNICAL SERVICES

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A VOCAL ADVOCATE AND FIERCE DEFENDER MARYLAND STATE FIRE MARSHAL GERACI NAMED FIRE SPRINKLER ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

“

REBECCA HERRING | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION Fire prevention is our most important service” is the motto of the Silver Spring Fire Department in Maryland, and a phrase Brian Geraci says has pushed his career down a path that includes being a vocal fire sprinkler advocate while working in the fire service. Geraci currently serves as the Maryland State Fire Marshal and he excels in educating about the importance of fire sprinklers from the perspective of the fire service as a life-saving tool that is not only beneficial, but necessary. While he has had many impressive accomplishments in his long career, the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is proud to honor him as its Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year for his consistent efforts to ensure that fire sprinklers are installed in new Maryland homes, as well as for his overall advocacy efforts in support of the fire sprinkler industry.

EARLY BEGINNINGS With his eyes on the fire service ever since childhood, Geraci began his career in June of 1973 when he applied for the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad in Montgomery County, Maryland. In his first position as an emergency medical technician, Geraci received training at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy and attended station training and meetings. From this beginning, Geraci quickly transitioned into the role of firefighter for the Silver Spring Fire Department in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 1976.

While working at the Silver Spring Department, Geraci recalls he “got the bug” that he wanted to become a fire investigator. However, to do so, Geraci had to complete fire code enforcement classes. Determined to pursue his passion, Geraci attended the classes until he became a fire investigator. During his studies, Geraci also became a fire inspector alongside his firefighting duties, which led to him addressing code issues and expanding his existing knowledge of fire sprinkler systems. As an inspector, Geraci worked in downtown Silver Springs, before promotion landed him at the County Fire Marshal’s Office in the fire code enforcement division. After spending some time in that position, Geraci was promoted to sergeant in 1988, and became a fire investigator. After that, he was promoted to lieutenant in 1992 with the County Fire Marshal’s office, which then led to a

10 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

Geraci participated in the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition’s (HFSC) 2018 Home Fire Sprinkler Day. From l to r: U.S. Fire Administrator Keith Bryant; NFPA President Jim Pauley; HFSC President & NFPA Vice President, Outreach & Advocacy Lorraine Carli; Geraci; and Prince George County Maryland Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale. promotion to captain/commander of the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service (MCFRS) Fire Code Enforcement Section in Rockville, Maryland. From there, Geraci held a few more positions, including serving as the MCFRS battalion chief for the Fire and Explosive Investigation Section/Bomb Squad in Gaithersburg, Maryland, as well as the coordinator for the Arlington County Fire Department Bomb Squad Unit in Virginia.

Most recently, as of September 2013, Geraci serves as the Maryland State Fire Marshal succeeding Bill Barnard. In addition to this current position, he serves as a director on the board of the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM).

FIGHTING FOR FIRE SPRINKLERS Geraci’s relationship with fire sprinklers is a long one.

The pursuit of his passion to work as a fire investigator, and later a fire inspector, provided a natural introduction to and lifelong work with fire sprinklers. His background and training for these positions aided in Geraci’s knowledge of sprinkler systems, sprinkler system testing, and other aspects of fire protection systems.

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The Power Behind Your Mission

Geraci (far right) at a fire service legislative reception in Annapolis earlier this year with Public Safety Chaplain Rabi Tenenbaum (far left) and Maryland DSFM Investigator and K-9 Handler Oliver Alkire (center).

Geraci gives his annual report to the members of the Maryland State Firemen’s Association (MSFA) at its 2019 convention in Ocean City, Maryland.

Maryland is one of two states that currently require residential fire sprinklers in new homes (the other being California). This legislation was passed under Barnard. As his successor, Geraci has continued Barnard’s work, being a vocal advocate of that legislation, and a fierce defender when the legislation has come under fire. After the initial passing of the legislation in 2012, legislation was introduced in 2015 that would have allowed rural counties to “opt-out” of the new mandate. However, Geraci testified in favor of the

importance of fire sprinklers and the legislation was ultimately rejected, upholding that all of Maryland would be required to install residential sprinklers in new homes. “We always anticipate [opposition], we prepare for it, and look for it, but we also have sent a pretty clear message that the [sprinkler legislation] isn’t going away,” says Geraci.

The fire sprinkler fight is an ongoing one that Geraci works tirelessly on. “Since his first day as the Maryland State Fire Marshal [Geraci] has been a strong and vocal advocate for fire sprinklers," says Terry Victor, senior manager, industry relations at Johnson Controls Fire Protection, Upperco, Maryland, who nominated Geraci for this award.

Despite the huge accomplishment of defeating the opt-out legislation, Geraci has not simply rested on that victory. “[Geraci] has always been a huge advocate of fire sprinklers. He continues to lead the charge to defend the state requirement mandating fire sprinklers in all residences,” says AFSA Board of Directors’ First Vice Chair Jack Medovich, CEO of Fire & Life Safety America, Richmond, Virginia.

While he remains a vocal advocate of the initial fire sprinkler legislation in Maryland, Geraci still sees room for improvement in the existing legislation, and works to advocate for additional legislation to help with the enforcement side of the initial mandate. “We needed an enforcement arm [to the legislation],” says Geraci.

The result of this call for a more defined system of enforcement and who should be doing the enforcing of the existing laws is the recent passing of Maryland House Bill 823 and Senate Bill 746 that will take effect on October 1, 2020. These laws will require the state fire marshal to enforce any requirements relating to the installation of automatic sprinkler systems in new one- and two-family dwellings.

“Residential sprinklers are in place here in Maryland; they aren’t going anywhere. We’re saving lives and they’re clearly making a difference,” reinforces Geraci.

FIRE SPRINKLER ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTS 1997 Dan Jones, Chapel Hill, North Carolina Fire Chief 1998 John Vendetta, Hartford Fire Chief 1999 VJ Bella, Louisiana State Fire Marshal 2000 Dennis Compton, Mesa, Arizona Fire Marshal 2001 George Miller, National Fire Protection Association 2002 Jim Ford, Scottsdale, Arizona Fire Department 2003 Gary Keith, National Fire Protection Association 2004 Jan Gratton, Fire & Life Safety Educator, Covina, California Fire Department 2005 Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) 2006 Meri-K Appy, Home Safety Council 2007 Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) 2008 Ron Hazelton, Home Improvement Expert 2009 Olin Greene, US Fire Administrator 2010 Jim Shannon, National Fire Protection Association 2011 Jeff Feid, State Farm Insurance 2012 Tonya Hoover, California State Fire Marshal 2013 William Barnard, Maryland State Fire Marshal 2014 Peg Paul, Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition 2015 Ed Van Walraven, Aspen, Colorado Fire Marshal 2016 Ed Altizer, Virginia State Fire Marshal 2017 Randy Miller, Camas, Washington Fire Marshal 2018 Richard Smith, Maryland State Firemen’s Association 2019 Amy Acton, Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors 2020 Brian Geraci, Maryland State Fire Marshal

12 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

With the new legislation in place, Geraci’s office, now more than ever before, will be involved with fire sprinklers through enforcement and ensuring that each new home is outfitted with the life-saving technology of residential fire sprinklers.

“I’ve known Brian for 20 years or better, and we worked on a lot of different things together when he was still with Montgomery County Fire Rescue,” comments Barnard. “One of the things I’m really happy with is seeing him continue to work on progressive ideas and build on the foundation that we laid over the years.”

A LEGACY OF PROTECTION Since the passage of sprinkler legislation, fire deaths in the state are down 55 percent, and Geraci credits that to residential fire sprinklers and smoke alarms. With the current coronavirus pandemic, Geraci admits he was concerned that those numbers would rise with many staying at home more than ever. However, he mentions that because of sprinkler systems, even though there are more incidents of fires, more people are getting out safely and surviving these incidents than ever before.

ASSOCIATION INVOLVEMENT Geraci is also a familiar face seen at local AFSA and association meetings. “He participates in and speaks at local sprinkler chapter meetings. He speaks openly about the benefits of fire sprinklers and fights for the mandate for residential sprinklers in all single-family homes in Maryland,” says Victor.

Geraci says he attends meetings to keep local chapters informed on what is going on with the legislation and the state of Maryland. Notes Medovich: “He attends our local AFSA meetings to advise and assist our members in dealing with state requirements whenever asked or needed.”

When asked about participating in these meetings and getting to know the local chapter members, Geraci highlighted the importance of “having relationships and partnerships with local chapters,” as it is a great way to coordinate charitable events, update any current legislative issues, and educate local inspectors and contractors. “We’re stronger together, and we work best when we work together,” he states.

AWARDING TEAM EFFORT Geraci is pleased to accept this award but also enthusiastically acknowledges that, “While I am accepting this award, I want to highlight that it is really a team effort; it’s everyone working together. Local association chapters and the Maryland fire service—when we come together, we are a force to be reckoned with. When you mix the volunteer, career, and bring in the associations, we are a tough crowd to knock down.”

Geraci underlines that it’s cooperative work from all these parties that makes things better for not just Maryland citizens, but also Maryland firefighters. “Many firefighters in Maryland are volunteers, and since they are giving their time

“ ... IT IS REALLY A TEAM EFFORT ... WHEN WE COME TOGETHER, WE ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.” and energy for us, having the [residential sprinkler] laws in place are going to make things better and safer for them when they selflessly give us their time.”

Geraci also highlighted the importance of the staff he works with at the Office of the State Fire Marshal. “It’s a team effort and I’m lucky to have great people working for me because it definitely makes things easier!”

He continues, “I’ve been blessed through my career in the assignments I’ve received and the people I’ve worked with. It’s all been a blessing.”

AWARD PRESENTATION 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, members of AFSA’s Legislative Committee select a recipient from a pool of nominations. Their nomination is then approved by the AFSA Board of Directors.

“I was so glad Brian was selected for this award,” comments AFSA’s Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John August Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE. “I have worked with him over the years, and I have watched him support the benefits of sprinkler systems at the local and state government levels. He has been a great team builder, ensuring sprinkler legislation stays in place and enforcing non-compliance issues.

Brian is a true advocate for sprinklers.”

Historically, the Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year award is presented at the general session of AFSA’s annual Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition. However, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the postponement of AFSA39, new acceptance arrangements are currently being made.

AFSA is proud to recognize those individuals who have given extraordinary support to furthering the advancement and awareness of fire sprinklers. All three of AFSA’s annual awards—the Henry S. Parmelee Award, Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year Award, and Young Professional of the Year Award—are accepting nominations year-round at www. firesprinkler.org/awards. n

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 13

COVID AND ITS IMPACT ON CONSTRUCTION AFSA CONTRACTOR MEMBERS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC IN FACE OF PANDEMIC NICOLE DUVALL | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

D

uring this time when the COVID-19 pandemic is crippling various industries, construction has been one of the few industries that has been maintained to some extent. More stringent quarantine orders have been implemented and new U.S. weekly unemployment claims have smashed records as the economic impact of the pandemic sweeps around the world. A sense of urgency to reopen the economy is building and the U.S. government approved an unprecedented stimulus package to try to rescue a wide range of industries and businesses.

A survey to AFSA members shows that majority of companies are concerned about both short- and long-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Although construction Contractors should put in place immediate and contingent safety measures for their employees and decide which functions can be carried out remotely should an outbreak occur within their ranks. In the event of widening outbreaks of COVID-19 that may affect workers, companies should consider the need to outsource some corporate functions, such as moving IT to the cloud. Such changes can help lower operating costs and eliminate maintenance capital expenses.

Steps to consider: • Confirm that your employees are safe and know how to protect themselves.

• Consider instituting sanitation rules in the workplace and assess mobility policies to encourage remote working, when necessary and possible.

• Ask employees who are sick to stay home until they are better.

• Stagger shifts, increase distance between workers, and ban visitors to construction sites.

• Eliminate non-essential travel.

• Consider potential workforce scenarios to help reduce immediate labor costs.

• Gather necessary data on employees and track movements during the crisis.

• Consider which functions may be outsourced to help trim operating costs.

• Establish risk-mitigation programs for employees who still need to work on-site.

• Invest in education campaigns for front-line employees who have to be onsite so they know what to do to minimize the spread of the disease and what to do if they experience symptoms. See samples on www.firesprinkler.org/COVID19.

14 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

activity will likely continue in the short-term, the work is expected to slow over the coming months given various factors, including supply chains disruption, shortage of workers and materials, and the termination of contracts to control expenses, according to a poll of 254 AFSA members in June 2020.

The survey, which closed June 12, points to brightening expectations owning to many states considering construction essential, which helped ease pressure. However, this survey reflects the deepening worldwide crisis and presents renewed concerns for the impact on the economy, the construction sector, and supply chains.

Thankfully, most of the respondents (62 percent) reported that their operations were considered essential, and as such, 79 percent reported that they did not experience even as much of day of business disruption due to government-mandated shutdowns.

“We are an essential business but the clients we serve aren’t, which makes it difficult for us to keep busy at times,” said a Nevada-based contractor.

Two-thirds—or 66 percent—of respondents to AFSA’s survey are expecting negative revenue impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with half of those expecting losses in excess of 20 percent. Twenty-five percent of the respondents are expecting no impact to current revenue projections, since March 1.

“Uncertainty is the biggest concern,” wrote a contractor operating primarily in New York State. “Projects were shut down and we’re not sure when they are going to resume, and if so, what the new schedule is going to look like. Projects that have been awarded, but not started, have been canceled or put on indefinite holds. Lastly, future project funding is the number one most concerning effect to our business, given the uncertainty of the economy, and length of the business shut down in our state and how that may affect the construction markets down the road.”

The results indicate that AFSA members are concerned about the overall negative impacts of coronavirus to their business. The top concern of members is revenue and cashflow (69 percent),

followed closely by 63 percent of respondents who report they are experiencing workforce challenges, such as absenteeism and the ongoing labor shortage.

Yet, many are seeing an opportunity in this global black swan event. “Moving forward, we believe that labor availability will increase,” noted an Arizona-based contractor. “The construction sector in our region was least affected. Graduating high school students are starting to see the positive aspects of not going to college. Also, given the tentative steps taken by universities as to open (or go online) and the exorbitant cost of a college degree, high school students we believe will opt more and more for trades.”

Forty percent of respondents noted a growing concern with making payroll. Thirty-five percent of members said they were concerned about vendor or supply chain issues, and 31 percent voiced unease in regard to the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage.

“The regulations for safety are hard to implement when we cannot find such things as Clorox wipes, safety goggles, and thermometers,” lamented one California contractor.

In addition to the revenue concerns already discussed, 55 percent of respondents are worried the situation will require reduction in spending, and 35 percent of respondents report they are in a hiring freeze. Additionally, 25 percent have experienced layoffs, and 22 percent report that they have furloughed staff in response to the pandemic.

Despite the challenges, many respondents were cautiously optimistic. “Although we had to contract our workforce at the beginning, we were able to bounce back and are currently at least 100 percent engaged/billable,” reported an East Coast contractor employing over 100. “The Payroll Protection Program (PPP) helped bring the few people back that we had to let go, but we were already looking at bringing them back based on increased workload. PPP just helped us do it a little faster.

We pray that the market maintains and grows, so we can get back to the new normal.”

As far as duration, the largest percentage of respondents (21 percent) expect that the coronavirus will impact their operations for four to six months. An additional 17 percent expect the effects to last seven to 12 months, while nearly 20 percent expect the impacts to last more than 12 months.

As one Midwestern contractor said, “For us, it is too soon to tell. I think we will experience any effects six to 12 months from now. In the short term, it has been much more of a personal disruption than a professional one so far. Saying that I do realize we are very fortunate, and I do not take that for granted. We are fortunate for many things: good health, industry, and business to work for.”

The survey indicates that most members expect the effects of COVID-19 to be significant on their business, says AFSA Chair of the Board Ted Wills, president of Anchor Fire Protection Co., Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania. “We implore Congress and the Trump administration to provide stimulus opportunities swiftly to help our members. Additionally, AFSA continues to work hard

to advocate for and ensure that construction and specifically fire sprinkler contractors are deemed essential business functions that need to continue operating. Our membership and industry are resilient, and we will weather this storm.”

POSSIBLE ISSUES MOVING FORWARD Uncertainty surrounding the duration and severity of this crisis makes it hard to anticipate how a recovery could unfold for the industry. Keeping workers safe and organizations’ balance sheets healthy is critical for the overall recovery of the industry.

