Sprinkler Age Nov/Dec 2021 by SprinklerAge

12 AFSA40 WAS A CELEBRATION LIKE NO OTHER

NOV/DEC 2021

SPRINKLER AGE

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

VOL 40/06

JACK MEDOVICH P.E. 2021-2022 AFSA CHAIR OF THE BOARD

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SPRINKLER AGE

NOV/DEC 2021 VOL 40/06

FEATURES 12 | SAN ANTONIO SENSATION

AFSA40 was a Texas-Sized Success!

18 | MEMBERS ELECT 2021-2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Medovich, P.E. Elected Chair of the Board

22 | TAKE FIVE

Defining the Types of Standpipe Systems

24 | HONORING AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS

Contractor Member Erects Monument to Life- and Property-Saving Device

26 | LEGISLATIVE REVIEW 2021

Codes, Standards, and Regulations in the U.S. and Canada

36 | FIRE DEPARTMENT CONNECTIONS

Are There Really That Many Requirements?

39 | MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS: SAFETY PORTAL

A 24/7 Online Resource for Members

40 | MEET YOUR 2022 M/S COUNCIL MEMBERS

Representatives Work on Behalf of Associates

41 | A SECOND CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT SPRINKLERS

Online Contest Educates College Students

42 | ITM OF STANDPIPE SYSTEMS

Clarifying Manual Standpipes and ITM Requirements

44 | NEW TRAINING OPTIONS TO MEET EDUCATION NEEDS

ITM, Hydraulic Calculations, ASSE 15010, and NICET Certification Prep

46 | GROWING MEMBERSHIP

AFSA Ushers in Additional Dues Categories

48 | THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Members Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries

ON THE COVER: Jack Medovich, P.E., CEO, and founding partner of Fire & Life Safety America, Richmond, Virginia has been elected AFSA’s 2022 Chair of the Board of Directors. Also in this issue: NFPA 14.

6 CHAIR’S MESSAGE 8 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 10 FLASHPOINT 50 AFSA NEWS 50 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 51 CHAPTER NEWS 51 ASSOCIATION NEWS 52 AFSA CHAPTERS 53 U.S. CONSTRUCTION 54 #MEMBERSMATTER! 55 NEW MEMBERS 56 TECHNICAL CHALLENGES 58 PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 60 PRODUCT NEWS 61 INDUSTRY NEWS 62 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS SPRINKLER AGE, (ISSN 0896-2685) is published bi-

monthly for $33.95 per year by the American Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc., 12750 Merit Drive, Suite 350, Dallas, Texas 75251. Periodicals postage paid at Dallas, Texas and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SPRINKLER AGE,

12750 Merit Drive, Suite 350, Dallas, Texas 75251.

SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021 5

CHAIR’S MESSAGE

his is my first article since becoming Chair of this tremendous American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). I am truly humbled to serve all of you in this capacity and will do my best to listen to and meet your needs. As members, you are the most important asset of this Association. It is our job, as your Board, to give you the training and support you desire. I want to thank Ted Wills and Wayne Weisz, who were the past two chairs. They led this organization through some difficult times with staff turnover at the highest level. I feel that our current staff is the best it’s ever been with the addition of Bob Caputo as president and John Denhardt as vice president of Engineering & Technical Services who joined an outstanding team, including Laverne Davis, Marlene Garrett, and all the other AFSA employees. John has created the best technical department our industry has ever seen. Kevin Hall, Josh MacDonald, John Johnson, and Victoria Valentine head a technically gifted department waiting to assist you all in dealing with any technical problems you may have. I’m just grateful that Ted and Wayne fixed all the issues before my term started! I’ve been told I need to tell you a little bit about myself for those who haven’t met me yet. I am a son of a New York firefighter who absolutely inspired my career path. Thank you, Dad! I have been a volunteer firefighter for over 40 years. I’ve been in contracting for the past 35 years and was an AHJ prior to that. I am a fire protection engineering graduate from the University of Maryland, a registered professional engineer in multiple states, and have been sitting on NFPA code-writing committees since 1984. I am currently the president and CEO of Fire & Life Safety America. I’ve been on AFSA’s Board of Directors since 2008 and am a past chair of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter and past president of the Virginia Chapter. I also chair a 501c3 organization called the Burn Survivors Foundation (www.burnsurvivorsfoundationva.org), which helps burn survivors in the Mid-Atlantic region. One thing AFSA does very well is represent you all on various NFPA code-writing committees. Our purpose is to protect the contractor during the code-writing process. We make sure any code-modification proposals are, in fact, good fire protection that enhances life safety (believe it or not, some don’t) and that these proposals don’t add unnecessary risk to the contracting community. This edition of Sprinkler Age will focus on NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems. I sat on this standard’s committee for many years until I asked Steve Leyton to take the baton from me and run with it, which he has done better than I could have ever done! Steve now chairs that standard, and we’re very proud of his efforts. Make sure to read the articles contained in this issue. The other thing AFSA does great is PARTY! AFSA40 was the best convention I’ve ever attended. The music, food, and technical sessions were out of this world! Congratulations to Convention Chair Linda Biernacki, the Convention Committee, and Marlene Garrett for setting the bar extremely high for AFSA41 in Las Vegas next year. Make sure to see the pictures and summary contained in this edition as well. I look forward to serving you over the next two years. Please feel free to reach out with any suggestions you may have on enhancing your AFSA experience. Until next time, may God Bless AFSA, the USA, and may God Bless you always and in all ways! n

EDITORIAL: 214-349-5965

BOB CAPUTO, CFPS, Publisher, ext. 124

bcaputo@firesprinkler.org

D’ARCY G. MONTALVO, Editor, ext. 115;

dmontalvo@firesprinkler.org

ADVERTISING: 214-349-5965

REBECCA HERRING, Communications Specialist, ext. 134;

rherring@firesprinkler.org

CIRCULATION: 214-349-5965

REBECCA HERRING, Communications Specialist, ext. 134;

rherring@firesprinkler.org

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

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

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

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

MICHAEL F. MEEHAN, 757-213-3660 JAY STRICKLAND, 301-474-1136 WAYNE WEISZ, 209-334-9119

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

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

Sprinkler Age is devoted to the professional development of the fire sprinkler industry. Deadline is 1st of the month preceding publication. Published by American Fire Sprinkler Association, 12750 Merit Drive, Suite 350, Dallas, Texas 75251. Call (214) 349-5965, FAX (214) 343-8898, or email sprinklerage@firesprinkler.org for information. Copyright © American Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc. All rights reserved. PRINTED IN USA. Unless expressly stated otherwise, all editorial and advertising material published is the opinion of the respective authors and/or companies involved and should not be construed as official action by or approved by Publisher or the Association. Sprinkler Age is a membership benefit, provided free of charge to AFSA members. For information on non-member and/or foreign subscription rates, call (214) 349-5965.

