Jan/Feb 2021 Sprinkler Age

18 INDUSTRY FORECAST

“CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM”

JAN/FEB 2021

SPRINKLER AGE

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

VOL 40/01

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS!

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18 INDUSTRY FORECAST “CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM”

JAN/FEB 2021

JAN / FEB 2021

SPRINKLER AGE VOL 40/01

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

VOL 40/01

FEATURES 12 | AFSA CELEBRATES 40 YEARS IN 2021

Join in the Texas-Sized Celebration!

14 | UL ENHANCES TESTING SERVICE FOR SPRINKLERS

18 | CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM FOR 2021

Industry Members Share Predictions for the New Year

24 | TOP TECH OF 2020

Sprinkler Age Highlights New Innovative Products

27 | EXPAND YOUR ITM SERVICES

Register Now for Spring 2021 ITM Inspector Development Program

28 | ABC FORECASTS RECESSION THREATS, BRIGHT SPOTS

Recovery Shape Forms a “W”

29 | IS YOUR KNOWLEDGE UP TO STANDARD?

Sprinkler Challenge Webinar Series Debuts

30 | PROPOSED CHANGES FOR NFPA 25, 2023 EDITION

Notable First Draft Revisions

34 | NICET CERTIFICATION

Program Development and Maintenance Process

36 | REVIEW OF FIRE PROTECTION CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE

2020 Data Study

40 | MEMBERSHIP IN YOUR ASSOCIATION

Why it Matters

44 | NICET WATER-BASED ITM TESTING

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS!

Changes Made to Testing Program for Sprinklers Sampled from Existing Facilities

New Format, New Challenge

ON THE COVER: AFSA is excited to be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2021! Also in this issue: NFPA 25 and ITM.

6 CHAIR’S MESSAGE 8 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 10 FLASHPOINT 54 AFSA NEWS 54 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 55 CHAPTER NEWS 56 AFSA CHAPTERS 57 NEW MEMBERS 57 U.S. CONSTRUCTION 58 FITTER’S CHALLENGE 58 DESIGNER’S CHALLENGE 59 AHJ CHALLENGE 59 ITM CHALLENGE 60 PRODUCT NEWS 61 INDUSTRY NEWS 61 PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 62 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

46 | FIRE PUMP SYSTEMS

Possible Changes to NFPA 25, 2023 Edition

50 | CONSTRUCTION STARTS TO RECOVER IN 2021

Dodge Data & Analytics Predicts a Slow and Uneven Recovery Throughout the Year

51 | LEARN SPRINKLER SYSTEM DESIGN

2021 School Curriculum Updated to NFPA 13, 2019 Edition

52 | CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Nominate Online for 2021 AFSA Awards

SPRINKLER AGE, (ISSN 0896-2685) is published bi-

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SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 5

CHAIR’S MESSAGE

EDITORIAL: 214-349-5965

NICOLE DUVALL, Publisher,

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

B

D’ARCY G. MONTALVO, Editor, ext. 115;

dmontalvo@firesprinkler.org

y the time you read this, 2020 will be behind us, and 2021 hopefully will ring in a much more promising year. With the vaccine in the early stages of distribution, we should see a more positive attitude on all things 2021. I am sure that you, like I am, are also happy to see 2020 in our rearview mirror.

Early indicators show construction is still strong with good backlogs. It remains to be seen how the new administration in Washington will affect things moving forward, but life will go on, and business will go on. If we have learned nothing else from 2020, it is that we are all better at “rolling with the punches.”

As we approach the holidays and the New Year, I am pleased to report that business is picking back up across the industry. There are projects out there to bid on.

Budgets are thawing out. The world is slowly returning to work. However, current numbers do not necessarily reflect that change, as many are lagging indicators. But with opportunity comes competition. Letting people go at this time may prove to be a bad move; your employees matter, and no matter how bleak the picture looks, you cannot do your job without the educated and trained employees who work hard for you each day. Without people, you do not have a business but a hobby.

This brings me back to what seems like a recurring theme—training. It is not enough to be good at just one thing, but rather when you can master multiple skills across domains, you are more valuable to your company and the customers you serve. Those with the widest range of skills can tackle any challenge, and no doubt, in 2020, your resilience was needed more than ever. Training is more valuable than ever going into the new year. We do not know what 2021 will bring, but if you are trained and prepared ahead of time, then you can face any obstacle that comes your way.

Looking back on 2020, I want to make sure that I thank the people who run our association. You navigated the change to remote work well, and you came up with creative ways to deliver our training to our members. That was no small feat, considering how much of our training must be hands-on and done in person. Your hard work does not go unnoticed—thank you.

One of the things I missed last year was seeing so many of you in person at conferences. It was been tough, but necessary, to socially distance. But we cannot lose our sense of family within this association. Even though we may only be connected by Zoom and email, take the opportunity to reach out to someone and keep the light of our association glowing brightly. Father James Keller said, “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”

May 2021 bring hope, peace, and joy to you and your families. n

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. MEEHAN, 757-213-3660 JAY STRICKLAND, 301-474-1136

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

MARLENE M. GARRETT, CMP, Senior Director, Meeting & Education Services, ext. 118 LESLIE CLOUNTS, Director, Education Services, ext. 130 NICOLE DUVALL, Director, Communications & Social Media, ext. 126 ROGER GRAGG, Director, Marketing & Information Technology, ext. 116 BRUCE LECAIR, Director, Membership & Chapter Support, ext. 139

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT AFSA MEMBERSHIP

TED WILLS AFSA BOARD CHAIR

6 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

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.

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

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©2020 Ferguson Enterprises, LLC 1120 2295610

A

PRESIDENT’S REPORT s we jump into 2021 with the hopes and dreams that always come with a new year, I want our members to know we are not resting on past accomplishments here at AFSA. In the last issue of Sprinkler Age, I touted the expansion and upgrading of our technical services department. No doubt, our technical services group is exemplary and a true benefit to membership.

Everything we read about the coronavirus tells us the government plans to have most vaccinations accomplished by May/June 2021 with the expectation of herd immunity and a return to some normalcy well in advance of our scheduled annual convention, so let’s get fired up and ready for a Texas-sized celebration 40 years in the making! It’s time to be alive again!

As we continue to build our team, I am pleased to welcome two new seasoned industry professionals to the AFSA staff. Bruce Lecair joins the AFSA team as our new director of membership & chapter support. Bruce and his wife live in Corona, California, and he has over 32 years of fire service experience, including the past 12 years as the western regional manager with NFSA. Bruce’s stellar resumé includes his work with fire service authorities, building code officials, and multiple state and local government agencies. He is an Air Force veteran and a well-known supporter of our industry. Bruce will oversee AFSA’s membership department nationally while working directly with our local chapters and members in the western half of the map. Like many of our members in the western region, I have known Bruce for many years and am very excited to have him on our team. Wayne Weisz, AFSA’s immediate past chair, stated, “I have worked with Bruce on the California Fitter Licensing Committee and couldn’t imagine a better choice to help support AFSA’s mission and members.”

Dominick Kasmauskas joins AFSA as regional director, membership & chapter support. He currently resides in upstate New York and brings extensive knowledge and broad experience as a long-time volunteer fire fighter who spent the past 19 years as NFSA’s regional manager in the northeast. Dominick has worked closely with fire service agencies, sprinkler contractors, and building officials and is well known to many of our members and staff. He is a U.S. Army veteran who speaks multiple languages, including Russian and German.

Dominick and Bruce represent a new era for AFSA in terms of a regional approach to member and chapter support. Both of these industry veterans have experience with legislative action, direct member support, seminar presentations, and team building. Their extensive experience will allow them to jump into the deep end of the pool for an immediate impact for AFSA members and issues at the local level. You can expect to hear from Bruce and Dom soon and expect to see them at chapter meetings in the near future. I hope your chapter will reach out to them and welcome them into our circle.

Speaking of growth and expanded services, I’ve heard it said that it’s hard to keep a good man down, and that certainly applies to AFSA’s Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John August Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE. John plans to expand the services we provide for the members beyond anyone’s imagination, and his positive energy is infectious. In addition to a long list of new webinars and virtual

8 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

presentations, we are in the planning stages of introducing an intermediate design school. Our current plans include basic CAD, REVIT, and BIM training for a minimum of three of the ten days for this next-level designer training. Fire pumps, standpipes, storage occupancies, and design options will have a greater focus, and there will be more depth in hydraulic calculations. We want to hear from our members, especially lead designers and design managers, as we establish the curriculum. What are your needs? What are your expected outcomes when you send us a candidate for two weeks? How can we best help you through training programs?

Another exciting new initiative is our plan to introduce virtual training for apprentices for the book part of the program. While we cannot help directly with on-the-job training (OJT), we can provide instructors to present the book modules. We’re currently planning two time frames every other Friday to accommodate the Eastern and Western time zones. Programs will be live but recorded and available for those who cannot participate in the live broadcasts. There will be a cost associated with registration, but for those of you who are not located in regions where there is a physical training facility or available mentors and instructors, we think this will enhance the learning opportunities for your apprentices and help expand the success of our apprenticeship training program.

Again, we hope members will tell us how to provide the programs in support of your business model and training needs. Our world is changing and none of us know what the “new normal” will look like just yet. Your AFSA staff wants to be on the leading edge and proactive by listening to your input and feedback and finding ways to deliver on your needs and expectations. We’re in this together… so please let us know how we can help you.

Lastly, as I noted earlier, I am very excited about what will be the best annual convention our industry has ever seen! Mark your calendars for September 18-21, 2021, and book your flights to San Antonio, Texas now, because you will not want to miss this one. The JW Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa is a beautiful, world-class facility with lots to offer all ages and interests. This hotel is the home of the TPC San Antonio golf course hosting our Saturday tournament. Being our 40th year celebration, we have a few extra special events in store, including our grand finale at the famous Knibbe Ranch. Check out knibberanch.com for some advance knowledge of this amazing opportunity to experience a real working cattle ranch and the family who has owned and run the place for generations!

Welcome to 2021 and all the excitement this new year has to offer! n

BOB CAPUTO, CFPS AFSA PRESIDENT

STATE-OF-THE-ART

FABRICATION We’ve got your back.

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FLASHPOINT

A

s we start the New Year, my thoughts turn to addressing one of our membership’s largest needs: representation on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) technical committees. Our average contractor member typically does not have the time or resources to participate in the NFPA process actively. I know this firsthand. Working for Strickland Fire Protection was a blessing.

The owners, Manning and Jay Strickland, allowed me to serve as a volunteer at AFSA, representing this association on the NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, Sprinkler Discharge Committee. I started to serve on this technical committee in 1998 and continue today. Working full time for the Stricklands, my “spare” time to work on technical committee assignments was precious. I would review my technical work, write articles, prepare for meetings, and answer as many questions as my time would allow. It was my way to give back to my industry. However, I felt guilty. I was not able to put in the time to do a full and complete job. I always wanted to do more research, review the other technical committee activities, and teach about what I had learned. (That is why I applied for this job—the dream job for me!)

So why is representation on NFPA technical committees so important to our members? To properly work in our industry, you

must know the applicable standards. To know the standards, you must understand how and why they were developed. Once you understand how they were developed, you can assure your interests are being protected as the standard is revised for the future. As I write this column, the AFSA staff has 21 public inputs under development for the 2025 edition of NFPA 13. The 2022 edition will not be released until the fall of this year, and public inputs for the 2025 edition will be due by early summer 2022. The revision process does not stop. If you are like most members using the 2019 edition or earlier of NFPA 13, it is a task just to keep up with the changes to the next edition. To be working on changes to an edition that is not even published is an almost impossible assignment.

AFSA currently has 77 seats held by staff or volunteers on 35 different NFPA technical committees. We also have applied for additional seats where we saw a need. While this task is a large undertaking, it ensures the AFSA membership is well represented in the NFPA process and allows the members to have access to a technical department with resources to assist your company as needed. We have your back. Feel free to use our services such as informal interpretations, webinars, live in-person training, on-demand products, and Sprinkler Age articles. In addition, we have developed challenges for your staff and others to participate in. The designer challenge, fitter challenge, ITM challenge, and AHJ challenge are in every issue of Sprinkler Age. These challenges will assist in keeping our members “on their toes” with quick but challenging questions. These questions are developed based on members’ questions to us and discussions we have with the technical committees. Participate! Let AFSA do the heavy work for you as you have a full-time job. My department’s job is to assist you and your company in handling the behind-the-scenes work in the NFPA process. If a member has a suggestion to improve a standard, feel to reach out to us. We can walk you through the process and offer guidance on how to make your suggestion be accepted.

If a member in good standing would like to volunteer their time and expertise to assist my department, let me know. We are always looking for volunteers to represent AFSA on NFPA technical committees, and we now have the support in place to assist you in this role.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the 28 volunteers and their member companies who represent AFSA on NFPA technical committees. Our staff can only do so much. The volunteers make what we do possible. I enjoy working with this group and look forward to an exciting New Year. n

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

10 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

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AFSA CELEBRATES 40 YEARS IN 2021

T

JOIN IN THE TEXAS-SIZED CELEBRATION! he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is excited to be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2021, and we are inviting everyone to the party! Join us at AFSA40: Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition, September 18-21, 2021, in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio, for a Texas-sized celebration.

Featuring the largest event of its kind in the fire sprinkler industry, AFSA40 offers four days of seminars, two days of exhibits, one exciting golf tournament, and many networking opportunities.

“In 2021, it is my honor to serve as the 40th Anniversary Convention Committee Chair,” comments AFSA Second Vice Chair Linda Biernacki, Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana. “This year’s convention will commemorate our heritage and honor those who had the vision to acknowledge that the merit shop contractor needed an association that was laser-focused on training, educating, and developing best-in-class industry leaders. We will also celebrate the importance of educating and cultivating AFSA members for the next 40 years!”

Highlights of this special anniversary event include a display of the association’s last 40 years, showcasing AFSA’s accomplishments from each decade and the leaders who paved the way and have kept AFSA at the forefront of merit shop training and education.

EDUCATION AND INNOVATION AFSA40 offers four days of managerial and technical seminars filled with education, training, and networking led by fire protection industry experts. AFSA’s two-day exhibition provides an

Glimpse views of Texas Longhorns at AFSA’s Awards Party at Knibbe Ranch, one of the few remaining Century Heritage Ranches in Texas.

12 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

opportunity to meet with leading manufacturers and suppliers of the fire sprinkler industry’s latest products and services. The unopposed exhibit hours allow attendees and exhibitors to visit without interruption, and the second day of exhibits also features the finals of AFSA’s 28th Annual National Apprentice Competition (NAC). For apprentices who are interested in competing, see page 42 of this issue or visit www.firesprinkler.org/competition.

Convention highlights include an opening party, Exhibition Grand Opening reception, general session, social events, golf tournament, wine tour, and a chance to meet and reconnect with friends during the networking meals hosted for attendees who are fully registered in AFSA’s room blocks at the official headquarter hotel, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

SOCIAL EVENTS This year, attendees can hit the links at TPC San Antonio, a private resort only accessible to guests of the resort and members. TPC San Antonio features two 18-hole championship golf courses designed by two of the world’s most talented and respected golf course architects: Pete Dye and World Golf Hall of Fame Member Greg Norman. Both courses have played host to TOUR events, with the Oaks Course serving as the host of the PGA TOUR’s Valero Texas Open since 2010.

The courses have received many awards, including Best Resort Courses in the U.S. by Golfweek in 2019.

A special opening party on Saturday evening will be held outdoors on the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa property’s beautiful 600 acres of oak-covered hills. This event will feature live entertainment and locally inspired food and beverages.

The final night Awards Party on Tuesday, September 21, will offer “the real Texas experience” at Knibbe (pronounced ka-NIB-bee) Ranch, founded back in 1852, more than 150 years ago. The ranch is

Left: Surrounded by a natural landscape of Southwestern splendor, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa provides an inspired retreat amid 600 acres of oak-covered hills. Right: Create your own lifelong memories and championship moments at TPC San Antonio.

one of the few remaining Century Heritage Ranches in Texas, which must be owned and operated by the same family in a direct line of descent. Rich in German heritage and culture reminiscent of the early European immigrants, the ranch is the setting for our Awards Party where we crown our newest NAC champion. Enjoy live entertainment, fantastic food, and ranch activities as we celebrate AFSA’s 40th anniversary Texas-style!

This year’s optional tours will put the best of Texas on display. One offering will be a wine tour to Fredericksburg, the largest vineyard community in Texas with award-winning wineries. There are more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms located in Fredericksburg and Gillespie County. Learn more about this town founded in 1846 by German immigrants at visitfredericksburgtx.com/wineries/.

NEXTGEN DAY AFSA’s NextGen Initiative (NextGen), the industry’s most forward-looking young professionals’ group, will host a “NextGen Day” on Sunday, September 19, during AFSA40. This full day is open to all industry members and will feature seminars, a leadership forum, and an evening mixer. For more information on AFSA’s NextGen, visit www.firesprinkler.org/NextGen.

SAN ANTONIO CELEBRATION Surrounded by a natural landscape of Southwestern splendor, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa provides an inspired retreat. The award-winning resort offers modern rooms with countryside views, soothing spa treatments, and family fun in the sprawling River Bluff Experience aquatic park. Dine at one of the resort’s seven distinctive restaurants featuring modern Texas cuisine, a lively sports bar, fine steak house, delectable local fare, and hand-crafted cocktails. The resort also offers outdoor tennis courts, jogging and nature trails, table tennis, a whirlpool spa, and more.

The AFSA group rate for the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is $254 per night plus tax. This rate includes self parking and complimentary internet in guest rooms. Reservations may be made online during the convention registration process at

www.firesprinkler.org/book. Group rates are available for stays from September 14-25, 2021, but reservations must be made by August 20, 2021, to secure AFSA convention group rates. After August 20, room rates are based on availability.

HOTEL RESERVATION ALERT AFSA has been made aware of third-party vendors soliciting AFSA exhibitors and attendees posing as our housing vendor. These companies mislead you to think they are working on our behalf.

Companies that use this tactic include Exhibitor Hotel Reservation Services (EHR), Global Housing, and National Travel Associates. They are not endorsed by or affiliated with AFSA or its show and entering into financial agreements with such companies can have costly consequences such as no hotel reservations, no free networking meals, nor complimentary internet access. To receive full AFSA hotel benefits, you must book directly with the hotel by phone or using the link found on AFSA’s convention website, www.firesprinkler.org/AFSA40.

JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION! Mark your calendars for the biggest party of the year as we gather in the Texas Hill Country to celebrate AFSA and its members.

Sponsorship opportunities abound for this year’s special event! For more information on sponsorship packages, contact AFSA’s Senior Director of Meetings & Education Services Marlene Garrett, CMP, at mgarrett@firesprinkler.org or at (314) 349-5065 ext. 118.

Bookmark AFSA’s convention website at www.firesprinkler.org/ AFSA40 as online registration will open soon. You can also receive real-time AFSA40 updates sent to your desktop or wireless device by subscribing to or “following” AFSA social media and use our official hashtag #AFSA40.

• Twitter: twitter.com/AFSA • Facebook: facebook.com/firesprinklerorg • Instagram: instagram.com/firesprinklerorg • YouTube: youtube.com/user/AmerFireSprinkAssn Everything’s bigger in Texas, and AFSA40 will be the biggest and best event of them all. Y’all come on down September 18-21 and be a part of the celebration! n SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 13

UL ENHANCES TESTING SERVICE FOR SPRINKLERS CHANGES MADE TO TESTING PROGRAM FOR SPRINKLERS SAMPLED FROM EXISTING FACILITIES

F

KERRY M. BELL, P.E., MBA, FSFPE | UL

or several decades, UL has examined and tested sprinklers sampled from field installations in accordance with the recommendations and requirements of applicable National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Prior to the existence of NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems1, recommendations for maintaining sprinkler systems were included in NFPA 13A, Recommended Practice for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Sprinkler Systems. 2 Since the first edition was adopted in 1939, NFPA 13A included recommendations for properly maintaining sprinkler systems for more than 50 years. Subsequent to the 1987 edition of NFPA 13A, which was the last edition of this document to be published, these recommendations were used as a basis for

Figure 1. Diagram and photo of sensitivity oven test apparatus.