This will also help prevent a possible buying spree of distressed organizations by investors.

Many organizations will be compelled to make cuts during this volatile period. Some will be austere. So, organizations will need to be surgical with cuts while balancing short- and long-term needs. However, keep in mind that austerity measures should be tempered to preserve long-term objectives. Although moving quickly can certainly create an advantage, knowing where you’re headed will help ensure the changes you make are more impactful. n EDITOR’S NOTE: AFSA is committed to supporting you, your staff, and your business— whether it’s COVID-19 resources, web-based training, informal interpretations and technical support for your design team, or correspondence education for your field staff. AFSA offers many online learning opportunities that you can take advantage of, ranging from live webinars to online seminars across all topics of fire sprinklers and management via our Fire Sprinkler eCampus at sprinklerecampus.com. Information relevant to your business and COVID-19 can be found at www.firesprinkler.org/covid19.

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 15

SHAMOON NAMED YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR THE AMERICAN DREAM STILL EXISTS

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NICOLE DUVALL | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION amil Shamoon lives by the “Golden Rule.” But treating others the way he’d like to be treated is far from the only reason for the 39-year-old, father of four’s success. As owner of Symons Fire Protection in Poway, California, Shamoon has worked in various positions of the fire sprinkler business literally working every position in his business. By investing his sweat equity and never being one to say “no” to an opportunity, Shamoon has built a successful contracting company with over 90 employees serving Southern California. He has also served in several volunteer leadership positions, such as chair of the American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) San Diego Chapter and various involvements with other trade and charity groups.

For these reasons, AFSA is pleased to announce that Shamoon has been elected by a panel of his peers on the NextGen Initiative (NGI) as the recipient of AFSA’s 2020 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.

FROM HELPER TO OWNER—BUILDING A CAREER Like many in the fire sprinkler industry, Shamoon found himself a career by chance. Growing up in Southern California in a working-class family, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do professionally. But when he was in high school, fate presented him an opportunity when his neighbor asked him to care for his newly hydroseeded lawn. The job wasn’t hard—water the grass once a day—but Shamoon, who says “any job worth doing is worth doing well,” took it seriously. At the end of the month, the neighbor, who was a foreman at Symons, was so impressed by his work ethic that he offered him a job on the spot as a helper.

Engaged to his high school sweetheart, Shaunna, Shamoon wanted to get to work building his career. He gained tons of hands-on experience as he rose through the ranks in the field, becoming a fitter, foreman, then a project manager. As a project manager, his responsibilities covered a wide variety of areas, from estimating, managing the shop, overseeing the field crew, and scheduling installations.

His job was challenging yet enjoyable and he strove to better understand the meaning behind his work and wanted to learn design.

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Shamoon (center) and the Symons Fire Protection team attended AFSA38 in San Diego in 2019.

His business couldn’t afford to take him out of the field during the week to dabble in design, so Shamoon took the initiative to invest a couple months’ worth of Saturdays to go into the office and learn. This wasn’t in his job description nor was he paid for that time, but what he learned gave him a great foundation for the rest of his career.

Shamoon studied business at San Diego State University, but is quick to point out that his degree, while helpful, was not the driving force behind his success. “My practical, real-world experience combined with an education created a lot of opportunity for me,” Shamoon said. “College taught me how to learn and absorb information, and my real-world experience taught me how to do something productive with that information. I brought a lot of what I learned at school back to the company.”

Shamoon believes his practical field knowledge paired with his education better prepared him to take on all the responsibilities that came with being vice president, then president, of a fire sprinkler company. Along with ensuring the success of his business, Shamoon is now focused on becoming a better leader. “I always say that people are the most rewarding yet most challenging part about running my business,” he said.

Every day he is learning how to better manage people and maintain a good work environment while maximizing productivity. He said, “This journey has required a lot of personal development and self-reflection. I always remind myself that as a leader, it is my responsi-

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Shamoon and his wife Shaunna are parents of four children—Elias, 18; Alexia, 14; Adelin, 9; and Aleah, 4. bility to continuously develop myself to be the best leader I can be for my team. I can’t change everyone else, but I can change myself, and doing so hopefully inspires others to grow and develop as well.”

When asked about how he made such a remarkable career progression from helper to owner in just 20 years, Shamoon said with his trademark humility: “I never said ‘no’ to anything. I was always the first one to volunteer, but not selfishly. I never asked, ‘What am I going to get out of this?’ I just wanted to help get the job done right and gain as much experience as I could in the meantime.”

In short, his advice on how to succeed is to “outwork the people around you and continue to educate yourself every day.”

BETTERING HIS COMMUNITY When notified about his being named AFSA NGI’s 2020 Young Professional of the Year, Shamoon was genuinely surprised. “I am where I am because I wanted that exposure to knowledge,” he said. “To do that, I sat on committees to be around the people who know all these things that I wanted to learn. Building those relationships as you serve, it creates a network that you can then go back to and ask for help or an introduction.”

Since he says he is typically the one nominating others, Shamoon never expected any accolades, but his hard work and dedication are frequently noted by those whose paths he crosses. In fact, the Building Industry Association (BIA) of San Diego County named him its Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Trade Contractor of the Year in 2015. Shamoon is currently a board member of the San Diego County’s Specialty Contractors Council (SCC) for BIA. But Shamoon’s volunteer leadership doesn’t stop there. In his nomination letter, Anthony Spencer, formerly with Lubrizol, said, “Jamil has given his time to benefit the industry through the association but also by offering his expertise to the Tyco Premier Contractor Network. I know firsthand that Jamil has assisted [BlazeMaster] in market innovation and development of literature that promotes the fire industry. He has always been willing to do what needs to be done all while running the day-to-day operations of Symons which has turned into one of the premier residential

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contractors. Amazingly enough, he has done all this while raising a family and committing himself to being involved locally as well.”

Shamoon is also the past chair of AFSA’s San Diego Chapter where he has stepped up to install residential fire sprinkler systems in homes for wounded Veterans. Through his local International Code Council (ICC) chapter, he has trained Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) and building department officials on codes and inspections.

In March 2020, Shamoon and Ray Fremont, Jr. of General Air Products presented “How to Build Your Management Skills Before You’re Management” as part of the NextGen webinar series. To date, it holds AFSA’s record for most attendees for a business management topic—235 connections. In reflecting on management, Shamoon said, “Preparing for management is not easy. People assume managers don’t do anything, but often they don’t realize just how difficult a job it is. Most people aren’t ready.

The people who rise to the occasion do better.”

A big proponent of investing in his people, he is always looking for ways to give his employees the opportunity to hone their skills.

“To grow, I had to stretch myself,” Shamoon said. “Many people would walk away from a challenge, but instead I looked at it as an opportunity. To win, you have to show up and say yes.” As he puts it, “What is the point of doing all this, if you can’t give back?”

In his free time, Shamoon and his wife of 22 years are active in their church, leading small groups for young families and couples when they are not with their four children—Elias, 18; Alexia, 14; Adelin, 9; and Aleah, 4.

“I am so grateful for Shaunna’s support—it has been instrumental in my success,” comments Shamoon. “Her dedication to our family and carrying the load at home has allowed me to grow to where I am today.”

A LEADER AMONG LEADERS This years’ nominees were of an extremely high caliber, and the finalists showed unrivaled commitment to excellence both inside and outside of the workplace.

“From the first time I met with Jamil, his passion for the industry was evident,” said NGI Chair Meaghen Wills, Anchor Fire Protection.

“He truly cares about the fire sprinkler industry and he has a real admiration for his employees. His biggest asset is wanting to see them all succeed individually. He believes that’s what makes the company succeed as a whole. That is a true leader.”

In talking about him, many commented that Shamoon is a model of work ethic, integrity, and innovation. Spencer continued, “Jamil cares a lot about the success of the fire sprinkler industry. He has found ways to look towards technology and used it to benefit Symons. He is looking for continuous growth for his company, himself, and his employees. He has tried to invest a sense of accountability and education with his employees. He tries to hold them as good role models for the industry but also their families. He has been involved in many aspects of the industry and brings this education/technological aspect to each meeting. He pushes and asks questions to get those around him thinking of how to better the industry.”

Longtime friend Darren Palmieri of Viking Corporation said, “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jamil for nearly 15 years and have watched him grow into a leader not only at his company, but also in the sprinkler industry. He is exactly the type of leader we should be honoring with this award—he’s an unwavering promoter of fire sprinklers, extremely creative, and hardworking, and takes on every challenge with the utmost integrity. I cannot think of someone who deserves this award more than Jamil. I’m deeply thankful to know him, and proud to call him a friend.”

This year marks the 5th annual YPY award—presented by AFSA’s young professional group the NextGen Initiative (NGI). For five years, AFSA’s NGI has been on a mission to recognize the outstanding talent and achievements of young professionals in the fire sprinkler industry.

These young professionals aged 40 and under can be described by a variety of adjectives—movers and shakers, innovators; but by all definitions, NGI’s YPY award winners are most recognized for how they shape the business landscape with their passion and sense of community. 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.

“Jamil’s successes are a direct reflection of his unrivaled work ethic,” says Rhonda Gudger, AFSA San Diego Chapter executive director. “He knows and understands the value of sacrifice, fortitude, and teamwork. He has an insatiable passion for helping others. His compassion for people is extraordinary. Jamil selflessly volunteers his time an energy to support any project the San Diego Chapter deems a priority—Homes for Our Troops in the San Diego area, local AFSA golf tournaments, NextGen events, and Trade Days. Not only does he volunteer the labor and material, he helps plan, organize, and execute on a grand scale. Jamil’s enthusiastic, can-do attitude, has inspired others to collaborate on a variety of fundraising efforts.”

Due to COVID-19, alternative plans are being made to present the award to Shamoon. The award is typically presented during the general session at the annual AFSA Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition, which was postponed this year due to the global pandemic. For more details on AFSA or its NextGen Initiative, visit firesprinkler.org. n

Josh Shapiro Honorable Mention AFSA’s NextGen Initiative is pleased to announce that Josh Shapiro is the 2020 Honorable Mention winner for the Young Professional of the Year (YPY) award. In 2015, Shapiro joined Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co. as its Mid-Atlantic regional sales manager for Delaware, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, based in Capitol Heights, Maryland.

“Josh is an active member in more than one chapter and demonstrates leadership in all,” said AFSA Chesapeake Bay Chapter Executive Director Danielle Fowler of Potter Electric, Mount Airy, Maryland, who nominated Shapiro for the award. “He is the promoter of the local NextGen events and also serves on the national board for NextGen. He is a constant contributor to our meetings and activities. As the MidAtlantic regional sales manager for Reliable, he is present at most industry events that are in his area.”

Nationally, Shapiro currently serves on both the AFSA Legislative and NextGen Committees, which requires him to attend quarterly meetings. In Maryland, he serves as the NextGen chair for the AFSA Chesapeake Bay Chapter and on the chapter’s board of directors, and helps to organize the chapter’s annual golf tournament. In Virginia, he also serves as the NextGen chair for the AFSA Virginia Chapter and organizes events throughout the year.

Maria Anderson, president & CEO of Anderson Fire Protection, Inc. in Elkridge, Maryland, echoed her support of Shapiro in her nomination letter, stating, “Some of the qualities of a good leader are decisiveness, integrity, team building, problem solving, and dependability.” She continued, “Josh has been our account representative for several years. I have gotten to know him on a personal level as well.

In terms of business, because of his efforts, we work as a team to get the materials right and on a timely basis. If a problem arises, Josh will take care of it. If he tells you, he will do something, he does. That is a rare find in today’s world.”

After graduating from the University of Arizona, Shapiro began his career in politics in Washington, D.C. During his tenure on Capitol Hill, he traveled with and provided logistics for Members of Congress on nine diplomatic trips overseas from 2008 to 2011. He was also an international election observer in Belarus and Macedonia, and a U.S. Diplomat to the 18th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum in Prague, the Czech Republic, in 2010. Shapiro, and his wife Becky, an ER nurse, are proud dog parents of labrador, Sailor, and enjoy sailing in their downtime.

AFSA commends Shapiro on all he has done for the industry and congratulates him on this recognition! n

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 19

PLEASE RETURN YOUR SPRINKLER TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION NAVIGATING AIRPORT SPRINKLER DESIGN

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DUANE JOHNSON, P.E. | DIAMONDBACK FIRE PROTECTION, LLC ire protection of airport terminal buildings involves various hazards. Arriving and departing aircraft parked on the ramp exposes the building structure and passenger boarding bridges to a fire hazard. Concourses and holdrooms are filled with passengers, luggage, and concessions. Airport support areas contain airport operations, baggage handling systems, and security operations. The public side may consist of more concessions, security checkpoints, and airline operations areas. Each area has distinct risks, hazards, and fire protection needs. The fire protection basis for airport facility design referenced in this article is NFPA 415, Standard on Airport Terminal Buildings, Fueling Ramp Draining, and Loading Walkways, and NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.

While there are drainage requirements that slope the ramp away from the building to mitigate risk from a flammable liquid spill, there remains the potential of a fire exposure to the airport terminal building and the passenger boarding bridge. Exterior walls of airport terminal buildings must be constructed of noncombustible or limited-combustible materials further reducing the fire risk; see NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code or the International Building Code (IBC) for more information.

However, windows are often used in the exterior walls creating a potential unpro-

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tected opening. NFPA 415 requires the protection of glazing materials where fuel spill points are within 100 ft of such material. The use of fire-rated glazing or fire shutters are two options to protect the opening. However, this can be quite expensive. Alternatively, a deluge system may be installed to protect the non-rated glazing per NFPA 15, Standard for Water Spray Fixed Systems for Fire Protection. The system must be designed to provide a density of 0.25 gpm/ft2 over the exterior surface. The design must take into consideration the activation of multiple deluge systems operating if there are multiple systems adjacent to each other.

The water supply must be capable of supplying all expected systems operating under one fire incident.

Passenger boarding bridges or aircraft loading walkways are required to provide a safe means of egress from the aircraft for a period of five minutes. Positive pressure must be maintained within the walkway during fire emergencies. Walkways may be constructed with materials that meet specific testing criteria. Interior finishes, floors, walls, roofs and load-bearing members must provide structural integrity and maintain minimum heat transfer requirements or fixed fire protection must be provided. Fixed fire protection can be a deluge system designed to NFPA 15 requirements and provide discharge to all outer surfaces and structural members.

Alternatively, a foam system designed to NFPA 11, Standard for Low-, Medium-, and High-Expansion Foam, or NFPA 16, Standard

for the Installation of Foam-Water Sprinkler and Foam-Water Spray Systems, may be provided.

The system must blanket the entire area under the walkway and extend out 10 ft in all directions. Both systems must be provided with a water supply capable of meeting the five-minute requirement.

As we follow the arriving passengers into the terminal building, the fire hazard shifts focus to internal furnishings such as wall/floor coverings, decorations, equipment, appliances, and luggage. Passengers enter the holdroom or waiting area and are quickly introduced to concessions and other retail storefronts resembling a mall building. Interior furnishings are required to be limited to Class A or Class B materials. These materials will have low combustibility and smoke development characteristics. However, retail store products, concessions, and materials within the passenger’s luggage may contain foams, plastics, oils, and other hazardous items such as lithium-ion batteries which pose higher risks than the furnishings. For this purpose, sprinkler systems installed in passenger areas are required to be designed to NFPA 13 and Ordinary Hazard Group I. High ceilings, sloped ceilings, and architectural features such as cloud ceilings often prevent the use of quick-response reductions. Portions of the ceilings may benefit from an extended coverage sprinkler layout while other portions may end up with standard coverage protection. This will lead to multiple calculations for justification of the various arrangements.

Ceiling features such as high-volume, low-speed fans, exposed structural elements,

skylights, flight information display monitors, and way finding signs all create obstructions and require creative thinking for appropriate sprinkler placement.

