Sprinkler Age Jan/Feb 2025

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CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Anew year always brings excitement for new opportunities and setting our goals for the year ahead. 2025 has already brought in a new, business-friendly president. The opportunity for my daughter, Nikki, and I to be in Washington for the inauguration was an exciting time for us. The city was buzzing with hope for a new day.

AFSA has a very bright future, and your 2025 Board of Directors and President Bob Caputo, are focused on bringing our members the best-of-class training for all of your departments. Our headquarters in Richardson, Texas, has a state-of-the-art, hands-on training facility that offers every type of sprinkler system, alarms, and fire pumps with live sprinkler activation. It is an incredible experience to go through.

Experts in the AFSA lab and classroom give industry professionals like facility managers the training and resources they need to become certified and ensure their facility is safe and code-compliant. My company has been a member of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) for 30 years, and I sit on our local chapter’s board of directors. I encourage you to get involved in your area. It’s a great networking opportunity and a place where we have an opportunity to help facility managers navigate the regulations around the life safety industry.

We are also calling all chapters to engage and start a NextGen Committee. We are placing more resources and emphasis on telling our story about this great industry and the opportunity for an outstanding career to the younger generation. We are asking our NextGen members to send AFSA their high school contacts so we can start implementing our project to send out the Apprenticeship Book 1 Curriculum to high school counselors. Why do high schools with career programs only have electrical, plumbing, carpentry, auto mechanic, and HVAC training and not a fire sprinkler curriculum? It is time our industry made this a priority to introduce our industry and curriculum to the next generation and increase the future workforce. I look forward to working with Hunter Brendle, our new Director and Chair of AFSA’s Public Education & Awareness Committee, and his committee members to bring new impactful ideas and get a WIN!

Did you know, Millennials and Gen Z make up 61.6% of U.S. podcast listeners. (source: Banklinko) In 2024, the age group 12-34 had the highest engagement with podcasts (source: Jaraudio). Have you tuned in to AFSA’s new podcast, The K-Factor? This podcast is another great tool that has been added to the toolbox kit enhancing our reach to all facets of generations. AFSA’s Josh McDonald, Eric Andresen, and Nate Williams are discussing important industry issues within this new media platform for AFSA and future fire sprinkler industry members. Subscribe or visit sprinkler.org/ podcast/. I appreciate Josh, Eric, and Nate making waves for AFSA.

Our industry is positioned to have a very bright and prosperous 2025. The business climate has already seen project labor agreements (PLAs) being challenged through our partnership with Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and its Build America Local #NOPLAS Coalition. Projects that have been sitting on the sidelines are now moving forward. We are experiencing a NEW Renaissance of doing business, and all will benefit. Make sure you have your shades ready in 2025. It is going to be a very bright year, and I, for one, look forward to the rays of success for the fire sprinkler industry. 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

CLARISSA RIOS, Communications Coordinator, ext. 134 crios@firesprinkler.org

CIRCULATION: 214-349-5965

D’ARCY G. MONTALVO, Editor, ext. 115 dmontalvo@firesprinkler.org

AFSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LINDA M. BIERNACKI, Chair, Region 5, 318-841-0330

PAUL DELORIE, First Vice Chair, Region 10, 603-432-8221

JAY STRICKLAND, Second Vice Chair, Region 6, 301-474-1136

ROD DIBONA, Treasurer, Region 4, 605-348-2342

JEFF PHIFER, Secretary, Region 8, 803-438-2994

JACK A. MEDOVICH, P.E., Immediate Past Chair, At-Large, 804-222-1381

BROOKS BAYNE, Region 1, 503-692-9284

HUNTER BRENDLE, At-Large, 334-270-8571

MINDY BUCKLEY, At-Large, 770-925-9099

TOMMY CLEMENTS, Region 9, 804-459-2218

CHRIS JOHNSON, Region 7, 727-5821-9339

R. DONALD (DON) KAUFMAN, Region 3, 505-884-2447

MICHAEL F. MEEHAN, At-Large, 804-459-2200

WAYNE WEISZ, Region 2, 209-334-9119

AFSA LEADERSHIP

BOB CAPUTO, CFPS, President, ext. 124

MELISSA ATHENS, Vice President, Finance, ext. 112

LESLIE CLOUNTS, Vice President, Education Services, ext. 130

JOHN AUGUST DENHARDT, P.E., FSFPE, Vice President, Engineering & Technical Services, ext.121

MEDA MERRITT, Vice President, Membership & Chapter Development, ext. 133

ROGER GRAGG, Director, Marketing & Information Technology, ext. 116

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

Published by American Fire Sprinkler Association, 1410 East Renner Road, Suite 150, Richardson, TX 75082. 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.

LINDA M. BIERNACKI AFSA BOARD CHAIR

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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.

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

As I review my first four years as the American President… that is to say, the president of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (thank God for us all)—I want to start my first column of 2025 by saying that I have heard the message clearly from several members: you’d rather not have me comment on political issues in this column. I completely understand this concern, but I need to set the record straight about why you occasionally receive emails or other messages related to political matters.

As I hope every member knows, this association’s mission is to be the voice of open-shop fire sprinkler contractors and promote the fire sprinkler industry with educational and training programs. We share these core values and a common mission with the Associated Builders & Contractors Association (ABC), of which many of you are also members. ABC supports all of the trades in the merit shop contractor space. While some of our chapters retain a lobbyist for local and state issues, AFSA National does not. Our annual budget does not have a line item for a national-level political lobbyist or direct activity on the national political stage. We have a Legislative Committee that monitors activities to inform chapter leaders about activities on a regional level so they may take appropriate action. On a personal note, I am not for or against either major political party, and if you know me, you’ve probably heard me say that politics is a compound word, poly – meaning many, and tics – meaning blood-sucking insects. For the record, I am a registered independent. I am not necessarily for or against organized labor or other associations. I am now and have always been for fire sprinklers and fire protection. I believe that firefighting in the built environment begins at the plan check table, not when the bell rings at a fire station. I am a true believer in free enterprise and the right to work, and I expect our members to provide the highest quality of work and code compliance in the design and installation of our systems. To that end, we provide the industry’s best-in-class training and educational programs.

However, these last four years have shown that one political party is more in favor of organized labor and has taken legislative steps to eliminate our merit shop members from participating in projects that are funded by the American taxpayer. A series of executive orders requiring project labor agreements (PLAs) and providing set-asides as political payback for supporting political campaigns have been a constant over the past four years. Our partners at ABC spend a lot of time and energy focused on political action and evaluating legislation bills introduced that would eliminate opportunities and hurt merit shop contractors. When identified as such, ABC shares this information with its affiliated associations, including AFSA, asking us to share the information with our members and asking you to reach out to your elected officials, encouraging them to vote for or against the issues at hand. AFSA staff forwards these requests to our membership in the form of email messages or blasts, knowing some of you

may disagree with the position espoused. We have contractor members who are signatories to labor agreements, as well as members who came up through organized labor affiliations. While most of our members are merit shop contractors, we don’t expect everyone to agree with any position. My wife and I don’t agree on everything, and we occasionally sleep in the same bed. We have no desire to alienate any member by sharing political viewpoints that favor or support our mission statement.