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

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

6 SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021

PRESIDENT’S REPORT wake up most mornings thinking about how lucky I am to serve this industry as AFSA’s president. Our recent annual convention was an absolute grand slam home run on every level. I cannot say thank you enough to the more than 1,050 of you who attended AFSA40 live and in person. All events were well attended and clearly enjoyed by everyone. The formula for success this year was obviously one part COVID-19 exhaustion, one part great music and food, one part great location, and one part hard work by your AFSA staff! Both of our live bands were great, and the ranch party was amazing, with food as good as any restaurant I’ve ever been to. It was great to see so many of you up and dancing, enjoying the hand-rolled cigars and the company of friends. AFSA41 is planned for the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will certainly have a different feel, but I recommend marking your calendar for October 14-19, 2022, because you won’t want to miss what comes next! Please join me in welcoming the latest addition to AFSA’s technical services staff, Victoria Valentine, P.E. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and Master of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) with a minor in Spanish. Valentine brings her 20-plus years of industry experience and technical committee work to strengthen AFSA’s all-star line-up and expand our member services exponentially. She is active in the industry through the American Society of Civil Engineers, International Code Council, National Fire Protection Association, National Institute of Building Sciences, and Society of Fire Protection Engineers. She can be reached at valentine@firesprinkler.org Victoria is married to Dan De Dominic, a sales representative with Reliable Automatic Sprinkler, so we’re talking about a great sprinkler family through and through! Welcome aboard, Victoria! Benjamin Franklin, a founding father of our nation, said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Education lessens the challenges we face in life and business. The more knowledge we gain, the more opportunities we have, individually and collectively. If COVID-19 had a positive side, it would be the enlightenment of the many ways we can deliver education and training here in the 21st century. Ways we would have never considered prior to being locked down for more than a year! Perhaps more importantly, the opportunity to deliver training in smaller bits and bytes and without the need for expensive travel and work interruption in many cases. AFSA’s founding principles and mission are centered on training and education for open shop fire sprinkler contractors, providing personal and professional growth for our members, and increasing growth opportunities for our member companies. The AFSA staff and leadership are constantly searching for ways to improve our programs to meet the needs of this ever-growing industry. With this simple goal in mind, we will be launching several programs we’ve been planning and discussing for many months. First is our three-day hydraulic calculations course with basic hydraulics by hand with a TI 30 hand-held calculator. This course will walk candidates through sprinkler calculations, balancing flows, standpipe calculations, and more. The learning objectives for this course include creating a broader hydraulic thought process for layout technicians,

8 SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021

estimators, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) by understanding the hydraulic and the cost impact of sprinkler types and spacing options, changing K factors and pipe types to reduce friction losses, and a host of concepts to help create well rounded, thoughtful, and more mature designers and plan reviewers. Second, and perhaps most exciting, is AFSA’s three-day, hands-on Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance (ITM) program. This is not a replacement for our existing 20-month ITM training program, but rather is designed for new and legacy inspectors, insurance adjusters, facility managers, AHJs, and anyone responsible for water-based fire protection system ITM. This program will combine classroom and lab time to cover the requirements of NFPA 25 along with tactile experience with a wide variety of valves and fire pumps for hands on inspection and testing. Attendees can see, hear, and touch equipment while conducting hands-on trip tests and flow tests. Let’s break it in the lab and not at your location! Information can be found in this edition of Sprinkler Age and on our website, www.firesprinkler.org. We’re also ushering in our two new apprenticeship training opportunities. The first is our virtual classroom for the book portion of apprenticeship at every level. Starting with Book 1, these virtual classes will be scheduled for alternate Thursdays. They will be available as live training or as recorded content to provide the greatest reach and opportunity for those apprentices whose geography or schedules don’t allow live classroom interaction. Participants can be enrolled in AFSA’s apprenticeship program or any other program with no prerequisite requirements. This training will be open to all registrants with minimal monthly fees to cover all costs, including proctored testing and instructor fees. AFSA’s apprenticeship program will be available for registrants in Q1 of 2022. It will provide an all-encompassing cradle-to-grave nationwide apprenticeship program for those members who have not developed their own federally registered fire sprinkler fitter training program. This program is not intended to compete with existing programs but, rather, provide interested members with an alternative by providing a centralized, managed program based on AFSA’s existing curriculum, which is the basis for all existing open shop sprinkler fitter apprenticeship programs. AFSA’s Intermediate Level Fire Sprinkler Layout Technician course will be available in 2022 as well. The first three days of this two-week program will include an introduction to CAD and REVIT, Continued on page 21

BOB CAPUTO, CFPS AFSA PRESIDENT

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FLASHPOINT

he topic of this month’s column is simple, giving thanks! As I write this column, Thanksgiving is less than a month away. I have so much to be thankful for in my career and life. I want this column to ensure the people involved in my career know I am thankful for them. I cannot possibly mention them all, so if I miss you, please forgive me. My schooling – From my grade school, Monseigneur Slade School; my high school, Mount Saint Joseph High School; to my college, University of Maryland, at College Park. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the Xaverian Brothers, and the lay faculty pushed me to excel. Settling for second best was not an option. I was not only educated in academics, but I was also taught to be a Christian man who respected all people. My professors at the University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Fire Protection Engineering, led by example. They shared their time and expertise to teach me the field of fire protection. My family – I had a Polish mom and a German dad. My sister and I were pushed hard, and bringing home a report card with a B was not acceptable. We were taught to work hard and earn what we wanted. My wife Donna of 34 years has been supportive in my career. Donna has always allowed me to pursue my professional dreams. She was there to raise my two beautiful daughters, Sarah and Stephanie. Stephanie is a special education teacher who has done well. Sarah graduated college and is now working in the sprinkler business. In October of this year, Sarah married her college sweetheart, James. He is a terrific you man, whom I now have the honor of calling my son. James also works in the sprinkler business. My wife is now complaining our family dinner table discussion is about sprinklers. While she complains about it, I am secretly smiling on the inside. My kids are trying to learn from me! What a great feeling. My Strickland family – I had the pleasure of working for Strickland Fire Protection for 28 years. I learned so much from this experience. The owners and my coworkers were terrific and supportive. With them at my side, there was no fire protection project we could not do. My AFSA family – I joined AFSA as an employee in January 2020 and have been a volunteer for them since 1996. Working with long–time employees like Roger, D’Arcy, Leslie, and Marlene has been a joyful experience. The current employees make my job easier. The Education, Communications, Marketing, and Administrative departments support my Engineering and Technical department and me. The technical staff consisting of Kevin, Joshua, John, and our newest team member, Victoria, are the best of the best. The other day, a member texted me and said, “If there was a Super Bowl of sprinkler technical gurus, AFSA would win the game hands down.” Our President and leader, Bob Caputo has been a longtime friend, mentor, and a “brother” to me. When Bob was named the President of AFSA, I was overjoyed. What a great person.

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My mentors in the fire protection business – the list is way too long to include a complete list here but a few highlights. Ronald M. Brave, P.E, was my first employer in the fire protection business, and he taught me how a small company could prosper. Jay Hanna, P.E., guided me on client relations while remaining firm in my beliefs. Jay and Manning Strickland “adopted” me into their family business. And finally, I need to give a big thank you to the AFSA community – The NFPA Standards Council has made its final ruling. All motions and appeals have been completed. Due to the hard work of the AFSA Board of Directors, staff, membership, and friends, the water supply issue, which we opposed, has been removed from the 2022 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. The current language regarding water supplies in the 2019 edition of NFPA 13 will be carried into the 2022 edition. The summary paragraph from NFPA’s official notice states it well: The Council has reviewed the entire record concerning this matter and has considered all the arguments put forward in this appeal. In the view of the Council, this appeal does not present any clear and substantial basis upon which to overturn the results yielded by the NFPA standards development process. Accordingly, the council has voted to deny the appeal. The effect of this action is that NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Automatic Sprinkler Systems, 2022 edition, will not include text of First revision No. 1195. We faced an uphill battle on this issue. Our efforts paid off. Thanks to all! I am so thankful for my career. However, unfortunately, our industry just lost a good man, Robert “Bobby” Dunn. I worked alongside Bobby for several years and then worked with him on many projects after leaving the same employer. Bobby will be missed, but his spirit will live in me forever. Look for his “In Memoriam” in a future issue of Sprinkler Age. I am thankful for Bobby’s friendship, knowledge, and dedication to this industry. And I am thankful for you, the readers of Sprinkler Age and members of this industry! I am thankful that what we do as an industry makes a difference. I wish everyone a very Happy and blessed Thanksgiving! n

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

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SAN ANTONIO SENSATION AFSA40 WAS A TEXAS-SIZED SUCCESS!