The arriving passenger now proceeds to the baggage claim area to retrieve additional luggage before finally leaving the terminal. All of these areas are also required to be designed to NFPA 13 and Ordinary Hazard Group II. There are various back-of-house areas that require increased protection. Luggage travels across conveyor belts, passes through screening areas, and eventually gets concentrated unto luggage carts before leaving the terminal. Baggage handling areas and mail handling areas are required to be designed to NFPA 13 and Ordinary Hazard Group II. Additional airport support areas may require special consideration for risk mitigation based on mission continuity. Power loss from a fire is one thing; however, power loss from an accident is a whole other level of consideration. If power goes down, airport operations halt. Electrical rooms containing mission critical equipment may require added protection. Data centers that run airport operations are also mission critical areas where the fire protection scheme may require extra consideration over a wet pipe sprinkler system. Single- or double-interlock, pre-action sprinkler systems reduce the risk of accidental discharge. Clean agent systems provide

“WITH SO MANY ONE-OF-A-KIND SITUATIONS IN AIRPORT DESIGNS, A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT IS ONLY ACHIEVABLE WITH A CONCERTED EFFORT BETWEEN THE CONTRACTOR, ENGINEER, AND AHJ.” – MICHAEL CONNOLLY, JR., P.E., JACOBS another level of protection of mission-critical areas. These agents may offer shorter down time and minimize water damage in the event of a discharge. Firecycle® and Vortex™ or similar systems may also be used to minimize water damage and offer additional protection.

Returning to the exterior environment, there are sprinkler system components for fire department operations that require attention to complete the system design. Luggage carts, tugs, storage containers, and other airport vehicles are constantly moving on the ramp.

When not in use, they are often parked near the building and under passenger-boarding bridges. The locations of fire department connections (FDCs), hose valves, and fire hydrants compete with airport operations equipment. Special consideration should be given when locating these system components. With so many moving pieces, equipment protection such as bollards and painted-off fire lane areas can play a big role

in increasing reliability and longevity. Most importantly, the location of the components for fire department operations should be coordinated with the responding fire department.

Fire lanes and fire department response points offer excellent locations for these components.

The most comprehensive and reliable design will include input from the consulting engineer, installing contractor, critical stakeholders, Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), and responding fire department. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Duane Johnson, P.E., is the president of Diamondback Fire Protection, LLC in Huntingtown, Maryland. He has over 25 years of experience in the fire protection industry and holds NICET certifications in water-based fire protection systems layout and special hazards systems. He can be reached at diamondbackfpe@verizon.net.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The article and its content is not a Formal Interpretation issued pursuant to NFPA Regulations. Any opinion expressed is the personal opinion of the author and presenter and does not necessarily present the official position of the NFPA and its Technical Committee.

A water-gun salute at BWI Airport welcomes a dignified return of service men and women who have lost their lives while serving their country. Photo

by Shawn Byers, courtesy of Thomas J. Hayden, division chief/fire marshal, BWI Airport Fire and Rescue Department.

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 21

AFSA39 POSTPONED IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY AFSA CONVENTION, EXHIBITION & APPRENTICE COMPETITION SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO ORLANDO IN 2023

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fter thoughtful consideration, the American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Board of Directors has announced that AFSA39: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition scheduled for September 13-16 at the Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando will not take place this year.

“AFSA’s priority is the health and safety of its community—including our members, exhibitors, volunteers, supporters, and staff,” said Chair of the AFSA Board Ted Wills, president of Anchor Fire Protection in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, it’s become evident that we need to make tough choices.”

AFSA39 is an incredibly important event for the association and it’s one of our favorite ways to engage with our members from around the globe, but AFSA leadership felt it was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented global situation.

“We recognize the impact of this decision for the association and our membership,” said 2020 Convention Co-Chair Chris Johnson, president & CEO of Piper Fire Protection in Clearwater, Florida. “Our annual convention brings together hundreds of passionate professionals every year to learn and connect with fire safety industry leaders from across the country and around the world. How- ever, the well-being of our community must be our number one concern, and that drove our decision-making.”

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AFSA will return to the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando resort in 2023 for AFSA42.

Wills agreed: “At this unprecedented time, the health and safety of our members is our top priority, and one of our greatest strengths is our ability to adapt and reinvent ourselves when needed the most.

May these challenging and uncertain times find us working even closer together so that our businesses, our association, and our families will all thrive.”

AFSA staff, in partnership with AFSA member leaders, will continue to carry out the important business of the association, such as board and committee meetings.

AFSA understands its members and partners will have questions about the next steps, including the refund process and the potential for alternative educational opportunities. Please be assured, AFSA is working to provide details as soon as possible.

“Although this is a disappointment, AFSA is far from the only organization

taking a hard look at its events,” said Marlene Garrett, CMP, AFSA vice president of program operations & educational services. “We want to make our meetings incredible experiences, and we are using this experience to fuel our planning for our 40th anniversary convention and exhibition celebration in our home state of Texas next year.”

AFSA’s 40th anniversary will coincide with AFSA40 which will be held September 18-21, 2021 at the JW Marriott Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. The association’s 2022’s marquee event, AFSA41, is scheduled for October 15-19 at the Bellagio Las Vegas, and AFSA42 will return to the Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando, September 5-9, 2023. For more information, visit firesprinkler.org. n

NICET POINTS AND EDUCATION CREDITS NICET’S NEW PORTAL ROUNDS UP HALF CREDITS

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he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) has been able to clear up some potential confusion regarding AFSA education credits and points awarded by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). When program participants are logging their continuing education (CEs) into NICET’s new portal, the system seems to not accept half credits.

AFSA contacted NICET to address this issue and received the following clarification:

• One-point-five (1.5) points may be entered and the system rounds up to 2.

• One (1) point is the smallest increment allowed, so .5 is not accepted.

• The recertification rules are as follows: “One (1) point per contact hour, defined as a 45- to 60-minute learning period.

This period may be split over time (i.e., a course of two 30-minute sessions held on different days). Single courses shorter than 45 minutes may not be counted.”

NICET representatives further stated that NICET staff are able to assist

customers to document all the points they would like to claim. For more information, contact NICET via its website at nicet.org.

AFSA’s Education Department offers a wealth of learning opportunities and formats including in-person and virtual training, live and on-demand webinars, and correspondence courses.

For more information on what’s available, visit firesprinkler.org and click on “Education.” n

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SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 23

SAVE ON ALL ON-DEMAND RECORDED WEBINARS HALF-OFF “SUMMER SALE” FOR AFSA MEMBERS

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ecorded webinars from the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) offer fire sprinkler contractors and other professionals access to the best in specialty education anytime. Featuring the most sought-after thought leaders in fire protection, AFSA On-Demand offers a superior learning experience in a unique and user-friendly format. Members benefit from access to AFSA’s library of content as well as the ability to earn continuing education units (CEUs) and/or continuing professional development (CPD) credit online.

“During this time of limited in-person training, AFSA On-Demand offers technical education online, delivered by leaders in the field,” comments AFSA Director of Education Services Leslie Clounts. “Take advantage of this opportunity to ‘learn and earn’ from your office or home when it’s most convenient for you.”

AFSA On-Demand is available and accessible anytime, anywhere, via PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Users can navigate content by type, event, and topic; and use the sort-andsearch functions to quickly find educational offerings. Additional key benefits include: • Mobile-friendly: Sleek, modern design.

• Flexible training: Refresh skills, learn new techniques, and use the presentations to train teams. (There is an additional cost for each person on the team to receive their CEUs/CPDs.) • My dashboard: Track session progress and receive CEU or CPD transcripts from one convenient area.

• Expanding course offerings: There are 16 unique technical courses available now with plans to add more every month!

• Session previews: Comprehensive session previews with speakers’ bios are now available to help members select the best sessions for their learning needs.

AFSA On-Demand courses are carefully developed to offer the ultimate in convenience and flexibility—as well as AFSA’s proven track record for effective training. These skill-building courses are sold individually with CEUs and/or CPDs, and members have three months from the date of purchase to complete the course. Recorded webinar topics include: • “Building Heights & Rack Storage” presented by Travis Mack, SET, MFP Design, LLC

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• “Connecting Actual Job Costs to Estimating” presented by Dave Berry, FMI • “Eliminating the Use of Density/Area Curves” presented by James Golinveaux, Viking Group • “Fire Flow for the Design Professional” presented by Rob Neale, West Coast Code Consultants • “Fire Protection Challenges for Architectural Features” presented

by Russell Leavitt, CFPS, SET, Telgian Corporation • “Fire Pump Acceptance Testing and NFPA 25 Testing (Part 2)” presented by Robert Caputo, CFPS, CET, Fire & Life Safety America (Part 1 coming soon!)

• “NFPA 13, 2016 Edition: Obstruction Rules Explained” presented by Steven J. Scandaliato, CFPS, SET, RME, SDG, LLC • “NFPA 13, 2019 Edition: A New Approach to Storage Protection” presented by Russell Leavitt, CFPS, SET, Telgian Corporation • “NFPA 13, 2019 Edition, Part 1: General Updates” presented by Russell Leavitt, CFPS, SET, Telgian Corporation • “NFPA 13, 2019 Edition, Part 2: Seismic Bracing Update” presented by Kenneth Wagoner, CFPE, CFPS, SET, Parsley Consulting • “NFPA 25: Separating Fact from Fiction” presented by John D. Campbell, P.E., Global Fire Protection Group • “NFPA 25: The Property Owner and You: What, Why, and How” presented by Russell Leavitt, CFPS, SET, Telgian Corporation • “OSHA’s Silica in the Construction Industry” presented by Robert J. Agnew, MS, CIH, CSP, REM, Oklahoma State University • “Pipe Size Estimating & Quick Calculations” presented by Alan Johnston, Hydratec, Inc. • “Seismic Bracing, NFPA 13, 2016 Edition Update” presented

by Kenneth Wagoner, CFPE, CFPS, SET, Parsley Consulting • “Significant Changes to NFPA 20, 2019 Edition” presented by Terry Victor, JCI/Grinnell Fire Protection Solutions Earn your CEUs or CPDs anytime, anywhere with AFSA On-Demand. For more information and to purchase, visit www.firesprinkler.org/ondemand. n

ASK THE ACCOUNTANT UPDATED REVISIONS TO PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS INTERIM FINAL RULE EMILY M. COOK, CPA | SALMON SIMS THOMAS ACCOUNTANTS & CONSULTANTS

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n June 22, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued an updated interim final rule (IFR), making changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act. Notable revisions include: PPP borrowers can apply for loan forgiveness before their covered period expires. If borrowers reduced salaries or wages more than 25 percent and apply for early forgiveness, they forfeit the safe harbor of restoring workforce/compensation levels by December 31.

An example provided by the Journal of Accountancy and the IFR states: A borrower is using a 24-week covered period. This borrower reduced a full-time employee’s weekly salary from $1,000 per week during the reference period to $700 per week during the covered period. The employee continued to work on a full-time basis during the covered period, with an FTE of 1.0. In this case, the first $250 (25 percent of $1,000) is exempted from the loan forgiveness reduction.

The borrower seeking forgiveness would list $1,200 as the salary/hourly wage reduction for that employee (the extra $50 weekly reduction multiplied by 24 weeks). If the borrower applies for forgiveness before the end of the covered period, it must account for the salary reduction for the full 24-week covered period (totaling $1,200).

It is the borrower’s responsibility to provide an accurate calculation of the loan forgiveness amount.

Lenders do not have to independently verify the accuracy of the borrower’s information if the borrower provides supporting documentation and certifies that it has accurately verified the payments for eligible costs.

Employer retirement contributions for S corporation owners are considered eligible costs, but employer health insurance contributions for S corporation owners are not.

For additional guidance on PPP Loan Forgiveness, visit www.sstcpa.com/sprinkler-age for a full list of PPP-related services and resources, including a recent webinar hosted by SST CEO Bill Sims and myself on strategies for maximizing loan forgiveness, or contact us today to find solutions specific to your organization. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Emily M. Cook, CPA, is a partner with Salmon Sims Thomas Accountants & Consultants. She graduated with a Masters of Accountancy from the University of Arkansas, and has worked in a variety of industries including not-for-profit, financial management, retail, and education.

Cook has been providing financial solutions to small and mid-sized organizations for over 15 years, and her current primary industry focuses include not-for-profit organizations, associations, educational organizations, churches and ministries. Cook can be reached via email at ecook@sstcpa.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Reprinted with permission. PPP loan forgivness calculator credit: the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). As the PPP process moves forward, there will be additional guidance, possible updates, and changes since the time of publication.

Salmon Sims Thomas Accountants & Consultants has created a dedicated COVID-19 at www.sstcpa.com/news/covid-19/ that is updated regularly.

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 25

AIRPORT TERMINALS GLAZED OPENINGS AND BAGGAGE HANDLING DESIGN

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CHRIS KACHURA, P.E. | SOUTHEAST FIRE PROTECTION, L.P. ith the number of people who regularly travel for business and pleasure by air having increased over the years, we have seen an increase in the expansion and construction of airports nationwide. To the average observer, these expansion projects are architectural and engineering marvels that put on a display of character and imagination. However, to the sprinkler contractor, it brings on a bevy of design considerations and coordination nightmares. Airport terminal buildings present an array of occupancy consider-

Airport terminal buildings present an array of occupancy considerations.

ations that include pedestrian malls and concourses, departure and arrival gates, food courts, retail stores, consumer amenities, baggage handling areas, and the exterior hazards associated with large fuel trucks and fully fueled aircraft. Protection considerations for these areas are covered in chapter 26 of the 2019 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, under special occupancies and the entirety of NFPA 415, Standard on Airport Terminal Buildings, Fueling Ramp Drainage, and Loading Walkways. Addressing all of these potential hazards is a rather in-depth conversation, so for that reason, I will limit the topics of this article to the protection of glazed openings facing the ramp and the protection of baggage handling areas.

One of the most-used features in modern architecture is the use of large glass faces, and that is no different in the design and construction of the modern airport terminal buildings. I remember the first time I took my children to an

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airport. They stood at this large pane of glass marveling at these huge air structures coming and leaving from the gates and watched as they took off and landed. They never once were fazed by the incredible hazard that sat just on the opposite side of the glass from them.

Studies have shown that the radiant heat produced from a jet fuel fire will break glass windows as far as 75-ft away as well as being able to ignite flammables within that same range. It is for this reason that protective provisions must be taken to protect the glass faces on the tarmac or ramp side of the airport terminal. NFPA 415 section 4.1.5 has a bevy of information that a sprinkler designer must be aware of when designing their system. Per NFPA 415, glazed openings that have the bottom of the opening less than 7 ft from the finished floor and within 100 ft of horizontal distance of potential spill points shall be protected by an automatically active water spray system per the provisions of

NFPA 15, Standard for Water Spray Fixed Systems for Fire Protection, if no automatically activated fire shutter is installed. NFPA 415 states that this water spray system shall be designed to provide a density of .25 gpm/ft² over the exterior surface of the glazing material.

In looking at the density, a 10-ft by 10-ft glazed opening would require 25 gpm. For the most part, the glass faces at the modern airports are substantially larger than a 10-ft² space, so you can see how water requirements and restrictions could quickly add up. It is worth noting that these systems are not the window protection systems that we traditionally see in a standard commercial building.

While baggage handling areas may not be the most demanding system in an airport terminal building, it may likely be the most difficult to design.

NFPA 415 section 4.5 identifies the baggage, package, and mail handling areas of an airport terminal building as an Ordinary Hazard Group II Occupancy. The complexity of the design is based on the numerous obstructions that are created by the many levels of chutes, conveyors, and potential racks.

This information is often schematic in nature when it comes to the contact documents, and a sprinkler designer will need to request the documentation since it is likely that the installing contractor may be outside of the construction circle. A sprinkler designer will need to very familiar with the NFPA 13 obstruction rules as the baggage handling area is likely to have many continuous obstructions that will require protection above and below.

While this article only addresses the traditional baggage handling areas of most airports that are clearly addressed in NFPA 13 chapter 26 and NFPA 415, it is worth noting that there has been a move recently to design and construct high bay automated baggage systems. These designs often cross over into high-pile storage systems that include expanded Class A plastic commodities. Fire protection engineering analysis is often required for these system as they are outside the scope of NFPA 13 and NFPA 415.

As always, the most valuable tool to a sprinkler designer is the knowledge of the codes that they have at their disposal. While airport terminals are complex buildings with unique architectural considerations, the daunting design process can be simplified by utilization of NFPA 13 and NFPA 415.

Familiarizing yourself with the system requirements early in the process will save you time and energy sooner rather than later. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Chris Kachura, P.E., is a major projects salesman and project manager for Southeast Fire Protection, L.P., Houston, Texas. He has a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from Texas Tech University, multiple licenses with the Texas Fire Marshal’s Office, and is a registered P.E. in the State of Texas.