14 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

establishing requirements in the first edition of NFPA 25, which was published in 1992. The last edition of NFPA 13A was withdrawn in 1993.

To be effective in controlling or suppressing a fire, a sprinkler system is required to be designed and installed to provide protection against the magnitude of the fire risk anticipated to occur. For example, the amount of water required to be discharged from a sprinkler protecting a warehouse with high-piled storage is multiple times greater than the amount of water required to be discharged from a sprinkler protecting an office facility with a smaller fire load.

While it is critical for sprinkler systems to be properly designed and installed, it is equally important for these systems to be periodically inspected, tested, and properly maintained to ensure that the system equipment will perform

as intended when a fire occurs. While the focus of this article is on the examination and testing of the sprinklers sampled from a sprinkler system, the requirements in NFPA 25 are comprehensive in that it includes criteria for inspecting, testing, and maintaining all components of a fire sprinkler system. As indicated in NFPA 25, the responsibility for properly maintaining a sprinkler system resides with the owner of the property.

Recently, UL implemented several changes and enhancements to its program for testing sprinklers sampled from installation sites. Some of these changes were made to align UL’s acceptance criteria with the recommendations included in the Annex of the 2020 edition of NFPA 25. Further changes were made to provide additional data and information to those parties reviewing the test results to assist them in making a determination as to whether the sprinklers in the system need to be replaced.

INSPECTION, TESTING, AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SPRINKLERS Periodic inspection of field-installed sprinklers is an important element of a comprehensive maintenance program for sprinkler systems. As specified in NFPA 25, sprinklers showing signs of leakage, field painting, physical damage, loss of fluid in the glass bulb heat responsive element, as well as corrosion or loading considered detrimental to sprinkler performance are to be replaced. All of these conditions can lead to the degradation of sprinkler performance during a fire condition.

In addition to the periodic inspection of field-installed sprinklers, NFPA 25 also requires replacement or representative sample testing of sprinklers based upon length of service.

The frequency of sample testing or replacement depends upon the sprinkler type and installation environment. While many sprinklers do not require representative testing or replacement until they have been in service 50 years, sprinklers having fast-response elements are required to be tested after 20 years in service and 10-year intervals thereafter. Due to the relatively complex construction of a dry type sprinkler, as well as some of the challenging installation environments where many of these sprinklers may be installed, dry type sprinklers are required to be tested after 15 years of service and 10-year intervals thereafter. It is also noteworthy to highlight the fact that NFPA 25 indicates that sprinklers installed in harsh environmental conditions such as foundries, fertilizer facilities, or areas exposed to outside weather conditions are to be replaced or representative samples tested on a five-year basis.

Sprinkler samples selected for testing are to be representative of the sprinklers installed in the system. As noted in NFPA 25, no less than four samples, or one percent of the number of sprinklers per individual sample, whichever is greater, are to be tested. Because UL’s operational testing of sprinklers is destructive, the sprinkler samples removed from

the system for testing need to be immediately replaced with new sprinklers. Each sample received by UL is visually examined before testing to ascertain the sprinkler manufacturer, model or sprinkler identification number, style, type of heat responsive element, temperature rating, and year of manufacturer. The condition of the sprinkler is also noted based upon visual evidence of corrosion, loading, leakage, physical damage, loss of fluid in a glass bulb heat responsive element or field painting. The testing of the sprinklers involves an assessment of the ability of the sprinkler to operate as intended.

PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING SAMPLES FOR TESTING UL’s program for conducting operational tests on sprinkler samples removed from field installations is intended to assist property owners and other interested parties in assessing the operating characteristics of sprinklers in service.

UL’s online tool for requesting operational testing of sample sprinklers provides a quick, simple means for initiating this process. This tool can be accessed by visiting UL’s website at https://fieldsprinklers.UL.com/. Following the menu prompts provided within the tool, basic information on the submittal is requested.

As a part of UL’s field sprinkler testing service, identification tags are available for use at no charge. Sprinkler samples submitted for testing should be identified with the name and address of the building’s occupant, type of room environment (office, warehouse, factory, etc.), location of the sample within the building, and information on the party submitting the samples for testing. These identification tags can be requested online as well.

SAMPLE TESTING AND REPORT To assess the operating characteristics of sprinklers sampled from field installation environments, the samples are subjected to the Sensitivity-Oven Heat Test as described in UL 199, Standard for Automatic Sprinklers for Fire Protection Service.3 During this test, the inlet of the sample is pressurized to approximately five psig and quickly plunged into an oven that circulates air at a constant temperature and velocity. The actual temperature and air velocity used for the test is selected based upon the temperature rating of the sprinkler. Each sprinkler sample is observed for proper operating characteristics, including the release of operating components and time of operation. A diagram and photo of an example of a test oven apparatus is provided in Figure 1.

The UL test report that is provided to the submitter of the samples describes the condition of each sprinkler and results of the operation test as either normal or abnormal.

The as-received condition of each sprinkler sample described in the report is based upon UL’s visual examination. The information included in UL’s report is intended to be considered by other parties in determining whether or not other sprinklers in the system require replacement.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 15

Criteria Description and Sprinkler Type

Criteria

Maximum RTI for Standard Response Sprinklers 350 (meters-sec)1/2

Percent of Tested Samples with Normal Operation

Wet Type QR (no ESFR or O-rings)

98.9%

Wet Type SR (no O-rings)

97.4%

50 (meters-sec) 1/2

ESFR without O-rings

90.0%

7 psig

Dry Type without O-rings

98.9%

Wet Type with O-rings

71.1%

Maximum RTI for Quick Response and Residential Sprinklers

65 (meters-sec) 1/2

Maximum RTI for ESFR Sprinklers Minimum Release Pressure – All Sprinklers

Figure 2. Sensitivity and Operating Pressure Criteria

RECENT CHANGES TO UL’S PROGRAM FOR TESTING SPRINKLERS SAMPLED FROM FIELD INSTALLATIONS In late 2019 and into 2020, UL has implemented several changes to the service for testing sprinklers sampled from field installations. One of the changes implemented was to align the acceptance criteria values with the 2020 edition of NFPA 25, which included new guidance for the criteria to be used for evaluating the operating performance of the various types of sprinklers. Figure 2 summarizes the suggested criteria that is described in A.5.3.1.1.

The new Annex information in NFPA 25 provides uniform criteria for testing laboratories to apply in determining whether a sprinkler is considered to operate in a “normal” or “abnormal” manner. In addition to this change, UL’s test report was revised to reference the response time index (RTI) for each sprinkler tested rather than the operating time measured during the plunge oven test. The RTI is calculated using the operating time and marked temperature rating for the sprinkler, as well as the standardized velocity and temperature conditions used during the testing.

Another significant change made in UL’s program for testing sprinklers sampled from existing facilities is to test samples that are observed to have been physically damaged, field painted or show signs of leakage. Previously, these conditions were reported, and the samples were not subject to testing. While UL’s report will continue to reference these conditions based upon our visual observations, the report will also include the test results so that users of this information have the operating performance characteristics, in addition to the visual observation of the condition in which it was received.

STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON UL TEST RESULTS The results from testing of sprinklers sampled from installation sites also provides valuable information to UL in assessing the operating performance of the broad range of sprinkler constructions. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, this data was useful in identifying the concerns associated with operating performance of O-ring sealed wet and dry type sprinklers. This data and subsequent research led to substantial revisions to UL’s sprinkler standards that included a ban on the use of a dynamic O-ring water seal and more stringent corrosion exposure testing of dry type sprinklers

16 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

Sprinkler Type

Dry Type with O-rings 49.3% Figure 3. 2019 UL Field Sprinkler Test Results Summary that were implemented in early 2003. However, a large number of dynamic sealed O-ring dry type sprinklers still remain in existing facilities even though UL has not certified sprinklers these sprinklers since 2003. In 2019, approximately 23 percent of the dry sprinklers UL received for testing incorporated a dynamic O-ring seal.

Recently, UL’s data on testing sprinkler sampled from field installations was useful in identifying a level of degraded operating performance of early-suppression fast-response (ESFR) sprinklers. This finding provided technical support for revisions to UL 199 that required more challenging corrosion exposure testing for ESFR sprinklers, as well as revisions to NFPA 25 that referenced new thermal sensitivity acceptance criteria.

In order to assist the NFPA 25 Technical Committee members in understanding the operating characteristics of aged sprinklers, UL has shared statistics from testing sprinklers sampled from field installations with the committee and others within the fire protection community. Figure 3 provides an overview of the test results for the various types of sprinklers that were submitted to UL from existing facilities in 2019. Except for the known concerns with sprinklers having dynamic O-ring seals, the test results indicate a high level of operating performance even after the sprinklers have been in service for many years. The majority of the standard-response (SR) sprinklers tested were at least 50 years old. The majority of the quick-response (QR) and ESFR sprinklers were at least 20 years old, and most of the dry type sprinklers were at least ten years old.

SUMMARY NFPA 25 includes detailed requirements for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of sprinkler systems, as well as other water-based fire protection systems, that are intended to provide a level of assurance that the system will provide the desired level of safety. The operating characteristics of sprinklers can degrade over time when exposed to a broad range of environmental conditions, and a cost-effective means to assess the operating characteristics of field-installed sprinklers is to conduct representative sample testing. UL’s

program for testing sprinklers sampled from systems is intended to be a valuable tool to assist property owners, inspection authorities, the insurance industry, and others in making important assessments of the operating characteristics of sprinklers in existing facilities. Recent enhancements to UL’s program provides additional data and information for these stakeholders to consider when evaluating the ability of the sprinklers to perform as intended.

The statistical analysis of the data that UL has generated from testing sprinklers sampled from field installations indicate that a very high percentage of these sprinklers operate in a normal manner even after being installed in challenging environmental conditions for many years. The data generated from this testing is also useful in identifying opportunities for developing proposed revisions for safety standards such as UL 199 and NFPA 25. A number of revisions have been made to UL and other standards that have been instrumental in maintaining the extraordinarily high level of performance that sprinkler systems have demonstrated over decades of use.

More information about UL’s Field Sample Sprinkler Testing Program may be accessed on our website, ul.com/ services/fire-sprinkler-testing-and-certification. n

AUTOMATED

AUXILIARY

DRAINS

REFERENCES 1. “Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems,” NFPA 25, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA, 2020 Edition.

2. “Recommended Practice for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Sprinkler Systems,” NFPA 13A, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA, Withdrawn 1993.

3. “Standard for Automatic Sprinklers for Fire-Protection Service”, UL 199, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook, IL, Twelfth Edition, April 28, 2020.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kerry M. Bell is Corporate Fellow and Principal Engineer for Fire Sprinkler and Pump Equipment at UL LLC. Since 1976, he has been involved in UL’s testing and certification activities related to a variety of fire suppression products, including fire sprinkler system equipment, portable fire extinguishers, and special hazard extinguishing systems. Bell has authored a large number of technical papers related to these products and has also contributed time as a speaker for numerous seminars and events sponsored by organizations such the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), and industry associations. Bell obtained his bachelor of science degree in fire protection and safety engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and a master of business administration degree from Northern Illinois University.

He has been a registered professional engineer in the State of Illinois since 1981.

He is a member of the NFPA and a Fellow member of the SFPE. Bell has also been a member of several NFPA technical committees, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), American Water Works Association (AWWA), and ASTM International. He is currently a member of ISO TC21/SC 5 for Fixed Fire Fighting Systems Using Water, NFPA’s Residential Sprinkler Systems, Sprinkler System Discharge Criteria, Sprinkler System Installation Criteria, Sprinkler System Correlating, ITM of Water-Based Systems, Fire Pump, Water Spray Fixed Systems and Water Mist Fire Suppression Committees. Bell was a member of NFPA’s Standards Council from 2004 to 2019 and served as chair of the Council for six years.

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CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM FOR 2021 INDUSTRY MEMBERS SHARE PREDICTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR

T

D’ARCY MONTALVO | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION he year 2020 was one of ups and downs: COVID-19 landed on U.S. soil, and a pending recession hovering was countered by stimulus packages and vaccines. With most businesses shutting down in the early stages of the pandemic, it was a welcome reprieve when the construction industry was deemed an “essential business,” which got most AFSA members back to work. As members rode the wave of uncertainty throughout most of the year, it seemed that things were back on a potential upswing as the year drew to a close and 2021 approached, according to construction industry experts and members of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA).

Dodge Data & Analytics’ forecast predicts that total U.S. construction starts will show a decrease of 14 percent in 2020 and a small increase of 4 percent in 2021, to $771 billion. Other experts have a more cautious outlook. The Portland Cement Association (PCA) expects total construction put-in-place to decrease by 1.5 percent in 2020 and predicts a slight 0.6 percent growth for 2021. FMI Corp. has the least optimistic outlook, with total construction put-in-place decreasing 0.2 percent in 2020 and further decreasing 8.7 percent in 2021. Approximately 1,000 people listened in on Construction Executive magazine’s webinar, “2021 Construction Economic Forecast,” on December 16, 2020, and polls taken then showed that about 57 percent of listeners thought the construction industry would stabilize to the prior level of construction spending in 2022. Sixteen percent said 2021,

18 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

“WE ARE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE PROJECTS DELAYED UNTIL 2021 WILL REMAIN IN OUR PIPELINE.” and 21 percent said 2023 or beyond. For more details from ABC’s webinar, visit constructionexec.com.

According to the annual construction report published by Engineering News-Record (ENR), the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) expects total housing starts to increase 4 percent in 2020, followed by a drop of 3 percent in 2021. NAHB expects single-family housing starts to jump 6 percent in 2020 and further increase by 3 percent in 2021. For multi-family housing starts, NAHB predicts a 2-percent decrease in 2020 and a 15-percent increase in 2021.

Read forecast reports throughout this issue of Sprinkler Age, including Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Dodge Data & Analytics. Sprinkler Age has also surveyed members throughout the country to find out how business was in 2020 and what’s expected for 2021.

REGION 1 Michael Carlsen with Fire Safety Supply, Inc. in Santa Rosa, California, reports that business was down a bit in 2020 but that it was “not bad.” He expects business for 2021 to depend on the virus reaction. “Legislation, overhead, and material cost increases” are problem areas for the new year in Carlsen’s area, and retrofit work has been static.

Also in Santa Rose is Brent Mone, Inspection Service and Fire Protection, Inc., who reports, “COVID-19 had a huge effect on my business. Business for 2021 does not look good so far.” He also says that all retrofit work has decreased.

Bill Wood with Statcomm, Inc. in Mountain View, California, says, “We perform a lot of repairs and maintenance, so our volume was similar [as 2019]. We did fall behind on some scheduled work because of employees being out due to COVID.” He states that business looks “ok” for 2021.

Workforce shortages are always a problem in California, according to Wood.

“The new fitter licensing requirements are making continuing operations more difficult,” he says.

Statcomm also performs retrofit work, and Woods reports that “work requiring access to residential units has been difficult.

Also, scheduling, in general, has been a bit more challenging. We’ve had to put special precautions in place to protect our staff during COVID.” There was a “big dip on work that was prescheduled for 2020 that had to be canceled or postponed,” according to Erik Rheinisch with Alpha Fire in San Luis Obispo, California. However, “residential construction work was still very active.”

Rheinisch says 2021 “looks promising.

There seems to be a good potential for work.”

Potential problems for Rheinisch’s area include “an emboldened union that will be tougher to counter.”

He notes that retrofit work stayed fairly consistent through 2020 and that the company did “lots of NFPA 13D work and we have lots of new NFPA 13D projects coming up, along with lots more being bid on.”

Rheinisch also says that residential sprinkler activity has been consistently growing in the area since 2016, and 2020 “didn’t negatively affect it.”

Finally, Rheinisch notes there hasn’t been any new legislation, but the “older requirements related to NFPA 13R&D for new construction and retrofits have still been good for business.”

“Business in 2020 was good,” in Orange, California, according to Jim Miller with VFS Fire and Security Services, but “COVID-19 definitely slowed things down. When the pandemic hit, current projects were sped up in case of a complete shutdown. Because of shutdowns, some new projects like museums were put on hold because of money. So far, 2021 looks to be good.”

The company performs retrofit work, and Miller notes that it has stayed very busy.

“There are rumors more cities in California are going to force the retrofit of all buildings.”

In Thousand Palms, California, Linda Winesburg with Shasta Fire Protection, Inc. saw “slow but steady” business in 2020. She expects 2021 to be “slow with private work, and busy with public work.”

Winesburg saw a decrease in retrofit work and NFPA 13D installations in her area in 2020. “We appreciate AFSA’s apprentice training program—it’s solid,” Wineburg adds.

REGION 2 In Region 2, Joseph Faulkner with Sprinx Fire Protection, Inc. in Gig Harbor, Washington, reports that the company “was shutdown initially for about three weeks.

After construction was identified as ‘essential,’ business was sluggish but steady.”

“We have just about a year’s worth of work booked already,” comments Faulkner.

“Business looks to be strong. Some projects are having financing issues, having to

Region 3

Region 2 Region 7

Region 1

Region 6 Region 5 Region 4

Members from all of AFSA’s seven regions responded to the 2020 industry review and 2021 outlook survey. refinance. Prices of lumber may impact some of the wood-framed apartment complexes.

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

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

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

Things were “a little slow some due to projects having problems getting permits,” for H2O Fire Protection, Inc. in Commerce City, Colorado, according to Mike Eggleston.

“Things are looking good for 2021. I think we will be up about 10 percent from 2019.”

“We install mainly NFPA 13R and NFPA 13 apartment buildings, and there has been an increase of projects to bid,” he says.

“Overall, I feel things will be up for 2021.”

Potential problems that Eggleston sees in his area for the year include having enough workforce to man projects.

“Business in 2020 was down 20 percent,” says Ireke Cooper, Cooper Fire Protection, Inc., Farmington, New Mexico.

“A spike in service occurred after the

shutdowns since we encouraged clients to take advantage of unoccupied space correct deficiencies. As the shutdowns extended, we saw a sharp decline in those willing to conduct inspections due to dismal incoming revenues. We are uncertain about business in 2021, save for a few secured contracts.”

Cooper notes that the state’s fossil fuel energy economy is struggling, and it is a major economic engine. “We are impacted particularly hard in northwest New Mexico with the closing or downsizing of two large coal-fired power plants coupled with low natural gas prices.”

Cooper Fire Protection performs both retrofit work and NFPA 13D installations, and both decreased in 2020. There was some residential sprinkler activity in 2019 in the area, but not nearly as much in 2020.

REGION 3 In Quincy, Illinois, “Business considerably slowed with the first wave of shutdowns and COVID spread in early spring,” notes Eric Kasparie with M.E. Mechanical, Inc. “After that, it slowly regained and has been busy since. Next year seems to be slowing rapidly on new projects to bid on in our area. As of now, it appears it could be slow in our area in SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 19

“ ... I THINK WE PREPARE FOR THE WORST AND PRAY FOR THE BEST!” 2021. Typically, we have several sizable contracts, but the projects are not around our areas to bid.”

Kasparie’s concerns include training, legislation, and particularly retaining employees. “Maintaining a workforce is always a major concern in my mind; we are a small company.”

Joseph Kuerzi, Jr. with Certified Protection Service LLC in Corydon, Indiana, notes, “We had four restaurant projects canceled, and the pandemic slowed down the progress of several projects where staff members were infected. But overall, our sales remained the same as in previous years.”

He says, “[2021 is] questionable. We do not have the number of projects contracted out for the future as in past years. I have concerns about the labor union strength increasing, which could affect my labor force.”

While Kuerzi says retrofit and NFPA 13D projects have stayed about the same, he has seen increases in NFPA 13R construction in his area.