We completely understand these email alerts and positions are not welcome by all, but we hope you will understand why we send them along. AFSA’s mission statement is clear in establishing our mission to support merit shop fire sprinkler contractors, and our staff follows the theme and intent of that mission, and we ask your indulgence in so doing.

2024 was a great year for our industry and your association with new educational and training programs and a record-setting convention in Denver. We will be adding new programs in 2025 based on requests from members to fill needs and expectations and to help our members grow their businesses. Our lab in Dallas continues to fill seats for our current programs, and our virtual classroom program for apprentices enters Level 3 with continued growth in participants. As the participant numbers grow, so does our need for qualified, knowledgeable, and energetic trainers. Our industry is growing, and with it, there is a need for more trained and qualified people! We can only achieve the needs of our collective future by contributing to training the next generation of designers, fitters, and service technicians. We need your help! AFSA offers a stipend for trainers who assist us with the VIP program, so if you’re interested, please reach out to Victoria Valentine via email at vvalentine@firesprinkler.org.

Lastly, we want to continue to invite you to share your story with us. We want to hear about successes, especially case studies where AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department has helped you to solve problems, but also stories about how you got here. How did you get into the industry? How did you start your business? Let AFSA share your story in Sprinkler Age so others can see the value in membership! Remember to take a look at your company’s dues level and verify you’re in the correct category. We can’t do what we do without you.

We hope everyone will enjoy a prosperous and healthy 2025! n

AFSA PRESIDENT

BOB CAPUTO, CFPS

THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2025

Owners/Contractors

Consultants • Architects

Fitters • Engineers

Fire Department Personnel

Designers

FLASHPOINT

Agood friend asked me the other day if I liked my position with AFSA. I thought about it for a minute or so before responding, “Absolutely, I’m living my dream job!” I started as an employee with AFSA in 2020. However, I started as a volunteer with AFSA in 1996. Where has the time gone? How things have changed!

All my adult life, I have always wanted to teach the next generation whatever I was doing. I never understood how some do not want to show others how something is done for fear that someone might replace them. My parents instilled in my sister and me the desire to work to the best of our abilities no matter the task involved. I have always driven for perfection, but as I grew older, I realized perfection was not always needed or desired. For example, a great friend and the best sprinkler designer I have ever worked with is Dale. Dale’s designs fit like a glove. He could even cut the rod for the field if desired. However, his attention to every detail usually resulted in him pushing the allotted design hours to the upper limit. While his work was close to perfection, a project that went over budget was not satisfactory.

What makes a good employee? In my opinion, it is a person who gives everything to a job, learns the specifics of a trade, and never says no to assignments or new opportunities. But learning does not stop. Processes, equipment, methods, and standards are consistently changing. Sometimes, the changes account for new challenges, but the majority of the changes lower the cost of the finished product by saving labor. In most projects, labor is the majority of the project’s cost. Labor time saved will make the boss happy, but who has time for training? The simple truth is you must make time, or you will stagnate in your role. This applies to all areas of the industry, not just designers. I hear from the managers of an organization that they do not have time to slow down and train. “We will train when we slow down.” In the meantime, what does it cost you to have a workforce that is not the most up-to-date in their job? Rejected submittals, a more costly installation method, someone getting injured, or a lawsuit for failure will always cost you more than the training would have cost.

As a supervisor, I always appreciate an employee who is willing to attempt a new task. I fully understand that the knowledge to complete the task might be lacking, but with their determination and my coaching, the learning process goes forward. Of course, not all employees will succeed in every assignment. However, when an employee masters a new task, that is something I can have confidence in giving the employee that task again. As the supervisor, you need to set your employees up for success. I love the saying, “Give a man a fish and feed for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” Does your company reward certifications or achievements? Who covers the cost of testing, training, or, if necessary, the reference material

needed? If the employee is willing to put his or her time into an effort, the company should cover all direct costs.

So, back to the opening of this column: why do I love my job? When I go to work, I get to teach! I teach fitters, designers, ITM technicians, engineers, managers, supervisors, and fellow NFPA technical committee members. I enjoy bringing my technical expertise with my hands-on contractor experience to my assignments. I also hear from family and friends, “What about all the travel?” I respond by saying I have met so many people that I never would have had the opportunity to meet. My traveling allows me to reach and teach as many people as possible. As my good friend, mentor, and boss Bob Caputo says, “From the north, south, east, and west, the problems do not change, just the accents.”

In my opinion, AFSA has the best sprinkler education programs out there. Our Vice President of Education Services, Leslie Clounts, leads this effort as she has been doing for the last 20-plus years. Our Apprenticeship & Education Committee, chaired by AFSA First Vice Chair and Region 10 Director Paul DeLorie, vice president of Hampshire Fire Protection Co., Inc., Londonderry, N.H., steers us on the path toward the future of the industry, and my technical team assists in making the program come to life. Our volunteers (just like I was for over 24 years) assist in the process of this development to ensure we are serving the needs of our members.

As I start my fifth year at AFSA, I continue to look forward to educating the next generation of sprinkler professionals. My one daughter is an elementary special education teacher, and my other daughter and her husband are in the sprinkler business working for a contractor. My son-in-law joined the sprinkler industry after marriage and now has his NICET Level 2 in ITM and Level 1 in Layout. We need more bodies in the sprinkler industry. Recruit your friends, neighbors, family members, and anyone else who will listen. This is a great industry with nothing but more growth in the future. However, I do have a major project on my plate; I need to educate my grandson in all ways possible. I pray I’m up to it!

Thank you for allowing me to be part of the AFSA team. n

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

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

OPTIMISM CONTINUES FOR A THIRD YEAR

D’ARCY MONTALVO | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

As the sprinkler industry heads into 2025, expectations appear to be positive. Dodge Construction and FMI Corp. both predict another year of growth in construction starts and construction put-in-place. Members of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) also report feeling optimistic. Read member reports from around the country below and visit enr. com/ and constructionexec.com/ for additional forecasting.

DODGE CONSTRUCTION REPORTS

Annual reports detailed in Engineering-News Record (Nov. 20, 2024) include Dodge Construction, which predicts overall construction starts are expected to rise 8.6% in 2025, following an 8% increase last year. For residential construction starts, Dodge expects the total dollar value of residential starts for 2024 to end up 7.8%, with another 11.5% increase in 2025. Multifamily starts are forecasted to end down 5.5% in 2024 but rebound with 15.7% growth this year.