He is a member of the NFPA 30 Storage and Warehouse of Containers and Portable Tanks Committee, AFSA, NFPA, and SFPE. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The article and its content is not a Formal Interpretation issued pursuant to NFPA Regulations. Any opinion expressed is the personal opinion of the author and presenter and does not necessarily present the official position of the NFPA and its Technical Committee.

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 27

BACK TO BASICS: RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER PIPE SIZING NFPA 13D, 2019 EDITION JOHN DENHARDT, P.E., FSFPE | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

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esidential sprinkler designs can be completed in accordance with all three sprinkler installation standards, NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes; NFPA 13R, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Low-Rise Residential Occupancies; and NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. While these standards all have requirements, the requirements and approaches are different in them. The difference is primarily based on the “purpose” of each standard to offer reasonable protection. In this article, we will discuss the NFPA

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13D approach. In future articles, NFPA 13R and NFPA 13 approaches will be presented.

NFPA 13D, 2019 EDITION The purpose of this standard is clear—life safety. The exact language of section 1.2 is: “The purpose of this standard shall be to provide a sprinkler system that aids in the detection and control of residential fires and thus provides improved protection against injury and life loss.” Even though we do see some property protection benefits if the fire occurs in a protected area, property protection is not the goal.

The method in which we size the system piping can be based on several different methods at the direction of the designer: 1. If the water supply connection is from a city water main of at least 4-in. diameter, the simplified calculation method of section 10.4.4 may be used, 2. The prescriptive pipe-sizing method of section 10.4.9, 3. The hydraulic calculation procedures in NFPA 13, or 4. The manufacturer’s Listed installation instructions.

Each of the design sprinklers needs to provide at least the flow required to produce a minimum discharge density of 0.05 gpm/ft2 or the sprinkler listing, whichever is greater.

For the situations below, the number of sprinklers in the design area shall be all of the sprinklers within a compartment, up to a maximum of two sprinklers. The two sprinklers that require the greatest hydraulic demand are to be calculated. In addition, Listed flows associated with testing under a smooth, flat, horizontal 8-ft high ceiling are to be used for these ceiling conjurations: 1. A flat, smooth, horizontal ceiling with no beams up to a maximum of 24-ft above the floor.

2. A flat, horizontal beamed ceiling, with a maximum ceiling height of 24 ft, with beams up to 14-in. deep with pendent sprinklers under the beams. The compartment containing the beamed ceiling must be 600 ft2 in floor area or less. The highest sprinkler in the compartment must be above all openings from the compartment into any communicating spaces.

3. A smooth, flat, sloped ceiling with no beams up to a maximum slope of 8 in 12. The highest portion of the ceiling cannot be

more than 24 ft above the floor. The highest sprinkler in the sloped portion of the ceiling must be above all openings from the compartment containing the sloped ceiling into any communicating spaces.

4. A sloped ceiling with beams up to 14-in. deep with pendent sprinklers under the beams. The compartment containing the sloped, beamed ceiling must be limited to 600 ft2 in floor area.

The slope of the ceiling must be between 2 to 8 in 12. The highest portion of the ceiling cannot be more than 24 ft above the floor. The highest sprinkler in the sloped portion of the ceiling must be above all openings from the compartment containing the sloped ceiling into any communicating spaces.

5. A sloped ceiling with beams of any depth with sidewall or pendent sprinklers in each pocket formed by the beams. The compartment containing the sloped, beamed ceiling must be limited to 600 ft2 in floor area. The slope of the ceiling must be between 2 and 8 in 12. The highest portion of the ceiling cannot be more than 24 ft above the floor.

So, what do you do if you if your situation does not meet one of the five descriptions above? The standard gives us some guidance. The number of sprinklers in the design area needs to be determined in consultation with the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) as appropriate for the conditions. What does that mean? The standard has some clarification information in the Annex to this section. A thorough reading of the Annex will tell you additional design sprinklers and/or an increase in design density might be necessary, but no specifics are given. An educated decision and written agreement need to be made by the

involved parties. The standard cannot possibly cover all real-world situations. Another option is to see if a manufacturer has a sprinkler specifically Listed for your situation. If a Listed sprinkler is available, the standard allows the Listing to be the basis of the design requirements.

The design of residential sprinklers utilizing NFPA 13D criteria is fairly straightforward for most situations. You need to calculate all the sprinklers in any compartment up to a maximum of two. For most sprinkler contractors, the system will be calculated following the requirements in NFPA 13, but any of the other three methods are also acceptable. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE is vice president of engineering & technical services for AFSA. He is a Professional Engineer (P.E.) registered in the District of Columbia as well as the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In addition to his P.E., he is a NICET Level III in Automatic Sprinkler System Layout and Inspection & Testing of Water-Based Systems as well as NFPA Certified Water-Based Systems Professional (CWBSP). Denhardt has a bachelor of science degree in fire protection engineering from the University of Maryland. He is a member of the NFPA 13 Sprinkler Discharge Committee, NFPA, and is an SFPE fellow. Denhardt can be reached via email at jdenhardt@firesprinkler.org.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is Part 1 of a three-part series about residential pipe sizing and be featured in future issues of Sprinkler Age. Part 2 will focus on NFPA 13R, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Low-Rise Residential Occupancies, and Part 3 will focus on NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.

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PROTECTING AMERICA’S VETERANS FROM FIRE AFSA PARTNERS WITH HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS TO DONATE RESIDENTIAL FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM

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REBECCA HERRING | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

rmy Sergeant (SGT) Daniel Casara was severely injured when his vehicle flipped after rolling over an anti-tank mine in South Baghdad, Iraq, in September of 2005. Now medically retired, SGT Casara lives with his wife Basia and his mother Elaine in San Diego in a home provided the national nonprofit Homes For Our Troops’ (HFOT) efforts. HFOT is a publicly funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans to enable them to rebuild their lives.

In 2017, the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) became the official supplier of fire sprinkler systems in HFOT homes. AFSA members came together to donate materials, time, and talents for the new home, including a residential sprinkler system. As one of the organization’s partners, AFSA provided the fire sprinkler system for SGT Casara’s new home through the efforts of its local member Symons Fire Protection.

Jamil Shamoon, president of Symons Fire Protection in Poway, California, is proud of Symons’ part in aiding the build through the installation of fire sprinklers.

When asked about the project, he said, “HFOT is a worthy cause, and we were honored to be able to participate in the construction of SGT Daniel Casara’s home.

Our military sacrifice for us to enjoy our freedoms and prosperity, so giving back is a no-brainer.” And regarding Symons’

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Daniel and Basia Casara celebrate moving into their specially adapted custom home, protected by a residential fire sprinkler system installed by AFSA member Symons Fire Protection. participation, he stated that “to know that our team was part of a life-changing event (in a positive way) after what SGT Casara and his wife have been through, fills me with pride. I am thankful that we were invited to be part of this process.”

SGT Casara’s home is a single-level specially adapted custom home from HFOT that is extremely accessible, as it is difficult for him to climb stairs. It features other adaptations, such as a roll-in shower with a bench. Additionally, the home is outfitted with a residential fire sprinkler system. He expressed his deep appreciation of the safety the sprinkler system provides, saying, “AFSA has truly assisted with security and peace of mind.” He also mentioned that at far

as the design goes, “the in-ceiling sprinkler system is pretty cool and inconspicuous. Thank you, AFSA!” SGT Casara first enlisted in the military while in college in 1994. His career started, and he spent a few years serving in the Illinois National Guard while simultaneously working for the Department of Corrections in Illinois and as a loan officer for a private mortgage company. He went on his first deployment to Iraq to support California’s National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, in 2005. It was there that he sustained bilateral fractures to his right tibia and fibula, a shattered left tibia, shattered heel and ankle bones to both feet, and a dislocated right hip, according to HFOT.

After becoming medically retired, SGT Casara moved from Illinois to Southern California for the area’s warm weather and strong Veteran community.

An advocate for fellow Veterans and his community, SGT Casara ran for U.S. Representative in the 52nd Congressional District in California during the 2018 election. He hopes to educate and inspire others by staying involved. “I have a passion for people,” he says.

On Saturday, May 16, 2020, HFOT presented SGT Casara with the keys to his new home in Ramona, California, during a scaled-down, modified Key Ceremony that adhered to local and regional CDC guidelines due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

While the current COVID-19 outbreak prevents HFOT from holding traditional build events right now, it is not delaying Veterans with active builds from moving into their homes. SGT Casara says he and his family are extremely appreciative and grateful to HFOT’s donors and supporters. “This home is life-changing and enables us to affect so many more lives,” he says.

SGT Casara’s home is one of more than 75 active HFOT home-build projects for injured Veterans in various stages of completion nationwide. To date, over 295 homes have been completed! As the exclusive fire sprinkler supplier for HFOT, AFSA, and its local partners, team up to donate and install the fire sprinkler systems. Sprinkler systems are installed in any home where required by law or in any home where the future homeowner requests them. This partnership provides a robust safety addition to the already highly customized homes that HFOT provides to Veterans.

Approximately 4,000 Americans die and 20,000 are injured in fires each year, according to NFPA statistics. The risk of death or injury from fire is even higher for people with physical, mental, or sensory disabilities. Through this partnership, AFSA hopes to protect these Veterans in their homes, where roughly 80 percent of all fire deaths occur, and decrease their risk of dying

From l to r: Casara’s mother, Casara, and his wife Basia are extremely grateful to Homes for Our Troops and AFSA for their new sprinklered home.

in a home fire by 81 percent by installing fire sprinklers.

To find out more or to make a donation, visit hfotusa.org. To learn more

about getting involved with AFSA’s HFOT projects, contact AFSA Director of Communications & Social Media Nicole Duvall at nduvall@firesprinkler.org. n

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SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 31

AIRPORT PROTECTION BEYOND THE TERMINALS AND HANGARS

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TOM WELLEN, P.E. | MCKINNEY FIRE DEPARTMENT

n airport is an important economic engine and is a factor in the growth of economic prosperity and jobs. Airports are much like an industrial park—the government, authority, or private entity wants to attract businesses to the surrounding area. It’s a huge investment, but the economic payoff is well worth the effort.

There’s much going on beyond the activity inside the passenger terminals and the hangars. Let’s consider some of the challenges and considerations in dealing with airports and their other occupancies.

First, it’s all about water. Water supplies are such an important factor in the infrastructure. If the water supply is weak, the fire protection program will be fragile.

Airports are usually located in remote areas on the outskirts of the city or town where the water supply may not be the best. A strong capital improvement program needs to be in place to improve water supplies.

This involves millions of dollars, requires long lays of pipe, and maybe water storage tanks and water/fire pumps, due to the expanse of the airport’s area.

Any future development for the airport and surrounding occupancies needs to involve modeling of the water supply system using one of the available software packages. It would seem that 6-in. or 8-in. mains would be enough, but that is quite a small capacity.

Warehousing and manufacturing should have 10-in. to 12-in. mains. Hangers for aircraft fire protection should have 12-in. to 24-in. mains, depending on the closed sprinkler fire system and open sprinkler deluge system demands.

The International Fire Code (IFC) in Appendix B, “Fire Flow Requirements for

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Parking garages are one of the many aspects to consider when protecting airports.

Buildings” has tables, building size, and construction to determine a minimum flow for firefighting. The size of structures that could be built could require 6,000 to 8,000 gallons per minute. A 25-percent reduction can be taken when fire sprinkler systems are installed. When water supplies are inadequate for firefighting, fire sprinklers can be an answer.

Fire hydrants not only have to be placed adjacent to facilities and parking, but hydrants are also needed along runways, taxiways, and ramps. This will be on the secure side of the airport, and heavy coordination will be required for schedules. The installation project may have to be broken into phases. The runway, taxiway, and ramp areas may require flush type or underground hydrants. Marking of the hydrants is critical for the emergency responders. The optimal spacing is 300-ft apart but shouldn’t be more than 500-ft apart.

If water is planned, but it’s going to take some time to improve the

infrastructure, don’t forget about NFPA 1142, Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting, for guidance. Engineers of record are not exempt from providing a water supply if one does not exist or is insufficient.

This document gives guidance in determining how much water will be required for firefighting. Unfortunately, this standard does not apply for determining adequate amounts of water for bulk flammable liquid storage, aircraft hangars, and other large special fire protection problems.

The ball is in your court to push a fire sprinkler or suppression system supported by a stored water source such as a water tank and fire pump. The applicable NFPA standard for the hazard to be protected will specify the water supply quantities and durations for fire sprinkler or suppression systems. Do the preliminary hydraulic calculations to determine a minimum water supply as this will address the overage from these systems.

Overage is water discharged beyond the minimum required caused by higher pressures at the sprinkler and cannot be avoided. A simple calculation of the density over the remote area will fall short on the amount of stored water that is required. If hydraulic calculations cannot be done, density over the remote area can work if an increase is included to account for overage. A generic rule that could be used, if you don’t have one established, is a 20-percent increase in flow rate for light hazard, 30-percent increase for ordinary hazard, and a 40-percent increase for extra hazard applications.

Airport projects do have political pressures on both contractors and Authority Having Jurisdictions (AHJs).

These include pressures on the AHJs to make the project happen without any disruptions in the planning, scheduling, and construction process. This can include variances to the codes and standards; expedited plan reviews; and no delays in acceptance inspections, re-inspections, and issuance for certificates of occupancy.

Other than passenger service, general aviation provides for personal and business transportation. There’s also freight, air ambulances, law enforcement activities, and recreation such as air shows. Businesses rely on general aviation aircraft and airports to reach other markets and compete in the economy.

Airports attract manufacturing and warehousing since the area around them is designed to move people and freight.

The water demand for manufacturing is not that much compared to warehousing. Manufacturing is usually designed to ordinary hazard densities per NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, unless ESFR protection is desired. That will bring the water demand up there with warehousing with high-piled storage. If the warehouse or manufacturing is deemed a highly protected risk, expect water storage tanks and fire pumps as a backup water source to these facilities. Package and freight operations are not as hazardous as warehousing as storage tends to be under 12-ft high. Packages arrive in the

facility and are rearranged for shipping.

The common approach is to plan on protecting Group A plastic commodities. Also, the shipping cartons and mailers seem to be moving to waterresistant packaging, so there is no pre-wetting of the cardboard.

One can expect hotels to be present around the airport—they provide overnight accommodations for travelers and meeting areas. There may be sleeping quarters provided in hangars such as air medical operations. Also, account for overnight sleeping inside the terminals due to weather or cancellations and that life-safety issues are addressed, such as fire sprinkler protection and fire alarm systems.

Pay attention to the needs of the emergency responders when dealing with the placement of fire sprinkler risers, fire alarm panels, fire pumps, and fire department connections (FDCs). These locations need to be coordinated where you may encounter some strict parameters on their placement. Also, note that there may be resistance if pressure-reducing valves are located at the hose connections.

Car parking is gaining media attention with car fires. Engineers of record try to avoid fire sprinklers in parking garages. The International Building Code (IBC) does allow for the omission of fire sprinklers in open parking garages. There have been some instances, such as Norway, where fire engulfed the nearly full five-story garage and canceled flights. England had a garage fire in 2017 that destroyed 1,400 cars. Fire sprinklers may see a comeback in parking garages.

The cars of today are not the same as cars in the past. Lithium-battery vehicles, plastic liquid fuel tanks, CNG/propanepowered vehicles, and the construction of modern vehicles present a much different fire challenge. Any parking garage exceeding three stories in the city of McKinney, Texas must be sprinklered throughout. The exception is the open area on the top level without a lid or roof.

Rental-car areas have high-density parking of cars being returned or stored in a parking lot or field. The cars are closely parked to save space. The hazard

is the insufficient space between vehicles, and a car fire will quickly spread to the adjacent car. Conflagrations have occurred several times involving parked cars. Resources such as fire hydrants and standpipes need to be planned for this type of fire event.

Let’s not forget the public ground transportation system. Passenger buses and other ground vehicles must be accounted for in the fire-protection approach. Many airport ground vehicles are fueled by fuels other than diesel.

Imagine a fully involved fire involving a propane-powered vehicle in an undercover drive-up terminal.