David Listermann with Concord Fire Protection, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio, responded that 2020 was “average” for business. “COVID disrupted our office mostly. Engineers worked remotely from March to early summer, but we lost production through this period. We implemented stringent guidelines in the office in March.

COVID infected three people in the office, but with procedures in place, we beat it.”

Listermann says, “2021 appears to look good, but we tend to be cautious at this moment.”

Problem areas for the new year in the Cincinnati area include “finding good field personnel, designers, and engineers.”

Listermann has seen about a 15-20 percent increase in residential sprinkler activity in the area.

“Everything was shut down for a while, and it was rough with the laws and regulations on what was allowed to be open and when, especially when it came to schools,

20 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

restaurants, and similar types,” notes Taylor Ulrich with Cascade Sprinkler in Parma, Michigan. “We are hopeful that things will slip back into a more ‘normal’ feel and that we will be able to keep all technicians busy. 2021 should be smooth sailing. I don’t see any problem areas.”

REGION 4 In Region 4 of AFSA, Randy Huffman with Essential Fire Protection in El Paso, Texas, says, “Thank God we were all designated as an ‘essential business’ [in Texas].

Consequently, we were able to stay open and operate normally for the most part in 2020.

Any speed bumps were manageable.”

For 2021, Huffman is “hoping we will all be back to normal sometime during the year. We really don’t see anything on the horizon that might make 2021 less successful than 2020.”

“COVID devastated our service, but our new construction remained strong in 2020,” says David Stone with American Fire Systems, Inc. in Houston. “We have a good outlook for 2021 on the new construction side.”

One area Stone sees as potentially problematic is anything that requires in-person attendance. “Training is always a concern, and without in-person, hands-on interaction, this will be a challenge in 2021.”

Business in 2020 was good for Performance Fire Protection in Dallas, reports Earl Gregory. “We did not seem to be affected.”

He notes the company does perform retrofit work, and it increased 30 percent in 2020.

“The outlook for 2021 is good with more business coming in, but there is no doubt that we are in uncertain times,” Gregory says. “We are thankful that God has seen fit to sustain us through them. We can look forward to a new year of challenges in our industry, including finding qualified personnel, but we must also realize that we will have new opportunities to grow.

COVID-19 cannot stop us unless we let it.

We choose to press forward in spite of it.”

“In 2020, construction started strong for the year but dropped off as the pandemic had an effect,” comments David Rudd, Rudd Fire Protection, Inc. in Tyler, Texas. “Our service sector grew about nine percent, but because of the drop in construction, we saw an overall decline in sales by about 13 percent.”

He continues: “The odd thing is that we quoted more work in 2020 than we have ever estimated. We still have several of those quotes out as open.”

Rudd reports he is “unsure” about 2021.

“We are hoping that the outstanding jobs that we have quoted in 2020 will get awarded in the new year.”

Rudd also notes the sudden decision by several of their local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) to begin enforcing five-year investigations. “We saw a real increase in them for 2020, and it helped us.”

In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Scott Frazier with Frazier Fire LLC comments that business was “fine” for 2020, and he expects “a decline in 2021 due to lack of opportunities due to COVID.” Frazier Fire performs retrofit work, and it remained the same in 2020 as in 2019. They also do NFPA 13D installations, which increased, and he notes residential apartments are on the rise in his area.

“Maintaining a workforce with the decline in backlog is a problem area for 2021,” notes Frazier.

“I think this worldwide pandemic affected just about everyone,” comments AFSA Second Vice Chair Linda Biernacki, Fire Tech Systems, Inc. in Shreveport, Louisiana. “When entire cities shut down, we can’t access buildings to perform inspections, repairs, or renovations. April, May, and November 2020 were particularly difficult for us. I’m hoping the economic experts who are interviewed on TV daily are right; that 2021 looks like a boom year.”

Fire Tech Systems performs retrofit work, and the company had an uptick in projects in 2020. Biernacki notes that while Louisiana doesn’t require fire sprinklers in homes, they had an increase in NFPA 13D projects and residential activity in its East Texas market.

“I’m thankful to AFSA and its Engineering and Technical Services Department headed by John Denhardt for keeping our employees trained throughout this pandemic

with constant communications on up-to-date changes to codes, designer and apprenticeship webinars, and, of course, responding quickly to informal interpretations,” Biernacki says.

“It’s a great value to our membership.”

It’s been a “really good year” for Rick Reddout with Fireline in Tupelo, Mississippi.

“We had 25 percent of our backlog put on hold in March 2020, mostly hotels and assisted living facilities. All came back within two to three months. One state military job has been on hold since and has not returned.

Most service work was put on hold for about six weeks, but all have returned. We have a good, solid backlog going into the new year.”

adopt online submission of inspection reports and deficiency/repair completion letters.”

“Business was very good in 2020 with over 60 real contracts and bunches of service orders,” comments Walter Lewis with Lewis Fire Protection, Inc. in Villa Rica, Georgia. “It was the largest money-producing year we’ve had in our 37-year history and my 58 years in the industry. The COVID-19 virus did affect the inspection department since we were unable to get into some businesses due to them being closed and our staff not on duty.”

Lewis is “not sure” about 2021 and comments that the workforce is a problem.

Jack France with JMC Fire Protection in Margate, Florida, performs 100 percent REGION 5 inspections and emergency service. He saw Business was good at Alliance Fire “business in 2020 was 30 percent slower.”

Protection Services, Inc. in Loganville, He notes, “the corporate tax increase Georgia, and the company had its “secondmay affect business in 2021 if the rates go up” best revenue year in 2020,” reports John and that “if Florida shuts down as with Jordan and Ronda Parks.

“We initially saw a California, have to contemplate From l to r: During the October 4 meeting, then M/S Council ChairI would Mike Dooley presented Chuck few due to COVID that restructuring Kittsjobsite with ashutdowns plaque recognizing his service to the AFSA M/S Council.my company in 2021.” affected our installation division. In addition, AFSA At-Large Director Christopher many medical and education facilities Johnson with Piper Fire Protection, Inc. in postponed ITM services until safety protocols Clearwater, Florida, saw “a slowing of our could be put in place.” service and inspection department at the end “We are trying to be optimistic about of March through May 2020. Construction 2021,” says Parks, “but the uncertainty is not remained steady. Things in service and good for any of us. Our current problems are inspection are mostly back to normal, but skilled labor shortage and material price construction is slowing somewhat now, and increases that never stop. We have absorbed we have had a slight shrink in our backlog all of the labor and material cost increases but from the same time in 2019.” have not been able to increase rates.”

Potential problems for 2021 that But the Atlanta market is still going Johnson foresees include National Labor strong, adds Jordan. “We anticipate a steady Relations Board (NLRB) decisions with the flow of tenant interior and ITM work in new administration as well as Department of 2021.” He also reports that retrofit work has Labor rulings that could be “tougher than we been “fairly steady” in the area, and numerous have seen in a while.” new construction multi-family residential He reports that “retrofit work has projects have been on the bid market. decreased slightly, NFPA 13D installations They both comment that workforce have stayed about the same, and residential participation and training are always sprinkler activity is still very busy.” challenges. Jordan says, “We have a large ITM On the legislative front, Johnson notes customer base, so we do worry about how the that there are “some incentives with regards to remote workforce will impact property land use and home spacing benefits, as well as management companies. And building fire-rated windows and wall requirements in maintenance budgets may defer repairs new developments, that sprinklers can really depending on rent revenues.” Parks adds it’s help with.” hard maintaining a workforce and then Business has been good, for the most getting those employees to “pursue certificapart, for American Fire Protection, Inc., in tions, such as NICET.” Greenville, South Carolina. “We had a few In Jordan’s opinion, one positive thing he jobs put on hold in the spring of 2020 but has seen is “many local AHJs beginning to had other work,” comments Jill Sutton.

“We’re used to having almost too much work, but that wasn’t always the case in 2020.

Business for 2021 looks very good.”

“COVID slowed work down in 2020,” reports Kevin Wilson with Johnson Controls in Spartanburg, South Carolina. “But so far, 2021 looks good.”

Chris Stason, chair of AFSA’s Manufacturers/Suppliers (M/S) Council, with the Victaulic Company in Lake Wylie, South Carolina, reports they experienced “Slight growth in 2020—five percent. Seeing customers, engineers, and owners of commercial property was difficult with COVID, which made influencing projects harder.” He predicts that 2021 will be “a tough start” but that they are “looking at a strong second half.”

What potential problems does Stason see for 2021? “New regulations could stifle some growth and make companies less apt to open their wallets for capital expenditures.”

He also notes that residential activity has been increasing, “especially with the flight of the major urban cities.”

Business turned out to be “decent” for 2020 at Carolina Fire Protection, Inc. in Dunn, North Carolina, according to Jeffrey Dunn. “The pandemic did have an immediate impact on our service and inspection work, primarily due to shutdowns. Some contract projects were canceled or placed on hold through the summer, but most started back up in the fourth quarter.”

Dunn is “optimistic” that business will still be steady in 2021 with no particular increases year over year. “The lingering pandemic definitely could have an impact on our forecasting. Renewed shutdowns will greatly affect service and inspection work as it did in 2020. We just have to prepare to deal with the ups and downs during this time.”

When asked about problem areas for the new year, Dunn notes that training via virtual means is going to be challenging for their inspectors, especially where they are used to hands-on training. “We will figure it out, though, because it will be the new normal for a while. I feel skilled labor needs will remain a top priority for 2021 and beyond.”

For Carolina Fire Protection, the retrofit market tightened up during the last half of 2020. “There were not as many opportunities for us in that area of work, but we expect that to improve with the new year.”

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 21

For the residential sprinkler market, Dunn saw it stay steady in 2020. “It was pretty much the same as 2019 for us. It does seem that the bid opportunities for newly developed residential projects reduced a bit as we got later into 2020. Hopefully, that will bounce back once we cross into 2021.”

Tom McKinnon with Crawford Sprinkler Company in Hickory, North Carolina, reports, “COVID decreased our business in new work and also inspections, but 2021 looks pretty good so far.” He says they see the “usual issues including not enough field workforce” as a potential problem area for 2021.

REGION 6 Jay Zollars with Castle Sprinkler and Alarm, Inc. in College Park, Maryland, reports that business was “good” in 2020.

“We learned that distance working (telework) or working from home could work and not affect business. The backlog of work for 2021 looks good so far.”

He also notes an increase in residential sprinkler activity in 2020 and that so far, all legislation in the state has been positive.

“Manpower is a problem area,” says Zollars.

Overall, business has been steady for Daniel Merkle with Colonial Fire Protection Systems, Inc. in Rochester, New York. “We had a small slowdown in May/June due to the pandemic, but currently, we are better than we were pre-COVID. And business for 2021 is looking as good as ever.”

Merkle also notes retrofit work has been significantly less than in past years, while NFPA 13D installations and residential sprinkler activity saw increases in 2020.

Andrew Edwards with Armor Construction in Falconer, New York, reports, “As our company performs NFPA 13, 13D, 13R, and retrofit installations, 2020 has indeed brought on some new challenges. Layoffs and a decrease in revenue for the first time in our ten years of business, to name a few. But being an essential business has allowed us to keep our doors open and press forward. After only seven or eight weeks, we had all of our staff back to work. Moving forward to 2021, we are close to having a backlog of work equal to our entire work completed in 2020. We count our blessings every day and thank the

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good Lord for his continuous grace and provision. We are excited to see what 2021 and beyond have for our staff and customers.”

Joseph Riccadonna with Allstate Fire Tech, Inc. in Newark, New Jersey, says, “2020 was a bit slower than in 2019, and 2021 looks to be a bit slower as well.”

There has been a small amount of NFPA 13D projects, and retrofit work has decreased in his area.

“Business was very good in terms of volume,” reports David Anderson with Anderson Fire Protection in Elkridge, Maryland. “Profitability was good as well; however, not without its COVID challenges and its associated cost. Not only was it challenging in terms of making the office and job sites safe places, but we had several occurrences where employees had COVID, and we had multiple people who had to quarantine.”

For 2021, Anderson notes, “backlog for us is the highest it has been with an increase in approximately 15 percent more than 2020.

We anticipate this will translate to a 10 to 15 percent growth.”

Anderson foresees COVID as a “non-issue past the first quarter” of 2021, but he does see hiring as a potential problem. “We have a very good core of people; however, we will need to hire another designer due to field application demands. Whether it is hiring a beginner or an experienced designer, it is always a challenge.”

Retrofit or change-of-use work represented approximately 20 percent of Anderson Fire Protection’s work in 2020, is expected to continue in 2021.

REGION 7 For Hampshire Fire Protection, LLC in Westfield, Massachusetts, COVID did not have a huge impact on business, other than three projects being put on hold (and hopefully starting in 2021), according to William Rhodes. “Construction was considered essential, so most projects were able to maintain their original schedule. We are going into 2021 with a lighter backlog than we would like, but we are hopeful that the projects we are bidding on now will move forward in the new year.”

When considering potential problems during the next year, Rhodes comments that

labor issues are always a challenge. “As we grow, finding a trained workforce is almost impossible. Any contractor that doesn’t utilize apprentices and the AFSA Contren Apprentice Training program is missing the boat.

Success relies on training from within.”

“Most retrofit work involves working in occupied buildings,” notes Rhodes when asked about those types of projects. “Due to COVID restrictions, this type of work slowed down or even stopped in 2020, so we did significantly less in 2020.”

Chad Dubuc with Rustic Fire Protection, Inc. in Norton, Massachusetts, reports that during 2020, “we have to be much more careful about the cleanliness of our employees and the site they work on, in the way of PPE and clean up. Also, COVID-related paperwork has added work. If there is a positive COVID result from a technician, it affects scheduled work and all who worked around them, and testing must be one on all who worked around them.”

He also notes that: “2021 looks good with plenty to bid and a six-month backlog.”

Dubuc says finding younger people who want to be sprinkler fitter apprentices is difficult and “will affect the number of licensed technicians in the future, which will limit the amount of work that can be done.”

“2020 was forecasted to be our best year in 10 years,” comments Stacey Fantauzzi with North East Fire Protection Systems, Inc., Ballston, New York. “The coronavirus lockdown and the fear of the unknown caused a 40-percent decline in our construction division revenue. Our inspections and service department remained steady. We chose our people over profits, using this time to cross-train employees, work on capital improvement projects on our property, and participate in AFSA’s webinars when we traditionally would not have had the time.

We experienced diminished margins, but we retained our top talent, and our people made a point to let my dad, Jimmy, and I know that the team understood our choice and were appreciative. We are so grateful for their loyalty.”

Fantauzzi continues: “We are cautiously optimistic that the projects delayed until 2021 will remain in our pipeline.”

Fantauzzi notes one potential problem for 2021 is legislation remaining a viable

threat to merit shop fire sprinkler contractors throughout the state of New York. “We are facing negative legislation in terms of fitter licensing returning as we are in a new legislative cycle. We had a team looking to craft responsible contractor licensing, but that has taken a back seat to the state focusing on the coronavirus. Also, we small business owners, regardless of the services we provide, have faced a mandatory increase in paid time off from three days to five days as well as attempts to further make employing people burdensome.”

Regarding retrofit work, Fantauzzi says their “retrofit line of business has remained steady. Most of this work is being driven by a strong economy as well as code enforcement officials.”

Fantauzzi has also seen strong growth in the NFPA 13D market sector. “There is a migration from the major metropolitan areas downstate to our market.”

Steve Raccomandato with Titan Fire Sprinklers, Inc. in West Babylon, New York, reports, “the COVID pandemic posed some challenges for 2020. Fortunately, as an essential business, we were able to provide continued services and assistance to all our existing clients as well as some newly acquired clients.”

He continues: “As long as we continue to keep everyone at Titan Fire Sprinklers safe and healthy, 2021 looks to be a banner year with a couple of big contracts in place for work to begin at the start of the new year.”

Raccomandato is optimistic that the new year will not bring any obstacles that could slow things down. “We’ve implanted in-house training, and we are working closely with local government on any new legislation that might affect us. This way, we can prepare for any potential downturn that could affect our employees.”

He also notes that maintenance and repairs have gone up this past year in his area. “I believe the industry as a whole is more conscious of keeping clean records and upkeep on properties to avoid any unforeseen issues that could potentially affect daily operations.”

NFPA 13D installations are 70 percent of Titan Fire Sprinkler’s workload, and they’ve not seen “any slowdown in single- and double-family construction.”

Raccomandato notes that residential sprinkler installations “seem to be the one constant thing keeping construction moving here. Everywhere you turn, there seems to be another residential development going up.”

STAY THE COURSE IN 2021 Johnson is encouraged with the rollout of the vaccine and the forecasts from the health care community. “I expect that we will be very close to a near-normal business environment by mid-2021. From what I understand, there will be pent-up demand for some types of construction, and I am confident that AFSA will continue to be one of my main sources for guidance on the industry and the overall economy.”

Dunn notes that “we need the pandemic to slow its spread so we can get back to some version of the old normal. No one knows what to expect in 2021. I think we prepare for the worst and pray for the best!”

Fantauzzi recognizes AFSA for remaining strong as an association in comparison to other organizations. “We have newly named leadership in Mr. [Bob] Caputo, a person at the helm who is passionate about fire

sprinkler contracting. We must remain vigilant in defending merit shop contracting and letting our members understand why and how we became AFSA.” Johnson is also excited about AFSA’s new leadership and the coming year. ‘I am very excited to see how AFSA is continuing to lead our industry into the future. Our new President Bob Caputo has boundless energy and more innovative ideas than any person I have ever met. We are well situated organizationally for tremendous growth and improvement. Frankly, the resources available to our contractor members are priceless, and our technical department is without peer.”

To learn how AFSA can help your business succeed in 2021, visit firesprinkler. org to discover education and training programs and technical resources available to members.

Johnson concludes: “I could not be more excited to watch this organization grow and prosper while helping our members do the same in 2021. We are well positioned as an organization and an industry to react to the changes in the post-COVID economy quickly!” n

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SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 23

TOP TECH OF 2020 SPRINKLER AGE HIGHLIGHTS NEW INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

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NICOLE DUVALL | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

nnovation, resilience, creativity—among other things—are just some of the things 2020 has taught us. It hasn’t been easy for everyone, but among all the challenges, there have also been many things worth celebrating. In an industry like fire protection, which is laser-focused on saving lives and property, the pandemic has spurred us to be more agile, more creative, and more inventive than before. Over the last ten months, the pandemic has accelerated plans for innovation and transformation and changed the future of work forever—from the world’s largest and most powerful organizations to small businesses and individuals. For many, their work may have looked different, but it never slowed or stopped.

Despite being full of challenges, the year 2020 hasn’t been without some silver linings. Sprinkler Age celebrates 2020 and the following technical innovations as we take an outside-in look at some groundbreaking products from the members of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). Here’s a list, in no order, of some products we enjoyed in 2020, and we hope they may help guide the industry to new heights in the—hopefully, very near—future.

SMART CONNECTED FIRE SPRINKLER MONITORING In November 2020, Johnson Controls launched its Smart Connected Fire Sprinkler Monitoring solution, said to be an industry-first solution that delivers real-time insights into fire sprinkler system health to enable swift preventative action. The solution empowers building managers to transform their maintenance strategies from reactive to proactive, helping to prevent costly and dangerous equipment failures before they occur, according to the company. Leveraging monitoring, sensor and data transfer technology, the Smart Connected Fire Sprinkler Monitoring solution continuously gathers information, such as pressure, temperature, and water presence, to measure the overall health of the sprinkler system. This information is relayed to the customer dashboard via the cloud. When collected data indicates a potential adverse system condition, such as freezing pipes, pressure imbalances or pipe leaks, a proactive notification is automatically sent to the building manager, who can then quickly address the issue.