Dodge forecasts non-residential starts up 5.7% for 2024 and expects a 5.9% rise this year. Warehouse starts should end down 8% in 2024, with a slight decrease of -0.5% in 2025. Hotel starts were up 31.5% last year and will increase another 16.2% this year. Office building starts are expected to rise by 17.1% in 2024 and increase by 5.3% in 2025. Stores and shopping centers are expected to continue the 4.6% increase in 2024, with a 16.6% rise in 2025. Healthcare facilities should grow 10.8% in 2025 after being up 19% last year.

FMI CORP. FORECAST

FMI Corp. is forecasting total construction put-in-place for 2024 to increase overall by 5.4%, with a slight increase of 2.0% in 2025. Total residential construction put-in-place will rise 4.6% in 2024 and climb another 1.3% in 2025. The forecast for single-family construction put-in-place is up 5.2% for 2024 and should gain 4.5% in 2025. Multifamily put-in-place is expected to fall 4% in 2024, with another 15.9% drop in 2025. Total non-residential construction put-in-place is expected to climb 5.8% in 2024 and rise another 1.5% this year. Commercial work is expected to fall 8.5% in 2024 and fall another 8.0% in 2025. Health care is one area that FMI estimates will move in a positive direction this year. For 2024, construction put-inplace for this sector is forecasted to increase 1.3% for 2024 and 2.6% in 2025 due to the rise in office buildings and hospitals.

NAHB REPORT

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) estimates total housing starts fell 5.4% in 2024 and will drop another slight 0.5%

in 2025. Single-family work is expected to have risen 5.4% last year and rise 1.4% this year. Multifamily will show a sharp decline in 2024 of 27.5% and another 5.8% decrease this year.

REGIONAL REPORTS

“The Pacific Northwest sprinkler business was above average in 2024,” comments AFSA Region 1 Director Brooks Bayne, vice president of operations at AFP Systems in Tualatin, Ore. “The warehouse and DC new build was double the past few years, and the condo/apartment residential work has been off the charts, with a waiting list to move in as the buildings are completed in Oregon and Washington state.”

Bayne foresees the growth continuing in 2025. “We are currently sitting roughly 75% on the books compared to this time in 2024. Although the word in our general contractor meeting groups is that 2025 will be half the total projects we all performed in 2024, we are staying positive and slowly filling up our workload.”

“The southern states experienced a robust economy in 2024, with investments in new and updated sawmills from Canadian investors,” notes AFSA Chair of the Board Linda Biernacki, president of Fire Tech Systems, in Shreveport, La. “Manufacturing is coming back, and apartment buildings in the last quarter of 2024 were slow, which I contributed to the election. I’m very optimistic about 2025. We will have a much friendlier business climate for merit shop contractors.”

Chris Johnson, president and co-founder of Piper Fire Protection, a Fortis Brand in Clearwater, Fla., and AFSA’s Region 7 Director, had a “record-setting year at Piper and our Fortis organization” in 2024. “Specifically at our West Florida operations, we were on pace to grow above 20% from 2023.” He notes, “Our areas have been devastated by hurricanes in September and October, which caused us a loss of almost three weeks of production. Many of our customers are still not back in operation, and many of them will not reopen.”

He continues, “Storm repairs and bringing damaged buildings up to current fire code will help our region have a lot of opportunities. There are multiple $1B-plus projects going on in the greater Tampa Bay area, which should keep our entire region hopping throughout 2025.”

Roy Orsborne, president of Fire Tech Services, Inc., Chesapeake, Va., reports that “Business was good and consistent in 2024, and 2025 looks as good and possibly better.”

Fernandez McKenley, president of F2M Fire & Drafting Designs, Inc., Mt. Vernon, N.Y., says that in 2024, “Business was good. We experienced the same amount of work from the previous year,” and

that “Business for 2025 looks good as we are planning on offering new services, which we estimated to boost our revenue by 100%.”

AFSA Region 10 Director Paul DeLorie, senior vice president of Hampshire Fire Protection, Co., Inc., Londonderry, N.H., had a “fantastic year” in 2024. “Our volume increased substantially from 2023, and we had a good margin. Our service group had the greatest positive impact, and our construction group performed well even with the challenges of poorly run projects by the prime contractor.”

For 2025, DeLorie expects more growth. “We are emphasizing work in a territory where we had limited business that needs more ITM and construction work as the fire protection contractors in that area are not keeping up or are not participating as much. Mergers and acquisitions have changed the market considerably, and we have more opportunities. I hope 2025 exceeds my expectations.”

Potential Challenges—“Pacific Northwest manpower is always our weak spot,” comments Bayne. “We are currently enrolled in many career fairs and always targeting the new generation of trade personnel coming out of high school. Our ABC/AFSA new apprentice program is up to standards and rapidly growing.”

McKenley agrees about manpower. “We foresee workforce problems since finding a good sprinkler designer is rare and because our services will be increasing.”

“We have the same problem year after year,” comments DeLorie, “not enough talent. It’s Ground Hog Day!”

“I am concerned with some of our incoming administration’s appointments, specifically in the Department of Labor,” says Johnson. “Florida has been a fantastic state for merit shop contractors to be successful. We are committed to training and always have 40-plus apprentices preparing to be our future job site and operational leaders.”

NFPA 13D Installations—Bayne notes that “NFPA 13D projects are 35-40% of our workload and have remained steady the past 24 months. We are expecting to see more and more NFPA 13D with the demand for residential housing in our area. Condo/apartments and single-family dwelling projects are in very high demand.”

He continues, “Residential NFPA 13D local codes have increased in a positive way for the sprinkler industry. We see Washington State a bit out in front of Oregon, although Oregon is also adapting new codes pushing more single-family and NFPA 13D projects requiring full sprinklers.”

“Piper does do NFPA 13D systems in some custom larger single-family homes,” states Johnson. “We expect that to spike as many waterfront homes will be demolished and built up above the flood plain to accommodate FEMA rules. Florida has a requirement for homes three stories or more in height to be protected by sprinklers.”

“We perform NFPA 13D work, but we didn’t see any increase in 2024,” states McKenley.

Retrofit Work—“Retrofit is an ongoing scope of work in our area,” reports Bayne. “We noticed a slight uptick in retrofit in 2024 and expect the same in 2025 with our rapidly growing residential industry.”

“Retrofit has been slow over the past couple of years,” notes Johnson. “I expect that the Florida legislature will continue to push back requirements for high-rise condominiums to be retrofit, although

the last three governors have vetoed attempts to remove the requirement altogether. The hurricanes will create a situation where many buildings will need to be brought up to the current code. There should be plenty of work in this area in 2025 and beyond.”

“Retrofit work has been steady in our area. We specialize in inspections, repair, and maintenance,” states Orsborne.

McKenley says that they performed retrofit work in 2024, and they saw an increase.

Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance (ITM)—“ITM in the Pacific Northwest is increasing with all the new construction. I believe the ITM-driven companies are increasing workload quarter per quarter and on an annual basis.”