In conclusion, a great tool that should be used is a fire-hazards analysis for the airport operations and facility planning. These are typically not conducted regularly regarding airport operations. The findings from the reviews can pinpoint or determine missioncritical operations and provide the protection resources necessary. The fire hazard analysis should be a continuous process as airport operations grow. As the airport grows, so will the fuel storage and distribution. A fire-hazards analysis will certainly reveal issues and strategies that can be formulated for the control and extinguishment of a fuel tank, loading operation, or fuel dispensing fire. The results from the analysis can assist with identifying the probability and severity of the hazards and can assist with obtaining funds to mitigate fire protection issues. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tom Wellen, P.E., is a fire protection engineer in the McKinney Fire Marshal’s Office. He spent four years with NASA’s Johnson Space Center and two years at DFW Airport as fire protection engineer. 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 with NFPA and SFPE. Wellen has over 28 years of designing, testing, reviewing, and engineering experience. He is a registered fire protection engineer in California and Texas.

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 33

FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS OF MASS REOPENING

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APRIL MUSSER, P.E., MBA | TELGIAN ENGINEERING & CONSULTING, LLC s the country moves toward reopening businesses and ending lockdown periods undertaken to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, everyone is focused on safety from an exposure standpoint. However, it is important to ask what impact these efforts have on fire protection and life safety? As workers strive to find new and creative ways to achieve social distancing, it’s unlikely that fire protection is at the top of their to-do list. Most business owners and facility operators are not focused on fire protection and life safety as they seek to find ways to safely reopen and protect their employees from virus exposure. Efforts to protect both their employees and the general public could have negative impacts on fire protection and life safety. Those professionals performing fire protection system maintenance and inspection are the most likely population to identify and inform of such issues. It’s important for contractors, inspectors, and enforcement authorities to be aware and on the lookout for these issues and help businesses correct them.

What do inspectors, installers, and consultants need to be aware of in this changed environment?

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING Essential businesses have been taking efforts to increase the distance between customer-facing employees and the customers they serve. In some

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As businesses reopen, contractors, inspectors, and enforcement authorities are at the forefront of fire protection and life safety for store employees and customers.

cases, these businesses are creating physical barriers. A common example is a plexiglass barrier at customer service desks with small openings through which employees can exchange materials with a customer, where six feet of physical distance is not practical.

However, erecting any physical barriers that act as walls could negatively impact the fire protection system.

Sprinklers are spaced within a facility to ensure that a specific density of water is delivered that will be adequate to control a fire based on the hazard classification of the expected fuel load.

When physical barriers are erected that could block part of a sprinkler’s spray pattern, there may be areas that will not receive any of the water delivered from the closest sprinkler. As a result, the fire would continue to grow

unchecked for a longer period of time before sprinklers around it are activated. Not only would the sprinkler system be unable to potentially reach the seat of a fire, but this extended period of fire growth could result in a fire that is much larger—it is possible that the design density of the sprinkler system would be inadequate.

Before erecting full- or partialheight barriers, facility owners should engage a fire protection professional to evaluate any impact on sprinkler spacing. It may be necessary to add additional sprinklers to ensure that full-height barriers do not create a sprinkler system impairment. Alternatively, partial-height barriers that don’t extend all the way to the ceiling may provide an opportunity to limit exposure between employees and customers

without impacting sprinkler coverage. In any case, it will be necessary for someone experienced with the obstruction requirements in NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, to determine how high a barrier can extend before it creates a sprinkler impairment.

Those conducting routine sprinkler inspections and maintenance need to be aware of this potential issue and look for temporary or permanent barriers that may have been erected in an effort to maximize social distancing.

Where new barriers have been added, the sprinkler spacing must be evaluated to ensure that the minimum required level of protection can still be achieved without sprinkler system modifications.

In offices with open floor plans and cubicle layouts, social distancing can be challenging. In some cases, employees may take it upon themselves to modify their office furniture to limit their exposures in the office. One of the ways people could do this includes adding a top on full-height cubicles or building barriers around desks and cubicles.

Material used to create vertical barriers around desks and cubicles not only impacts the sprinkler system coverage, but there may also be a higher hazard fuel load. Using foam core board, expanded polystyrene foams, plastics, or glue-based laminated wood products may not meet the combustibility requirements for furnishings. Plastics, untreated laminated wood products, and foams often have much higher heat release rates during a fire than the ordinary combustibles most office sprinkler systems are designed to protect. As a result, large quantities of such materials could increase the fire load to a point where a fire could overwhelm the sprinkler system.

SMOKE CONTROL Some facilities with office areas that open to atriums or other vertical spaces may have smoke control systems to help maintain tenability long enough to evacuate occupants during an emergency. When products like plastics and foams are added in significant

quantities the smoke production may be greater than that for which the smoke evacuation systems were designed to handle. As a result, the available safe egress time could be reduced in the event of a fire.

Fire inspectors need to be aware of the impact that fuel loading could have on such systems like sprinkler systems and smoke exhaust systems and ensure that efforts to reduce physical exposure aren’t reducing the level of protection in the facility.

EGRESS As people return to work, many businesses may find it difficult or impossible to maintain social distancing with current desk and floor plans.

They may seek to rearrange furniture and office layouts to increase physical separation. However, in undertaking such efforts, owners and facility operators should employ a fire protection professional to review floor plan changes prior to implementing them.

Reduced aisle widths, blocked exits, increases in egress travel distances, common paths of travel, and dead ends could hamper evacuation in the event of an emergency. It is important that such changes are reviewed to ensure that the minimum code-prescribed level of protection is maintained with proposed arrangements. In addition, where floor plan changes are employed to maximize social distancing efforts, any required occupant egress plans would need to be updated to reflect those changes.

EXIT ENCLOSURES Another life-safety challenge that is occurring as a result of social distancing efforts has to do with exit stairwells. In some cases, to reduce the need for people to potentially touch surfaces such as doorknobs, some buildings are leaving stair doors propped open for circulation from floor to floor. However, stairs in these buildings are required fire-rated exit enclosures and the door is an integral part of that required fire-resistance rating. Addi-

tionally, in high-rise buildings, exit stairs may be pressurized to prevent smoke from a fire from infiltrating the stairwell so that occupants have a safe and tenable exit route. When doors are propped open these stairwells act as chimneys to allow smoke to freely travel from floor to floor, and occupants may be exposed to untenable environments in smoke contaminated exits. Smoke-filled exit stars have been major contributing factors in fire deaths in many large-loss fires in the U.S. Stair pressurization systems are designed to compensate for a number of stair doors to be opened for egress activities but propping open all the stair doors is very likely to render the pressurization system incapable of maintaining positive pressure. In addition, if the stair door is propped open on the fire floor, the stair has a high likelihood of quickly spreading dangerous smoke and products of combustion not only to the exit enclosure but to other floors with doors that are propped open. A better approach is to provide tissues or paper towels outside the stairs for occupants to use to protect their hands from contacting the door opening hardware and then providing trashcans outside the stair enclosures on each floor for disposing of the paper products. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: April Musser, P.E., MBA, is Southeast regional practice leader of fire protection engineering for Telgian Engineering & Consulting (TEC). She has more than 15 years of experience in fire protection engineering and consulting, including code consulting and design. Musser has designed fire- and life-safety systems for large commercial and industrial facilities and has managed projects across a wide range of market segments across the Southeast and internationally. She has also presented at numerous well-known conferences including the NFPA Annual Meeting and Conference, SFPE Southeast Annual Fire Safety Conference, Georgia Fire Safety Symposium, and the Campus Fire Safety & Emergency Management Conference. Musser is the author of numerous articles on building fires and their impact on fire and building codes for a wide variety of industry publications. Visit Telgian.com.

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 35

EDUCATING GENERATION Z ABOUT FIRE SPRINKLERS SCHOOL PROJECT SPREADS AWARENESS

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ifth-grade student Madeleine Rubel recently educated her fellow students, teachers, and community about the value of fire sprinklers. One science fair project has spread awareness and made an impact for generations to come.

Rubel attends Fairfield Elementary Magnet in Shreveport, Louisiana, and during the 2019-2020 school year was required to participate in a science and engineering fair. Knowing that her dad, Rob, worked for AFSA Contractor Member Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Madeleine approached him about an idea she had: “How Fire Sprinklers Save Lives.”

“I decided to do my project on fire sprinklers because my dad works at Fire Tech Systems and I wanted to learn what fire sprinklers are and what they do,” Madeleine said. “Working on the project was not going to be really easy. We needed to find lots of data and it would be hard to collect, but I was determined.”

Madeleine’s father was more than happy to help. “Deep down, it was a nice feeling to have my daughter interested in what I do every day,” Rob commented. “It made this dad proud!

“Madeleine was definitely moved by the concept of ‘fire sprinklers save lives,’” Rob continued. “When she researched the numbers on home fire deaths and then was able to see the significance of fire sprinkler systems during the side-by-side burn demo we attended, she was noticeably excited by the life-saving potential these systems bring.”

Madeleine worked for months on her project, including a field trip her dad arranged to the Louisiana Life Safety & Security Association’s (LLSSA) 2019 convention in Kenner. During the event, the Louisiana Fire Sprinkler Association (LFSA) sponsored a side-by-side burn demonstration which brought all Madeleine was learning to life.

“I was so excited to hear about Madeleine wanting to do her science project on fire sprinklers and how they save lives,” stated LFSA President Linda Biernacki, president of Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana. “I knew she would be thrilled to see the live side-by-side burn demonstration that the LFSA chapter was sponsoring in partnership with the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office. She was so curious and engaged. On demonstration day, it was quickly evident that Madeleine wanted to be a part of the experience and the team was happy to oblige.”

Biernacki, Fire Tech System staff, Louisiana State Fire Marshal (LSFM) Chief Butch Browning, LSFM Corporal of Special Services Nathan McCallum, and the Kenner Fire Department staff provided Madeleine with an educational experience of a lifetime.

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Madeleine Rubel (center) enjoyed her experience with members of the Kenner Fire Department.

Madeleine was taken through the steps of how the side-by-side pods were built and explained the logistics of how the fire sprinkler system was installed for the “protected” pod. After that, the Kenner Fire Department personnel took her around the fire trucks to show her the different nozzles, hoses, and various hook ups.

“We watched the demonstration, collected the data, and took pictures,” Madeleine remembered. “This demonstration showed me how fast a fire can spread and how dangerous it can be.”

Rob notes that Madeleine was actively involved and an eager participant throughout day. “First off, she planned very well and brought like three different outfits—a casual ‘working’ outfit and her ‘presentation’ clothes—that really made me laugh. But in all seriousness, she was very interested in every aspect. Madeleine wanted to be a part of the ‘putting-it-together’ process and understand how it would all work as well as see the actual demonstration. She was genuinely affected by her observations of the two different pods after both fires were extinguished. The Fire Tech Systems’ personnel who were there assisting in the construction of the pods were very helpful in teaching her how all of it really comes together.”

“Madeleine was grateful for being able to interact with the State Fire Marshal and the Kenner Fire Department throughout the whole process,” Rob commented. “Everyone was so helpful and so willing to teach a youngster about the fire protection world. I could not have asked for better people to be around my daughter.”

After they returned home, Rob arranged another field trip for Madeleine to the Shreveport Fire Department Training Center with retired Assistant Chief of Fire Prevention Jimmy Hall.

“Mr. Hall and my dad helped me light a test fire and I was able to put it out with a fire extinguisher,” Madeleine said.

“Madeleine learned a lot with the fire extinguisher portion of the project,” stated Rob. “I’m so thankful we were able to be able to visit the Shreveport Training Center to really give her a realistic idea of using an extinguisher to put out a small fire. This really helped to hit home the whole concept of manual versus automatic forms of fire protection.”

Finally, it was time for Madeleine to present her project and findings at the science and engineering fair. “When the judges came around, I showed some pictures, explained why fire sprinklers are important, and then I played a video of the demonstration and what happened to both rooms,” she said.

The judges showed a big interest in fire sprinkler systems, and a lot of questions were asked: “Can I have a sprinkler system installed in my house?,” “Do all the sprinklers go off at once?,” and “What are the different color liquids in the glass bulbs on the sprinkler heads?”

Several judges made multiple visits to Madeleine’s display table, and some brought others over to show them her presentation.

Madeleine was also able to spread awareness to her teachers and school friends. “Most of the children in my grade didn’t know what fire sprinklers were and, if they did, they only knew because they had come to my house which is protected by fire sprinklers,” Madeleine said. “They thought they were cool after they saw my project, but I don’t think they understand how important they are just yet.”

Rob is proud of his daughter and her hard work on this project.

“My hope was that she would be able to do this project and really get excited about fire sprinklers, like all of us in the industry tend to be.

In the end, just being exposed to the real numbers and the real experience of a side-by-side burn demo was more than enough for her to be passionate about fire sprinklers.”

“As a dad, I could not have asked for a better experience for her as far as science projects go. But I can’t express this enough—she just needed to see all of this and the process of going through it was powerful enough to make her want to learn it and be excited by it. I think that says a lot about our industry.”

Madeleine Rubel presented her project on fire sprinklers during her school’s science and engineering fair.

No doubt Madeleine has made an impact with her family, her peers, and everyone involved in her project.

“I think there have been many people throughout this process who have been noticeably intrigued by the subject matter—teachers, fellow students, science fair judges, and others who were very interested in the information she presented,” Rob commented. “I am so happy that Madeleine and I were able to share an experience like this and that she was this interested in what I do for a living. The fire sprinkler industry has given me so much already; this is just one more awesome experience to add to that list.”

Kudos to Madeleine on a project well done and for bringing the message that fire sprinklers save lives and property to her peers. The impact this project made on Madeleine and others will be a lasting one.

“I will always remember how important fire sprinklers are and how effective they are as a form of fire protection,” states Madeleine. “And they save people’s lives!” n

Left photo, l to r: LSFM Corporal of Special Services Nathan McCallum, Madeleine Rubel, and LFSA President Linda Biernaki before the burn demonstration.

Right photo: Rob and Madeline Rubel with LSFM Chief Butch Browning, surveyed the damage in the unprotected pod after the burn.

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 37

LOOKING BEYOND THE STORM HOW TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE NEW ERA OF CONSTRUCTION

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STEENA CHANDLER & RUSTY SHERWOOD | FMI n a span of mere weeks, the coronavirus has swept across the United States like a severe winter storm. This chilling disruptor has altered “business as usual” for every major industry in the world, possibly forever.1 The construction industry is no exception.

Although city to city and state to state there are varying technical exemptions for continued construction work (as an essential service), there is no predicting how the various global factors will continue to play out. Therefore, whether your job sites are shutting down due to city ordinances, your people are becoming sick from the virus, or you are unable to obtain critical equipment due to supply chain challenges, there is no hiding from the cold, harsh realities of this situation.

Leaders are doing their best to keep calm and level-headed, hoping that this period of upset will pass quickly. Nevertheless, some experts predict that we will be in this for the long haul.2 With no firm promise of the market thawing out in the coming weeks, we cannot afford to wait for things to return to “normal.”

We, too, wish that global conditions were different. While we cannot change this weather for you, we can share our best advice on leading in our industry in the new era. If you are a leader, you must act now and begin to find balance in confronting the current state of affairs while tackling the uncertain market conditions of tomorrow. This will be critical to maintaining your competitive advantage in the weeks and years ahead.

To begin, we consider what your organization can do now to keep a focused eye on the future.

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Table 1. This New Cycle leader must be prepared to tackle tough questions like: • Given the lost tax revenues of local restaurants and retailers, what are the implications to future municipal work and the availability of construction support services (e.g., permitting)?

• How will owners’ demands change based on COVID-19’s impact to cash flow and access to capital?

• If we are forced to lay off employees, how can we ensure that we will have capable, welltrained people when activity resumes?

DESIGNATE A “NEW CYCLE” LEADER: Prepare for a new season and permanently adapt to new conditions.

While experts are hard at work developing economic projections and forecasting the number of weeks that we will be under quarantine, we don’t know what’s next for the built environment. While it’s critical to lead your company effectively today, it is also equally as important to have strategies in place for when this period of pandemic-related uncertainty ends.

When facing a crisis, leaders focus a disproportionate amount of their time on the “here and now” issues and limited time on preparing for organizational recovery.

Thinking strategically about this new future requires deep thought and focused, consistent scenario planning. To ensure the future state of your business gets the airtime it needs, we recommend that companies assign a “New Cycle” leader. (See Table 1.)

Tactical Leadership Steps to Becoming Future-Focused: • Identify your “New Cycle” leader(s).