D’ARCY MONTALVO | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION his year, the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) was thrilled to welcome attendees to AFSA40: Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition in San Antonio, Texas, September 18-21. Over 1,050 fire sprinkler contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, architects, Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), and other industry professionals flocked to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa to celebrate AFSA’s four decades of dedication to merit shop contractors and the fire sprinkler industry. “AFSA40 drew a crowd that rivaled 2019, our last convention before COVID hit,” comments AFSA President Bob Caputo. “We were ecstatic to welcome everyone back in person to America’s largest fire sprinkler industry event!” In addition to attending over 60 technical, managerial, and NextGen Initiative (NGI) seminars, attendees explored AFSA’s exhibit hall, filling the resort’s convention center with booths featuring the products and services of 87 exhibiting companies. AFSA also offered local AHJs a free plan review seminar and a chance to explore the industry’s largest exhibition. Social events, networking meals, and a Hall of History display rounded out the convention’s schedule. The convention began with a golf tournament on Saturday, September 18, held at the Canyons Course of TPC San Antonio. There were 128 participants in the tournament, and prizes were awarded to the teams that took first place, second place, third place, and last place, as well as to the man and woman with the longest drive, straightest drive, and closest to the pin.

H. Butch Browning (center) received the Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year award from Legislative Chair Stacey Fantauzzi (left) and Convention Chair Linda Biernacki (right).

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George DiMatteo (left) was chosen as AFSA’s 2021 Henry S. Parmelee Award recipient and received his award from 2019-2021 Chair of the Board Ted Wills at the AFSA40 General Session. Winners for the golf tournament were First Place: Scott Cox, Dan Madson, Matt McGuire, and Larry Sander. Second Place: Ray Misfeldt, Jace Misfeldt, Tayler Misfeldt, and Luke Gaeta. Third place: Bob Caputo, Andrew Medovich, Jack Medovich, and Rob Sell. Last place honors were awarded to Joe Amberger, Jonathan Carl, Chris Kvistad, and Bill Phair. For the contests, Rob Sell won the Men’s Straightest Drive and Tayler Misfeldt won the Women’s Straightest Drive. Wes Baker was the Men’s Closest to the Pin and Megan Winder was the Women’s Closest to the Pin. The Men’s Longest Drive was won by Ryan Mcintyre, and the Women’s Longest Drive was won by Megan Winder.

Scott Cox, Cox Fire Protection, Tampa, Florida, (left) was presented with the 2021 Young Professional of the Year award by 2020-2021 NextGen Chair Meaghen Wills.

The seven finalists for the 2021 National Apprentice Competition were celebrated during the general session. From left to right: James Rico, Western Fire Protection, Inc., Poway, California; Matthew Tyre, Titan Fire Protection, Inc., Vista, California; James Ainey, Cox Fire Protection, Inc., Tampa, Florida; Jason Collins, All Fire Solutions, Greenwood, Indiana; Corten Dobesh, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Rapid City, South Dakota; Connor Jones, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah; and Jonas Cassity, Kobobel Fire Protection, LLC, Windsor, Colorado. The day rounded out with an AFSA40 Opening Party at the River Bend Pavilion featuring live music by London Calling, a nine-piece Austin band; dancing, outdoor games; and a buffetstyle barbeque dinner. Sunday was a day full of learning and earning education credits at AFSA40 seminars. New this year, AFSA offered some of the sessions virtually. Fifty-one registrants took advantage of these offerings over a four-day period. Many attendees also took time Sunday afternoon to explore Texas Hill Country wineries during AFSA’s Fredericksburg Wine Tour. The evening featured an NGI social hour for all AFSA40 attendees to mix and mingle with

professionals under 40 interested in networking with peers and mentors. Monday offered more seminars followed by the general session, where attendees celebrated four decades of dedication to merit shop fire protection contractors and the commitment to saving lives and protecting properties from fire. AFSA 2019-2021 Chair of the Board Ted Wills presented the 2021 Henry S. Parmelee Award to George DiMatteo, president of Ferguson Fire & Fabrication, who has been dedicated to the fire protection industry and its members for over 40 years. In addition, 2021 Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year Butch Browning, Louisiana State Fire Marshal, was honored for his commitment to the fire sprinkler industry. Finally, Scott

AFSA unveiled its Hall of History to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The display featured videos and memorabilia from the past four decades. SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021 13

Cox, co-owner and president of Cox Fire Protection, Tampa, Florida, received AFSA’s 2021 Young Professional of the Year award for his service to the next generation of industry leaders on local and national levels. Attendees were then invited to the Exhibition Grand Opening Reception for a first look at this year’s exhibiting companies and to enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. On Tuesday, the seminars continued for a final day of learning and earning CEUs and CPDs. To view and print AFSA40 certificates, attendees must sign in to the Attendee Services Center and complete evaluations from the seminars they attended. If all the seminars aren’t listed, email AFSA’s Education & Meeting Services Department at education@firesprinkler.org. The exhibits opened again on Tuesday afternoon with great attendance. Four hundred exhibitors from 87 exhibiting companies took over the hall, and attendees enjoyed learning about new products and services for the fire sprinkler industry and networking with fellow industry professionals. During the exhibition, the nation’s top seven fire sprinkler fitter apprentices, from the 150 apprentices who entered this year’s contest, installed mini-sprinkler systems for the enthusiastic crowd. That evening, the annual Awards Party took place at Knibbe Ranch, a real Texas working ranch. Guests enjoyed a steak dinner with all the trimmings, live country music, dancing, cigars, photo opportunities with Texas longhorns, armadillo racing, and fireworks to celebrate AFSA’s 40th anniversary! The highlight of the evening was the announcement of apprentice competition winners: Matthew Tyre, Titan Fire Protection, Inc., Vista, California, won first place at this year’s competition as well as a cash prize of $5,000. Connor Jones, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, won second place and a $3,000 cash prize. James Ainey, Cox Fire Protection, Inc., Tampa, Florida, took home third place along with a cash prize of $2,000. Honorable mentions and $1,000 cash prizes were awarded to Jonas Cassity, Kobobel Fire Protection, LLC, Windsor, Colorado; Jason Collins, All Fire Solutions, Greenwood, Indiana; Corten Dobesh, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Rapid City, South Dakota; and James Rico, Western Fire Protection, Inc., Poway, California. All competition winners also received a commemorative award and tools.

Top Photo: Paulene Norwood (left) and Danielle Fowler fully embraced the San Antonio vibe! Left-column photos from top to bottom: It was a beautiful evening under a gorgeous Texas sky for dinner, dancing, and games. Ted Wills (left), Jack Viola (center), and Chris Johnson enjoyed visiting. The FirstPlace Team celebrated winning the golf tournament. Right photo: Bill Phair (center) accepted the award for Last-Place Team Finish from Buck Buchanan and Linda Biernacki.