“There has been continuous consolidation in our market and every market in the country. Some of these are painful for the customer. We expect to have continued growth throughout 2025 in our service and inspection business,” reports Johnson.

“We expect more ITM work as we expand into new territory,” says DeLorie. “Our integrated fire alarm group is value-added, and that increases our ITM contracts. Our goal is to have ITM and service work revenue exceed our construction work.”

Residential Sprinkler Activity—“Residential workload has been increasing the last five years in the Pacific Northwest,” says Bayne. “We estimate 2025 to also increase the same if not more than 2024.”

McKenley also reports that residential projects increased in their area last year.

“We get our share of three- and four-story wood-frame apartment complexes,” states DeLorie. “Some of them have many buildings with many apartment units per building. Buildings with below-level parking and ground-floor commercial areas with wood-frame apartments over the commercial area (wood over concrete podium) are being built in many downtowns and villages. That will continue in 2025.”

Legislation—“Our industry has been extremely successful at our State Capitol,” comments Johnson. “We passed an expedited permit law for small repairs and renovations that is starting to help with turnaround times to receive a permit on these jobs. We also passed a bill to allow contractors to sign off without P.E. Seals on head relocation jobs up to 250 sprinklers, which is helping contractors save money and time.”

“There have been a few large residential projects that had a PLA requirement,” notes DeLorie. “They have been contested, or the extended cost of the PLA makes the project unaffordable. Hopefully, the PLA will go away.”

THRIVE IN 2025

Members appear to be excited for the coming year. “God is good, and after 22 years, we’re still going strong,” comments Orsborne.

“We are very excited for 2025,” summarizes Johnson. “I expect to see significant growth in revenue this year over last. After a pretty tough hurricane season, it feels like we are starting to come through the storms into a pretty exciting year.”

AFSA is here to help its members achieve the goals they’ve set. See page 20 of this issue for details on training and visit firesprinkler.org/ to register. Questions? Email training@firesprinkler.org or call (214) 349-5965. AFSA can help members thrive in 2025! n

2025 INDUSTRY OUTLOOK FROM AGC AND SAGE

CONSTRUCTION FIRMS PREDICT STRONG DEMAND FOR WORK

Construction contractors are optimistic about certain private-sector segments and have high hopes for most types of public-sector work, according to survey results the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America and Sage have released. Yet they have very low expectations for several private-sector market segments, remain concerned about labor shortages, and are worried materials prices will climb amid threats of new tariffs, according to “A Year in the Balance: The 2025 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook.”

“2025 offers quite a few bright spots for the construction industry even as the outlook for some private-sector segments remains quite dire,” said Jeffrey Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer. “Firms expect regulatory relief will help drive demand, and they will continue to hire, when they can, and boost investments in technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.”

The net reading—the percentage of respondents who expect the available dollar value of projects to expand compared to the percentage who expect it to shrink—is positive for 15 of the 17 categories of construction included in the survey. The highest net reading, 42%, is for data centers.

Contractors are also very bullish about the prospects for water and sewer projects, with a net reading of 35%, and for power projects, with a net reading of 32%. They also are bullish about healthcare construction, with a net of 27% for non-hospital healthcare facilities, such as clinics, testing facilities and medical labs, and 24% for hospitals.

Survey respondents are largely positive as well about manufacturing plant construction, with a net reading of 25%. Contractors are also optimistic about the education sector with a net reading of 13% for kindergarten-to-12thgrade schools and 12% for higher education construction.

Five other segments have readings that range from moderately positive to negative. The net reading for warehouse construction is 14%, while the reading for multifamily residential construction is 12%. Contractors have a slightly positive net reading, 7%, for lodging. Meanwhile, the net reading for private office construction is -3%. And the outlook for retail projects is -5%.

Association officials noted that contractor expectations are high for a range of infrastructure segments. The net reading for transportation structures, such as airport and rail projects, is 29%.

Expectations for bridge and highway work are net 24% positive. The reading for federal contracts, for agencies such as the General Services Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is 22%. One other public category—public buildings—drew a moderately positive net reading of 14%.

“One reason contractors have a relatively positive outlook for many public sector market segments is that more contractors are starting to see the effects of increased federal investments in infrastructure,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. He noted that 18% of respondents say they have worked on new federally funded infrastructure projects, double the 9% who said that was the case a year ago.

The construction economist noted that most firms anticipate adding workers in 2025 to accommodate the higher demand for most types of projects. More than two-thirds of the respondents expect to add to their headcount, compared to only 10% who expect a decrease.

Yet he cautioned that more than three out of four firms report having a hard time filling either hourly craft positions, 78%, or salaried openings, 77%. In addition, the majority expects that hiring craft workers will continue to be hard or will become harder. Only 12% say it will become easier or remain easy to hire.

Contractors continue to see a significant number of project postponements and cancellations. Roughly two-thirds of respondents say projects have been postponed or canceled. Forty-two percent of firms report projects were postponed in 2024 but rescheduled, while 34% of respondents report projects were postponed or canceled and not rescheduled. Sixteen percent have already experienced postponement or cancellation of a project that had been scheduled for either the first half of 2025 or later.

Simonson noted that supply chains are coming back online, however. Nearly half of respondents report no supply-chain issues in 2024. Only 23% of respondents in 2024 and just 9% in 2023 said they had had no such problems. To cope with—or avoid—problems, 41% of respondents have accelerated purchases after winning contracts, while 32% have turned to alternative suppliers, and 25% have specified alternative materials or products.

Among contractors’ top concerns for 2025, the three most frequently listed are

all workforce related. Sixty-two percent pick rising direct labor costs as one of their top three concerns, while 59% list insufficient supply of workers or subcontractors, and 56% name worker quality. The only other concern cited by a majority—54%—of respondents is materials costs. Given the supply chain improvements, this concern is likely related to President-elect Trump’s threats to impose a broad range of new tariffs, Simonson observed.

Officials with Sage noted that construction firms are increasingly leveraging technology to address industry challenges such as labor shortages and productivity demands. Artificial intelligence leads the way as the technology with the biggest anticipated increase in investment, cited by 44% of firms. Other key areas for increased investment include document management software (40%), accounting software (36%), and project management software (35%).

“AI’s potential to revolutionize construction workflows is driving in-

creased interest and investment,” said Dustin Stephens, global head of construction, Sage. “Leading construction businesses are utilizing advancements in AI, cloud, and mobile technologies to operate more efficiently and tackle complex projects with greater agility.”

Stephens added that while cloud adoption remains steady—61% of firms now use cloud-based project management tools—cybersecurity has emerged as the top IT challenge, cited by 41% of respondents, while finding the time to implement and train on new technology came in second with 38% of firms selecting it as a top IT challenge. “As firms embrace innovation, addressing security concerns and streamlining implementation will be critical to sustaining growth in a rapidly evolving industry,” he said.