As the initial shockwaves of the crisis begin to subside, many leaders are recognizing that developing a long-

term, strategic recovery plan can be a full-time job. Therefore, like a task force designed to respond to COVID19, a New Cycle leader is a temporary role for a single individual or team of individuals. This person or team (likely a current leader from your upper ranks) will be charged with focusing 80 percent of his or her time on the future and 20 percent on today.

• Finding the right person for this role will be vital for your company’s future success. We recommend that you select a committed leader who displays the following key competencies: strategic thinking, adaptability, ability to listen, openness to new information, and ability to clearly communicate strategy.

• Give the future adequate “airtime.”

While “New Cycle” leaders will be tasked with leading these efforts, you must allow them to have sufficient time in meetings to lead the discussion on a future state. We recommend a separate weekly meeting for executive leadership, led by the New Cycle leader. This meeting will be futurefocused and will aim to answer

questions relating to markets, competitors, clients and so forth.

• New Cycle leaders should consider three areas: methods, markets and people.

Many of today’s leaders have been accustomed to leading in times of economic prosperity (see FMI’s latest study on “Leading Through Business Cycles” for more details). While operating in times of economic growth is ideal, leaders of the new era must question their previous assumptions when it comes to people, methods and markets. For example, leaders whose companies are involved with prefabrication and automation should consider the impact of dramatic supply change disruptions and potential onshoring of manufacturing capabilities. They should add new training modalities that incorporate the new, expanded comfort level with remote/ virtual learning. (See Table 2.)

With your organization’s response plans well underway, the initial shock has likely worn off. You may find that your people are settling into the new normal,

becoming more adaptable or improving their work-from-home effectiveness. These signs can indicate that they need less frequent communication or interaction from leadership, but nothing could be further from the truth. Ongoing change requires consistent, thoughtful leadership communication. This brings us back to the concept of balance: Now is the time to have one eye on the future and the other on your people.

STAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR PEOPLE Support your people through an enduring winter.

With the many regulatory changes in recent weeks, contractors are facing the implications of these constant shifts on their jobs and business cash flow.

This situation can often find leaders with their heads down, deep in the tactics of how to respond. While leaders cannot spend 100 percent of their time focused on others, there are a few simple ways to connect with others during times of change.

Table 2. Questions to consider: Markets: • What markets stand to be most permanently affected? Which are most likely to accelerate?

Which will rebound in time?

• How will owners change their buying patterns in new and irreversible ways as a result of this pandemic?

• How will this current disruption impact the competition and supply chain in the future?

Methods: • How can automation and pre-manufactured componentry minimize the safety risks of working in tight spaces?

• What permanent changes in safety standards are on the horizon? How can we adhere to new regulations while maintaining high levels of productivity?

• How can we hold effective virtual meetings and collaborate to manage and deliver work efficiently?

People: • What competencies or skills are required to deliver projects with increased unforeseen challenges?

• How do you equip your leaders and workers to develop those skill sets in the short term and in the long term?

• Going forward, where do my leaders need to grow in order to provide a consistent balance of serving the well-being of workers while also creating high levels of engagement and productivity?

• New Cycle leaders should also develop various scenarios to some of these questions along with potential responses to each of them. For example, consider several “most likely” possibilities right now and prepare the company for each of these scenarios.

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Tactical Leadership Steps: • Write with authenticity and empathy.

Leaders are facing a reduced capacity to connect with people face-to-face, and many are using email as a primary mode of communication. With so much in flux, formal email updates and details on new protocols are both necessary. However, as you send these messages, consider a less formal approach. What would you say if you were talking to one of your people directly? How can your message demonstrate empathy and connection?

(See Table 3.)

We can almost hear this leader’s unequivocal authenticity through his email message. His acknowledgement of others and their situations demonstrates great empathy, and although the message is delivered through a screen, a sense of human connection is created as a result.

• Continually ask: “How can I support you?” Make it a habit to ask your people in every conversation, “What obstacles are you facing?” and “How can I best support you?” Let your people know that it is OK to email you with their challenges, fears and points of confusion. While you can’t remedy every concern, people must feel like you’re listening to their worries and advocating for their needs.

Let your people know that it is OK to email you with their challenges, fears, and points of confusion. While you can’t remedy every concern, people must feel Table 3: Consider one example of a leader who writes daily emails to his company: “Today I am struck by how different things were at the beginning of March. I bet it is the same for all of you. We are each going to continue finding our way in this brave new world for a little while. I hope you all are cutting yourself some slack during these strange, strange times. It’s OK and is necessary to give yourself a break as we figure out the new normal.”

— Leader of a West Coast GC

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THE SILVER LINING: “WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THE STORM, YOU WON’T BE THE SAME PERSON WHO WALKED IN. THAT’S WHAT THIS STORM’S ALL ABOUT.” — HARUKI MURAKAMI like you’re listening to their worries and advocating for their needs.

• Continue making small, frequent touchpoints. We’re already several weeks into this new normal, but things are still changing by the hour. For your employees, last week’s update probably feels like it was from a year ago. As they try to cope with the ever-changing circumstances, your people may shift from feeling engaged and hopeful one moment to lost and isolated the next.

While a lengthy conversation with every person is not possible, you can model small, frequent touchpoints. These quick check-ins will help to keep you connected. Pick up the phone and leave a voicemail, or send a quick text asking: “How is your day looking? Are you hanging in there?”

Last of all, there is a silver lining.

While we all wish we weren’t dealing with this current situation, we have to accept the reality before us. Tackled with openness and intentionality, crisis leadership can be an opportunity for growth, both from a business and people perspective.

According to the latest data, top construction leaders outperform peers during times of economic hardship by maximizing their resources to maintain a competitive edge. The best leaders tend to prioritize operational effectiveness and talent development. You can become that business leader who succeeds in a down market by keeping a keen eye on the future, by staying close to your people, and by assigning a New Cycle leader who will consider important questions to improve your operational effectiveness in the new era.

Leaders understand that for a business to survive long term, it will have to weather many storms. While we’ve had nearly a decade of sunshine, there have

undoubtedly been challenges along the way. Your leaders and your organizations have come through those. While this current storm may be of unprecedented intensity, the way forward is the same.

Organizations that leverage their leaders, maximize their resources, and stay focused on the future while confronting the reality of the day to day will one day look up and see sunny skies again. n REFERENCES: 1 “We’re not going back to normal.” Gideo Lichfield. MIT Technology Review. March 17, 2020.

2 “Coronavirus: Restrictions here for ‘long haul’, Drakeford says.” BBC News. March 30, 2020.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Steena Chandler is a consultant for FMI’s Leadership & Organizational Development practice.

She is energized by developing exceptional leaders in the engineering and construction industries, one at a time.

Her primary work includes leadership training, content development and consulting for individual leaders, teams, and organizations. Chandler brings her expertise to a variety of client-facing engagements, including building high-potential teams, development of the leadership pipeline within an organization, and cross-cultural leadership development. Chandler can be reached at schandler@fminet.com.

Rusty Sherwood is a principal with FMI’s Leadership & Organizational Development practice. He specializes in strategic thinking and the means and methods by which senior leaders and their teams develop the competencies to lead enduring highperformance organizations. Sherwood may be reached via email at rsherwood@fminet.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Reprinted with permission. FMI is the leading provider of consulting and investment banking to the built environment. FMI provides services in the areas of strategy, leadership, and organizational development, performance, technology and innovation, mergers and acquisitions, financial advisory, and private equity financing.

For more information, visit fminet.com.

HAVE YOU JOINED THE SPRINKLERFORUM? EMAIL DISCUSSION LIST IS A TECHNICAL RESOURCE FOR THE FIRE SPRINKLER INDUSTRY

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D’ARCY MONTALVO | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

mail discussion groups have become a popular way to ask questions, exchange ideas, and gather people with similar interests. Nearly 25 years ago, the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) introduced its SprinklerFORUM to the fire sprinkler industry to join together industry professionals from across the globe to discuss issues relating to automatic fire sprinklers. With discussions running the gamut, it is the go-to place for questions and issues you have concerning fire sprinklers.

“You never know what the next post will be. A simple look-up question to a topic that is not addressed by the standard or something more in-depth,” states AFSA’s Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John August Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE, who monitors and posts to the list. “My favorite type of post is the post which challenges the ‘experts.’ Many of these posts become discussions or public inputs to the NFPA standards process.”

AFSA’s SprinklerFORUM invites anyone interested in fire sprinklers and related issues to subscribe. The purpose of this free listserv is to facilitate the exchange of information, promote discussion, and address current issues concerning automatic fire sprinklers. This list is not just a forum for AFSA members—questions posed on this list may be answered by AFSA staff, fellow industry professionals, members of NFPA techni-

cal committees, professional engineers, Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), or all of the above. That’s the nature of the group. If you have a question, post it!

If you have an answer, post it! Posting helps promote healthy discussion and exchange of ideas.

“The SprinklerFORUM is the fastest and easiest way to have a productive exchange of ideas with industry associates,” comments Steve Leyton, president of Protection, Design & Consulting in San Diego. “Considering the depth of knowledge and hundreds of years of collective experience of its members, the group offers the broadest spectrum of advice that I’ve found in the industry—it’s like having a one-click consulting group that’s always available. I am proud have been one of the first registered users.”

Over 750 participants have signed up for the technical discussions on AFSA’s SprinklerFORUM. They post technical questions and answers related to the fire sprinkler industry and codes and standards, provide helpful advice to those who can benefit from their experience and skills, and are a part of a community of subscribers just like themselves.

The average number of questions/ topics per month is in the high ‘20s with an average of 130 posts per month. In addition, active participation in the forum may count for NICET/ NFPA certification and Continuing Education Credits (CEUs).

Ron Greenman, executive director of the AFSA Pacific Northwest Chapter, and faculty member at Bates Technical College states, “The SprinklerForum is my go-to when I have a fire protection question, as well as the place where I find answers to questions I haven’t thought to ask. Some of the best minds in the industry are available for casual exchanges of ideas, civil discussion, and to answer specific questions.”

There are a few rules governing the forum. The forum isn’t a place to discuss pricing issues as doing so can be construed as a violation of anti-trust laws, and the forum cannot be used to solicit employment or to advertise for open positions. AFSA’s SprinklerFORUM should not be used to promote yourself or your company or solicit business. Discussion should be kept to the technical topics posted and please respect your follow subscribers and be cordial.

Read every post or simply receive a digest of the day’s discussions—it’s up to you. Join the conversations, share your technical knowledge, make new business contacts and friends, and learn from others in the industry—visit www. firesprinkler.org/SprinklerFORUM and sign up today. n

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 41

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT MEMBERS CELEBRATE MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES

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s the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) celebrates its 39th anniversary in 2020, we also recognize those members who are celebrating milestone membership anniversaries. The member companies featured have belonged to AFSA for 15 or more years of continuous membership.

“It’s during challenging times like this that you reflect on the past and speculate about the future,” comments AFSA Vice President of Membership & Communications Liz Messner, CAE, IOM. “Without a doubt, it’s our members celebrating milestone anniversaries for which AFSA is extremely grateful! It’s your commitment and investment in AFSA Milestone Membership Anniversaries July–August 2020

AFSA and our industry that have made the difference for so many businesses. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!”

Several members are celebrating milestone anniversaries in May and June. Sprinkler Age asked those members some questions about their time in the fire sprinkler industry. Bill Gray, owner of Foothill Fire Protection, Inc., Loomis, California, shared some of his favorite AFSA memories and things he’s learned.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE FIRE SPRINKLER INDUSTRY? “I was fortunate to start with my wife’s uncle in 1984. He had a plumbing company and wanted to get into the fire sprinkler business. I was his first fire sprinkler employee. I worked my way up from the fab shop through the field and into the office where I learned to estimate, design, and manage the field. I was lucky to have a great mentor.”

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH AFSA? 30-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Aero Automatic Sprinkler, Phoenix, AZ Cogswell Sprinkler Co., Inc., Worcester, MA 25-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Allstar Fire Protection, Inc., Madison, TN Lewis Fire Protection, Inc., Villa Rica, GA Lund Pearson McLaughlin Fire Protection Systems, Mountain View, CA United Piping, Inc., Jackson, MS 20-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Alpha Sprinkler Corporation, Stoneham, MA Foothill Fire Protection, Inc., Loomis, CA Associate Members Uponor-USA, Apple Valley, MN 15-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Dorn Fire Protection, Cincinnati, OH H20 Fire Protection, Inc., Commerce City, CO Platte Valley Fire Protection, Inc., Wellington, CO Titan Fire Systems, LLC, Merritt Island, FL Wolfe Fire Protection, Monroe, WA Associate Members SPP Pumps, Inc., Norcross, GA

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“In 1987, I was enrolled in an AFSA fire sprinkler design school held in Pleasanton, California, through a mailer. I had no information about AFSA at the time. It turned out to be the start of a great relationship.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OR MOST USED AFSA BENEFIT? “The number one thing AFSA has given me is the networking with other contractors and suppliers throughout the U.S./ North America. I have gained my code knowledge and education by attending the convention and seminars since 1987.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AFSA OR AFSA CONVENTION MEMORY? “My favorite convention memory is the first time I got to take my kids, Holly and Dillon, to their first convention.

They truly enjoyed it, and it gave them exposure to the exhibitors and contractors I have been blessed to work with throughout my career.”

WHAT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE YOU’VE SEEN IN THE INDUSTRY? “When I first got into this field, we where only protecting 14,000-ft2 building and larger, no residential. Now, with

the installation of fire sprinklers in almost every building, you can build bigger buildings with less fire ratings. We are in California where all homes are required to have residential sprinklers. What a ride. There is so much more we can do; let’s keep doing a great job and our industry will keep developing. The success of our industry over the last 30 years shows in the construction of buildings today. Area limitations and building designs are expanded using fire sprinklers.”

WHAT’S THE KEY INGREDIENT TO YOUR SUCCESS? “I attribute all my success to the team around me. My wife, Carrie, has been there every step of the way and is currently our CFO. I have always believed in getting up early and getting a jump on the world.”

IF I WEREN’T WORKING IN FIRE PROTECTION, I WOULD BE...

“I would still be in construction. I love the building industry as a whole.”

MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS Being a member of AFSA has many benefits including technical resources, education, training, and industry promotion. Members have access to AFSA’s technical services staff, informal interpretations, and technical e-newsletters. They receive updates on the latest changes to industry codes,

standards, and practices through a variety of options. Correspondence courses, live and on-demand webinars; and online training are offered on a wide variety of topics at member discounts—and sometimes for free as in AFSA’s recent live webinar series. AFSA Chapter participation provides networking and increases awareness of developments in your region and representation in state and local legislatures for positive fire safety requirements. AFSA members receive a discount on all products and services including technical reference products, seminars, training courses, and convention registration. To read more details about the benefits of membership and to join online, visit www.firesprinkler.org/ membership.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! AFSA appreciates all of its members and thanks them for their continued support—contractors, manufacturers suppliers, designers, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs)— all help to make this association and the fire protection industry great. AFSA looks forward to celebrating with more members throughout the year! Recognition in Sprinkler Age will be done in five-year anniversary increments and is available to all membership types. Congratulations to these members! n

Your next top designer starts here

BEGINNING FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM PLANNING SCHOOL

2020 CLASS SCHEDULE September 21- Oct. 2 November 9 - 20 This 2-week course is designed to train a beginner with no previous experience (novice) into a productive member of your team.

YOUR SAFETY MATTERS TO US AFSA is committed to the safety of our students.

Find out how we are keeping students safe visit: www.firesprinkler.org/safe

Enroll Today

www.firesprinkler.org/design SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 43

AFSA NEWS DENHARDT APPOINTED TO NFPA TECHNICAL COMMITTEES

The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is pleased to announce that AFSA’s Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John August Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE, has been appointed to several National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) technical committees: NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems,—principal member on the Automatic Sprinkler Systems (AUT-AAC) Committee and principal member on the Sprinkler System Discharge Criteria (AUT-SSD) Committee; NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems,—alternate member.

In addition, AFSA’s Technical Programs Specialist Tom Noble, CET, currently serves on six NFPA technical committees: NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and 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 170, Standard for Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols; NFPA 291, Recommended Practice for Fire Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants; and NFPA 5000®, Build-

CALENDAR AUGUST

17 • 3rd Annual AFSA Ohio Golf Outing Springboro, Ohio afsaoh.org

SEPTEMBER

21 - October 2 • AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Dallas, TX firesprinkler.org/design

OCTOBER

22 • 21st Annual Bob McCullough Memorial Golf Tournament Dacula, GA georgiafiresprinkler.org 23 • LFSA Golf Tournament Baton Rouge, LA lafiresprinkler.org

NOVEMBER

9-20 • AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Dallas, TX firesprinkler.org/design

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.”