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The Awards Party provided an unforgettable evening! Clockwise, from l to r: Incoming Chair Jack Medovich (left) celebrated with Outgoing Chair Ted Wills. The top three apprentices proudly showed off their awards. Laura and Manning Strickland joined in the fun. Cuban cigars were hand rolled for guests. Francie and Lyle Hall pose with a Texas longhorn. A steak dinner with all the trimmings delighted guests. AFSA President Bob Caputo (left) and Russ and Jean Leavitt made time to visit. Sherry and Chris Kachura (left), Leah and Dwight Bateman (right), and Venessa and Chip Bateman (seated) enjoyed socializing. SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021 15

“This year’s convention was a true celebration of the fire sprinkler industry coming together for AFSA’s 40th anniversary,” comments Marlene Garrett, AFSA senior director of meeting & education services. “We were so happy to welcome everyone back and so excited by the turnout! We can’t wait to do this again next year.”

A SURE BET IN VEGAS Want to join in on the fun next year? Mark your calendars for AFSA41: Convention, Exhibition & Apprentice Competition October 15-19, 2022, at the Bellagio Las Vegas. For more information on this annual event, visit firesprinkler.org/AFSA40. To view additional photos of the action, visit AFSA’s Flickr photo page at flickr.com/afsa. n

Photos: The Exhibition Grand Opening Reception offered heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and the first chance to visit the top companies in the fire sprinkler industry, offering the best products and services.

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MAINTAINING FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS HELPS MAINTAIN SAFETY.

SPRINKLERS FOR SAFE STORAGE

PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SMOKE DETECTION

SYSTEMS ITM

CONSTANT, UNPARALLELED KNOWLEDGE IS REAL POWER. Help maximize efficiency, avoid errors, and get the job done right. Whether you’re installing fire alarms and emergency communications or inspecting water-based fire protection systems, NFPA® is your expert source for training, certifications, and access to the latest codes and standards. Stay at the forefront of fire protection systems with NFPA.

Learn more at nfpa.org/fpssolutions

The members of the 2021-2022 Executive Committee are (l to r): Chair Jack Medovich, P.E.; First Vice Chair Linda Biernacki; Second Vice Chair Paul DeLorie; Secretary Jeff Phifer; Treasurer Rod DiBona; and Immediate Past Chair Ted Wills.

MEMBERS ELECT 2021-2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS JACK MEDOVICH, P.E. ELECTED CHAIR OF THE BOARD

D’ARCY MONTALVO | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

he American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) held its 2021-2022 officer elections during the September 2021 Board meeting. Jack Medovich, P.E., president/CEO and founding partner, Fire & Life Safety America, Richmond, Virginia, was elected as Chair of the Board. Other officers elected were First Vice Chair Linda M. Biernacki, Region 4 Director and president, Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana; Second Vice Chair Paul DeLorie, Region 7 Chair and senior vice president of Hampshire Fire Protection Company, Londonderry, New Hampshire; Secretary Jeff Phifer, Region 5 Director and president and CEO of Crawford Sprinkler Co. of South Carolina; and Treasurer Rod DiBona, Region 3 Director and

chief operating officer (COO) of the Rapid Fire Protection Group (R.F.P.G), Rapid City, South Dakota.

MEDOVICH TO LEAD THE BOARD At-Large Director and Chair Jack A. Medovich, P.E., is CEO and founding partner of Fire & Life Safety America in Richmond, Virginia. A 1983 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Fire Protection Engineering, Medovich served three years as fire marshal of Fairfax County, Virginia, before joining the fire sprinkler industry 35 years ago. He has been active in AFSA since 1991, is a past chair of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter, and served the Virginia Chapter as chair and as a member of the board of directors for many years. He represents AFSA on the Correlating Committee on Automatic Sprinkler Systems, encompassing NFPA 13, 13R, 13D, 24, and 291. In the past, he has served as a member of the following NFPA committees: NFPA 14, 20, 25, 101, 750, and 5000.

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“Training, recruiting, growth, and diversity will be my focus for the next two years,” comments Medovich. “Training has been the founding principle of our association since the very beginning. We are excellent in this category, and we cannot take our eye off the ball. We must continue to provide all of the necessary training and education our members need with the best technical staff our industry has ever seen!” Recruiting is also important to Medovich and the Board Directors. “We need to develop a plan to bring people into our industry. One way to do this is through word of mouth. Through cascading leadership, we need to make our employees ambassadors of our industry, not just merely workers. Our employees need to be proud of what they do—saving lives—and be our recruiting ‘boots on the ground’ to friends, family members, and everyone they meet. We all know that taking employees from each other is just a short-term fix. We need to add people to our collective workforce to solve this issue long-term.” He continues: “Growth is tied to recruiting since it’s impossible to grow without adding people to our workforce. One avenue to growth will come from our NextGen Initiative. We need to take this initiative seriously and invest the proper funding and effort to bring this young and talented group of people into our industry.” Medovich notes that the military is another resource for growth. “Where else can we find a group of dedicated, hard-working individuals who have been saving lives already? It’s a natural transition to bring them into our family.”

Lyle Hall

Chris Johnson

Don Kaufman

Finally, Medovich will focus on diversity. “There is a whole group of people out there that we haven’t even introduced ourselves to, generally speaking, of course. They all have tremendous assets that our industry could utilize while giving them—and all of our employees—a tremendous career opportunity. In summary, Medovich says, “We obviously have the normal blocking and tackling that we need to do every day but keeping these objectives in mind might get us to the next level as an association and an industry.” As Chair of the Board, Medovich leads the AFSA Board of Directors, which is comprised of seven Regional Directors (one for each of the seven membership regions), At-Large Directors, and the Immediate Past Chair. The Board has a wide array of expertise, experience, and education that provides strong support to both the Chair and the association as a whole.

REGIONAL DIRECTORS Region 1 Director Lyle Hall, president and co-owner of Western Fire Protection in Poway, California, has been in the fire sprinkler industry for 43 years, with the last 27 years at Western Fire. Prior to that, he was a helicopterbased wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service. He has a degree in fire science with continuing education at the University of California San Diego. Hall started in the fire sprinkler industry as an apprentice pipefitter and worked his way into design, project management, sales, and eventually management. His past accomplishments include past director on the San Diego Fire Protection Association board; past chapter chair of the San Diego Chapter of the AFSA; past chair of the California American Fire Sprinkler Association – Unilateral Apprenticeship Committee; and past chair of the California Fire Training Alliance. Hall currently serves on the California American Fire Sprinkler Association – Unilateral Apprenticeship Committee and was the Chair on AFSA’s Apprenticeship & Education Subcommittee to develop the ITM program. He currently serves on various AFSA committees and is on the board of directors for the San Diego Chapter of the AFSA. Region 2 Director is Don Kaufman, president of Kaufman Fire Protection, Albuquerque, New Mexico. With over 44