HIGH EXPANSION FOAM SYSTEMS Viking’s UL Listed high-expansion foam systems feature an innovative foam generator, uniquely designed to aerate high-expansion foam with no moving parts or external power requirements. By eliminating the moving parts, these foam generators have lower deterioration, which greatly reduces long-term maintenance. The new systems form a stable blanket that suppresses flammable vapors and cools down the fuel surface, resulting in an extinguished fire and preventing re-ignition. The system features stable bubbles with expansion rates in excess of 830:1. The generators weigh just 153 lbs and are available for either vertical or horizontal installation with single or paired mounting capabilities.

The systems are complemented by the new “HiEx Estimator” tool, which assists with calculating the number of generators and amount of concentrate needed for NFPA 409 and UFC projects. From the web-based tool, users can quickly create a complete system materials list after choosing the applicable design. In addition, an online interactive guide provides step-by-step instructions for the installation of highexpansion foam generators.

Top products in 2020 for the fire protection industry included (from left): Viking’s UL Listed high-expansion foam systems, Victaulic’s VicFlex Style AB6 bracket, and AGF’s Model 5500 heated auxiliary drain cabinet.

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Top products in 2020 for the fire protection industry included (from left): freezemaster™ antifreeze, Victaulic Series UMC universal manifold check, and Viking’s VK4621 5.6 K-factor concealed pendent sprinkler.

MODEL AH42 AND AH56 ATTIC SPRINKLERS Reliable Attic Sprinklers are cULus Listed specific application sprinklers and are now available for use in hip roofs with coverage areas of 10 ft by 15 ft. These sprinklers are available for protection of combustible and non-combustible light hazard concealed spaces with roof/ceiling slopes of 4:12 to 8:12. Reliable attic sprinklers are upright sprinklers listed for use on wet-pipe or dry-pipe sprinkler systems. All Reliable attic sprinklers use a 212°F (100°C) temperature-rated fusible link operating element that is Listed for installation where the maximum ceiling temperature is up to 150°F (66°C).

VICFLEX STYLE AB6 Specifically designed to streamline fire protection installations for the cold storage industry, Victaulic’s VicFlex Style AB6 bracket offers fitters a quick and easy off-the-truck flexible solution that adjusts to any ceiling or wall thickness. The bracket is available for order with the V33, V36, or V40 dry sprinkler and the Series AH2-CC or Series AH2 braided hose. The industryleading seal integrity stays intact, reducing the risk of condensation impeding the system. Optimized for cold storage applications, the bracket is available with pendent, concealed, and horizontal sidewall deflector styles and available pendent interchangeable escutcheons include recessed, sleeve and skirt, and flush. The maximum working pressure is rated at 175 psi/1375 kPa. The standard maximum working temperature is 150°F/65°C (EPDM/neoprene foam). An optional high-maximum working tempera-

ture is available and rated at 225°F/107°C (silicone closed-cell foam).

SELF-MAINTAINING AND AUTOMATIC AUXILIARY DRAINS WITH FREEZE PROTECTION AGF introduced two new heated auxiliary drain cabinets into their COLLECTanDRAIN line. Their original Model 5400 features an auxiliary drain in a heated and locked cabinet with integrated NFPA 25 signage. An energyefficient heater keeps the cabinet above freezing to prevent tripped systems due to frozen drum drips. A float switch triggers a visual, auditory, and remote notification when the drain is full and needs service.

The new cabinets feature the same benefits as the Model 5400 with the addition of automatic draining. The Model 5450 is a self-maintaining auxiliary drain that sheds excess condensation to keep the condensate level within the safety of the heated cabinet. Model 5500 is a fully automatic auxiliary drain. A local or remote button can trigger the automatic draining process when the drain is full, or the fully automatic mode can start the draining cycle automatically.

FREEZEMASTER ANTIFREEZE New and existing fire sprinkler systems now have protection against costly corrosion and severe cold with a new UL-listed, factory premixed antifreeze that remains in a protective liquid state down to -12°F (-24°C), the lowest temperature of any listed antifreeze. freezemaster™ antifreeze offers breakthrough corrosion performance beyond what UL requires and superior to listed

alternatives, including guarding against microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). It’s formulated to meet NFPA requirements for all new fire sprinkler systems now and all existing systems by September 30, 2022, including at volumes up to 500 gallons for NFPA 13 and 13R unoccupied light hazard attics versus listed alternatives limited to 40 gallons,* and results in a lower total cost of ownership than other commercially available freeze protection methods. freezemaster™ antifreeze is a patentpending technology developed and engineered in America by Lubrizol Advanced Materials, a specialty chemical company with a 30-year history. (*Refer to the installation guide for design parameters and listing limitations.)

VICTAULIC SERIES UNIVERSAL MANIFOLD CHECK The Victaulic Series UMC Universal Manifold Check can cut installation time of floor control and shotgun riser assemblies up to 50 percent. The Victaulic Series UMC is available in many configurations, allowing you to order the type that meets your specific needs—and eliminates the need to order separate riser manifolds and control, check, and relief valve kits. It integrates all necessary components into a single assembly—resulting in the industry’s most compact footprint. It also includes a UL listed and FM approved adjustable relief valve that can be set to > 200 PSI test without removal. The Victaulic Series QD Quick Drain, a Series UMC accessory, can save half the time of traditional hard piped drains, allowing for faster installations and lower installed costs.

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VK4621 CONCEALED PENDENT SPRINKLER Viking’s VK4621 5.6 K-factor concealed pendent sprinkler allows sprinkler contractors to install it with its protective cap in place!

The new commercial sprinkler is designed for installation on concealed pipe systems where the appearance of a smooth ceiling is desired.

Along with the new sprinkler, Viking offers an innovative installation wrench to make the process a breeze. The new plastic wrench allows for installation with the protective cap in place, minimizing damage to the sprinkler during installation. The protective cap is designed to withstand rough usage and protects the sprinkler from overspray. Viking also offers a cap removal tool to complete the installation.

The VK4621 is cULus Listed as a quick response sprinkler and FM Approved as a standard response sprinkler. Also available is the UL Listed and FM Approved VK4921, a standard response 5.6 K-factor concealed pendent sprinkler. The sprinklers are available in brass and Electroless Nickel PTFE (ENT) and can be ordered in 155°F (68°C), 175°F (79°C), and 200°F (93°C) temperature ratings.

ULTRA SPRINKFLEX® HOSE, IPT BRACKET Anvil International’s new Ultra SprinkFLEX® Hose combined with the SprinkFLEX Infinite Position Tall (IPT) bracket provides versatility for fire sprinkler connections in the industry. The Ultra SprinkFLEX fully braided hose is UL listed with a 2-in. bend radius, making it the most flexible hose in the SprinkFLEX line. With a 1-in. inner diameter and three-piece construction, the Ultra SprinkFLEX hose installs quickly and can accommodate pendant, semi-recessed, and concealed sprinkler heads.

The SprinkFLEX IPT bracket ships with pre-installed mounting screws and allows for easy positioning of the sprinkler drop by sliding the open hub anywhere along the center bar. The flexibility of the hose and repositionable open hub on the IPT bracket combine to allow the most adaptable fire sprinkler connection while maintaining exceptional flow characteristics. The tall bracket and variety of drop accessories compatible with the Ultra SprinkFLEX hose ensure installation at proper height with the

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ceiling tile without requiring tiles to be installed before the drop, preserving the install schedule, saving time and labor. Ultra SprinkFLEX is cULus listed, FM approved, complies with NFPA 13, and meets ASTM C635 and C636 standards.

ESFR-34 PENDENT STORAGE SPRINKLER The Tyco® Model ESFR-34 Pendent Storage Sprinkler provides the tallest ceiling-only fire protection and narrowest aisle width currently available. This early suppression, fast response sprinkler helps protect storage arrangements of 50 ft with a ceiling height up to 55 ft and aisle widths as narrow as 6 ft. It can be installed with a maximum element-to-ceiling distance of 17 in., the farthest distance in the industry. These features make the ESFR-34 Pendent Sprinkler suitable for warehouse and storage operations seeking design flexibility for increased storage.

With a nominal K-Factor of 33.6, the ESFR-34 sprinkler is especially advantageous as a means of eliminating the use of an in-rack sprinkler system when protecting high-piled storage. The sprinkler uses a fast-response fusible link available in both 165°F and 212°F and is approved for Class I-IV commodities and cartoned unexpanded plastics stored in single or double row racks.

CORROSION RESISTANT VSR FLOWSWITCH Potter’s VSR-CR Flowswitch is UL and ULC listed and rated NEMA 4X to withstand corrosive environments for long periods of time with minimal corrosion damage. Thanks to its corrosion-resistant saddle and housing, the VSR-CR can monitor systems that are exposed to nature’s elements without fear of damage or inoperability. Potter’s product line of corrosion-resistant monitoring switches also includes the OSYSU-CRH and PCVS-CRH which monitor outside screw and yoke valves and control valves respectively.

WRENCH-ABLE CAPS FOR FLAT PLATE CONCEALED SPRINKLERS Introducing the new wrench-able protective cap for Reliable flat plate concealed sprinklers—for use with the new W3 wrench on Reliable G5, RFC,

and LT56C sprinklers. Using the model W3 wrench, Reliable’s concealed sprinklers are easy install with the wrench-able protective cap. The caps project beyond sprinkler cup and are angled out to help avoid damaging ceiling finish. The cap is colored to indicates sprinkler temperature rating and can be removed with a standard 1/2-in. NPT- or BSPT-threaded adapter on pipe.

ARCHITECTURAL POWDERCOAT Bull Moose Tube Company’s fire sprinkler pipe architectural powdercoat finish comes in four standard colors—red, yellow, blue, and orange, as well as custom colors. Matching touchup paint in aerosol cans is available for welds, weld-o-lets, and general touchup. This can also be supplied on hot-dip galvanized sprinkler pipe.

GOODBYE 2020, HELLO 2021 As the pandemic accelerated innovation, employees prioritized their pursuit of passion, the retooling of products and services, and retraining for the future of work. Amid the challenges of 2020, there are reasons to be optimistic heading into the new year. For some, it may still feel like we’re still amid the pandemic, and at least for the first few months of 2021, things will probably look a lot like they did in 2020. But finally, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

We can take on 2021 together and meet it head on—with innovation and grit. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nicole Duvall, MBA, is the director of communications & social media at the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) , where she focuses on publishing its official communications. She currently serves as the AFSA staff liaison to the Public Education & Awareness Committee, Manufacturers & Suppliers Council, and the NextGen Initiative. She is also a member of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition board of directors. Duvall is a graduate from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, with a degree in Journalism and holds an MBA from The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

EXPAND YOUR ITM SERVICES REGISTER NOW FOR SPRING 2021 ITM INSPECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

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he American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance (ITM) Inspector Development Program is preparing to kick off its Spring 2021 ITM class virtually on April 12, 2021.

AFSA is the first to offer an industrywide ITM Inspector Development Program, which aims to develop “green” or beginner technicians into NICET Level II-equivalent inspectors. With the ever-growing need for a well-trained, well-rounded workforce in mind, AFSA’s ITM program goes far beyond just providing technical training. Led by AFSA Manager of ITM Technical Training John Johnson, CFPS, and other accomplished industry experts, the program’s small class size allows instruction to be tailored to individual students’ interests, strengths, and needs both inside and outside the classroom.

AFSA’s ITM Inspector Development program features a blend of learning tools, environments, and styles that combine to make a highly immersive and comprehensive training package for future inspectors, including on-demand lessons; live webinars; instruction and discussion; on-the-job training (OJT) guidance; instructor support; and two in-person live sessions that include mock field inspections, lab instruction, classroom training, role play, class tours, and NICET I & II exam prep.

Since the program’s inception in 2016, the passing averages for students continues to impress: 93 percent of AFSA students pass their Level I exam, and 91 percent pass the Level II Inspection & Testing exams. All told, AFSA averages a 92-percent pass rate for Level I and Level

II exams versus the national average 65-percent rate.

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

While technical learning is essential to the program, it also includes methods for development of soft skills such as role play to further prepare your inspector for situations they may encounter in the field and how to conduct themselves professionally.

with clients through providing quality service that ensures safety and compliance. When you become a trusted one-stop shop for all client needs, they have little reason to look elsewhere for these services.

Interested in registering a student?

Registration is now open for the Spring 2021 class, which will virtually launch April 12. Plus, the first six months of the program is conducted online. Class size is limited, so early registration is encouraged!

Find more details and register online at firesprinkler.org/itm or call AFSA’s Director of Education Services Leslie Clounts at (214) 349-5965 ext. 130. n

WHY TRAIN? With this program in just 20 months, your inspection team can “hit the ground running” as you start this service within your company or expand your team.

Remember that enrolling an inspector can place you ahead of the competition and help prepare you for whatever lies ahead for the economy. In 20 months, your inspection team can be stronger than ever, while others may remain unprepared, having not invested in training. Pairing this ITM Inspector Development Program with proper OJT and supervision will position contractors to educate a “green” inspector in-house.

Professional development through ITM helps your company to be anything but average while also positively contributing to your company’s bottom line through decreased insurance premiums. Offering ITM services can also improve brand image, help retain clients, and sustain lifelong relationships SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 27

ABC FORECASTS RECESSION THREATS, BRIGHT SPOTS RECOVERY SHAPE FORMS A “W”

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ANIRBAN BASU | SAGE POLICY GROUP ssociated Builders and Contractors’ Chief Economist Anirban Basu forecasts a recession threat for the construction sector next year, but has illuminated some potential economic bright spots, such as e-commerce and Class B office space, according to a 2021 economic outlook published in Construction Executive magazine.

Although ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator—a leading indicator that reflects projects under contract yet to be executed—rebounded to 7.7 months in October, an increase of 0.2 months from September 2020’s reading, and although construction had added 689,000 jobs by September (after a loss of 1.1 million in March and April), Basu indicates that another surge of case numbers paired with a lack of new stimuli from Congress, as well as supply difficulties—such as increasing softwood lumber and steel prices—will likely result in a “W” shaped recovery.

“Another recession may be on the horizon,” Basu said. “Critically, one could occur even if a further stimulus is passed.

Stimulus supports the demand side of the economy, primarily. Another shutdown would compromise the economy’s ability to produce (supply side), presumably leading to another round of mass layoffs, job loss, crumbling consumer confidence, corporate bankruptcies and other negative outcomes.

If the first recession is any indication, the next one will be sharp and short. Regardless, that would delay complete recovery, which is the ultimate aspiration.”

These factors have pushed nonresidential construction to the brink. Commercial

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These values were calculated by taking the total number of jobs between May and September 2020 and dividing by the absolute value of jobs lost in March and April 2020. For example, construction lost a total of 1.1 million jobs, but has since added 689,000, roughly 63.6 percent.

real estate, Basu determines, is particularly on the outs because the majority of the American workforce has abandoned Class A office spaces for their homes. In fact, the negation of commutes, childcare concerns, and office distractions have meant that 37 percent of workers now complete their jobs entirely from home.

“Survey data indicates that lending to commercial real estate ventures has tightened, while state and local government finances have been compromised, especially in states that depend upon substantial tourism activity,” Basu said. “This only adds to the simmering uncertainty that lingers, resulting in less risk-taking among developers and others who procure nonresidential construction services. Nonresidential construction employment is down almost 6 percent on a year-ago basis as winter approaches.”

Basu also notes that backlog data has been receding, with some contractors indicating that they will exhaust current backlog by year’s end. And, according to ABC’s November Construction Confidence Index, the readings for sales, profit margins and staffing levels once again decreased, although staffing levels remained above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations of expansion over the next six months.

“Even with all these negative signs in the construction market, there are some bright spots,” Basu said. “One segment that has benefited from the shutdowns and social distancing measures is e-commerce.”

To read the full economic outlook, visit ConstructionExec.com. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Anirban Basu is chief economist for ABC and chairman and CEO of the Sage Policy Group. For more information, visit abc.org/economics.

IS YOUR KNOWLEDGE UP TO STANDARD? SPRINKLER CHALLENGE WEBINAR SERIES DEBUTS

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he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is excited to debut its new Sprinkler Challenge webinar series on the first Thursday of each month in 2021. This gameshow formatted webinar series reviews the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and tests participants’ knowledge in a fun environment.

In these 60-minute webinars modeled after a popular game show, AFSA’s technical experts will highlight commonly misunderstood or improperly interpreted sections of the standard. True/false and multiple-choice questions will be used to challenge the attendees to think and respond. For each webinar, the connection is free for AFSA members, and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and/or Continuing Professional Development points (CPDs) certificates are available for a nominal fee.

The January webinar “NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, 2020 edition” was held on January 7 with great success.

This webinar will be available for purchase as an AFSA On-Demand webinar soon.

The remaining Sprinkler Challenge webinars for 2021 include: • February 4: NFPA 25, 2020 edition; • March 4: NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinklers, 2019 edition; • April 1: NFPA 13, 2019 edition;

• May 6: NFPA 24, Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances, and NFPA 291, Recommended Practice for Fire Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants, 2019 edition; • June 3: NFPA 25, 2020 edition; • July 1: NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection, 2019 edition; • August 5: NFPA 20, 2019 edition; • September 2: NFPA 13, 2019 edition; • October 7: NFPA 13, 2019 edition; • November 4: NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems, 2019 edition; and • December 2: NFPA 13, 2019 edition.

The webinars are presented by AFSA Engineering & Technical Services staff: Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John August Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE; AFSA’s Coordinator of Engineer-

ing & Technical Services Kevin Hall, M.Eng., P.E., CWBSP, MSFPE; Manager of ITM Technical Training John T. Johnson, CFPS; and Technical Programs Specialist Tom Noble CET, CFPS,CWBSP. This new series of webinars is in addition to AFSA’s other monthly general technical webinars and Fitter Zone webinars for sprinkler fitters.

AFSA will also present quarterly webinars in 2021 for Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), and AFSA’s NextGen will host webinars for covering issues and topics important to young (40 and under) professionals in the fire sprinkler industry. Registration is open until each webinar begins. Visit www.firesprinkler.org/webinars for more details on this series. n

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PROPOSED CHANGES FOR NFPA 25, 2023 EDITION NOTABLE FIRST DRAFT REVISIONS

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KEVIN HALL, M.ENG., P.E., CWBSP, MSFPE | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION ver the course of several virtual meetings, the technical committee on inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based systems reviewed 260 public inputs (PIs) and made many proposed first draft revisions for NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, 2023 edition. While these first draft revisions have not been published, they were tentatively accepted by a simple majority of the technical committee at the first draft meeting and are worth noting as proposed changes for the 2023 edition of NFPA 25.

This article covers all the significant changes discussed during the first draft meetings, except Chapter 8 Fire Pump Systems, which is covered on page 46 of this issue.

DEFINITIONS Unless specifically defined by a standard, any word used is to be defined using its ordinarily accepted meaning within the context of its use and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition. When the common definition of a term is no longer sufficient for its application in the standard, the committee develops its own. For this revision cycle, the terms “exercise,” “floor level,” and “fire department connection” needed additional clarifications.

Exercise A standard should always try to avoid ambiguities, and the addition of the definition for “exercise” alleviates the concerns that some of the committee members expressed due to its multiple and frequent uses throughout the standard.

3.3.XX* Exercise. A particular movement or series of movements applied to

30 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

system components to ascertain their operational status and functionality.

A.3.3.XX Exercise. Examples of exercising components could include operating control valves through their range of motion, operating system components or moving a valve from its seat.

While the annex provides some examples, it is not an exhaustive list. Another example that should be considered for the second draft would include the quarter-turn of an OS&Y valve to verify the functionality of a tamper switch.

Floor Level Adding to the list of terms specifically defined for NFPA 25 is the use of “floor level” throughout the standard. An inspection is intended to be conducted without any special tools or machinery, and the proposed language clarifies that intent.

3.3.XX* Floor Level. The surface in a building or structure that is built or constructed to be walked on under normal conditions without the use of any special safety devices or measures.

A.3.3.XX Floor Level. Any normal walking surface such as a mezzanine should be used to get as close to the components being inspected as is practical without the use of special safety gear or apparatus such as a safety harness.