44 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

ing Construction and Safety Code®.

In total, AFSA is represented on 29 NFPA technical committees between AFSA staff and volunteers—industry professionals who devote their time and exNOBLE DENHARDT pertise. 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 Denhardt at (214) 349-5965 ext. 121 or jdenhardt@firesprinkler.org.

LEARN THE ART OF DESIGN IN 2020

The American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Beginning Fire Sprinkler Design System Planning School presents a comprehensive, practical approach to preparing fire sprinkler system drawings. Students receive two full weeks of instruction, 60 percent of which is study and review of NFPA 13 (2016 edition). The other 40 percent is preparation of fire sprinkler system layout, shop drawings and hydraulic calculations. Reserve your designer’s spot today for one of the remaining 2020 schools: September 21-October 2, and November 9-20. For more details and to register visit firesprinkler.org/design.

STAY IN-THE-KNOW WITH SPRINKLER AGE

Sign up to receive your own free copy of Sprinkler Age magazine— printed or digital. Subscribe online now at firesprinkler.org/sprinklerage/ subscribe to have Sprinkler Age delivered via email straight to your inbox, in print form to your mailbox, or both! To view the digital edition or subscribe online, visit sprinklerage.com.

COVID-19 RESOURCES ONLINE

AFSA is committed to supporting you, your staff, and your business— whether it’s COVID-19 resources, web-based training, informal interpretations and technical support for your design team, or correspondence education for your field staff. AFSA offers many online learning opportunities that you can take advantage of, ranging from live webinars to online seminars across all topics of fire sprinklers and management via our Fire Sprinkler eCampus at sprinklerecampus.com. Information relevant to your business and COVID-19 can be found at www.firesprinkler.org/covid19.

AFSA ON-DEMAND WEBINARS

AFSA’s new online learning platform offers 24/7 access to CEUs and/or CPDs from its educational events, including live webinars. AFSA On-Demand offers fire sprinkler contractors and other professionals access to the best in specialty education anytime. These courses are presented by experts in the fire protection industry and are carefully developed to offer convenience and flexibility. Read more details about these webinars and AFSA’s summer sale on page 24 of this issue, or visit www.firesprinkler.org/ondemand. n

CHAPTER NEWS ARKANSAS

The Arkansas Fire Sprinkler Contractors Association had its second quarter meeting on June 18 in North Little Rock. The meeting was hosted

by Ameripipe. Social distancing measures were taken for the safety of attendees for the meeting as well as the catered lunch. Bill Roachell, president of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Arkansas, spoke with the chapter about the effects of COVID-19 on the construction industry and about what ABC Arkansas has done to help contractors through this difficult and unprecedented time. Ben Hammonds, current president of the Arkansas Fire Marshal’s Association, spoke with attendees about continuing to work together with the AFSCA for a safer Arkansas and about the potential effects of COVID-19 on schools this fall related to fire safety. Dennis Free, North Little Rock fire marshal, spoke next about promoting home fire sprinklers. The meeting had 19 attendees, with seven different sprinkler contractor companies represented. Thank you to all who attended and made the event a success!

1

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

The Sacramento Valley Chapter of AFSA held its 9th Annual Trade Show on March 5, 2020, at Thunder Valley Casino Resorts in Lincoln, California. In the morning, the seminar “Bracing & Restraints” was held at the Rocklin Community Center and had 79 attendees. Travis Mack presented the seminar and provided attendees with an introductory knowledge of the items to be considered when providing protection for automatic sprinkler system from damages as a result of a seismic event, including allowable omissions and basic information on all six elements for such protection as provided in NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.

The trade show welcomed over 600 attendees and featured 50 exhibitors, food, drinks, and raffles. Attendees enjoyed networking, checking out new products, and catching up with others who share the same passion for the fire sprinkler industry. Each year, the Hawaii trip raffle is very popular and eagerly expected. The 2020 winner was Heather Collins of California Fire Systems.

The chapter is grateful to the companies who sponsored the event, those that exhibited, and for all of the attendees. It was a great event and we look forward to our 10th anniversary trade show in 2021! n

CAL-FIRE Clarification We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience caused by the article “Confused by CAL-Fire-Approved CEUs?” in the May/June 2020 issue of Sprinkler Age (see page 23 ). For detailed information on the program, visit https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/media/10983/continuingeducation-unit-approved-provider-list-rev52020.pdf or contact your local chapter for more information. n

2

3 Photos: 1: The Sacramento Valley trade show featured 50 exhibitors.

2. Chapter executive directors visit during the trade show: Paulene Norwood, Sacramento Valley; Amber Barrios, Southern California, and Alicia Karrick, Greater Bay Area. Photo reprinted courtesy of Brant Brumbeloe, FPC magazine.

3. Seventy-nine people attended the Sacramento Valley’s “Bracing & Restraints” seminar.

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 45

AFSA CHAPTERS AFSA CHAPTERS Alabama alfiresprinkler.org Hunter Brendle – Pres.

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

Colorado afsacoloradochapter.org Roger Wallace – Chair.

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

Alberta, Canada afsaalberta.org Kevin Mozak – Pres.

780-203-5263

Connecticut afsact.org Rick Russo Jr. – Chair.

203-877-7983

Arizona Bob Caputo – Chair.

864-222-1381 Makenna Leathers – Exec. Dir. 480-464-0509

Dallas-Fort Worth afsadfwchapter.org CJ Bonczyk – Chair.

817-529-1693

Arkansas Randy Gilliam – Chair.

479-646-8934 Coleman Farrar – Exec. Dir. 479-986-9090

Florida afsafl.org Chris Johnson – Chair.

800-327-7604 Jessica Cox – Exec. Dir. 813-784-3624

Carolinas afsacarolinaschapter.com Bernie Parsons – Chair.

704-782-3032 John Turnage – Exec. Dir. 919-624-3456

Georgia georgiafiresprinkler.org Allen Cagle – Chair.

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

Chesapeake Bay afsachesapeakechapter.org Jason Martin – Chair.

410-286-3314 Danielle Fowler – Exec. Dir. 410-972-1122

Greater Bay Area afsa-gba.org Dave Karrick – Chair.

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

Greater Kansas City Mark McKenzie – Chair.

913-432-6688 Brett Heinrich – Exec. Dir. 785-825-7710 Louisiana lafiresprinkler.org Linda Biernacki – Chair.

318-688-8800 Ellen Ballard – Exec. Dir. 318-688-8800 Michigan afsamichiganchapter.org Doug Irvine, Jr.– Chair.

616-784-1644 Minnesota-Dakotas Marc Haug – Chair.

701-232-7008

Ohio afsaoh.org Bill Hausman – Chair 937-859-6198 Scott Huber – Exec. Dir. 513-276-3076

South Carolina scfsa.org Stuart Weeks – Chair.

843-442-3346 Taylor Young – Exec. Dir. 980-253-3241

Pacific Northwest afsanw.org Josh Massingale – Chair.

360-794-8621 Ron Greenman – Exec. Dir. 253-576-9700

Southern California socalafsa.com Terry Housholder– Chair.

714-632-8646 Amber Barrios – Exec. Dir. 562-833-9492

Patriot afsapatriot.org Chad Dubuc – Chair.

508-431-9938

Tennessee afsatennesseechapter.org Casey Milhorn – Chair.

615-349-5278 Leslee Kiser – Exec. Dir. 615-865-5600

Sacramento Valley sacvalleyafsa.org Hal Burton – Chair.

916-332-1266 Paulene Norwood – Exec. Dir. 916-296-0635

New Jersey Thomas Bowlby, Jr. – Chair.

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

Upstate New York afsaupstatenychapter.org Justin Petcosky – Chair 607-296-7969

San Diego Ron Aday – Chair.

858-513-4949 ext. 307 Rhonda Hill – Exec. Dir. 951-326-4600

New Mexico Ida Peralta – Chair.

505-255-4118 Mark Peralta – Exec. Dir. 505-573-6712

Utah Rocky Mountain afsautahchapter.org Mark Winder, Jr. – Chair.

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

Schuylkill afsasc.org Ben Young – Chair.

480-621-5074 Ilyse Shapiro – Exec. Dir. 610-642-7427

Northern New England Ryan Gadhue – Chair.

802-865-3600

Virginia afsavirginia.com Bob Beckwith – Pres.

540-659-4675 Michael Christensen – Exec. Dir. 352-406-1641

AFSA AFFILIATE MEMBERS Oklahoma Affiliate ofsa.info Gary Field – Chair.

918-266-2416

Texas Affiliate fscatx.org David Stone – Pres.

713-466-9898 Sarah Kiefer – Exec. Dir.

Alberta, Canada

Pacific

Northw

est

Northern New England

Minnesota-Dakotas

Upstate New York

Sacramento Valley Greater Bay

Utah

Southern California

San Diego

Connecticut

Michigan

Arizona

Schuylkill

Ohio

Colorado

New Mexico

Virginia

Greater Kansas City Oklahoma (Affiliate)

Arkansas

Dallas Fort Worth

South Carolina Alabama

Louisiana

Georgia

a

id or

Fl

Texas (Affiliate)

Carolinas

Tennessee

46 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

Patriot

New Jersey Chesapeake Bay

AFSA MEMBERSHIP NEW MEMBERS The following is a list of new contractor members that have joined as of July 7, 2020.

CONTRACTORS

Coastal Fire Protection, LLC Metairie, LA

Phoenix Fire Suppression, LLC Universal City, TX

Fire Lines Plus Pearland, TX

Regency Fire Protection Van Nuys, CA

DESIGNERS

Hartleyhouse Fire Systems, LLC Nineveh, IN Stanton Engineering Gold River, CA

Key Fire Protection Enterprises, LLC Augusta, GA

U.S. CONSTRUCTION REPORTS CONSTRUCTION STARTS SHOW SHARP CONTRACTION IN APRIL

CONSTRUCTION STARTS POST SMALL GAIN IN MAY

Total construction starts declined 25 percent from March to April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $572.2 billion as COVID-19 and economic recession hit the construction sector. In April, nonresidential building starts fell 37 percent from March, while residential dropped 25 percent. The decline in nonbuilding construction starts was more tepid, falling just 5 percent due to strong activity in streets and bridges.

On a year-to-date basis through four months of 2020, total construction starts were 8 percent lower than the same period in 2019. Nonresidential building starts were off 14 percent, while nonbuilding starts were down 15 percent.

Residential starts, meanwhile, were up 2 percent on a year-to-date basis.

Total construction starts rose 3 percent from April to May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $595.1 billion, following a 25 percent decline the previous month. Several large nonresidential building projects broke ground in May resulting in the gain. Removing those large projects from the statistics would have resulted in no change in starts over the month. In May, nonresidential buildings increased 8 percent, while residential building starts rose 4 percent. Nonbuilding starts, however, declined 4 percent during the month.

Through the first five months of 2020, total construction starts were 12 percent lower than in the same period in 2019. Nonresidential starts were down 19 percent, nonbuilding starts were 16 percent lower, and residential starts were off 3 percent.

Monthly Summary of Construction Contract Value

Monthly Summary of Construction Contract Value

Prepared by Dodge Data & Analytics

MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, In Millions April 2020 March 2020 % Change Nonresidential Building $170,190 $270,885 -37 Residential Building $245,431 $326,548 -25 Nonbuilding Construction $156,604 $164,738 -5 Total Construction $572,225 $762,171 -25

Prepared by Dodge Data & Analytics

MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, In Millions May 2020 April 2020 % Change Nonresidential Building $188,757 $174,012 8 Residential Building $257,205 $246,912 4 Nonbuilding Construction $149,117 $155,974 -4 Total Construction $595,078 $576,899 -3

THE DODGE INDEX (Year 2000=100, Seasonally Adjusted) April 2020..................121 March 2020... ...........161

THE DODGE INDEX (Year 2000=100, Seasonally Adjusted) May 2020..................126 April 2020.................122

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

4 Mos. 2020 4 Mo. 2019 % Change Nonresidential Building $74,709 $86,999 -14 Residential Building $103,173 $100,887 2 Nonbuilding Construction $49,829 $58,532 -15 Total Construction $227,712 $246,419 -8

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

5 Mos. 2020 5 Mos. 2019 % Change Nonresidential Building $92,973 $115,144 -19 Residential Building $126,489 $130,450 -3 Nonbuilding Construction $65,119 $77,784 -16 Total Construction $284,582 $323,378 -12

SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 47

DESIGNER’S CHALLENGE CAN YOU RISE TO THE CHALLENGE?

Welcome to the July/August 2020 Designer’s Challenge. Each issue, AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department will present one or multiple challenges for designers. Besides challenging yourself and your co-workers, working these challenges is excellent preparation for professional certification tests and also may count as continuing education hours. Check with your certification organization to see if this exercise meets their criteria.

To participate, carefully read through each challenge, work the problems, and submit your answers online via AFSA’s website at www.firesprinkler.org/designerschallenge by August 31, 2020. One winner will be pulled at random from those who answer correctly and will receive some AFSA swag! Answers will be published in the next issue when new challenges are presented.

MAY/JUNE CHALLENGE ANSWERS: The two challenges were similar: “The sprinkler main is 4-in. pipe, and the branch line is 21/2-in. pipe.

Branch line measurements are total length, not cut length.” The assumptions were: “Piping is schedule 40 black steel with threaded fittings. Use NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2019 edition Table 27.2.3.1.1 Equivalent Schedule 40 Steel Pipe Length Chart.” The only difference between the two challenges was that in Challenge #1, the sprinkler system was a wet pipe system and in Challenge #2, the sprinkler system was a dry pipe system. The question for each challenge was: “What is the equivalent length of pipe from hydraulic node #1 to hydraulic note #2?”

The correct answer for Challenge #1 is B, 48 ft.

Wet system, C=120: Equivalent Length from node 1 to 2 = 24 ft of 21/2-in. schedule 40 steel pipe + 2 - 21/2-in. 90 degree elbows + 1-21/2 tee. Thus: 4 ft + (2 x 6 ft) + (1 x 12 ft) = 48 ft The correct answer for Challenge #2 is C, 41.4 ft.

Dry system, C=100: Equivalent Length from node 1 to 2 = 24 ft of 21/2-in. schedule 40 steel pipe + 2 - 21/2-in. 90 degree elbows + 1-21/2 tee. Thus: 24 ft + (2 x (6 ft x .713)) + (1 x (12 ft x .713)) = 41.1 ft Note: The .713 multiplier is from 27.2.3.2 of NFPA 13, 2019 edition.

Congratulations to Dane Long, Bamford Fire Sprinkler Co, Inc., Salina, Kansas who correctly answered the May/June challenge questions and was randomly pulled as the AFSA swag winner!

48 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

The diagrams were the same for the May/June 2020 Challenge.

JULY/AUGUST QUESTIONS: All questions are based on the 2019 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.

1. A check valve is allowed to be installed in what positions? a. Vertical down, vertical up, or horizontal b. Vertical up or horizontal in accordance with the listing c. Horizontal in accordance with the listing d. Any position, as long as it is installed in accordance with the listing 2. A 6-in. sprinkler riser contains a main drain test valve. What choice below best describes the size of the main drain test valve? a. The size of the main drain test valve is required to be 11/4 in. b. The size of the main drain test valve is required to be 2 in. c. The minimum main drain test valve size is required to be 2 in. but larger sizes are allowed. d. The minimum main drain test valve size is required to be 21/2 in. but larger sizes are allowed.