Association officials said they are urging the new administration to work with Congress to establish new programs for temporary work visas that are dedicated to the construction industry. They are also

urging President Trump and Congress to pass the Stronger Workforce for America Act, which boosts funding for post-secondary construction training programs and to boost funding for high-school construction training programs.

They are also urging President Trump to revoke President Biden’s executive order imposing project labor agreements for any federal construction project worth $35 million or more. They are also urging the president to be sparing in his imposition of new tariffs and to implement many of the measures to streamline permitting that Congress authorized, but President Biden largely ignored.

“It will be a good year for the construction industry if the Trump administration works with us to find a way to address materials shortages, avoid materials price inflation, remove limits on who can work on federal projects, and streamline the permitting process,” Shoaf said.

Visit agc.org/ for “A Year in the Balance: The 2025 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook” and survey results. n

PROTECTING YOUR COMPANY FROM LIABILITY CLAIMS

IMPLEMENTING CHANGE IS WORTH THE EFFORT

TERRY VICTOR | RISK SUPPRESSION PARTNERS, LLC

After spending most of my career on the contracting and service side of the water-based fire protection industry, I joined the related industry of liability insurance coverage. While at Grinnell Fire Protection at the midpoint of my career, I collaborated closely with their legal team to analyze claims and work to determine who was at fault for different losses and lawsuits that came their way. That experience in liability, claim evaluation, and loss control paved the way for my work at Risk Suppression Partners. However, my involvement with Risk Suppression Partners has been a real eye-opener for me and showed me that there are many ways that good contractors get named in claims and liability.

A CPVC dry fit like the one shown here can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of water damage. Dry fits have been known to hold during the system hydrostatic test. The pipe and fitting can separate months later after the installation is complete and the building is occupied.

The good news is that many of those claims can be easily defended and dismissed when the contractor takes some very basic measures up front before performing their work.

What I quickly came to realize is that my trust in fairness within the insurance industry is like trusting a hungry lion in the jungle not to charge you and eat you. Fairness is out the window when it comes to a loss, and anyone who does business with a builder or a building owner is at risk for liability claims, no matter how little you get paid to provide services or how careful you are to do your job the right way. You can be best friends with the building owner, or their designated representative, and you may believe they will never file a suit against you for damages. While that may be true, building owners and their designated representatives have no control over the actions of their insurance company. In most cases, their insurance company pays for the losses and then subrogates against the contractor’s insurance company, i.e., pursues a claim against the contractor’s insurance company to seek reimbursement from the so-called “at-fault” party.

This occurs more often than many people think. In the last year, I’ve dealt with water damage claims from frozen pipes, CPVC dry fits, standpipe coupling separation, pipe failure from internal corrosion, discharge from a live system when the wrong valve was closed, poor drainage during a fire pump test, an open pipe when refilling a system, and several others. There have been claims involving suppression systems for fires that weren’t controlled, accidental discharges, and systems that weren’t properly put back in service after modifying them. For those that have a fire alarm business, there have been claims for the system failing to signal a water flow event, and for failure to notify the AHJ of an impaired system.

Most of you reading this will self-proclaim that you’re a good, conscientious, respected contractor. You train your people; you comply with the codes and standards; you preach and teach safety and employ best practices. But, although you are a good company, are you a good risk, one that an insurance company would like to have as a client? Have you put in place policies and procedures that will protect you from frivolous claims and lawsuits? There are many ways to make your company a good risk and protect you from expensive, time-consuming litigation or mediation.

WAYS TO MAKE YOUR COMPANY A GOOD RISK

1. Protective Terms and Conditions. It’s a best practice to include favorable terms and conditions on every document you produce.

It’s Not Complicated

FACILITY MANAGERS

This includes estimates, proposals, inspection and test agreements, deficiency quotes, service work orders, inspection reports, and any other work-related documents you have with a customer. We estimate approximately 30% of the claims that are filed against all contractors that we insure are resolved by citing the terms and conditions for the work performed. For contractors that employ favorable terms and conditions for all work performed, that rate increases to approximately 50%.

2. A Clear Scope of Work. It’s also wise to provide a clear scope for whatever work you’re agreeing to do. Your documents need to:

• Describe the work in clear language.

• List the system(s) and device(s) included in the work.

• Include a time for accepting the proposal or agreement, when the work will start, and how long it will take to complete the work.

For instance, I’ve seen where deficiency repairs were quoted and accepted, but the system failed before the repairs were started, and the contractor was blamed for delaying the repairs.

3. Require Written Approval on All Work. Contractors can protect themselves from lawsuits by getting written approval from the owner or their designated representative before the employee starts the work and after the work is complete. In our age of technology, even emergency repairs can have terms and conditions acknowledged before starting work using text messages, emails, and other forms of communication.

4. Leverage Technology for the Administration and Performance of Service Work. Take advantage of software programs that help your employees perform their work easily and thoroughly. There are software solutions on the market that make performing and tracking service work very easy for the technician/fitter and the admin staff. Proposals and agreements are generated, work orders are issued, pictures are easily attached, completion of work is captured, and any follow-up needed is automatically initiated.

One of the biggest flaws I see in the accurate performance of inspections and tests in accordance with ITM standards is a deficient inspection software program. Some companies are still using Excel spreadsheets they developed many years ago and have never updated them. Many are using programs that aren’t prompting the inspector to know what needs to be inspected and tested, the frequency, and the pass/fail criteria. Others are using programs that ask questions that aren’t required by the ITM standard, which opens them up to liability issues. A powerful action item to help your business is to review your inspection software program to make sure it’s up to date with the codes and standards, that it prompts inspectors to complete all requirements to inspect and test the systems and components, and that it will generate a list of deficiencies.

5. Capture Visual Information. Train your employees to take pictures. Inspectors should take pictures of the systems, devices, and components they inspect and test, especially if there is a deficiency or impairment. For repairs and modifications, take pictures of the affected part of the system before starting work and after the work is complete. Take a picture of every control valve before leaving the site as proof they were left in the open position.

6. Notify Customers of THEIR Responsibilities. Contractors should consistently notify customers and make them aware of their

NFPA 13 and NFPA 25 require the control valve sign to include the portion of the building or system that it serves.  Most, like the one shown here, do not, which leads to water damage claims when the wrong valve is shut, and a sprinkler is removed from a system still under pressure.

responsibilities to properly maintain their systems. Most contractors aren’t hired to perform all the daily, weekly, and monthly ITM activities required by the codes and standards for fire protection and suppression systems. It’s important that you convey through your agreements that the owner or their designated representative is ultimately responsible for complying with all the requirements of the code or standard. An argument commonly used against contractors is that the contractor is the expert, and they neglected to tell the owner that they had to frequently inspect the position of control valves, or verify system pressure, or drain low point drains as often as needed during freezing weather. To prevent legal liability, be sure to notify customers of their responsibilities in writing—and also provide them with a written copy of the applicable code or standard and document that the information was sent.