It is not intended to apply to flooring put down in an unoccupied attic. It is also not intended to use ladders, scaffolding, or lift equipment when inspecting sprinklers, water mist nozzles, pipe, tubing, fittings, hangers, braces, and supports.

An inspector should be able to simply walk the property with their hands in their pockets and note any irregularities. The second an inspector needs to remove their hands from their pockets, the action then enters the realm of a test or maintenance activity. The inclusion of the term “floor

level” proposes an additional clarification that inspections occur in areas based on ease of access—another reason why sprinklers in concealed spaces are not required to be inspected.

Fire Department Connection (FDC) Oftentimes, definitions that are developed and under the scope of another technical committee are extracted and used in another standard. Unfortunately, a fire department connection’s purpose is slightly different depending on the type of system it is installed on, so NFPA 25 has its own definition instead of extracting one from NFPA 13 or NFPA 14.

3.3.12 Fire Department Connection. A connection through which the fire department can pump supplemental or primary water into the sprinkler system, standpipe, or other system furnishing water for fire extinguishment to supplement existing water supplies.

It is important to note that a fire department connection on a sprinkler does not supply any additional water–only supplemental pressure. Due to the check valve installed on the FDC piping, the water from the FDC will only enter the sprinkler system if the fire department overpowers the automatic supply that the sprinkler system is connected to. Standpipes, on the other hand, could rely on the fire department. Whether it is the pressure on a manual wet standpipe or the flow and pressure on a manual dry standpipe, the fire department would supply primary water. Since NFPA 25 addresses all water-based systems, the definition includes both primary and secondary supplies.

ACCESSIBILITY With the ever-changing restrictions that have been brought about by the COVID-19

pandemic, contractors struggled to perform routine inspections subrogated by owners and property managers as entry into buildings was limited. With additional prohibitions, the standard needed to address these situations.

4.9.7 Accessibility.

4.9.7.1 Inspection of equipment installed in areas that are inaccessible for safety considerations due to process operations shall be inspected during each scheduled shutdown.

4.9.7.2 Where approved by the authority having jurisdiction, tests of equipment installed in areas that are inaccessible for safety considerations due to process operations shall be inspected during each scheduled shutdown.

4.9.7.3* Where a risk assessment demonstrates that a temporary condition will result in personnel safety being compromised, inspection and test activities may be delayed when approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

A.4.9.7.3 Although some specific tasks may be delayed, it is not the intent that all NFPA 25 activities may be deferred. A reasonable attempt should be made to verify that the system is operational. Inspections and tests of equipment and components that are not in the area in which personnel safety may be compromised should still be performed.

The entire section on accessibility is new language proposed for the 2023 edition of NFPA 25. While the impetus of the change was a result of public health concerns, the intent of the standard is not to address every specific scenario that an owner may have. The proposed change was broadened to include any safety concern that requires the inspection to be completed at the next scheduled shutdown as long as the interval in between is acceptable to the AHJ.

AUTOMATIC AIR VENTS After being officially prescribed as an option in the 2016 edition of NFPA 13, there will be inspection requirements for automatic air vents in the 2023 edition of NFPA 25: 5.2.10 Automatic Air Vents. Automatic air vents installed per NFPA 13 to remove air from wet pipe sprinkler systems shall be inspected annually from the floor level to verify they are free of physical damage and show no signs of leakage.

5.2.10.1 Strainers, filters, and screens shall be removed and inspected every 5 years for damaged or corroded parts.

5.2.10.2 When removed for inspection, strainers, filters, and screens shall be flushed until clear or replaced.

The new language should not be misinterpreted as a mandate for automatic air vents to be installed on sprinkler systems. These requirements only apply if an automatic air vent is installed. The installation standards typically give contractors options, and in this case, the installation of a minimum 1/2-in. manual valve, automatic air vent, remote inspector’s test valve (installed out of the top of the pipe), or another means approved by the AHJ would satisfy the requirement to vent air from a wet pipe sprinkler system to minimize the risk of corrosion.

THE HEATING SEASON An argument was made at the first draft meeting that the language relating to inspection components prior to the onset of freezing could be misconstrued to allow an inspection that takes place in April to satisfy the requirement to inspect the component before the heating season, which may occur closer to October or November depending on the locality of the system. To clarify ambiguities in the standard, the committee proposed the following language: 13.4.3.3.3* Auxiliary drains in preaction systems shall be operated after each system operation and before the toward the beginning of the heating seasons prior to the onset of freezing conditions and thereafter as needed.

This change occurs in the six instances in the standard where components and systems are required to be checked before the weather gets cold. These components include low-temperature alarms; auxiliary drains on dry, preaction, and deluge systems; and tank heating systems and the intent of the timeframe when the inspection occurs is now correlated throughout the document.

HYDROSTATIC TESTING REQUIREMENTS Including the 2020 edition of NFPA 25 and all prior editions, there were no quantitative requirements when it came to the periodic hydrostatic testing of systems. AFSA’s public input was accepted, and these requirements were added to the list of first revisions to be officially balloted by the technical committee.

13.8.5.1 Acceptable test results shall be determined by indication of a pressure loss less than 5 psi and no visual leakage.

The new section above applies to the hydrostatic testing of FDC piping at 150 psi, but the same parameters were included in revisions to the hydrostatic testing of standpipe systems as well. The keyword to note here is “and.” Either a visual leakage or 5 psi or more psi loss on the gauge will constitute a failure of the system. Even if the gauge holds steady, a visual leak will require the inspector to note that the deficiency needs to be addressed.

NEXT STEPS The results of the first draft ballots will be available to the public by March 2, 2021, when the first draft report is published. After that, any section that was discussed during the first draft process is open to be commented on by the public.

If there is something in the standard that you want to be addressed, feel free to submit your public comment by May 11, 2021, by going to nfpa.org/25next or email any suggestions to technical@ firesprinkler.org for AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department’s input and support. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Hall, M.Eng, P.E., MSFPE, CWBSP is the coordinator of engineering and technical services for AFSA. He has been in the fire protection industry for nearly ten years. He is a registered professional engineer in Delaware and Maryland and has his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fire protection engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. Hall is a member of several NFPA technical committees, including NFPA 1 Fire Code Correlating Committee; NFPA 1 Building Systems and Special Occupancies; NFPA 1 Special Equipment, Processes, and Hazardous Materials; NFPA 13 Residential Sprinkler Systems; NFPA 15 Water Spray Fixed Systems; and NFPA 20 Fire Pumps. He also represents AFSA on the majority of UL standard technical panels (STP) involving the sprinkler industry, including STP 199 Sprinkler Equipment for Fire Protection.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An asterisk (*) following the section number or letter designating a paragraph indicates that explanatory material on the paragraph can be found in the annex.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 31

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NICET CERTIFICATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE PROCESS

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he National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) develops certification programs that recognize individuals who meet industry-established standards of job knowledge and work experience. The success of these programs is based on the expertise of the industry professionals who work together to define the content of the exams and the criteria for certification. Volunteer subject matter experts (SMEs) are needed at every stage of the program development/maintenance process. Certification development and maintenance is an ongoing process guided by industry input and data analysis.

PRACTICE ANALYSIS DEVELOPMENT The term “practice analysis” refers to both a document and a process. The document is a listing of all the tasks that are performed by a technician who would be certified through the program, together with the knowledge and skills involved in each task. It is developed by a group of SMEs who come together via meetings and conference calls. The work involves defining the scope of each certification Level, identifying the major areas of responsibility (“domains”), and identifying the tasks, knowledge (including appropriate standards), and skills associated with each Level. The definitions are reviewed to ensure clarity of meaning and consistency with the scope of each Level. Additional reviews are conducted to determine any revisions that may be suggested by the results of each stage of the validation process.

VALIDATION SURVEY The practice analysis is “validated” once the final design is confirmed. A sample of practitioners from the program area will review the practice analysis. This review is conducted in two rounds. First, the document is sent to a few individuals who are asked for largely open-ended comments. After that, it is sent—in the form of a survey—to a large sample of technicians who are asked to respond to specific questions about the content. They are given the opportunity to give open-ended comments. Results are analyzed statistically and comments are compiled. These results are used to determine whether the practice analysis is a good representation of the work performed by technicians. Final results of the validation are presented to the Practice Analysis Group for consideration in making final revisions to the document.

34 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

BLUEPRINT CONSTRUCTION This group advises NICET on issues related to methods and criteria for assessing qualifications for certification. The group will prepare a test “blueprint” (number of test questions per topic area) based on the practice analysis and validation survey results. They will finalize reference materials and the types of questions appropriate for each exam. They may be involved in outlining some specific topic areas and will develop/recommend the work experience criteria for certification at each Level.

ITEM DEVELOPMENT These individuals will write and review test questions for NICET certification exams. Writing is performed remotely in conjunction with other SMEs. Members of the group will meet in person or remotely to review test questions. Questions are reviewed to determine if they meet the standards for inclusion in certification exams and to allocate the appropriate amount of time for each question. (Individuals involved in developing questions are not included in the standardsetting process.)

NICET test questions are formatted as multiple choice (a single correct answer) or multiple response (between two and three correct answers). Multiple response questions can appear in various formats, including a single 4-square graphic, multiple graphics, or a listing of answer choices without a graphic. NICET does not use true/false formatting in test questions.

The development of quality test questions requires a predetermined standard and style guide. NICET has set the following standards so test questions are: • Covering significant, important, and relevant content (the things that really matter); • At the appropriate level of difficulty; • Clear, precise, and direct (not confusing); • Free of unintentional sources of difficulty; • Free of unintended answer cues; and • Unbiased toward any candidate.

Questions are reviewed against the following specifications: • Is the stem clear?

• Are the responses clear?

• Is/are the key(s) the ONLY correct answer(s)?

• Is there a rationale for any math calculations?

• Are the distractors plausible yet incorrect?

• Is there any area for interpretation in this question?

• Is this question appropriate for this level?

• Is this question in the appropriate topic?

• Is the listed reference and section correct?

• How long will it take for a baseline candidate to answer this question?

• Is this question an enemy/variant to another question?

SMEs are instructed to avoid the following in the development of test questions: • Trivia, • Fill-in the blank, • Made-up words, • Humor/puns, • Tricks, • “All of the above” or equivalent, • “None of the above” or equivalent, and • Negative phrasing (“not” or “except”).

STANDARD SETTING When a new program is being developed, an existing program is undergoing a major redevelopment—or large numbers of new questions are being written with the objective of creating new versions of the test. During this time, a standard-setting session is held. To determine the passing score for a new test version, NICET uses SMEs and a “modified Angoff” procedure to establish the required minimum number of correct answers to demonstrate that a candidate possesses the necessary

level of job knowledge for certification. SMEs will meet remotely or in person for this task. After receiving training in the process, participants rate the test questions by comparing each question with the standard of knowledge and skill expected for that level of certification. Their ratings are then compiled and statistically analyzed by NICET to establish the passing score for the exam. (Individuals involved in standard setting are not included in the item development process.)

Training is essential to developing a qualified workforce.

However, to avoid “training to the test,” the NICET development procedures limit participation for those who develop or conduct formal training related to that exam or plan to do so in the next two years. Not all training activities are affected.

NICET incorporates the following overarching concepts while developing and maintaining certification programs.

• Valid – The exam covers the right material for the specialty.

• Reliable – Candidates get the same results on multiple attempts when all other factors remain the same.

• Fair – There is no bias except knowledge of the practice.

• Legally Defensible – NICET uses a defensible standard test development process to ensure that the exam accurately measures knowledge, skills, and abilities of candidates.

For more information, visit nicet.org. n EDITOR’S NOTE: Reprinted with permission from NICET. at nicet.org/about-us/nicetnews/nicet-newsletter/october-2020/nicet-certification-program-developmentmaintenance-process.

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REVIEW OF FIRE PROTECTION CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE 2020 DATA STUDY

S

SHAWN MIMS | SERVICETRADE

ince March 2020, the fire protection contracting industry has been reeling from the impacts of COVID-19. In the early days of the pandemic, when cities and states issued closure orders, the uncertainty was terrifying. The fear made us all question the future of our business—how should we react to the changes?

We examined ServiceTrade account data1 from over 330 fire protection contractors to measure the effects of the COVID-19 slowdown in the U.S. and Canada. In the data, we uncovered strategies companies are deploying to mitigate the lasting impacts of the pandemic on their business and even grow in spite of the tight economic headwinds.

The bad news is reactive service call work is driving significantly less revenue than before the pandemic so you shouldn’t rely There are a few things to learn from 2020 before leaving it in the dumpster for good.

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as heavily on that type of work. The good news is inspection demand has recovered and, despite lower quote approval rates, there is plenty of opportunity to increase deficiency repair quote volume to drive more high-margin sales. (See Figure 1.)

In April, fire protection inspection, testing, maintenance, and repair work order volume dropped 28.8 percent from January levels. This low point is marked with the green circle in Figure 1.

By June, work order volume mostly recovered with a dip in November, which happens every year in historical data due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Interestingly, invoice revenue for this cohort of fire protection companies did not decrease as much as work order volume but still dropped by 22.6 percent. When we dig into the data and take a closer look at three different major types of work orders, inspection/maintenance, reactive service call, and repair/install, a couple of interesting trends stand out.

First, the decline in repair and install work order volume was delayed by about a month compared to that of inspection, maintenance, and reactive service call work and was less severe as seen in Figure 2 marked by the orange triangle. Since repairs for deficiencies are typically delayed from the inspections on which they are reported, it’s no surprise that a decline in inspections resulted in a lagging dip in repair volume. Interestingly, unlike other work order types, repair and install work order volume continued to climb well past the point

Figure 1. 2020 work order volume and invoice revenue.

of recovery to 113.4 percent of the January volume at a peak in October as seen marked with the orange circle in Figure 2. An even closer look at reactive service call revenue reveals a curious trend.

While data shows that revenue tracks closely to the work order volume for inspection/maintenance and repair/install work, reactive service call revenue never fully recovered and seems to be dropping again, as seen in Figure 3. This suggests that the average revenue per reactive service call is much lower than pre-pandemic levels. Moving forward, you should rely less on reactive work to reach your goals and, instead, focus on proactive inspection and repair work to overachieve.

DEFICIENCY REPORTING AND QUOTE PERFORMANCE Next, we look at the rate at which deficiencies are reported on inspections, what percentage are quoted for repair, and what percentage are approved for repair.

Interestingly, as seen in the solid blue line in Figure 4, the rate at which deficiencies were reported on work orders climbed after May and stayed at levels about 5 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The rate at which quotes were created for deficiency repairs, as seen in the dashed orange line in Figure 4, declined in March but quickly climbed above pre-pandemic levels in the second half of the year.

Figure 3. 2020 reactive service call work order volume vs revenue from those work orders.

Figure 2. 2020 work order volume by type.

Thanks much in part to the increased rate of deficiency reporting and quoting, the rate at which facility owners and managers approved deficiency quotes (per work order), the dash-dotted pink line in Figure 4, is trending in a positive direction. Though the deficiency quote approval rate took longer to recover, the data suggests that there is opportunity for fire protection contractors who have the capability to report and submit quotes for high volumes of deficiencies. In other words, companies that have the technology and processes to take more shots are going to get more wins.

Figure 4 also suggests there is a backlog of opportunity.

Likely, you have a pileup of unquoted deficiencies that were reported during the early days of the pandemic and a backlog of unapproved deficiency quotes worth revisiting with your customers. So, what does the data suggest that you can do to make the most of that backlog and future quotes? For that, we look to quote approval rates for over 270,000 fire protection quotes processed through ServiceTrade from January to November 2020.

When we measure the number of ServiceTrade quotes approved in a month divided by the number of quotes submitted to customers in that same month, we can chart a normalized quote approval rate over time.

Figure 4. 2020 rate of deficiencies reported, quoted, and approved on work orders.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 37

ENROLL FOR SPRING 2021

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This data suggests you should keep sending repair quotes and focus on the smaller repairs that could prevent more costly breakdowns in the future to help replace your lost workload with planned repairs.

Instead of relying on a handful of large quotes to meet your goals, you should systematically crank out smaller quotes under $5,000 to meet the market demand.

At ServiceTrade, we have a saying, “Feelings fool and data rules.”

The companies that respond based on data about what’s happening in their business and with their customers will make better decisions than those who have to rely on their gut feelings. We’ve focused here on work order volume, work order revenue, and quote approvals, and if you’re not tracking these metrics, start now.

This data analysis was performed with business analytics reporting available to ServiceTrade customers. Email us at hello@servicetrade. com or call (919) 246-9900 to learn how your service operations can get the visibility needed to deliver better customer outcomes. n

Figure 5. 2020 normalized quote approval rate.

For all quotes, there was a dip in the normalized quote approval rate during the first couple of months of the pandemic.

The normalized quote approval rate mostly returned to pre-pandemic levels in May for quotes under $5,000, as seen in the dashed green line in Figure 5. However, there is a noticeable difference for quotes over $5,000. Historically, quotes over $5,000 are approved at a lower rate, but they are not recovering to pre-pandemic approval rates like quotes under $5,000. as seen in the solid gold line in Figure 5. Just like you, your customers are still recovering and likely sensitive to price.

FOOTNOTES: 1. Data for December 2020 was not available at the time this article was written.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shawn Mims’s background in the software industry gives him a unique perspective of how technology can solve the complex problems unique to commercial service contractors. In his role as ServiceTrade vice president of product management, Mims adapts consumer and high-tech customer service, sales, and marketing into effective strategies for commercial service contractors. Mims is co-author of Money for Nothing and a popular speaker at the Digital Wrap Conference and at trade association events, including the Virginia Chapter of AFSA.

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MEMBERSHIP IN YOUR ASSOCIATION WHY IT MATTERS

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BOB CAPUTO, CFPS | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) was founded 40 years ago based predominately on the need for training merit shop fire sprinkler fitters. It was the rallying cry of

common interest and a basic need for open shop sprinkler contractors across the USA, but that wasn’t the only reason for sprinkler contractors coming together to form what would become the industry-leading association we enjoy today.

AFSA is celebrating 40 years in 2021! The first Sprinkler Age magazine cover debuted in 1986.

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40 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

I may be preaching to the choir, so to speak, but it’s important that we remind people why their participation is important and encourage each of our members to help us grow stronger by renewing and by encouraging others to join AFSA. It’s no secret that members and nonmembers all benefit from the actions of their industry’s trade associations, but let’s start with a look at some of the obvious, direct benefits: • Shared technical, political, business, and product information; • Continuing education; • Networking opportunities; • Access to resources beyond what most individual companies can provide; • Professional development opportunities and certifications; • Strength in numbers—you’re not in this alone; • Best practices and experiences shared between members; • Building relationships with others, including Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)s; • Preventing unfair competition through education; • Industry promotion through legislative work; • Legal advice (members get a 60-minute consultation with AFSA’s labor attorney free of charge); • Dispute resolution assistance; • Sharing new ideas, and • Promoting the regional interest of members.

Over the past 40 years, your AFSA has expanded and developed new and revised programs to support membership. We provide an exemplary fire sprinkler fitter apprenticeship program, the industry-

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standard ITM 20-month training program, and our two-week basic sprinkler design school. Our technical support group has grown substantially to meet the growing needs of our membership, and under the direction of John August Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE, we’ve doubled in size and we’re on the precipice of introducing exciting new programs support and grow your business.

We’ve taken our Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School on the road, making it easier for members without having to send participants to Dallas... but even more exciting is that we’re on track to launch AFSA’s Intermediate Fire Sprinkler System Planning School in 2021’s third quarter. This new program is planned to include CAD and REVIT in addition to expanded technical design topics, including greater insight on fire pumps, standpipes, storage occupancies, and design options. There will be a more advanced review of hydraulic calculations. If that doesn’t excite you, we’re planning to introduce VR (virtual reality) training into our intermediate design school as well as our ITM training program to enhance the “hands-on” experience where physical labs or on-site training opportunities are not available.

We continue to find opportunities for hands-on training through partnerships with companies that have functional labs like our friends at General Air Products, SPP Pumps, and others. We’re developing plans to create our own training facility when our current lease expires (in Dallas) and we relocate to a building that will better serve the training needs of our members.