Michael Meehan

Jay Strickland

Wayne Weisz

years in the sprinkler business, Kaufman was instrumental in starting AFSA’s New Mexico Chapter and is a past president of the chapter. On the national level, Kaufman served as the 2009-2011 Chair of the Board and has chaired several committees. He also served as chair of the New Mexico State Board for Professional Engineers and Surveyors, three terms as chair of the New Mexico State Apprentice Council, and currently serves on the New Mexico Construction Industries Commission. He is an active member of Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), past president of ABC’s New Mexico Chapter, member of the American Society of Professional Estimators, and past charter president of Albuquerque Rotary Del Sol. Region 3 Director and Treasurer Rod DiBona is the COO of the Rapid Fire Protection Group (R.F.P.G), a Pye Barker Company, with branches throughout the United States, headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota. DiBona entered the fire protection industry in 1990 and entered the AFSA apprenticeship program in 1991. In October of 1993, he was asked by Marty Hammon to join him, his son, and his son-in-law to create Rapid Fire Protection. DiBona currently serves on the board of directors for R.F.P.G. He is a NICET (National Institute of Certification in Engineering Technologies) Level III Certified Engineering Technician in Water-Based Systems Layout. Serving as Region 4 Director and First Vice Chair, Linda M. Biernacki is the founder/president of Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana. Fire Tech has two offices and licenses in six states. Biernacki provides over 31 years of industry experience, knowledge, and background. She is 2022-2023 chair elect for the NICET board, past president and board member of the Louisiana Fire Sprinkler Association (LFSA), represents AFSA on the NFPA 232 Committee for Protection of Records, and is past AFSA40 Convention Committee and Membership & Chapter Development chair. Biernacki is certified in NICET Level III Fire Protection Engineering Technology Water-Based Systems Layout and is certified by the Women’s Business Council Gulf Coast. Region 5 Director and Secretary of the Board Jeff Phifer is president and CEO of Crawford Sprinkler Company of SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021 19

Construction Workforce Development Taskforce in 2017, has served on the Board of ABC for the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter since 2015 and is currently the incoming chair, and has also served on the ABC Florida State Board. He holds a Florida Fire Protection Contractor I License and Fire Equipment Dealers’ Licenses Class A and D.

Dwight Bateman (left), who announced his retirement from the AFSA Board of Directors, was honored by Ted Wills for his service to the association and its members at the AFSA40 General Session.

South Carolina, based in Lugoff, South Carolina, one of the oldest family-owned and continuously operated fire sprinkler contractors in the nation. Crawford celebrated its 100th year in 2020. Phifer has been at Crawford for 44 years, working as a fitter, service technician, and in administration. In 1999, he became the third generation to be president and chairman of the board at Crawford Sprinkler Company. Region 6 Director Michael F. Meehan is president of VSC Fire & Security, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. A 1981 graduate from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, Meehan began his fire sprinkler career working summers as a pipefitter apprentice. He is a NICET Level IV Certified Engineering Technician in Water-Based Systems Layout and has more than 41 years’ experience in sprinkler design engineering, estimating, project management, and senior management. Meehan is a past AFSA Chair of the Board and represents installing contractors and AFSA on the NFPA 13 committee. Region 7 Director and Second Vice Chair of the Board Paul DeLorie is senior vice president of Hampshire Fire Protection Co., based in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Hampshire Fire Protection is one of the largest merit shop fire sprinkler companies in New England. DeLorie is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire. He has over 37 years’ experience in sprinkler design, estimating, sales, project management, and senior management.

AT-LARGE DIRECTORS At-Large Director Chris Johnson is president and CEO of Piper Fire Protection, Inc., located in Clearwater, Florida. He has served in that capacity since 2002. Johnson is a NICET-certified fire protection Engineering Technician, holding a Level III certification in fire sprinkler design. He has served AFSA’s Florida Chapter since 2011 as Education and Legislative Committee chair as well as vice chair and chair of the chapter. Johnson was appointed to represent the industry on Florida’s 20 SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021

Jay Strickland serves as an At-Large Director. He is president of Strickland Fire Protection and co-owner with his two sons, Josh and Micah Strickland. Strickland Fire Protection is located in Forestville, Maryland, and was established in 1983. Strickland has been involved in the fire protection industry for nearly 40 years. He is a past chair of the AFSA Chesapeake Bay Chapter and serves on the Advisory Board for BB&T of Prince Georges County, Maryland. Strickland is NICET Level II, Fire Protection, Water-Based System Layout. At-Large Director Wayne Weisz started his career as an apprentice in 1979 and worked his way up through the ranks to foreman and later general superintendent at American Fire Systems in Lodi, California. In 1986, Weisz and his brother Byron founded Cen-Cal Fire Systems, Inc. in Lodi, California, and, in 1997, he established D-M Fabrication, an independent pipe fabricator serving the western U.S., which later sold to a national supplier. Cen-Cal Fire Systems became an AFSA member in 1987, and Weisz has been on the AFSA national Board since 2005. He is actively involved in the AFSA Sacramento Valley Chapter, which he helped to establish in 1999. He has been very involved with apprenticeship issues in California and served on CAFSA’s California Apprenticeship Training Board for over 20 years, including two terms as its chair. At-Large Director and Immediate Past Chair Ted Wills is president of Anchor Fire Protection Company, Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania. He was an active member of AFSA in its early years, serving on the AFSA Board of Directors from 1987-1993. He began his fire sprinkler industry career in 1972 in the sprinkler division of his father’s mechanical company. Upon graduation from Waynesburg College in Pennsylvania, he and his father started Anchor Fire Protection as a separate company. Ex-Officio (non-voting) members of the Board are Don Becker, AFSA Life Member, Dallas Center, Iowa; Joe Heinrich; Bamford Fire Sprinkler Co., Inc., Salina, Kansas; Bob Rees, API, High Point, North Carolina; Manning Strickland, Strickland Fire Protection, Inc., Forestville, Maryland; Willie Templin, American Automatic Sprinkler, Fort Worth, Texas; Larry Thibodeau, Hampshire Fire Protection Co., LLC, Londonderry, New Hampshire; Jack Viola, JFV Engineering, LLC, South Hadley, Massachusetts; and AFSA President Bob Caputo, CFPS.

RETIRING DIRECTOR HONORED Region 4 Director Dwight E. Bateman, founder and president of Southeast Fire Protection, Inc. in Houston, is retiring from the Board this year. He began his career as vice president of Semico International, Inc., a fire sprinkler contractor, and opened Southeast Fire Protection in 1986. Bateman has over 43 years of

experience in the industry. He joined AFSA in 1989. He has served on the Board of Directors since 2003 and was Chair of the Board from 2011 through 2013. Ted Wills, 2019-2021 Chair of the Board, recognized Bateman and all he has done for the association during the opening general session of AFSA40. “I want to thank Dwight for his service to AFSA and the association,” comments Wills. “We greatly appreciate his contributions and the time he has spent working for AFSA members.”