7. Comply With Signage Requirements. Another way to minimize your risk is to make sure proper signage exists on all systems in the building. A recurring problem that comes up in many of the losses we defend is the lack of required signage, especially on water-based fire protection systems. My experience is that most contractors aren’t installing the proper signage on newly installed systems, and most inspectors aren’t inspecting for or reporting that proper signage is missing on existing systems. The most neglected signs are: 1) a properly labeled control valve sign, 2) the

General Information Sign, 3) the Information Sign, and 4) the sign required at the valve for every dry pipe and preaction system that indicates the number and location of every auxiliary drain. When these signs are provided, it’s easier to properly inspect, test, maintain the system, correct deficiencies and impairments, and perform system modifications. When required signage is not in place, it’s difficult to determine the right valve to shut to perform service work or know where auxiliary drains are for dry and preaction systems, or have other important information related to the system.

8. Field Staff Training is Key. Train your employees to perform the work they do in accordance with applicable codes and standards, manufacturer’s data, and safety standards. Keep your employees current with updates through emails or blogs and utilize both online and in-person training sessions such as those offered by the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). Establish a culture of training and have a way to measure the competency of your employees. Certification programs are a good way to measure competency, including national programs like the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET), and other local programs like the Academy Certification Exams (ACE).

FACILITY MANAGERS HAVE RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL!

The codes and standards that apply to fire protection systems put the responsibility of properly inspecting, testing, and maintaining those systems on the owner of the property or their designated representative, usually a facility manager. Some facility managers have their own qualified employees to perform basic ITM tasks, but most hire service contractors to help them comply with the adopted code or standard. To successfully keep their fire protection systems in good operational condition, facility managers need to develop a partnership with their service providers. That’s why documentation is so important. Clear, specific documentation provides both parties with the agreed scope of work of the service contractor, the terms and conditions that apply to the work being done, and a clear division of responsibilities between both parties.

In conclusion, when fire and life safety contractors follow these recommendations, it can help protect the fire protection contractor from the liability associated with a claim. Claims resulting from damage to property or from personal injury are part of doing business. How those claims are resolved and who ultimately pays depends on how well the contractor is protected by those practices and procedures. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Terry Victor, director of risk control services at Risk Suppression Partners, has over 50 years of technical experience in the fire sprinkler industry. He is NICET certified Level IV in Water Based Systems Layout and Special Hazards Systems Layout. Victor has served on various industry boards and committees, including as a member of the NFSA board of directors, the CFSI National Advisory Committee, and the NFFF Advisory Committee to the board. He currently serves on the AFSA Apprenticeship & Education, Convention, and Legislative committees. Victor is an active speaker at various fire protection industry conferences and seminars, including AFAA, AFSA, ASCET, CFSI, FFLA, NFPA, and NFSA. He is a current member of the NFPA technical committees for NFPA 13, 14, 20, 25, and 915 and is a past member of the technical committees for NFPA 3, 4, 11, 13D, 13R, 15, 16, 72, 101, 214, 303, and 5000. He received the NFPA Committee Service Award in 2015.

The AGF FLOODELIMINATOR is a fail-safe that stops the flood of water caused by auxiliary drains that freeze and break, are maintained improperly, vandalized, or broken by accidents. They enable facilities to recover faster with less clean-up and expense. Why would you ever replace another auxiliary drain without one?

PRODUCT VIDEO

KICK START 2025 WITH TOP-TIER TRAINING

APPRENTICES, INSPECTORS, FACILITY MANAGERS, AND DESIGNERS

CAN ELEVATE THEIR SKILLS

CLARISSA RIOS | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) has released its 2025 course offerings and schedules. Are you looking to grow your fire sprinkler business or opportunities to advance your career? AFSA will have the right option for you! With its popular educational webinars, training workshops, and maintenance programs, AFSA is a well-known training expert within the fire sprinkler industry.

This year is a game changer for AFSA’s training programs. “2025 promises to be an exciting year for the fire sprinkler industry! This marks AFSA’s first full calendar year with a fully functional training lab, offering cutting-edge programs and the most skilled training staff in the industry,” explains AFSA’s Director of Operations and Training, Engineering and Technical Services, Josh McDonald. “Our programs are truly game-changing for professionals at every experience level.”

TRAIN THE VIP WAY

The Virtual Instruction Program (VIP) is live virtual apprentice instruction with expert trainers. The Sprinkler Fitting curriculum, now in its 4th edition, correlates with NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2019 and 2022 editions. These textbooks and supporting instructor resources are produced through AFSA and NCCER. Each of the three VIP levels now available provides ten months of education to accompany the On-The-Job Learning

(OJL) conducted by the employer. The education includes the Sprinkler Fitting textbooks, two live monthly webinars, performance tasks to reinforce the modules, self-study components, and assessments. VIP Level 3 debuts in February, joining VIP Levels 1 (January launch) and 2 (March launch).

“We’re partnering with contractors of all sizes to emphasize that the return on investment from live training goes far beyond numbers. The confidence employees gain, the elevated level of customer service they provide, the litigation risks they help mitigate, and the improved quality of the contractor’s work are immediately apparent,” says McDonald.

LEARN THE INS AND OUTS OF ITM

Three ITM courses will be offered in 2025. The Beginning ITM Workshop focuses on essential procedures and best practices for properly functioning and reliability of sprinkler systems based on NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. Participants gain further knowledge of codes and standards and all parties involved in inspections and testing. In this training, participants will detect potential issues, conduct inspections and tests, complete routine maintenance tasks, and compare components of various water-based fire protection systems.

The Intermediate ITM Workshop performs water flow tests on service mains and standpipes, collects and analyzes results, and perfects participants’ knowledge in determining frequencies and

procedures for inspection and testing. This training explores component differentiation, sequence of operations, and specific considerations for deluge and pre-action systems. In-depth knowledge of 3- and 5-year ITM and hands-on troubleshooting exercises will also be conducted.

The Fire Pump ITM Workshop develops knowledge of fire pump installations and essential ITM processes. This workshop discusses key differences between diesel and electric-driven fire pumps and presents various water flow tests. AFSA provides hands-on performances of no-flow and full-flow fire pump tests and educates on ITM requirements for water storage tanks. Participants also interact with energy diffuser selection, data acquisition, supply graphing, and data interpretation to provide an understanding of stationary fire pumps.

ENHANCE YOUR DESIGN SKILLS

AFSA’s Beginning Design School presents a comprehensive, practical approach to preparing fire sprinkler system drawings. It’s popular for its hybrid approach, with six live webinars followed by one week of in-person instruction. Students will study the installation and design approach requirements of NFPA 13 (2022 edition), prepare system layout drawings, and perform hydraulic calculations by hand.

Experienced layout technicians will find the Intermediate Design School helpful in understanding layouts for standpipe systems, fire pumps, seismic protection, and the design requirements for

general storage in depth. In addition to mastering requirements in NFPA 13, NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of, Stnadpipe and Hose Systems, and NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps Fire Protection, students will utilize computer modeling software to apply design requirements learned throughout the course, becoming familiar with the BIM process.