Let’s talk about legislation. If 2020 hasn’t been strange enough, consider the recent election results and think about whether it will impact your business and our industry.

President-elect Biden has made no secret of his support for unions and union labor while promising to be a president for all Americans, including those who supported him as well as those who didn’t. Personally, I hope he keeps that promise because, like you, I’m an American first and pray for the success of our government and our representatives, regardless of which party holds power. However, as president of a trade association whose primary mission is the support merit shop sprinkler contractors, I am concerned about the potential threat to the business model of the

majority of our members and especially the security of the 22 states where “right-to-work” laws exist. It is not a reach to think we will need to defend these laws over the course of these next few years.

2021 holds the promise of a return to normal as it relates to COVID-19 with vaccines and vaccinations. But what will the new normal look like for our industry? Will we see a return to past norms such as strict enforcement of ITM requirements in hospital and healthcare facilities, or will we continue to see a relaxation of requirements to keep facilities’ visitors to a minimum? Will business and leisure travel resume, or will we continue to see a decline in the hospitality vertical markets? Will people continue to attend meetings virtually, or will we see the new normal include a hybrid style of meetings?

I don’t have a crystal ball to answer these questions but what I know is that your AFSA will continue to be on the front lines to assist the membership in dealing with whatever our collective future holds. We cannot do these things without your help! Our strength lies with our membership, and while I know 2020 has been a tough year for us all, I want to encourage you to continue your membership and to reach out to your peers to encourage them to join or rejoin our ranks.

We’re all in this together, and while many of our members do compete in the open market, we are a team. We are Team AFSA, and without your support through active regional and national membership, we cannot lead the way forward. As the “new guy,” I am asking every member to take a new look at your membership level and move up to the appropriate level if your business has changed since you originally joined or reviewed your membership status. We’re not asking you to choose between membership and other essential needs. We need you, regardless of your level of participation, and we appreciate every member equally! n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bob Caputo, CFPS, is president of AFSA. He currently serves as chair of NFPA 24/291 Private Water Supply Piping Systems committee and as an alternate member of NFPA 13 Sprinkler System Installation Criteria committee. Caputo has written and presented seminars throughout the world on fire protection and life-safety systems and has developed AFSA and NFPA education and training materials.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 43

NICET WATER-BASED ITM TESTING NEW FORMAT, NEW CHALLENGE

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JOHN T. JOHNSON, CFPS | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

he National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) has long been a resource to an Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) to determine an individual’s qualifications for those who design, install, or service fire protection systems.

For those who are new to NICET, it is a division of the National Society of Professional Engineers that provides a well-defined system for independent certification testing intended for technicians employed in engineering disciplines. The tests are a timed, open book, computerbased assessment requiring the test taker to be familiar with specific reference materials approved by NICET. NICET has nationally recognized certifications covering a wide range of subjects from highway construction to video security system

design. Additionally, fire-protection-related certifications have comprised a significant part of NICET’s business for many years. A technician or designer can achieve certifications in the following fire protection fields: • Fire Alarm Systems, • Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, • Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems, • Special Hazards, and • Water-Based Systems Layout.

WATER-BASED INSPECTION CERTIFICATION This article will focus on the Inspection and Testing of WaterBased Systems (ITWBS) exam and its impact on the test taker. The ITWBS is organized into three levels, and the test questions are based on general knowledge gained from experience in the field and industry standards that the applicant may be required to use. The primary standard referenced in the program is NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, 2017 edition; however, Figure 1 reflects most of the standards that the average test taker will want to have available and are permitted to be taken in for the test.

CHANGES AND CHALLENGES Last year (2020) was a year of transition for testing in NICET’s Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems program.

Test applicants have been switching from a multi-test format based on the 2014 edition of NFPA 25 to a single-test format based on the 2017 edition. Technicians new to the NICET testing program are finding challenges beyond becoming acclimated to the NICET system. Some of these challenges come from the resource they will use the most when testing.

For those becoming familiar with using the standard, NFPA 25 contains handy tables in chapters 5 through 13 that are designed to provide the reader with a quick way to identify a task, the required frequency of that task, and a reference to find where it can be found in the body of the standard for additional information.

Those who are just starting to use the 2017 edition of NFPA 25 are discovering inconsistencies between the tables provided and the body of the standard. These inconsistencies have become the source of some unintended anxiety for those preparing for NICET testing.

When discussing strategies with prospective test-takers, I find there are

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Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems

Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems Referenced Standard

Level I

Level II

NFPA 13 (2016)

•

NFPA 16 (2015)

•

NFPA 20 (2016) NFPA 25 (2017)

• •

•

•

NFPA 72 (2016)

•

•

NFPA 291 (2016)

•

OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (Vol. 5)

•

OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (Vol. 6)

•

Number of Questions

Time Allotted

Approximate Time Per Question

Level I

115

125 minutes

65 seconds

Level II

168

185 minutes

66 seconds

Level III

145

155 minutes

63 seconds

Level III

two schools of thought. Some choose to use the information contained within the tables as a preliminary reference then proceed to the body of the standard to confirm the information is correct. Others are taking a more conservative approach by not using the tables at all. Both philosophies will likely result in taking more time to look up answers in NFPA 25 come test day.

Those testing should be aware that the NFPA 25 committee has identified the problem with the tables and has issued Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) and errata to correct the issues. They are available for download on the NFPA website at nfpa.org/25.

WHAT ARE TIA AND ERRATA? When an editorial error is discovered to an already released standard, an errata is published to identify and correct the mistake for the reader. According to the NFPA, an errata is defined as a correction issued to an NFPA standard, published in NFPA News, the National Fire Codes Subscription Service (NFCSS), and included in any further distribution of the standard.

When a technical issue has been discovered that is important enough that it requires immediate attention, a TIA is issued. An example of a TIA would be TIA 17-2 that addresses electrical safety when operating electric fire pump controllers.

NFPA defines a TIA as tentative because it has not been processed through the entire standards-making procedures. It is interim because it is effective only between editions of the standard. A TIA automatically becomes a public input of the proponent for the next edition of the standard; as such, it then is subject to all of the procedures of the standards-making process.

WHAT WILL A TIA AND ERRATA MEAN FOR THE TEST-TAKER? During a recent AFSA webinar on how to use the new customer portal when applying for NICET certification and testing, Chip Hollis, NICET’s senior director, credentials, and administration, was asked what NICET’s position is regarding the TIAs and errata issued by NFPA. Hollis understands many of the printed standards are already in circulation and do not reflect the updated information. Having the TIA and errata available would prove valuable during testing. Hollis’ opinion is if NFPA released them to correct errors or omissions, they

Figures 1 (left): NFPA standards to be studied in preparation for NICET testing. Figure 2 (above): Test format details about the first three levels of NICET testing. would be allowed into testing. If the test-taker elects to use the TIAs or errata, NICET requires them to be stapled into the standard or in a three-ring binder as indicated on its website; loose paper or pages are not allowed. Hollis also commented that NICET would have to investigate to see if the original tables were used to develop test questions for the new single-test format. For any NFPA document, you can visit the webpage for that standard and any TIAs or erratas will be published for that edition.

PARTING THOUGHTS As an instructor teaching much of the ITM Inspector Development Program for AFSA, I can see how the technicians use the NFPA standards and prepare for the NICET exam. Below you will find some tips based on mistakes that are commonly made by many test-takers.

• Do not write in the book you will be taking into the test.

• Mark your book with NICET-approved tabs.

• Identify technical changes to NFPA 25, 2017 edition.

• Verify any changes in the NFPA 25 copy you have are current, incluing any TIAs and erratas that have been issued.

• The annex material—there is more than just Annex A. • Review workplace safety.

• Review best work practices.

• Read every question and answer in its entirety.

• There may be a couple of appropriate answers; select the best possible answer.

• Time management is critical; keep your eye on the clock.

• Answer every question and flag questions of which you are unsure.

• Go back to questions you flagged if time allows.

• Only review answers when you have time remaining at the end. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Johnson, CFPS, AFSA’s manager of ITM training, has worked in both the fire protection and fire suppression industries for over 30 years. He specializes in the design, operation, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems. While working for manufacturers, he represented the organizations on several NFPA standards committees and participated on corporate fire code committees. Johnson has national certifications in NFPA 472, 1001, 1021, 1041, 1081, and NFPA 1403 and is a member of the NFPA 25 technical committee.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 45

FIRE PUMP SYSTEMS POSSIBLE CHANGES TO NFPA 25, 2023 EDITION

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JOHN AUGUST DENHARDT, P.E., FSFPE | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION his article has two main purposes. The first purpose, which is evident by the title, is to discuss changes which have been proposed by the “public” and what the technical committee’s current position is with regard to these inputs to the next edition of NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. The second purpose and, probably the more important, is to show the reader how the NFPA standard process occurs and why it is critical our members’ interests are properly represented. The process is virtually the same for every NFPA standard and recommended practice.

Currently, NFPA has published over 300 documents. AFSA has 77 seats filled by staff or volunteers representing our members on 35 different technical committees. Through the direction provided by the AFSA Board of Directors, one of the highest priorities for the AFSA Engineering & Technical Services Department is to monitor, participate, and safeguard our members’ interest while maintaining good fire protection.

To understand the NFPA standard development and updating process, one needs to understand the different phases of the process.

The four fundamental steps in the process are: 1. Public Input, 2. Public Comment, 3. NFPA Technical Meeting (Tech Session), and 4. Standards Council Action (Appeals and Issuance of Standard).

NFPA technical committees and panels serve as the principal consensus bodies responsible for developing and updating all NFPA codes and standards. Committees and panels are appointed by the Standards Council and typically consist of no more than 30 voting members representing a balance of interests. NFPA membership is not required in order to participate on an NFPA Technical Committee. Appointment to a technical committee is based on such factors as technical expertise, professional standing, commitment to public safety, and the ability to bring the point of view of a category of interested people or groups to the table. Each technical committee is constituted so as to contain a balance of affected interests, with no more than one-third of the committee from the same interest category. The committee must reach a consensus in order to take action on an item.

NFPA 25, 2023 edition has completed the public input phase.

The technical committee held first draft meetings in late October and early November 2020. The technical committee will be issuing

46 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

its final report by Tuesday, March 2, 2021. When issued, the “public” is invited to review the report at nfpa.org/25next. If the public has concerns with any of the actions taken by the technical committee, public comment can be submitted. The due date for all public comments to be considered valid for this cycle is Tuesday, May 11, 2021. All public comments will be reviewed by the technical committee, and acted on.

NFPA 25 received a total of 260 public inputs. I will be discussing the public inputs which only were submitted for Chapter 8, Fire Pumps. As you can see, 31, or 12 percent, of the public inputs were for this chapter. I acknowledge the rest of this article is not for everyone; however, the individual who wants to follow the development of NFPA 25 with respect to the fire pump requirements will find this information very informative.

ACCEPTED PUBLIC INPUTS Below, I will highlight the “accepted” public inputs, first revisions, and committee inputs. Our first impression on these proposed changes are as follows: Public input number 42/First revision number 71; 8.1.1.2.19; Fuel filters change frequency The technical committee missed the mark on this change. The real intent was clear: fuel filters need to be changed at least annually, but if they required more frequent changes, then those changes were to be done.

However, the accepted language does not state that requirement.

This is a case where the language chosen does not match the intent of the technical committee. AFSA’s technical staff will be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 45/First revision number 73; 8.3.2.1.1.2; Circulation relief valve settings No comments at this time. As written, this whole section is confusing. AFSA technical staff will be reviewing this section in detail and will be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 46/First revision number 76; 8.3.3.8; Fire pump system operating conditions AFSA’s technical staff agree with the proposed changes. The revised language clarifies the intent of the technical committee.

Public input number 279/First revision number 78; 8.3.2.10.4; Qualified person(s) response time This change is to address remote inspection and testing. This change would allow an eight-hour response time for a qualified person to respond to address an abnormal issue(s).

Currently, the response time requirement is five minutes. While AFSA’s technical staff understands the desire for the change, increasing the allowed response time by 9,600 percent seems unwarranted without a

more technical explanation. In fact, the technical committee’s statement reads, “Rather than deleting the entire requirement the time for a qualified person has been increased. This requirement is part of remote monitoring, the purpose of having remote monitoring installed is so that the various ITM activities can take place without a qualified person in the room. The remote monitoring also will identify abnormal conditions of the conditions it is monitoring, as such, the remote monitoring company can notify appropriate parties so that corrective action can be taken within a reasonable time frame.” No technical reason or justification to support the large increase in the time allowance was given, just the word “reasonable.” AFSA’s technical staff will be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input 31/First revision number 79; 8.3.3.5; Vertical turbine testing reference to NFPA 20­AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the proposed changes. The revised language offers good guidance to the users of the standard.

Public input number 26/First revision number 80; 8.3.3.11; Testing of simultaneous operation of multiple pumps AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the proposed changes. The revised language offers good guidance to the users of the standard and clarifies the intent of the technical committee.

Public input number 13/First revision number 81; 8.3.4.1.1; Fuel testing references and requirements No comments at this time. This language should match the requirements and Annex material of NFPA 20. As written, this whole section is confusing and is in possible conflict with NFPA 20. The AFSA technical staff will be reviewing this section in detail and will be providing a public comment on this item.

Committee input number 118; 8.3.5.8; Testing of water mist positive displacements pumps AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the proposed changes. The revised language offers good guidance to the users of the standard.

Public input number 131/First revision number 83; 8.3.7.1.1; Net and gross fire pump system test result evaluation criteria No comments at this time. This language should match the requirements and Annex material of NFPA 20. As written, this whole section is confusing and is in possible conflict with NFPA 20. The inspector will now be required to determine if the fire pump system meets the flow and pressure requirements of all connected fire protection systems to the fire pump system. AFSA’s technical staff is not sure this is the intent of the technical committee and are concerned what impact this will have on inspectors. The AFSA technical staff will be reviewing this section in detail and will be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 268/First revision number 84; 8.3.7.1.2; Qualified individuals/persons AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the proposed changes. The revised language clarifies the intent of the technical committee and is of editorial nature.

Public input number 43/First revision number 72; 8.3.7.2.3; Fire pump test acceptance criteria AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the proposed changes. The revised language clarifies the intent of the technical committee and is of editorial nature.

Public input number 23/First revision number 85; 8.4.1.1; Report exception for not opening an energized electric motor

Figure 1. The NFPA standards development process. driven controller AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the proposed changes. The revised language offers good guidance to the users of the standard and clarifies the intent of the technical committee.

This change makes complying with NFPA 25 and applicable OSHA requirements easier.

Public input number 73/First revision number 95; 13.2.4.7; Redundant language being removed AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the proposed changes. The revised language is of editorial nature and removes excess language from the standard.

REJECTED PUBLIC INPUTS Now, I will highlight the “rejected” public inputs. Our first impression on these rejections are as follows: Public input number 24; 8.1.1.2.1; Objectionable noise or vibration This input attempted to clean up the shaft movement or endplay in section requirement. While AFSA’s technical staff agrees on the issue the input was trying to address, the input has language issues.

AFSA’s technical staff will be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 36; 8.1.1.2.1; Objectionable noise or vibration Similar to input 24, this input attempted to clean up the shaft movement or endplay in section requirement. While AFSA’s technical staff agrees on the issue the input was trying to address, the input had an issue with specific information. The input said to follow manufacturer’s specifications while the manufacturers attending the meeting stated they do not offer wear specifications. AFSA’s technical staff will be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 41; 8.1.1.2.15; Batteries This input attempted to clean up and modernize the battery inspection section requirement. While AFSA’s technical staff agrees on the issue the input was trying to address, the input has issues with addressing the different battery types available to our industry. AFSA’s technical staff will be providing a public comment on this item.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 47

Public input number 119; 8.1.1.2.23; Couplings which use elastomeric materials This input attempted to clean up the “five year or as required” by the manufacturer replacement requirement. AFSA’s technical staff understands the requirement, but believes the current language needs to be modified and will be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 120; 8.2.2; Elastomeric material coupling visual inspection This input attempted to add the requirement to observe elastomeric material couplings during the weekly inspection.

AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the technical committee’s action, which stated, “The examples are not appropriate for inclusion in the body of the standard. This is not something that needs to be done weekly as it requires removing the coupling guard.”

Public input number 6; 8.2.2; Fire pump base grouting inspection This input attempted to add the requirement to observe the fire pump base is properly grouted during the weekly inspection.

AFSA’s technical staff agrees fully this is an issue that is critical for the life of the fire pump. However, this is an installation issue and once a fire pump is installed and accepted, installing grout properly in the base is, at best, expensive and difficult. The industry partners need to have this deficiency corrected at the time of installation, not as part of a NFPA 25 inspection.

Public input number 16; 8.3.1.1.1; Weekly run of diesel fire pump systems This input attempted to modify the weekly run requirement to monthly. The reasoning behind this input was to assist with complying with environmental air quality requirements. No other technical reasons were provided for the proposed change. The technical committee rejected this and AFSA’s technial staff agrees.

Public input number 124; 8.3.2.1.2.1; Main relief valve pressure recordings during weekly run This input attempted to clarify the purpose of the pressure recordings. AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the submitter that the current language is unclear at best. In addition, the technical committee’s response does not clarify the issue. AFSA’s technical staff will be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 125; 8.3.2.9; Visual observation and adjustments pressure recordings during weekly run This input attempted to delete or reorganize the list of items, which are required to be completed. AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the submitter that the current language could be adjusted and might be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 129; 8.3.2.10.3; Diesel controller automatic engine controller shut-down This input attempted to delete the current language as not actionable or enforceable. AFSA’s technical staff agrees with this input; however, this action still might be needed and staff might be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 244; 8.3.3.1; Flow test points accuracy This input attempted to modify the current language to allow for test variations. AFSA’s technical staff agrees with this input; the technical committee did not provide the requested annex material, and staff might be providing a public comment on this item.

Public input number 25; 8.3.3.9.2, 8.3.3.9.3; Flow testing with flow meter This input attempted to address flow testing with a flow meter in a closed loop arrangement. The technical committee stated this is an installation issue and should be addressed by NFPA 20.

48 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

AFSA’s technical staff agrees.

Public input number 130; 8.3.3.13; Fire pump system with remote alarm and trouble signal monitoring This input attempted to address remote signal testing requirements in new and existing systems.

While this issue is important, the technical committee stated this should be an NFPA 4 requirement. AFSA’s technical staff agrees.

Public input number 100; 8.3.7.2.2.1; Engine speed This input attempted to allow increasing the engine speed to allow a fire pump that is not meeting performance to compensate for the poor performance. While this issue is an interesting approach, the technical committee stated this was not allowed and was not their intent. AFSA’s technical staff does agree with the technical committee’s response.

Public input number 122; 8.3.7.2.2; Engine speed Similar to public input number 100, this input attempted to allow increasing the engine speed to allow a fire pump that is not meeting performance to compensate for the poor performance. While this issue is an interesting approach, the technical committee stated this was not allowed and was not their intent. AFSA’s technical staff does agree with the technical committee’s response.

Public input number 121; 8.3.7.2.3; Fire pump test results This input attempted to add the requirement to verify the fire pump is not exceeding 105 percent of its stated performance. While this issue is an interesting concern, the technical committee stated this was not needed. AFSA’s technical staff does agree.

Public input number 27; 8.3.7.2.3; Fire pump test results This input attempted to add to the existing requirements to allow additional options for the evaluation of the test results. The technical committee disagreed and stated, “One of the three existing requirements is available when considering acceptability of fire pump tests. The standard should not be written for exceptions.” AFSA’s technical staff agrees with the technical committee statement.

NFPA 25, 2023 EDITION NEXT STEPS AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department staff will be following these changes through the entire process. As currently written, some of the proposed changes could have a negative impact on our members. AFSA’s technical staff will be pushing hard for good, effective, and clear language, so the intent of the standard is understood by the users of the document. Look forward to updates as NFPA 25 moves through the revision process.