ELIMINATE

FLOODING FROM BROKEN AUXILIARY DRAINS

HERE TO SERVE YOU AFSA’s Board of Directors is strongly committed to the continuance of the merit shop philosophy; the promotion of property and life safety through the use of automatic fire protection; and the continued development of training for fire sprinkler fitters, layout technicians, inspectors, and management. AFSA members are encouraged to voice any questions or suggestions with any member of the Board or staff. If you have a question or comment, please see the list of contacts located in the front of every issue of Sprinkler Age or on the AFSA website at www.firesprinkler.org/board. n

PRESIDENT’S REPORT CONT. FROM PAGE 8

presented with our training partners, Hydratec Software. This introductory course will be conducted with gaming-level laptop computers provided. Of course, participants are welcome to bring their own laptop and software, but we will be training on importing and converting files as well as creating and working with fire sprinkler system layouts in these formats. The remaining time will be spent getting deeper into NFPA 13, with a strong focus on storage occupancy design strategies. Class sizes will be limited, so early registration will be encouraged. If you’ve gotten this far into my column, you might be wondering why I‘m always talking about and pushing new training programs, while I’m always wondering how it’s possible that we struggle to fill our classes and seminars. Members constantly tell us they don’t have enough qualified people for the workload and backlog they have. Yet, we offer industry-leading training options to help fill the gaps that very few members take advantage of. AFSA exists to meet the needs of our members, increase political influence, and create networking opportunities. The feedback we receive from members and chapter leaders drives our decisions to invest in the creation of training programs and which ones we keep or drop over time. Please reach out and tell us if these programs are on target or if we’re missing the mark. We need your feedback and, more so, we need your support to fill the pipeline with participants in these structured training offerings. I am looking forward to seeing many of you in person at a future local chapter meeting. n

M5900 • Stops Flooding caused by Auxiliary Drain Breaks due to Freezing, Improper Maintenance, or Vandalism • For Dry and Pre-Action Systems • Compatible with Compressed Air and Nitrogen Systems • No Power Required • Automatically Resets after System Repair • Retrofit onto Existing Auxiliary Drains • Made in the USA

www.agfmfg.com SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021 21

TAKE FIVE DEFINING THE TYPES OF STANDPIPE SYSTEMS KEVIN HALL, M.ENG., P.E., ET, CWBSP, PMSFPE | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

ow many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? Neither the clever fox, the old tortoise, nor the wise owl could provide an accurate count. As the commercial goes—the world may never know. When asking the fox, tortoise, and owl of the sprinkler industry how many types of standpipes exist in NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems, 2019 edition, the number may vary based on their approach. The

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clever fox might say that there are 10, the old tortoise could say there are seven, but the wise owl would say five, and this is why the owl is correct. When looking through NFPA 14, the standard provides seven sub-definitions under standpipe system types: 1. Automatic Dry Standpipe System 2. Automatic Wet Standpipe System 3. Combined Standpipe System 4. Manual Dry Standpipe System 5. Manual Wet Standpipe System 6. Semiautomatic Dry Standpipe System 7. Wet Standpipe System

Of the seven definitions provided, only five should be considered actual standpipe system types. Other than specifying that paddle-type waterflow devices can only be installed on wet standpipe systems, that definition is extraneous. As for a combined standpipe system, that will be discussed later. Standpipe systems have two components that determine their type. In order to define the type of standpipe, the capacity of the water supply needs to be known and what fluid is normally contained within the pipe. If the water supply is not capable of supplying the standpipe system demand and relies on the pressure introduced by the fire department at the fire department connection (FDC), then the standpipe is manual. If the water supply, excluding the pressure from the FDC, is capable of supplying the standpipe system demand, then the standpipe is automatic. When the water supply is capable of supplying the standpipe system demand, but the full water supply is held back until a device at a hose valve is activated, then the standpipe is semiautomatic. With the first component being defined by the supply, there are three options to choose from. The second component that defines a standpipe system type is much easier to determine. Simply ask if the pipe is normally filled with water or if the pipe is normally filled with air (or nitrogen). If the pipe is filled with water, then the standpipe is wet. If the pipe is filled with air (or nitrogen), then the standpipe is dry. With the

second component being defined by the fluids normally maintained within the pipe of the standpipe, there are two options to choose from. Given three options for supplies and two options for the fluid maintained inside the pipe, there are six possible combinations for standpipe system types—automatic wet, automatic dry, semiautomatic wet, semiautomatic dry, manual wet, manual dry. While semiautomatic wet standpipe systems may be a possible combination, they do not have much of a practical application in the real world; thus, there are no specific requirements for them within NFPA 14. Maybe there is a Class III system installed somewhere where the pressures available at the hose connection are acceptable for Class II demands but require activation of another automatic source to supply the Class I demands, but that is unlikely—especially with the trend in the industry to remove small hose connections installed in Class II systems. Going back to the combined system, while it is currently a sub-definition of standpipe system, it really should have a separate definition. A combined system in and of itself would not clearly define a standpipe system. You would still need to utilize a supply and type as described above. The only thing that the designation of a combined system tells you is that the standpipe system and the sprinkler system share a water supply and a common riser. The sprinkler system must still be installed to meet the requirements of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, and the standpipe system must still be installed to meet the requirements of NFPA 14. This definition simply allows for sprinkler systems to be fed from standpipe risers or hose connections to be located on sprinkler risers. It doesn’t matter if you think they got chocolate in your peanut butter or got peanut butter in their chocolate; both standards need to be followed. NFPA 14 is currently undergoing a major reorganization, and much like the

2019 reorganization of NFPA 13, the layout of the standard should create a better document for designers and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) to walk through. The first draft report is currently open for public comment, and AFSA encourages all members to review the document and provide any recommended changes to the technical committee. The standards development process does not work without the public, and we need your ideas and thoughts to make the most out of this global document. n ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Hall is the coordinator of engineering and technical services for AFSA. He is a member of and involved in, several NFPA technical committees responsible for developing the model codes and standards including, NFPA 1 Fire Code, NFPA 13/13R/13D Installation of Sprinkler Systems, NFPA 20 Installation of Stationary Fire Pumps for Fire Protection, NFPA 30 Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, and NFPA 915 Remote Inspections. He also represents AFSA on numerous UL standard technical panels responsible for revising and maintaining the product standards used in the sprinkler industry. Hall is a registered professional engineer in Delaware and Maryland, a NICET III in water-based system layout, a Certified Water-Based System Professional (NFPA), and a professional member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE). He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park, in fire protection engineering. Prior to his association and committee work, Hall worked for Reliance Fire Protection in Baltimore, Maryland, as a project manager overseeing projects of various sizes and complexity for the Contracts Division.

SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021 23

HONORING AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS CONTRACTOR MEMBER ERECTS MONUMENT TO LIFE- AND PROPERTY-SAVING DEVICE

D’ARCY MONTALVO | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCATION

milio Rodriguez, owner of PACISA (Protección Automática Contra Incendios S.A.) in Alcobendas, Spain, has been passionate about fire protection for over 55 years. His company is an international contractor member of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) and recently financed a unique project to honor the automatic fire sprinkler and increase public awareness about its benefits. The idea of erecting a sprinkler monument began 15 years ago, in 2006. A new roundabout was required to access the industrial area where PACISA is located. Local Authorities required the company to donate a portion of its premises (approximately 6,000 ft2) to create the roundabout. “Our company agreed to this altruistic collaboration in exchange for having the possibility of naming this roundabout [or ‘plaza’ in Spanish] as Plaza del Sprinkler,” comments Rodriguez. “We also asked permission to install a monument honoring Henry S. Parmelee and featuring an automatic sprinkler.” He continues: “The authorities said then that it could be a possibility in the ‘near future,’ but I can hardly believe that ‘near future’ meant 15 years later!” Rodriguez was persistent, reminding every newly elected mayor about the agreement and continuing his company’s commitment to the city. “Over the last few years, PACISA has been deeply involved with the city of Alcobendas, supporting local sports events and even sponsoring the city’s female basketball team.” Finally, in June of this year, Rodriguez received written authorization to proceed. PACISA worked with Sculptor Anselmo Iglesias Poli (http://www.anse.space) to make the long-time dream of the monument come true. The project was financed mainly by PACISA. “We asked the top sprinkler manufacturers to use one of their models for the monument, and Viking agreed,” notes Rodriguez. “Poli created a bronze-casted piece of an upright sprinkler head, over 6.5-ft high and weighing 2,200 lbs, onto a Corten steel base, turning our dream into reality.” The monument was unveiled on September 17, 2021, by Emilio Rodriguez, CEO of PACISA, and Rafael Sanchez,