CALCULATE SPRINKLER HYDRAULICS

The Sprinkler Hydraulic Calculations Workshop is a three-day, in-person workshop that provides a deep dive into the principles of hydraulics, including the different types of pressure, calculating changes in pressure (elevation and friction loss), and node analysis.

The Advanced Sprinkler Hydraulic Workshop is also three days long and focuses on advanced hydraulic principles for standpipe systems, fire pump assemblies, and water storage tanks. Students will receive classroom instruction, work through examples, and complete practice exercises.

DEVELOP YOUR ITM INSPECTOR

Due to high demand, AFSA adds a third cycle to the 2025 lineup (spring, summer, and fall launches). Utilizing nearly every learning approach, this program aims to truly develop a new trainee into an efficient NICET Level II-equivalent inspector. Combining on-demand, live webinar, classroom, hands-on lab, and simulated field instruction, students will learn code-compliant inspections, customer relations, preparing reports, and test-taking tips, which have resulted in a 92% pass rate on NICET Level I and II exams for students in this program, compared to the national average of 60%.

LEARN THROUGH WEBINARS

AFSA hosts live webinars throughout the year on relevant topics within the fire sprinkler industry. These industry-led events provide participants with an opportunity to earn CEUs and/or CPDs. Details about upcoming webinars can be found on AFSA’s website.

webinars feature experts in fire protection

in a convenient and user-friendly format. Members benefit from access to AFSA’s extensive library of content and the ability to earn CEUs and CPDs online. Visit AFSA’s website for more details.

ENROLL EARLY TO SAVE

Training is essential for any industry, and proper training is indispensable. AFSA’s programs ensure industry players are well-equipped to perform their jobs safely and efficiently. “It’s the difference between simply having a logo and establishing a strong, reputable brand,” states McDonald. “Being recognized as the best-trained in the industry sets contractors apart, helps them build lasting success, and is a competitive advantage.”

Interested in registering yourself or a team member for one of AFSA’s training opportunities? Save money while advancing your skills! Register soon to take

FACILITY MANAGERS: FOLLOW NFPA 25

A CLOSER LOOK AT ONE OF THE CRITICAL BUILDING SYSTEMS THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED

ERIC ANDRESEN, WBITM | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

Fire safety is a critical aspect of facility management, and for those responsible for the upkeep and safety of buildings, ensuring that fire protection systems remain operational is non-negotiable. One of the most important resources available to facility managers in this regard is NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems

Adhering to NFPA 25 helps to ensure that these life-saving systems perform effectively when needed most. This article explores why following NFPA 25 is essential for facility managers, highlighting safety, legal compliance, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency.

ENSURING LIFE SAFETY

Water-based fire protection systems installed within the buildings are there to mitigate damage to the building and provide additional life safety. In the event of a fire, the systems—whether automatic sprinklers, standpipes, or other water-based methods—are designed to suppress or control the fire, giving occupants time to evacuate and limiting damage to the building. To function as designed, these systems must be regularly maintained to ensure they are in good working order.

NFPA 25 sets clear guidelines for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems. Regular inspections help identify any weaknesses or defects that could compromise system performance. For example, if a sprinkler is damaged, painted, corroded, etc., it may not activate during a fire, putting lives at risk. Routine inspection, testing, and maintenance ensure that sprinklers, pumps, water supplies, alarms, and valves function correctly, which can make the difference between life and death during an emergency. Failure to follow these guidelines not only endangers lives but can also have severe consequences, including potential additional damage to or loss of the facility. For facility managers, this responsibility should never be taken lightly.

LEGAL AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

One of the most compelling reasons for facility managers to adhere to NFPA 25 is to stay compliant with legal and regulatory requirements. Fire protection systems are not only a matter of best practice but are also governed by local, state, and federal regulations.

Many jurisdictions require that buildings follow specific fire safety standards, and NFPA 25 is frequently referenced as the industry standard for fire protection system maintenance.

Failure to comply with NFPA 25 can result in fines, penalties, or even the revocation of occupancy permits, especially if the facility is

Do you know what’s behind this door? A facility manager’s responsibilities should never be taken lightly.

subject to regular inspections by fire marshals or other regulatory bodies. Non-compliance could also lead to increased insurance premiums or the loss of insurance coverage entirely. In the event of a fire, failure to comply with NFPA 25 could also result in legal liability for facility managers or building owners if the fire protection system fails, leading to greater financial and reputational risks.

Adhering to NFPA 25 helps facility managers avoid legal and regulatory penalties, ensuring that their buildings meet the required fire protection standards and are always ready in case of an emergency.

RISK MITIGATION

In addition to the risk to human life, fire incidents also pose significant risks to a facility’s physical assets and operations. Fires can lead to severe damage to the building structure, equipment, and inventory, which can result in costly repairs, business interruptions, and, in some cases, the complete loss of the facility.

By following NFPA 25, facility managers can ensure that fire protection systems are adequately maintained and operational, thus minimizing the risk of system failure during a fire. Regular inspections and tests identify potential issues early, allowing for timely repairs or replacements before a problem escalates into a costly emergency. For example, issues like a reduced water supply, a malfunctioning water flow alarm, or damage to critical components can all be caught before they cause significant damage.

Moreover, maintaining a compliant fire protection system helps protect the facility from potential liability in the event of a fire. If a fire occurs and it’s determined that the fire protection system failed due to negligence or lack of maintenance, facility managers or property owners could face lawsuits or claims for damages.

Adhering to NFPA 25 reduces this risk by ensuring that the facility is prepared for emergencies and mitigating potential damage in case one occurs.

INSURANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Insurance is a critical element of facility management. Most building insurance policies require that fire protection systems meet certain standards, and NFPA 25 is often used as the benchmark for meeting these standards. Insurers typically require evidence of regular inspections, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems to qualify for coverage.

Failure to follow NFPA 25 can result in a breach of insurance policy terms, leading to increased premiums, reduced coverage, or even the cancellation of the policy. In the event of a fire, if the facility’s fire protection systems were found to be non-compliant with NFPA 25, the insurance company could refuse to pay out claims, leaving the building owner or manager responsible for all damages.

On the other hand, facilities that comply with NFPA 25 are likely to benefit from lower insurance premiums due to the reduced risk of fire damage and the increased reliability of their fire protection systems. By ensuring that their fire protection systems are properly maintained, facility managers can safeguard not only their occupants and assets but also their financial interests in the form of favorable insurance rates.

OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND COST SAVINGS

While it may seem counterintuitive, investing time and resources into following NFPA 25 can lead to cost savings in the long run. Preventative maintenance, which is a core component of NFPA 25, can help reduce the likelihood of system failures and costly emergency repairs. Routine inspections and testing help identify small problems before they turn into expensive issues.