3. A new 6-in. underground water service line is being designed for a new mix use building. A Listed backflow preventer assembly is being installed on the incoming water service line as soon as the water service line enters the building. A backflow forward flow test connection is required. The largest sprinkler water flow rate for this building is 778 gpm. The sprinkler shop drawings includes a note describing the method of performing the backflow forward flow test. What note below would meet the requirements of NFPA 13? a. Backflow forward flow test method: Remove fire department check (FDC) valve and install

temporary piece of pipe. Flow water through the two-way FDC. b. Backflow forward flow test method: Open normally closed control valve around the check valve for the FDC valve. Flow water through the two-way FDC. c. Backflow forward flow test method: Flow water from the two 21/2-in. fire hose valves located on the incoming bulk main in the valve room. Routed hose through the mechanical room exterior door to the parking lot. d. Backflow forward flow test method: Flow water through the 2-in. main drain test valve 4. In an existing building with a complying wet sprinkler system utilizing standard spray sprinklers, a new exposed 60-in. wide duct is being installed in a parking garage. Sprinkler coverage is required under the duct. What statement below would meet the requirements of NFPA 13? a. Install an upright sprinkler so the deflector is within 14 in. of the bottom of the duct to allow other trades to use the space to route conduits under the duct. b. Install an intermediate level rack type sprinkler adjacent to the duct not more than 3 in. from the outside of the edge of the duct. c. Install a pendent sprinkler adjacent to the duct not more than 3 in. from the outside of the edge of the duct. d. Change the existing standard spray sprinklers above the duct within 15 ft in all directions of the closest edge of the duct to extended coverage ordinary hazard sprinklers with a minimum 14x14 coverage. No sprinkler is required under the duct since the sprinkler type has been changed. n

ITM CHALLENGE CAN YOU RISE TO THIS CHALLENGE?

Based on the success of the Designer’s Challenge, Sprinkler Age is pleased to debut the new ITM Challenge column! Each issue, AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department will present one or multiple challenges for technicians. Besides challenging yourself and your co-workers, working these challenges is excellent preparation for professional certification tests and also may count as continuing education hours. Check with your certification organization to see if this exercise meets their criteria.

To participate, carefully read through each challenge, work the problems, and submit your answers online via AFSA’s website at www.firesprinkler.org/itmchallenge by August 31, 2020. One winner will be pulled at random from those who answer correctly and will receive some AFSA swag! Answers will be published in the next issue’s column when new challenges are presented.

JULY/AUGUST 2020 QUESTIONS:

c. A 50 percent increase in water delivery time compared the original acceptance test. d. A system being returned to service after an extended shutdown, greater than two years.

a. an impairment b. a noncritical deficiency c. a critical deficiency d. a non-deficiency

4. A missing recessed or flushed escutcheon with the deflector and operating element not in the correct position should be considered ________.

ENTER TODAY!

Don’t forget to submit your answers online via at www.firesprinkler.org/itmchallenge by August 31, 2020. n

NEW GROOVE

Reference NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, 2017 edition when answering these questions.

1. A dry valve that can be reset without removing the faceplate is required to be internally inspected ___________. a. after a full flow trip b. annually c. every five years d. every other year 2. For a system with its sole water supply through a backflow preventer, the main drain test shall be conducted ________. a. weekly b. monthly c. quarterly d. semiannually 3. Choose two of the following are examples that would trigger an obstruction investigation on a dry system: a. Abnormally frequent false tripping of a dry valve. b. Total water delivery time during a full trip that exceeds 60 seconds.

AGF revolutionized the fire sprinkler industry with the original TESTanDRAIN, a singlehandle ball valve inspector’s test; which eliminated traditional loop assemblies. Since then, TESTanDRAIN valves have been trusted in countless systems throughout the world. They are made in more sizes, in more styles, and with more orifice options than any other valve on the market. And now, TESTanDRAIN offers even more versatility.

NEW! Groove x Groove TESTanDRAIN valves are available in 1”, 1¼”, and 2” sizes.

www.testandrain.com SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 49

PRODUCT NEWS JOHNSON CONTROLS EXPANDS GRINNELL ONE-BOLT COUPLING LINE

Johnson Controls is expanding its GRINNELL G-Fire One-Bolt coupling product line by adding two new sizes: 1.25 and 1.5 inches. The new, smaller couplings allow contractors to perform quicker installations on smaller diameter piping and in tight spaces. As part of the one-bolt family, both couplings feature the unique, single-bolt design that eliminates alternate tightening while resulting in more consistent installations and dependable product performance.

The one-bolt couplings allow fast and easy push-on installation thanks to a pre-lubricated gasket and pre-assembled design. The couplings can be used in both vertical and horizontal applications across wet, dry and freezer systems. They feature 360-degree contact for an exceptionally rigid joint and a grooved, rigid coupling design to make joining pipe faster and easier. A low-profile spine allows for installation in tighter spaces and a center-stop gasket ensures proper positioning on pipe. The couplings are UL/ULC Listed and FM Approved, with a pressure rating of up to 365 psi. Visit grinnell.com/onebolt.

RIDGID® NXT WET/DRY VAC LINE ADDS NEW AIR MOVER Quickly dry any space or surface with the new RIDGID® Air Mover, the latest innovation in the RIDGID wet/dry vac line designed for fast cleanup and jobsite convenience. The Air Mover is made for high volume air movement, making it ideal for industrial and commercial settings.

Featuring an integrated three-speed heavy-duty induction motor providing 1,625 CFM and adjustable angle for efficient drying, the Air Mover has a 25-ft power cord for extended reach. Dual electrical outlets allow us-

50 SPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020

ers to safely connect or ‘daisy chain’ multiple air movers together for additional air circulation or utilize the Air Mover electrical outlets to power additional tools. Visit ridgid.com.

REPORT EXAMINES CURRENT HEALTH OF THE FIRE & LIFE SAFETY ECOSYSTEM

The the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire & Life Safety Policy Institute has released the “2019 Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™: Year in Review report. “ The new report, which highlights a number of U.S. and international life safety incidents, looks at the circumstances that led to each tragedy and examines the current, overall health of the global fire and life safety system.

According to the report, each incident serves as a painful reminder of a current safety system that repeatedly fails to protect the public and first responders; taken together, they represent a catastrophic failure of the Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™, a framework NFPA developed in 2018 that identifies the components that must work together to minimize risk and help prevent loss, injuries, and death from fire, electrical, and other hazards.

The Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem consists of eight components that are interdependent.

When calamities happen, the cause of these situations can often be attributed to a breakdown in one or more of the elements of the safety ecosystem. The examples referenced in the “Year in Review” report point to the gaps, cracks, and weaknesses in the ecosystem that otherwise should protect communities.

The free 2019 Year in Review report, in addition to other resources and information about the ecosystem, can be found at nfpa. org/ecosystem.

JOHNSON CONTROLS LAUNCHES NEW TYCO® PRESSURE CONTROL VALVES Johnson Controls announces the launch of two new TYCO® pressure control valves for fire protection systems: the TYCO Model RV1A Pressure Relief Valve and the TYCO Mod-

el PRV-1A Pressure Reducing Valve. The new valves offer simple, low-maintenance solutions for controlling and maintaining optimal water pressure within commercial fire protection systems.

The TYCO RV-1A Pressure Relief Valve automatically relieves excess pressure in fire protection systems to maintain a relatively constant system pressure as flow demands change. Its simple design eliminates the need for users to bleed trapped air from the diaphragm chamber. The valve offers users a nominal relief “set pressure” range of 30 to 250 psi (2.1 to 17.2 bar).

The TYCO PRV-1A Pressure Reducing Valve reduces a higher inlet pressure to a lower outlet delivery pressure in water-filled pipes. It automatically maintains the outlet «set pressure» (static and residual) within a close range, regardless of fluctuations in the higher-pressure inlet line or varying flow rates.

The RV-1A and PRV-1A valves are UL and ULc Listed and FM Approved. Both valves are factory assembled and fully trimmed. They are available in sizes ranging from 2-8 in., with flange-by-flange and grooved-by-grooved end connection options. Visit tyco-fire.com.

FEBCO OFFERS NEW MASTERSERIES® VALVES FOR DROP-IN REPLACEMENT

The new FEBCO MasterSeries® valves are available from 4-10 in. in N and Zpattern configurations and are designed with the same lay length as other manufacturers’ valves for easy retrofits. Visit watts.com. n

PEOPLE NEWS GOLDSTEIN JOINS TELGIAN FIRE SAFETY

Telgian Fire Safety announces the appointment of Mark Goldstein as director of operations. In this position, Goldstein will be responsible for the management of customer service and customer care operations for the fire and life safety testing, inspections, and repair company. Goldstein brings over 11 years of management experience to Telgian, including extensive knowledge of strategic planning, operations management, customer service, and team building.

Prior to joining Telgian, Goldstein served with the “Fortune 6� company United Health Group, holding positions of increasing responsibility, from recovery analyst, to regional account manager, to director of field operations.

Goldstein earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Visit Telgian.com.

plan to prepare Hubbard for what’s sure to be a fruitful future with our employee-owned organization. Ted Green, chairman of the board, has agreed to stay on as long as it takes to ensure a successful transition. Visit pacesupply.com.

ning projects of many of their 2019-2020 awards. Below is a list of recently announced award winners. Visit the NFPA press room to read more about each award and award winner at nfpa.org. • 2019 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year Award: Maria Bostian • Standards Medal: Peter J. Willse • James M. Shannon Advocacy Medal: Paul D. Martin • Harry C. Bigglestone Award: “Should We Leave Now? Behavioral Factors in Evacuation Under Wildfire Threatâ€? by Jim McLennan, adjunct professor, school of psychology and public health, La Trobe University; Barbara Ryan, senior lecturer, school of arts and communication, University of Southern Queensland; Chris Bearman, associate professor of cognitive psychology; Queensland University (Adelaide campus); and Keith Toh, deputy dean of learning and teaching. • Research Foundation Medal: Digitized Fuel Load Survey Methodology Using Machine Vision n

POTTER ANNOUNCES NEW VICE PRESIDENT

Potter Electric Signal Company of, LLC of St. Louis, Missouri, announces the hiring of Tom Applegarth to a newly created position of vice president of human capital and performance.

He is joining Potter after previously working at Belden as vice president of corporate human resources & total rewards. He will be leading the human resources team, with a goal of driving results in talent acquisition and development.

Applegarth received his BA and MBA degrees from Brigham Young University. Prior to his time at Belden, he also held various HR roles at Goodyear Tire & Rubber and Flowserve. Visit pottersignal.com.

NFPA HONORS AWARD WINNERS

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has announced the winners and win-

HUBBARD NAMED PRESIDENT OF PACE SUPPLY

PACE Supply announces that the company role of president has been filled by Keith Hubbard. His career was born and bred in plumbing. His teen summers were spent with his father, a rep agency owner, traveling and calling upon wholesalers where Hubbard learned the importance of relationships and dialogue; lessons that would travel with him to his first position out of high school working for a plumber. Over the past two decades his roles have included field work and warehouse, inside sales and outside sales, a transition into branch management, and onto district management with territories spanning California, and Nevada.

Just as the process for hiring Hubbard was strategic and methodical, so will be the passing of the baton. PACE Supply’s executive team has created an adequate playbook and training

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Each level of the series includes photographs, drawings and tables to provide the relevant representations as well as written instruction on proper installation techniques and use of tools.

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INDUSTRY NEWS NASFM 2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE RESCHEDULED

NASFM has made the difficult decision to reschedule the 2020 Annual Conference due to restrictions and safety concerns related to COVID-19. NASFM greatly values this event as it gives time to gather, network, share ideas and programs, as well as interact and work cooperatively with sponsors and exhibitors to make our nation safer from fire. The Annual Conference has been rescheduled for July 19-22, 2021, with the event to be held at the same location, The Stoweflake Resort & Conference Center, Stowe, Vermont. Visit firemarshals.org.

NFPA ANNOUNCES THEME FOR FIRE PREVENTION WEEK 2020

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 95 years, has announced “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen” as the theme for Fire Prevention Week, October 4-10, 2020. NFPA’s focus on cooking fire safety comes in response to home cooking fires representing the leading cause of U.S. home fires, with nearly half (49 percent) of all home fires involving cooking equipment; unattended cooking is the leading cause of these fires.

Key messages around this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen” will include the following: • Keep a close eye on what you’re cooking; never leave cooking unattended.

• Keep anything that can catch fire—oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains—at least three feet away from your stovetop.

• Be on alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

For more information about Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme, along with a wealth of resources to help promote the campaign locally, visit fpw.org.

CONSTRUCTION JOBS RISE BY 464,000 JOBS BUT REMAIN 596,000 BELOW RECENT PEAK Construction employment rebounded by 464,000 jobs in May, but the total remained

596,000 below the latest peak in February and the industry’s 12.7 percent unemployment rate was the highest for May since 2012, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) of government data released. Association officials cautioned that the future job losses are likely as temporary federal support programs end, state and local officials deal with tighter budgets and private sector demand declines later this year.

The association’s latest survey found that nearly one-fourth of contractors reported a project that was scheduled to start in June or later had been canceled. With most states and localities starting a new fiscal year on July 1, even more public construction is likely to be canceled unless the federal government makes up for some of their lost revenue and unbudgeted expenses.

The gain of 464,000 jobs in May followed losses of 995,000 in April and 65,000 in March, for a cumulative loss over three months of 596,000. Construction employment totaled 7,043,000 in May, about where it stood in late 2017, the economist noted.

Association officials said the best way to avoid the expected future construction job losses is for federal officials to boost funding for infrastructure, including highway, bridges, waterways and airports. They noted that the additional funding would help cover expected state and local budget shortfalls and would help replace expected declines in private-sector demand. Visit agc.org.

NFPA LAUNCHES NEW TWICE MONTHLY PODCAST

The NFPA Podcast, a new podcast series featuring in-depth interviews on fire, life and electrical safety, has debuted. The new podcast follows the same journalistic style that was employed by the former NFPA Journal Podcast but delves further into emerging issues and trending topics by featuring more voices from diverse professionals from around the globe.

Points of view from different subject matter experts—code officials, facility managers, inspectors, builders, electricians, firefighters, public educators, policymakers and more—are woven together to demonstrate that safety is a system, as illustrated in the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem.

New episodes will air on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month and can be accessed on Spotify, Apple Music, and many other popular podcast platforms. Listeners with ideas for episodes are encouraged to email Jesse Roman at jroman@nfpa.org. Visit nfpa.org.

NEW DATA SHOWS CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY RETURNING TO PRECORONAVIRUS LEVELS

A new survey by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and data from construction technology firm Procore show that construction activity is returning to pre-coronavirus levels in many parts of the country and some firms are adding workers. The new economic data, however, also shows some future projects are being canceled and many others are being delayed by supply chain issues and labor shortages, underscoring the need for additional federal recovery measures, association officials noted.

Construction activity has returned to precoronavirus levels in 34 states, based on data on workers’ hours analyzed by Procore. And construction has returned to pre-coronavirus levels in Dallas and Miami, according to Procore’s data on eight large metro areas. Meanwhile, the association’s survey found that only 8 percent of construction firms were forced to furlough or lay off workers in June while 21 percent report adding employees, compared to one-in-four firms letting workers go between March and May. The AGC survey and Procore’s data show the severe toll the pandemic took on the construction industry. For example, 61 percent of firms report having had at least one project halted or canceled because of the pandemic. One in four firms report that construction materials shortages, caused by lock downs and trade disruptions, are causing delays on current projects.

Meanwhile, the Procore data found that smaller firms experienced more severe declines in construction activity during the pandemic than larger firms.

Moving forward, only 12 percent of firms report they plan to furlough or lay off staff over the next four weeks while 17 percent anticipate adding to their headcount during that time span. Yet even as more conSPRINKLER AGE | JUL/AUG 2020 53

struction firms predict they will expand during the next several weeks, 42 percent do not expect demand will recover to normal levels for at least four months, and most of those firms expect recovery will take longer than six months.

Construction firms are counting on additional federal help to improve demand for construction and make it easier to return people to their payrolls. Fifty-five percent of firms report they are counting on Congress and the Trump administration to enact liability reform that protects firms that

are complying with coronavirus safety protocols from litigation. And 33 percent are counting on Congress to boost infrastructure spending to offset declining privatesector demand.

Many firms are also hoping that Congress will not extend the unemployment supplement that is currently set to expire at the end of July. Notably, 34 percent of firms that called back employees who had been furloughed report having some personnel refuse to return to work because of those unemployment supplements.

You don’t have to be a genius.

The association’s new survey is based on responses from over 630 firms collected between June 9 and 17. Procore’s data is based on the transactions logged via the company’s software by tens of thousands of construction firms across the country. Visit agc.org.

ABC CANCELS CONVENTION 2020

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has announced the cancellation of ABC Convention 2020, which was scheduled for August 17-19 in Nashville, Tennessee. The event was previously postponed from March due to the coronavirus pandemic. ABC Convention 2021 will be March 9-11, 2021, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Visit abc.org. n

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