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The world’s first monument to automatic fire sprinklers is located in Alcobendas, Spain.

mayor of Alcobendas, on the newly named Plaza del Sprinkler roundabout. The “super sprinkler” is supported on a steel-based frame with a plaque affixed that reads: “SPRINKLER AUTOMÁTICO HENRY S. PARMELEE 1874” as the main intention is to honor the first patented automatic sprinkler. “As far as we know, this is the first monument in the world to recognize this most efficient device on fire protection, and we at PACISA, after 46 years of total dedication to

Top two photos: In September, the monument was unveiled with many city officials in attendance. Bottom left photo: A plaque explains what automatic fire sprinkler are and their function. Bottom right photo: The roundabout featuring the sprinkler monument has been renamed Plaza del Sprinkler. sprinkler installation, are indeed very proud of this milestone,” summarizes Rodriguez. “I don’t know whether everyone in the United States knows what an automatic sprinkler is, but certainly in Spain the answer is no, they don’t,” he says. “To help educate everyone, we have fixed an explanatory plate that anyone can read a brief explanation of what the monument is, in English and Spanish. Furthermore, our city hall’s Culture Department will incorporate a visit to this place as part of its cultural routes.” Alcobendas is the Spain’s third-largest business city, only after Madrid and Barcelona, and is the Spanish headquarters for companies such as British Petroleum, Cisco, Ford, Galp, Lilly, Mercedes, PACISA, Pfizer, Samsung, and Volkswagen. “The monument is beautiful, and we are jealous that it was created in Spain. I would love to be driving past it here in the United States each day!” comments AFSA President Bob Caputo, CFPS. “We are grateful for PACISA’s dedication to protecting the world from the devastation of fire and finding a unique way to achieve public awareness of automatic fire sprinklers.” Undoubtedly, the residents of Alcobendas are noticing the new plaza and monument and will learn about the benefits of fire sprinklers. Kudos to this forward-thinking contractor! n SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021 25

LEGISLATIVE REVIEW 2021 CODES, STANDARDS, AND REGULATIONS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA

his issue of Sprinkler Age features our 34th annual legislative review. This summary of legislation and codes offers a quick overview of regulations affecting the fire sprinkler industry in individual states and Canadian provinces. The information in these charts was gathered from a survey sent to the fire marshals of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the provinces of Canada in the fall of 2021. If a response was not received, information that appeared in the 2020 Legislative Review (November/ December 2020 Sprinkler Age) has been reprinted, and the fact that the information is a repeat is denoted by an asterisk (*) after the state or province name in the left column of the chart.

SURVEY QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES The 2021 AFSA Legislative Survey asked the following questions: 1. What, if any, national codes have been adopted by your state? 2a. In adopting the national codes, were any amendments or modifications made to the code or referenced standard (i.e., NFPA 13, 101, etc., or state supplemental rules) that affect fire sprinklers? 2b. If yes, what were the significant modifications (or provide a Web address to reference)? 3a. Which edition of NFPA 13 have you adopted, either directly or indirectly by code reference? 3b. If you haven’t adopted the latest edition of NFPA 13, do you allow local jurisdictions to use the latest edition? 4. Do the codes adopted by your state have a minimum base or a minimum/ maximum for enforcement purposes? 5. Is the scope of state code enforcement limited to the type of occupancy and/or other requirements (i.e., public

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assembly over 100, business over 50 ft, etc.), or is it all encompassing? 6. If buildings are not included in the state jurisdiction, is there a recognized code adoption recommended for local authorities or is it on individual preference? 7. Are you in a code revision/ adoption cycle now? If yes, what codes and years do you anticipate adopting? 8. Has your state adopted NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems? 9. Does your state have any pending legislation regarding fire sprinklers, more restrictive or less restrictive, for: Hotels & Apartments, Dwellings & Lodging Housing, Health Care, High-Rise, Nursing Homes, Education, Public Assembly, Business Occupancies, Mercantile, Institutional, Other. 10. Are you adopting the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC)? If yes, will it be adopted with the residential sprinkler requirement intact or modified/removed? If modified, please specify modifications. 11. Does your state have fire sprinkler retrofitting requirements for the following occupancies? Hotels & Apartments, Dwellings & Lodging Housing, HighRise, Health Care, Nursing Homes, Education, Public Assembly, Business Occupancies, Mercantile, Institutional, College Dormitories, Other. 12. Are there any towns/cities that you are aware of that have retrofitting requirements in excess of the state requirement? List a contact person and phone number for retrofitting information. 13. Does your state require a P.E. to do sprinkler design concepts (i.e., identify occupancies and water supply)? 14. Does the Office of the State Fire Marshal have authority over all projects in the state or only over state-owned or state-financed projects?

15. Are there any local jurisdictions that you know of in your state that have residential ordinances for the following occupancies? Single-family, multi-family, high-rise condo/apartment? Please list. 16. Does your jurisdiction offer any incentives or initiatives to encourage property owners to install residential and/or commercial fire sprinklers in your area/state? 17. Please provide a telephone number that a person can call if he/she has questions about jurisdiction in your state (i.e. state vs. local authorities) regarding fire sprinkler plan review/inspection. 18. Does your state require certification of Plan Reviewers? Inspectors (AHJs)? 19. Does your state require licensing for: Fire Sprinkler Contractors? Fire Sprinkler Fitters? Fire Sprinkler Technicians? Fire Sprinkler Inspections? Fire Alarm Inspections (separate from sprinkler)? 20. Does your state require licensing for sprinkler drawings: P.E./Architect Seal? NICET Level III? NICET Level IV? Other (i.e., NFPA’s CWBSD, etc.) 21. Does your state require any of the following for those who perform inspection, testing and maintenance of waterbased fire protection systems? NICET Level I? NICET Level II? NICET Level III? Other (e.g., CSA, Local)? 22. Does your state require seismic protection on fire sprinkler systems? 22. Do you require a signed copy of the owner’s certification (see NFPA 13, section 4.2) as part of the working plan submittal? The tables on pages 30 through 33 provide the answers to most of the survey questions. The table on page 34 provides licensing and certification information (questions 18-20). The tables on page 35 provide the telephone numbers requested in questions 12 and 17 and the answers to questions 21 and 22.