The NFPA process is open to all. Getting involved assists in your better understanding of the documents. AFSA’s technical staff can assist members with submissions of public inputs and public comments. Feel free to reach out to us on any NFPA document. AFSA’s technical staff can be reached at technical@firesprinkler.org. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John August 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. He is a NICET Level III in Automatic Sprinkler System Layout and Inspection & Testing of Water-Based Systems as well as NFPA Certified WaterBased 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, is an SFPE Fellow, and sits on the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering’s Board of Visitors.

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CONSTRUCTION STARTS TO RECOVER IN 2021 DODGE DATA & ANALYTICS PREDICTS A SLOW AND UNEVEN RECOVERY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

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odge Data & Analytics has released its 2021 Dodge Construction Outlook, a mainstay in construction industry forecasting and business planning. The report predicts that total U.S. construction starts will increase 4 percent in 2021, to $771 billion.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and recession has had a profound impact on the U.S. economy, leading to a deep drop off in construction starts in the first half of 2020,” stated Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Data & Analytics.

“While the recovery is underway, the road to full recovery will be long and fraught with potential potholes. After losing an estimated 14 percent in 2020 to $738 billion, total construction starts will regain just 4 percent in 2021.”

“Uncertainty surrounding the next wave of COVID-19 infections in the fall and winter and delayed fiscal stimulus will lead to a slow and jagged recovery in 2021. Business and consumer confidence will improve over the year as further stimulus comes in early 2021 and a vaccine is approved and becomes more widely distributed, but construction markets have been deeply scarred and will take considerable time to fully recover.

The dollar value of starts for residential buildings will increase 5 percent in 2021, nonresidential buildings will gain 3 percent, and nonbuilding construction will improve 7 percent. Only the residential sector, however, will exceed its 2019 level of starts thanks to historically low mortgage rates that boost single-family housing.”

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The pattern of construction starts for more specific segments is as follows: The dollar value of single family housing starts will be up 7 percent in 2021 and the number of units will grow 6 percent to 928,000 (Dodge basis). Historically low mortgage rates and a preference for less dense living during the pandemic are clearly overpowering short-term labor market and economic concerns.

Multi-family construction, however, will pay the price for single family’s gain. The large overhang of high-end construction in large metro areas combined with declining rents will lead to a further pullback in 2021. Dollar value will drop 1 percent while the number of units started falls 2 percent to 484,000 (Dodge basis).

The dollar value of commercial building starts will increase 5 percent in 2021. Warehouse construction will be the clear winner as e-commerce giants continue to build out their logistics infrastructure. Office starts will also increase due to rising demand for data centers (included in the office category) as well as renovations to existing space.

Retail and hotel activity will languish.

In 2021, institutional construction starts will increase by a tepid 1 percent as growing state and local budget deficits impact public building construction.

Education construction is expected to see further declines in 2021, while healthcare starts are predicted to rise as hospitals seek to improve in-patient bed counts.

The dollar value of manufacturing plant construction will remain flat in 2021. Declining petrochemical construc-

tion and weak domestic and global activity will dampen starts, while a small handful of expected project groundbreakings will level out the year.

Public works construction starts will see little improvement as 2021 begins due to continued uncertainty surrounding additional federal aid for state and local areas. Additionally, the unfinished appropriations process for fiscal year 2021, which began October 1, raises doubt on the sector’s ability to post a strong gain in 2021. Public works construction starts will be flat over the year.

Electric utilities/gas plants will gain 35 percent in 2021, led by expected groundbreakings for several large LNG export facilities and an increasing number of wind farms.

The 2021 Dodge Construction Outlook was presented at the virtual 82nd annual Outlook Executive Conference held by Dodge Data & Analytics.

Copies of the report with additional details by building sector can be ordered by contacting Kelli Gaglione at kelli. gaglione@construction.com. n EDITOR’S NOTE: Dodge Data & Analytics : Dodge Data & Analytics is North America’s leading provider of commercial construction project data, market forecasting & analytics services and workflow integration solutions for the construction industry. Building product manufacturers, architects, engineers, contractors, and service providers leverage Dodge to identify and pursue unseen growth opportunities that help them grow their business.

On a local, regional or national level, Dodge empowers its customers to better understand their markets, uncover key relationships, size growth opportunities, and pursue specific sales opportunities with success. The company’s construction project information is the most comprehensive and verified in the industry. Dodge is leveraging its more than 125-year-old legacy of continuous innovation to help the industry meet the building challenges of the future. Learn more at www.construction.com.

LEARN SPRINKLER SYSTEM DESIGN 2021 SCHOOL CURRICULUM UPDATED TO NFPA 13, 2019 EDITION

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he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) has set its 2021 dates for its popular Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School. AFSA is sending its technical experts on the road—bringing their expertise to your beginning designers! Schools will return to the northeast region of the U.S. this year, in addition to a school already held in Florida and an April school in California.

Classes available for 2021 include: • February 22 – March 5 in Dallas, TX; • April 12-23 in San Diego, CA; • May 17-28 in Baltimore, MD; • July 19-30 in Philadelphia area, PA; • August 16-27 in Baton Rouge, LA; • September 27 – October 8 in Philadelphia area, PA; and • November 8-19 in Sacramento area, CA.

proper sprinkler spacing applications; determine the proper and economical planning of fire sprinkler system layout and installation methods; know the importance of sprinkler specifications, types of pipe, hangers, fittings, flow tests, etc.; learn to develop shop drawings from start to finish; learn to coordinate with other trades such as plumbing, mechanical, structural and

electrical; perform manual hydraulic calculations, preparing the student for an easier decision-making process when using a computer to perform hydraulics; and prepare shop drawings in class for projects with different applications.

Early registration is encouraged and is available online at firesprinkler.org/ design. n

NEW FOR 2021—UPDATED CURRICULUM! Taught by AFSA’s expert technical staff, AFSA’s Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School teaches the essential elements of system layout in accordance with NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. Recent upgrades have been made to the content, updating it from the 2016 edition to the 2019 edition of the standard. The school is designed to train a beginner to be productive immediately upon returning to work. The school presents a comprehensive, practical approach to preparing fire sprinkler system drawings.

Students receive two full weeks of instruction: 60 percent is the study and review of NFPA 13, and 40 percent is the preparation of fire sprinkler system layout, shop drawings, and hydraulic calculations.

Attendees are given the tools to accelerate the comprehension of plans and various types of building construction for

AFSA introduced its Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School in Dallas 1984. Today, the school is held in Dallas and in cities near members.

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 51

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS NOMINATE ONLINE FOR 2021 AFSA AWARDS

T

he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is accepting online nominations for its top honors: the Henry S. Parmelee award, Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year award, and Young Professional of the Year award. Awards will be presented during AFSA40: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition, and the recipients will be featured in Sprinkler Age magazine. Visit firesprinkler.org/awards to submit a nomination.

HENRY S. PARMELEE AWARD AFSA’s highest honor, the Henry S. Parmelee award is given in recognition of an outstanding individual who has dedicated himself or herself to the professional advancement of the fire sprinkler industry and to the goal of fire safety through automatic sprinklers. AFSA members may nominate someone with a long-term commitment to improving the industry. The award was instituted in 1983 to give recognition to distinguished industry professionals and to memorialize Henry S. Parmelee, an outstanding pioneer in the industry who is recognized as the inventor of the first commercially successful closed sprinkler. July 1 is the nomination deadline for the 2021 award.

FIRE SPRINKLER ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD This award was created to honor individuals not directly involved in the fire sprinkler industry whose efforts have had a national impact in advancing the fire protection industry and automatic fire sprinklers.

Previously known as the Fire Service Person of the Year, the award was renamed in 2001 to better reflect the diversity of backgrounds, including the fire service, as well as legislative, code, and standardssetting groups in which individuals can have a major impact on the industry. Previous recipients include Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Spokesman Ron Hazelton; California State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover; Congressman Jim Langevin; and Senator Rick Santorum. The nomination deadline for the 2021 award is April 1.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD The Young Professional of the Year award honors the contributions of promising fire protection specialists and serves to: reaffirm the growing importance of fire sprinkler knowledge in the world of business and construction management among the next generation of industry leaders; promote the emergence of young talented professionals in the field of fire protection, thus fostering interest for the fire sprinkler profession and a future career in this field of expertise; and inspire fire protection companies and the fire protection community to invest even more in the development and excellence of the profession.

Meaghen Wills of Anchor Fire Protection in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania; Tiffany Moore with Moore Fire Protection in Issaquah, Washington; and Stuart Weeks with American Fire Protection, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina; are past recipients. Nominations for the 2021 YPY award are due by April 1. Nominees do not need to be a member of AFSA to be eligible.

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

A TEXAS-SIZED CELEBRATION Join us to celebrate this year’s honorees and AFSA’s 40th anniversary September 18-21 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. See page 12 of this issue for more details and bookmark firesprinkler.org/afsa40 to keep up-to-date with details as they are announced. n

52 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

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AFSA NEWS

LECAIR, KASMAUSKAS JOIN AFSA

Two new members have joined the leadership team to work with AFSA as it continues its mission to attract and educate fire sprinkler contractors to save lives and property and help ones already here grow. Bruce Lecair will join AFSA as the director of membership & chapter support covering the western half of the U.S. and Canada, and Dominick Kasmauskas, CFPS as the regional director of membership & chapter support will be responsible for the eastern half of North America. Kasmauskas will report to Lecair, and Lecair will report directly to AFSA President Bob Caputo, CFPS. Both Kasmauskas and Lecair are industry veterans with extensive experience in legislative activities and membership and chapter development. After a 30-year fire service career that began in the United States Air Force California Air National Guard, Lecair retired in 2007 as the assistant fire chief of the Woodland Fire Department in California before serving NFSA as associate director and southwest regional manager. With 13 years’ experience working with NFSA members in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico, he has extensive knowledge of the industry and looks forward to expanding his network and meeting AFSA members nationwide. Lecair served on all three of the Residential Fire Sprinkler Study Groups during the adoption of

CALENDAR FEBRUARY 2021

22-3/5 • AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Dallas, TX firesprinkler.org/design

APRIL 2021

12-23 • AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School San Diego, CA firesprinkler.org/design

MAY 2021

17-28 • AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Baltimore, MD firesprinkler.org/design

JULY 2021

19-30 • AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Exton, PA firesprinkler.org/design

AUGUST 2021

16-27 • AFSA Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School Baton Rouge, LA 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.”

54 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

the California State Residential Fire Sprinkler Requirement, chaired two subcommittees, and cowrote and co-authored the education program that was taught over 40 times in 24 regions across LECAIR KASMAUSKAS California.

In 2019, Lecair served as the chair of the CalFire Office of the State Fire Marshal Work Group that studied and wrote the recommendations for the upcoming California 2021 edition based on the new 2020 edition of NFPA 25. He later chaired the subcommittee that redesigned and edited the Automatic Extinguishing Systems Forms for use in the next adoption of the new standard.

Based in Corona, California, and focusing on the western half of North America, Lecair will be responsible for the oversight of AFSA’s membership team. He has an Associate of Science Degree in Fire Science from Woodland Community College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Master of Science Degree in Emergency Services Administration from California State University, Long Beach. He is an Air Force veteran.

Kasmauskas worked in the fire sprinkler industry for 19 years before taking this position and is looking forward to continuing his work in legislation, codes, and local laws to assist in making the business environment better for fire protection contractors. He is an NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist® and serves on the NFPA 1030/1031 Fire Inspector and Plans Examiner Committee. He is also a former member of the NFPA 101/5000 Educational & Day Care Committee and a former member of the Board of Directors for the NFPA Fire Service Section. Kasmauskas was formerly a contract instructor for the International Codes Council, served on the ICC International Green Construction Code (IgCC®) Energy & Water Subcommittee, served on the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Fire Protection Committee, and served as a liaison to the U.S. Green Building Council.

Based in upstate New York, he also regularly attended many fire protection industry-relevant and code enforcement chapter meetings throughout the Midwest and eastern U.S. in his previous positions. He also gained experience in legislative matters in New Jersey and as a volunteer advocate with the Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute by promoting not only firefighter issues but also the adoption of the first statewide Pennsylvania building code. He is a graduate of the Bergen County Police Reserves Academy in Mahwah, New Jersey, holds an Associate of Science in Fire Science from Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, New Jersey, and is an Army veteran. Visit firesprinkler.org.

DENHARDT APPOINTED TO UMD BOARD OF VISITORS

John August Denhardt, P.E., FSFPE, vice president of engineering and technical services, has been elected to the Board of Visitors (BOV) for the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering. The board assists the department in gaining recognition and support as a leader in fire protection engineering education and research. Members provide the chair and department leadership with objective information and intellectual stimulation, advising on a wide range of issues that include strategic planning, corporate relations, fundraising initiatives, communications strategies, and other opportunities. Members serve for a three-year term, which can be renewed. n

CHAPTER NEWS LOUISIANA

“2021–Optimism over Skepticism for LFSA!” One of the most fascinating things about ringing in a new year is the opportunity to begin “new.” The slate has been wiped clean. After 2020, “new” is something we all need in our lives.

One of the most significant new things ahead for the Louisiana Fire Sprinkler Association chapter is a changing of the guard. After ten years of outstanding leadership, AFSA National Second Vice Chair Linda Biernacki, due to commitments at the AFSA national level, reluctantly asked to step down as president so the LFSA would have leadership that provides the necessary time to ensure its success and growth. Board nominations and elections were concluded, and the results are: President Randy Laguna, Merit Sprinkler, Kenner; Vice President/Membership Chair Mark Taylor, American Fire Sprinkler, Harahan; Secretary Karl Hinkel, Jefferson Sprinkler, Gretna; Treasurer Richard Booth, S & S Sprinkler, Baton Rouge; and Past President/Ex-Officio Linda Biernacki, Fire Tech Systems, Shreveport.

Our chapter has a total of 43 great members (21 contractors, 21 associates, and one designer). Our goal is retaining current LFSA members. Hurricanes were far too friendly for south Louisiana. The devastation the members there endured, on top of working through COVID-19, is hard to put into words. Tragic on top of tragic. Retention of our current members is a big win, but our chapter continuously looks to add members to the chapter. (Hint, hint!) You do not have to live in the state of Louisiana to be a member. Do business in Louisiana? If so, membership in our chapter may interest you.

Reach out; let’s discuss potential LFSA membership.

In 2019, the attendance numbers at meeting, training seminars, and special events broke records. A typical meeting/training seminar would have 60-75 participants and upwards of 90-plus for our major events. While 2020 saw many events going virtual, we hope to have that in-person attendance level return in 2021.

LFSA has planned 2021 with optimism over skepticism and plans to reconnect with our members through various platforms with their health and safety in mind—live in-person, Zoom, and outdoor meetings/events options. Our optimism stands on the hopes a vaccine begins circulating early in the first quarter of the year. Second quarter, the vaccine works and is in full distribution, and we can ease into “normal” life again. Third quarter, we are able and ready to “live” by getting out. Fourth quarter, COVID-19 is behind us, and we are grateful to dive into anything and everything.

Each meeting held during our 2021 calendar year will be “hybrid” via in-person (if feasible) and Zoom video meetings. Prior to 2020, our meetings were in-person with no video connection. The new year has given us the foresight to see we can do both, and this platform better serves our members for training purposes and chapter involvement.

Prior to each hybrid meeting, Chapter Executive Ellen Ballard, Fire Tech Systems, will work with LFSA members to ensure they know what the necessary tools are to participate virtually: • Hi-speed internet/broadband; • Computer with Microphone and Video Capability; • Secluded location for meeting (maintain meeting presence vs.

multi-tasking); • Authentication of meeting/seminar attendance for entire session; and • Access to email to communicate with the LFSA. In the second quarter of 2021, we will hold a two-day event April 27-28 that includes a golf tournament, NextGen networking social, membership meeting, and training seminars for chapter members and AHJs from across the state. Combining these events will provide us the opportunity to have Louisiana State Fire Marshal Office staff and the new AFSA President Bob Caputo on the links together.

Mark your calendar for August 4-6, 2021. This is the grand event of new events for us. The Louisiana Fire Sprinkler, Alabama Fire Sprinkler, and Arkansas Fire Sprinkler chapters are hosting the firstever Southern Fire Sprinkler Summit at The Lodge in Gulf State Park, in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The three-day mini convention will be filled with training, membership meetings, and special events.

This is one event not to be missed! The website for the event will be active January 31. Visit southernfiresprinklersummit.org and make plans to sponsor, attend, and enjoy!

As you can see, the LFSA chapter’s optimism for 2021 is high. The pedal is to the metal, and we are not stopping for the burn marks from 2020. For more information about the chapter, contact Executive Director Ellen Ballard via email at EBallard@firetechsystems.com. n

Happy Anniversary to AFSA Milestone Members!

January–February 2021 The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is recognizing members who are celebrating milestone membership anniversaries.

The member companies featured here have belonged to AFSA for 15 or more years of continuous membership.

Recognition in Sprinkler Age will be done in five-year anniversary increments and is available to all membership types. Congratulations to these members and AFSA looks forward to celebrating with more members throughout the year!

35-Year Anniversary Contractor Members Harvey & Price, Eugene, OR Shilo Automatic Sprinkler, Nampa, ID Enterprises, LLC, Reistertown, MD Associate Members Core & Main FIre Protection, St. Louis, MO 15-Year Anniversary Contractor Members McCusker Enterprises, LLC, Reistertown, MD SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 55

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 Jason Williams – Chair.

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

DALLAS-FORT WORTH afsadfwchapter.org CJ Bonczyk – Chair.

817-529-1693

ARKANSAS David Nabors– Chair.

501-225-4910 Coleman Farrar – Exec. Dir. 479-986-9090

FLORIDA afsafl.org Suzanne Saults– Chair.

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

CAROLINAS afsacarolinaschapter.com Bernie Parsons – Chair.

704-201-7352 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

AFSA AFFILIATE MEMBERS OKLAHOMA AFFILIATE ofsa.info Tim Hollon – Pres.

918-851-2416

TEXAS AFFILIATE fscatx.org David Stone – Pres.

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

56 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

GREATER KANSAS CITY Mark McKenzie – Chair.

913-432-6688 Brett Heinrich– Exec. Dir. 785-825-7710 LOUISIANA lafiresprinkler.org Randy Laguna – Chair 504-464-6236 ext 224 Ellen Ballard – Exec. Dir. 318-688-8800 MICHIGAN afsamichiganchapter.org Doug Irvine, Jr. – Chair 616-784-1644 MINNESOTA-DAKOTAS Marc Huag – Chair.

701-232-7008 NEW JERSEY Thomas Bowlby Jr. – Chair.

908-226-5313 Victor Lugo – Exec. Dir. 201-635-0400 NEW MEXICO Rebecca Garley – Chair.

505-898-1647 Benjamin Dominguez – Exec. Dir. 505-898-1647 NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND Ryan Gadhue – Chair.

802-865-3600

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

SOUTH CAROLINA scfsa.org 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

PATRIOT afsapatriot.org Chad Dubuc – Chair.

508-431-9938 SACRAMENTO VALLEY sacvalleyafsa.org Jordan Hopkins – Chair.

916-672-8415 Paulene Norwood – Exec. Dir. 916-296-0635 SAN DIEGO Scott Uren – Chair.

858-722-1470 Rhonda Gudger – Exec. Dir. 51-326-4600 SCHUYLKILL afsamac.org Ben Young – Chair.

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

TENNESSEE afsatennesseechapter.org Casey Milhorn – Chair.

615-349-5278 Leslee Kiser – Exec. Dir. 615-865-5600 UPSTATE NEW YORK afsaupstatenychapter.org Justin Petcosky – Chair 607-296-7969 UTAH ROCKY MOUNTAIN afsautahchapter.org Mark Winder, Jr. – Chair.