SURVEY FINDINGS Regarding pending sprinkler legislation (question 9) for the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, Indiana indicated pending legislation for fire sprinklers “to transfer to the fire code from building code.” For dwellings and lodging housing, Massachusetts has more restrictive and less restrictive legislation for “multiple legislative items.” New Hampshire* follows NFPA 101, Life Safety Code®, regarding fire sprinkler legislation. Oregon* is considering legislation for high-rises. West Virginia* has more restrictive legislation pending for hotels and apartments, dwelling and lodging housing, healthcare, nursing homes, education, public assembly business occupancies, mercantile, and institutional. The state also has less restrictive legislation pending for high-rises. Question 10 concerns the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC). Most states indicated they were not adopting that edition for this year’s survey. States that responded “yes” include California, Florida*, Hawaii (the state’s revised statute 46-198 “ ... no county shall require

installation or retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers in new or existing one- or two-family dwelling unit ... ”), Idaho* (sprinklers not required in one- and two-family dwellings), and Maryland (with the residential sprinkler requirement intact). Iowa is adopting the 2021 IRC without the sprinkler requirement. Georgia* House Bill 1196 (2010 legislative session) prohibits any residential sprinkler requirement, past or future. Massachusetts has adopted the 2021 IRC “traditionally modified to remove sprinkler requirements for under 14,000 ft2 oneand two-family dwellings.” Montana* has adopted the code. Minnesota* has adopted the IRC with “single-family and duplex exempt from sprinkler protection; townhomes (three or more under same roof ) required to be sprinkler protected.” New York* adopted the code with the “removal of NFPA 13D one- and twofamily requirement.” North Dakota* adopted but “removed the requirement due to state law.” Tennessee adopted the IRC, noting that “TCA 68-120-101(a)(8) does not allow mandatory adoption so Section R313 is removed.”

California has adopted the code and Colorado* has adopted it for dwellings associated with public schools. Connecticut* indicated it has adopted the code. The 2015 Michigan* Residential Code was to become effective in February 2016 and was to adopt by reference the 2015 edition of the IRC with amendments, deletions, and additions deemed necessary for use in the state. North Dakota* is adopting but sprinklers are not able to be required in single-family homes. Washington* state adopted the 2015 IRC but did not adopt chapters 11-25 and notes residential sprinklers, if added, need to meet IRC P2904 or NFPA 13D. Arkansas, Mississippi*, New Hampshire,* New Jersey,* North Carolina,* and Rhode Island* are adopting the IRC with the residential sprinkler requirement removed. In Ohio, there are construction trade-offs for the adopted IRC. South Dakota* is not adopting the 2012 IRC and indicated the state fire marshal has no authority in most residential occupancies (i.e., one- and two-family dwellings—only six stories or higher). South Carolina* has adopted it with modifications and directed readers to see

Province

Province Code Adoption

Additional NFPA Standards

NFPA 13 Edition Adopted

Local Jurisdiction Can Use Latest NFPA 13 Ed.

Minimum Base or a Min/Max for Enforcement

Alberta, Canada*

2014 Alberta Building Code (amended 2010 NBC)

NFPA 13D, 13R, 14, 20

2013

Yes, w/ AHJ

Minimum

British Columbia, Canada*

NBC 2010 amended

2010 NBC adopted in ‘12 but updated in ‘17 to req. NFPA 13R (‘13 ed.). Also updated ‘14 to req. ‘10 versions of NFPA 13D, 14 & 20

2013 as of 12/14

Minimum

Manitoba, Canada*

NBC 2015 amended

2013

Yes, w/ AHJ approval

Minimum

New Brunswick, Canada*

2010 NBC

NFPA 13D, 13R, 14, 20

2010

Yes, w/ AHJ

Minimum

Newfoundland, Canada*

2010 NBC & NFPA 101

NFPA 13D, 13R, 14, 20

Latest

Yes

Minimum

Nova Scotia, Canada*

2010 NBC

NFPA 13D, 13R, 14, 20

2013

Yes, w/ AHJ

Minimum

Ontario, Canada*

2012 Ontario Building Code (amended 2010 NBC)

NFPA 13D, 13R, 14, 20

2013

Yes, w/ AHJ

Minimum

Prince Edward Island, Canada*

2010 NBC & NFPA 1 & 101 (NBCC Province not Authority)

NFPA 13D, 13R, 14, 20

2013

Yes, w/ AHJ

Minimum

Quebec, Canada*

2015 Quebec Construction Code (amended 2010 NBC)

NFPA 13D, 13R, 14, 20

2007

Yes, w/ AHJ

Minimum

Saskatchewan, Canada*

2010 NBCC with 2013 Saskatchewan amended

NFPA 13D, 13R, 14, 20

2007

Yes, w/ AHJ approval

Minimum

approval

approval approval approval approval

*Abbreviations: NBC-National Building Code of Canada; BOCA/National-Building Official and Code Administrators International; IBC-International Building Code; IFC-International Fire Code; IFGC-International Fuel Gas Code; (cont. on next page)

28 SPRINKLER AGE | NOV/DEC 2021

Canada Inspection, Testing & Maintenance and Seismic Protection Requirements Seismic protection required on fire sprinkler systems:

Alberta* British Columbia* Manitoba* New Brunswick* Newfoundland* Nova Scotia* Ontario* Prince Edward Island* Quebec* Saskatchewan* 1Manitoba

N N N N N - N N N N

- N Y1 - - Y2 - - - -

Yes/No

- N N - - - - - - -

Other (CSA, Local)

NICET Level III

Province

NICET Level II

Required for those who perform inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems:

NICET Level I

2012 International Code Council (ICC) modifications at llr.state.sc.us.pol/bcc. For states that indicated “no changes” from last year’s survey and for those that did not respond this year, responses are for the 2015 edition of the IRC. While the legislative charts in this issue indicate the most recent responses received from the individual states, some states did not provide updated information to this year’s survey in regards to the 2018 edition of the IRC. Therefore, Sprinkler Age recommends that readers visit the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Fire Sprinkler Initiative website, firesprinklerinitiative.org on a regular basis. Scroll down to the bottom of the web page and click on the “Legislation & Adoptions” tab to find the most up-to-date information on local and state adoption of residential fire sprinkler requirements, as well as anti-sprinkler legislation that has been introduced. When asked about sprinkler retrofit requirements for occupancies (question 11), numerous states indicated they have requirements. Washington, DC* answered “yes” for all occupancies and noted that “all work to be performed in/

Only in active seismic areas Yes Only in active seismic areas Only in active seismic areas Only in active seismic areas Yes, if required by code Only in active seismic areas Only in active seismic areas Only in active seismic areas Only in active seismic areas

requires apprenticeship certification for sprinklers. 2Nova Scotia requires a Red Seal sprinkler fitter.

on existing buildings will be based on the requirements from the ICC International Existing Building Code (IEBC) 2012, as is currently adopted. The 2015 IEBC is the new anticipated code to be adopted. The 2015 IBC chapter on Installation Standards will list the applicable editions that will be adopted.”

Scope of Enforcement is Limited or All Encompassing

Recognized Code Adoption for Local Authorities or Individual Preference

In a Code Revision Cycle Now? Codes & Years Anticipating Adoption

All Encompassing

RCA

Yes, 2015 NBCC

No provincial code enforcement; done by local govts. (municipalities & regional districts)

Code adopted by province & applies in all local govts.

Yes, working towards adopting NBC 2015 in year 2018

Yes, 2008

All Encompassing

Provincewide adoption

Yes, 2020 NBC

Yes, 2014

All Encompassing

RCA

Yes, 2015 NBC

All Encompassing

RCA

Yes, 2015 NBC

All Encompassing

RCA

All Encompassing

Regarding nursing homes, Connecticut*, Florida,* Michigan,* Minnesota,* New Jersey,* and Tennessee have retrofit requirements. Georgia* has requirements for existing personal care homes upgrading to assisted living homes. Retrofit requirements for healthcare can be found in Florida*, Minnesota,* and New Jersey.* Signed copy of owner’s certificate as part of working submittal plan

State Requires PE to do Sprinkler Design Concepts

Office of State Fire Marshal Has Authority Over All Projects in State or Only Over State-Owned/ Financed Projects

Yes