385-630-8064 Brent Heiner – Exec. Dir. 801-544-0363 VIRGINIA virginiaafsa .com Bob Beckwith – Chair 540-659-4675 Steve McGee – Exec. Dir. 757-544-0520

AFSA MEMBERSHIP NEW MEMBERS CONTRACTORS Advanced Sprinkler Systems, Inc. Williston, VT

Big Mountain Fire LLC Evergreen, CO Faith Contracting LLC Albright, WV Fortis Fire Protection Johns Island, SC Gulfcoast Fire & Safety Co., Inc. Riverview, FL Jersey Fire Protection West Deptford, NJ Metropolitan Fire Protection Clinton, MD National Fire Protection, Inc. Annadale, VA

Neptune Mechanical Inc. Flushing, NY Nexus Alarm and Suppression Tempe, AZ Showtime Fire Protection, LLC Hereford, AZ United California Fire Protection San Francisco, CA Vail Alarm Inc. Avon, CO Fortis Fire Protection Johns Island, SC Valley Fire Protection, Inc. Albuquerque, NM

DESIGNERS

Accent Fire Engineering Int’l Ltd. Santa Fe, NM Fire Design Concepts, LLC Sugar Hill, GA Fire Sprinkler Services, LLC New Castle, DE Integrity Fire Protection Design, LLC Aurora, CO Protech Fire & Security, LLC Houston, TX Pye-Barker Fire & Safety North Myrtle Beach, SC Quality Fire Design Midlothian, TX Sprinkler Design Central Rogers, MD

AHJS

STUDENTS

Dr. Toby Lester Mapes Hendersonville, NC

Emily Rose Haas Anchorage, AK

Marci Moulton Boston, MA

Peter N. Hansen Saratoga Springs, UT

Michael Moore Stroudsburg, PA

INDIVIDUAL

Alex Hardy Surprise, AZ

Juan Saenez Toronto, ON

Kelly Lindamood Clearwater, FL

Donato Antonio Pirro Panama Margaret Com Dallas, TX Ray Schmid Phoenix, AZ Rick Chase Rosemount, MN Shawn Shepherd Seattle, WA Travis James Samuelson Surprise, AZ

U.S. CONSTRUCTION REPORT NOVEMBER A MIXED MONTH FOR CONSTRUCTION START

Total construction starts fell 2 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $797.5 billion following a strong gain in October. Residential starts fell 7 percent during the month, while nonbuilding starts dropped 14 percent. Nonresidential building construction starts, however, rose 19 percent in November. Total construction starts fell in three regions, the South Atlantic, West, and Northeast, but rose in two, the Midwest and South Central.

Year-to-date through 11 months, total construction starts were 12 percent down from the same period in 2019. Nonresidential starts were 25 percent lower, while nonbuilding starts were down 16 percent. Residential starts, by contrast, were 3 percent higher through 11 months. In November, the Dodge Index fell 2 percent to 169 (2000=100) from the 173 October reading. The Dodge Index was down 24 percent from a year earlier and 6 percent lower than its pre-pandemic level in February.

To access the October 2020 report, visit construction.com/news/ construction-starts-rebound-october-2020/.

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

MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, In Millions Nov 2020 Oct 2020 % Change Nonresidential Building $249,679 $210,214 19 Residential Building $356,060 $382,501 -7 Nonbuilding Construction $191,761 $223,455 -14 Total Construction $797,499 $816,170 -2 THE DODGE INDEX (Year 2000=100, Seasonally Adjusted) November 2020... ..............169 October 2020... ..................173 YEAR-TO-DATE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE Unadjusted Totals, In Millions

11 Mos. 2020 11 Mos. 2019 % Change Nonresidential Building $217,925 $291,454 -25 Residential Building $313,218 $305,202 3 Nonbuilding Construction $166,272 $198,800 -16 Total Construction $697,416 $795,456 -12

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 57

FITTER’S CHALLENGE CALLING ALL FITTERS!

Welcome to the first technical challenge for fire sprinkler fitters! Each issue, AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department presents one or multiple challenges for fitters. Besides challenging yourself and your co-workers, working these problems enforces lessons that should be learned through an apprenticeship program and explains how requirements from the standard are applied in the field. To participate in this challenge, carefully read and work the problems, and submit your answers online at firesprinkler.org/fitterchallenge by January 31, 2021. One winner will be pulled at random from those who answer correctly to receive some AFSA swag! Answers will be

published in the next issue when new challenges are presented.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY CHALLENGE

All questions are based on the 2019 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.

1) True or False: Escutcheons used with recessed, flush-type, or concealed sprinklers shall be part of a listed sprinkler assembly.

2) True or False: A wet pipe sprinkler system with one zone has 8.0 K factor sprinklers installed in the manufacturing area and 5.6 K factor sprinklers installed in the

office area. The inspector’s test assembly must utilize a 8.0 K factor sprinkler.

3) Yes or No: An existing sprinkler system needs to be repaired. The client wants you to weld in a new section of piping to replace a damaged section of 4-in. schedule 10 black ASTM A53 steel piping. Is this allowed?

4) True or False: A sprig is defined as a pipe that rises vertically and supplies one or more sprinklers. n

DESIGNER’S CHALLENGE CALLING ALL DESIGNERS!

Each issue, AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department presents one or multiple problems for designers. Challenge yourself and your co-workers! Working these problems is excellent preparation for professional certification tests and may count as continuing education hours—check with your certification organization. To participate in this challenge, carefully read through each challenge, work the problems, and submit your answers online at firesprinkler.org/designerschallenge by January 31, 2021. 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.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ANSWERS

All answers are based on the 2019 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. Questions may have more than one correct answer.

1. C. The definition of a “flat” ceiling is “a continuous ceiling in a single plane.”

2. B. False. “Cloud” ceilings are defined as “any ceiling system, not including sloped ceilings, installed in the same

58 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

plane with horizontal openings to the structure above on two or more sides.

3. B. Differential and mechanical are the two types of dry valves defined in NFPA 13.

4. B. False. All pipe used in a sprinkler system does not have be Listed.

5. B. False. Air and water pressure gauges used in a sprinkler system do not have be Listed.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY CHALLENGE

All questions are based on the 2019 edition of NFPA 13.

1) What is the maximum acceptable air leakage rate on a dry pipe system at acceptance?

A. No leakage permitted B. 11/2 psi in 24 hours C. 3 psi in 24 hours D. 5 psi in 24 hours 2) Which of the following special situations requires access to be provided for all sprinklers?

A. Combustible concealed spaces B. Attics C. Duct protection D. Stages

3) Where automated inspection and testing devices are utilized, how are they required to perform with respect to visual inspections?

A. As effective B. More effective C. Automated inspections must obtain the desired result within 5 minutes.

D. Automated inspections must obtain the desired result within 90 seconds.

4) Which of the following are always required to be considered when determining the required minimum flow rate to forward flow test a backflow preventer?

A. Domestic demand B. Inside hose demand C. Outside hose demand D. System demand n

AHJ CHALLENGE CALLING ALL AHJS!

Welcome to the first technical challenge for Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs)! Each issue, AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department presents one or multiple challenges for AHJs. Besides challenging yourself and your co-workers, working these problems 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 its criteria. To participate in this challenge, carefully read and work the problems, and submit your answers online at firesprinkler.org/ahjchallenge by January 31, 2021. One winner will be pulled at random from those who answer correctly to receive some AFSA swag! Answers will be published in the next issue when new challenges are presented.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY CHALLENGE

The following questions are based on NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2019 edition.

1) For a 200-psi hydrostatic test of underground piping, which set of pressures showing the gauge pressure before and after the additional water permitted by the testing allowance is added and status of visible leaks would be acceptable? (Select all that apply) A. 190 psi; 195 psi with visual leakage B. 190 psi; 197 psi with visual leakage C. 195 psi; 200 psi without visual leakage D. 200 psi; 205 psi without visual leakage 2) For a dry system installed without a quick opening device, select all of the system capacities that would be required to meet a water delivery time requirement.

A. 300 gal B. 500 gal C. 700 gal D. 1,000 gal

trusses that are spaced less than 3 ft oncenter. What is the maximum protection area for a standard spray upright?

A. 200 sq. ft.

B. 168 sq. ft.

C. 225 sq. ft.

D. 130 sq. ft.

4) When using the density/area method, which of the following statements is correct regarding the area of operation?

A. The longest side needs to have a length equal to at least 1.2√A. B. The longest side needs to have a length equal to at least 1.2√(SxL).

C. The longest side needs to contain at least five sprinklers.

D. The longest side is at the designer’s discretion. n

3) When designing a sprinkler system in a light hazard occupancy that has open web wood

ITM CHALLENGE CALLING ALL TECHNICIANS!

Each issue, AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department presents one or multiple challenges for technicians. Besides challenging yourself and your co-workers, working these problems 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 its criteria. To participate in this challenge, carefully read and work the problems, and submit your answers online at firesprinkler.org/itmchallenge by January 31, 2021. One winner will be pulled at random from those who answer correctly to receive some AFSA swag! Answers will be published in the next issue when new challenges are presented.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ANSWERS

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

1. D. In accordance with the manufacturer’s instruction. (Section 13.10.1.2)

2. C. Three years. (Section 4.6.6.4.2*) 3. C. Impairment. (Chapter 10 Table A.3.3.8) 4. B. Critical Deficiency (Chapter 13 Table A.3.3.8)

JANUARY/FEBRUARY CHALLENGE

All questions are based on NFPA 25, 2020 edition.

1) When inspecting for spare sprinklers, two sprinklers of each type and temperature _____ be provided.

A. must B. should C. shall D. Sprinkler type and temperature is not addressed in NFPA 25.

2) Mainline strainers in private service fire mains shall be inspected and cleaned after each system flow exceeding that of a nominal ___ orifice.

A. 1-in.

B. 2-in.

C. 3-in.

D. 4-in.

3) While conducting an inspection of a sprinkler system valve enclosure, you observe the temperature is 38°F. How would you classify your finding?

A. Noncritical deficiency B. Critical deficiency C. Impairment D. 38°F is above freezing, so no issue exists.

4) While testing a deluge valve, you observe the pressure readings at the most remote nozzle are not consistent with the original design calculations. How would you classify your finding?

A. Noncritical deficiency B. Critical deficiency C. Impairment D. Comparing pressure readings with design documents is not addressed in NFPA 25. n

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 59

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Visit reedmfgco.com.

SFPE POSITION STATEMENT UPDATED ULTRA SPRINKFLEX® HOSES & INFINITE POSITION (IPT) BRACKET

Introducing the newest addition to Anvil’s flexible hoses and brackets for fire sprinkler systems product portfolio, Ultra SprinkFLEX®, an economical, versatile 1-in. hose solution for fire sprinkler system engineers, designers, and installers.

The new SprinkFLEX infinite position mounting bracket (IPT) allows the sprinkler head to be located anywhere along the 24-in. or 48-in. bar on the IPT mounting bracket. The IPT mounting bracket has a reference mark for centering the sprinkler head to center of the tile for ease of installation without the need for measuring. Visit anvilintl.com/products/ ultra-sprinkflex-system.

JOHNSON CONTROLS LAUNCHES SMART FIRE SPRINKLER MONITORING SOLUTION

Johnson Controls is reimagining fire safety with the launch of its Smart Connected Fire Sprinkler Monitoring solution. As part of Johnson Controls OpenBlue suite of digital solutions, this industry-first solution delivers real-time insights into fire sprinkler system health to enable swift preventative action. The solution empowers building managers to transform their maintenance strategies from reactive to proactive, helping to prevent costly and dangerous equipment failures before they occur.

Leveraging the latest in monitoring, sensor and data transfer technology, the Smart Connected Fire Sprinkler Monitoring solution continuously gathers information, such as pressure, temperature and water presence, to measure the overall health of the sprinkler system. This information is relayed to the customer dashboard via the cloud.

60 SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021

CORDLESS POWER DRIVE FROM REED

Lightweight yet powerful, the CPDWW cordless power drive from REED adapts to drilling and tapping machines or attaches to exercise valves. Around 15 pounds, the cordless power drive is easy to handle and provides impressive torque. For operator safety, there is a power kick-off feature. Add the REED VOKUCLUTCH utility clutch for valve work or add the REED TMPDA adapter to connect REED and other common tapping or drilling machines. Designed for waterworks use, this unit concentrates on needs of in-ditch operators. Cordless equals safety as no power cords or air lines are needed; eliminating tangles in tight spaces. Battery power eliminates the need for extra equipment on the truck and lightens the load the operator carries to the work zone. The physical size of the unit is compact allowing it to fit easily into ditches.

• Lightweight, superior torque option for cordless power drive—just 15 pounds (6.8 kg).

• Torque overload protection shuts off with sudden jerk.

The SFPE Board has issued an update to the position statement on the roles of engineers and engineering technicians when both are working on the fire protection of a project.

“PS 2020-1 The Engineer and Engineering Technician Designing Fire Protection Systems (October 21, 2020)” replaces the July 2008 position statement. The exciting piece for this document is the number of endorsing organizations that have signed onto this statement for fire protection, including ABET, AFAA, AFSA, ASCET, FSSA, NCEES, NFSA, NICET, and NSPE. Conceptually, the position remains that both engineers and engineering technicians can work together harmoniously on fire protection projects, with each having a distinct role when both the engineer and engineering technician are part of the job. The position also remains that all parties need to be qualified for the role they are serving in the project. The position statement explains the roles of those in the field of fire protection who contribute to public safety, including licensed Professional Engineers and Certified Engineering Technicians.

A sincere thank you is extended to all the members of the Committee on Professional Qualifications—Public Policy subcommittee for their efforts in producing the draft and working through the many comments received.

To view the updated position statement, visit sfpe.org and click on “Advocacy & Qualifications,” then “Public Policy” to view a list of position statements, including “PS 20201 The Engineer and Engineering Technician Designing Fire Protection Systems (October 21, 2020).” n

INDUSTRY NEWS

ANVIL ACQUIRES ABZ AND QUADRANT VALVE BRANDS

Anvil and Smith-Cooper International, a portfolio company of Tailwind Capital, announced the acquisition of the ABZ and Quadrant Valve brands from parent company Forum Energy Technologies.

ABZ, located in Madison, Kansas, is a provider of resilient seated and high-performance butterfly valves, serving the industrial, processing, chemical, mining and data center markets.

Quadrant, located in Broussard, Louisiana, is a provider of patented, quarter-turn specialty ball and butterfly valves, serving the chemical, petrochemical and upstream energy markets.

ABZ and Quadrant valve brands will join an existing portfolio of flow control brands such as Anvil, FPPI, Gruvlok, SCI, and Sharpe. Visit anvilintl.com.

TELGIAN CELEBRATES 35TH ANNIVERSARY

This month marks the 35th anniversary of the founding of Telgian, a worldwide provider of fire protection, life safety and security solutions. Since 1985, Telgian has grown from a modest firm providing code development and consulting, fire testing, and fire investigation, to an international company with locations around the globe, more than 350 employees and a comprehensive roster of fire protection, engineering and design, life safety and security services. Today, the firm counts many of the world’s most recognizable corporations as its clients.

Telgian traces its roots back more than three decades to Tomes and Associates, founded by former firefighter and San Diego Fire Marshal Bill Tomes. The early success of the company

was a result, not only of Tomes’ vast experience, but also his lifelong passion for the fire protection industry.

The company was founded on integrity, honesty, and respect, along with attributes such as innovation, creativity and pride in one’s work as well as an unwavering dedication to customer service. This quickly attracted industry-leading experts from around the world, resulting in rapid growth and expansion.

A wide-ranging roster of services also grew to include fire and life safety consulting for business and government agencies, fire and building code interpretation, risk analysis and hazard evaluation, fire and building plan review, fire sprinkler system design, and industry training.

In 2007, principals formed the Telgian brand to more accurately reflect the diversity of the company’s many and varied fire, life safety, and security services. The word Telgian is, in fact, derived from Old English and means “to branch out and grow.”

Today, Telgian has dramatically increased the range of industries that it serves and includes two business units, each with a unique focus. Telgian Fire Safety, serves approximately 50,000 locations annually for the inspection, testing, and repair of fire and life safety systems such as fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers, kitchen hood suppression systems, backflow systems, emergency/exit lights, special hazards, and clean agent systems, as well as fire alarm monitoring.

Telgian Engineering & Consulting is a fullservice engineering and risk mitigation consultancy specializing in complex, multi-discipline

projects. Telgian Engineering & Consulting provides services related to the protection of people, property, information, and organizational mission against preventable losses, delivering effective protection solutions that meet today’s challenges.

Telgian’s history, reputation and an outstanding record of accomplishment have been built on the trust and confidence earned from numerous long-term clients. This sterling reputation is the result of a deep commitment to core values such as the Telgian customer advocacy model, which ensures that customers, and their specific needs, are always the top priority. Visit telgian.com.

er of technologically advanced composite materials. He received a B.S. and M.S. in engineering from Rice University and a Ph.D. in material science from Virginia Tech.

Last year, Victaulic celebrated its Centennial Anniversary as a family-owned company, adding close to 1,000,000 ft2 to the company’s manufacturing operations. These investments included a new, 400,000-ft2 state-of-

the-art manufacturing center in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, as well as investments and expansion of the company’s facilities in Dalian, China; Drezdenko, Poland; and Ontario, Canada.

Visit victaulic.com.

VIEGA EXTENDS WARRANTY ON MEGAPRESS® AND MEGAPRESSG

Viega LLC is extending the limited warranty on its MegaPress and MegaPressG fittings to 15 years from the current ten years for most applications.

Viega prides itself on offering a MegaPress product for many diverse applications, but in doing so it has had to understand and account for some of the worst-case conditions our products will face when determining the scope of our warranties. This has left some of the most common, least corrosive applications with shorter warranty terms, said Will Dutcher, product manager, Metals IPS, Viega.

This warranty change is not limited to carbon steel MegaPress, but also includes stainless when used in commercial applications, like MegaPress 316 for potable water in a commercial building. The longer warranties against manufacturing defects go into effect immediately and cover product installed after publication of the latest edition. Visit viega.us. n

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS BUCHER NAMED VICTAULIC CEO

Victaulic announces the appointment of Rick Bucher as chief executive officer, succeeding Dr. John F. Malloy, effective January 31, 2021. Bucher was named president of Victaulic in April of 2020, following a June 2019 appointment as chief operating officer. Prior to joining Victaulic in 2009 as vice president of engineering, Bucher worked for 15 years for W.L. Gore, a manufactur-

SPRINKLER AGE | JAN/FEB 2021 61

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS JOVEN JOINS TELGIAN

Telgian Fire Safety recently announced the appointment of Vincent Joven, CPA, CISA as vice president finance/controller. In this position, Joven will be responsible for the preparation of operating budgets, overseeing financial reporting and performing essential duties relating to payroll and operations.

A highly accomplished accountant and risk professional who possesses an extensive accounting background and deep knowledge of risk and internal audit practices, Joven brings

more than 20 years of finance management experience to Telgian. His proven skills in project management, project implementation and cross-organizational coordination will be an invaluable asset in the company’s high-energy, fast-paced environment.

Prior to joining Telgian, Joven served as Director of Internal Audit for Ports America.

There, he led the internal audit team to deploy best-in-class audit methodologies appropriate to company’s business operations, leveraging relevant frameworks and profes-

You don’t have to be a genius.

sional standards, while ensuring a continuous connection between business strategy and operational execution.

He has also served in numerous advisory and leadership roles for PwC, Andersen LLP, and Interactive Corp.

Joven is a graduate of George Mason University and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). Visit telgian.com. n

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The solution is obvious. Firesprinkler.org is where the Fire Sprinkler industry goes online. You will find the solutions to your education and training needs, technical support and industry news and updates. Membership in the American Fire Sprinkler Association gives you full access to real benefits and services that will fit perfectly in your business plan and increase your productivity and profitability.

Be a Member

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Join online at firesprinkler.org or call 214-349-5965.

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A F S A

P R E S E N T S

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AFSA’s popular Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School is bringing training to you in 2021!

Space is limited so reserve your spot now before it sells out!

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