For example, periodic churn testing of the fire pump will help ensure the pump is in good operational condition, failure to perform periodic churn testing may result in a pump not performing in the event of a fire. Similarly, by keeping up with maintenance, facility managers can avoid expensive emergency calls and avoid unplanned downtime. Fire protection systems that are properly maintained also tend to last longer, helping to reduce capital expenditures for replacements or upgrades.

Furthermore, NFPA 25 helps facility managers track system performance and maintenance schedules, making it easier to budget for necessary repairs or replacements. This can contribute to more predictable, stable operational costs over time.

CONTRIBUTING TO INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES

Finally, by following NFPA 25, facility managers are contributing to broader industry best practices. Fire protection is an evolving field, and the NFPA regularly updates its standards to reflect new technologies, materials, and research. Staying compliant with NFPA 25 ensures that facilities are up to date with the latest fire protection best practices.

Incorporating these best practices not only enhances the safety and functionality of fire protection systems but also allows facility managers to stay competitive in their field. It demonstrates an understanding of industry standards and a commitment to maintaining a safe, efficient, and compliant facility.

CONCLUSION

For facility managers, adhering to NFPA 25 is not just about regulatory compliance—it’s a critical component of a comprehensive fire safety strategy that protects lives, property, and the organization’s bottom line. Regular inspections, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems ensure that they will function as intended in the event of a fire, reducing the risk of loss and damage. Compliance with NFPA 25 also mitigates legal, financial, and insurance-related risks while promoting a culture of safety and responsibility. Ultimately, NFPA 25 provides facility managers with a proven framework to ensure that fire protection systems remain operational, efficient, and compliant, helping to create a safer environment for all.

To assist facility managers, AFSA has a membership category specifically for this field and expert training in understanding NFPA 25. For details, visit firesprinkler.org/facility-manager/. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eric Andresen, WBITM, is the technical training specialist for AFSA. He has experience with risk engineering applied to fire protection system analysis and the inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems for the insurance industry. Andresen has experience in the hands-on training of water-based fire protection systems for risk engineers and facilities management staff. Andresen received his Bachelor of Science degree in fire protection and safety engineering technology from Oklahoma State University.

ACCURATE SPRINKLER ESTIMATING

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

DIEGO OLMOS, S.E.T. | FUEGO FIRE SPRINKLER DESIGN

In the complex and critical field of fire protection, the meticulous process of estimating sprinkler systems stands as a cornerstone of safety and efficiency. Beyond its apparent role in cost evaluation, sprinkler estimating represents a meticulous blend of engineering foresight, regulatory compliance, and proactive risk management. As buildings evolve in complexity and regulatory standards tighten, the demand for accurate estimating has never been more pronounced. This article delves into the importance of sprinkler estimating within the industry, best practices and education.

IMPORTANCE OF ESTIMATING IN THE INDUSTRY

Accurate estimating in the sprinkler industry is paramount to ensuring both safety and cost-effectiveness. This process involves precise materials counts, labor time required for the installation and maintenance of sprinkler systems. An accurate estimate not only helps in winning a project and meeting project deadlines and budgets, but also plays a vital role in complying with safety regulations and standards.

Critical points that estimating touches are:

Safety Compliance and Code Requirements: Estimating in the sprinkler industry involves detailed calculations to ensure systems are designed to meet local fire codes and safety standards. Estimators must consider factors such as building occupancy, hazard classification, water supply availability, and specific design criteria dictated by the National Fire

Beyond its role in cost evaluation, accurate estimating ensures adherence to stringent safety standards and bolsters resilience against fire hazards.

Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Accurate estimation ensures that systems are not only effective but also compliant with these stringent requirements, thereby safeguarding lives and property in the event of a fire.

Example: Estimators in the sprinkler industry calculate required flow rates, pipe sizes, and sprinkler head coverage based on detailed drawings and specifications. This precision ensures that the system will operate effectively in a fire emergency, dispersing water to the appropriate areas with correct pressure and volume.

Cost Transparency and Value Engineering: Accurate estimating enables us to provide clients with transparent cost breakdowns. Clients can see how each aspect of the system contributes to the overall cost, including materials, installation labor, testing, and ongoing maintenance. This transparency fosters trust and allows clients to make in -

formed decisions about budget allocations and potential cost-saving measures through value engineering.

Example: A detailed estimate might highlight opportunities for optimizing sprinkler layout or utilizing more costeffective materials without compromising safety or compliance. For instance, using advanced estimating software, estimators can simulate different scenarios to determine the most cost-effective layout that meets all requirements.

Collaboration and Project Success: Effective estimating promotes collaboration between sprinkler contractors, engineers, architects, and building owners. By clearly articulating project requirements and potential challenges early in the process, accurate estimates facilitate collaborative problem-solving and proactive risk mitigation. This collaborative approach ensures that projects progress smoothly from design through installation and commissioning,

ultimately leading to successful outcomes for all stakeholders involved.

Example: Estimators collaborate with project teams to review architectural plans and coordinate system integration with other building components, such as HVAC systems and structural elements. This interdisciplinary collaboration ensures that sprinkler systems are seamlessly integrated into overall building design, enhancing efficiency and minimizing potential conflicts during construction.

PROS OF ACCURATE ESTIMATING

Accurate estimating allows sprinkler firms to meticulously plan every aspect of a project creating and setting the pace to workflow from an idea to execution well beyond the estimating phase of a project. The following shortlist of touches on a few of the recommended best practices that all estimators should incorporate into their sprinkler estimating processes.

Proper Planning and Scheduling: A detailed estimate should come from proper planning and scheduling. Projects have deadlines. We must allow ourselves the proper time to review bid documentation, perform layouts of sprinkler systems, calculations (in certain cases), take-off on material and proposal writing.

Comprehensive Bid Plan Reviews: We as estimators must scrutinize bid drawings, identifying potential conflicts or inconsistencies early on. This proactive approach minimizes change orders and/ or open opportunities for value adds during construction which can really draw in attention at bid review for a sprinkler contractor and differentiate them from the competition.

Leveraging Today’s Computing Power: Modern software harnesses computing power to handle vast amounts of data swiftly and accurately. Unlike traditional pen-and-paper methods or square footing, software enables us to generate complex estimates efficiently, incorporating historical/trending data, material costs, and labor rates with pinpoint precision. This capability not only accelerates the estimating process but also improves accuracy by minimizing human error while exponentially increasing volume output.

CONS OF IMPROPER ESTIMATING

Improper estimating in the sprinkler industry leads to significant issues. First, underestimating costs can cause budget overruns and financial strain. Second, inaccurate estimates result in inadequate resource allocation, leading to delays and compromised system performance. Third, improper estimating undermines life safety, increasing the risk of system failures and legal liabilities. Addressing these cons is crucial for operational integrity and effective fire protection.

Pricing by Square Foot: One common pitfall is the temptation to price projects solely based on square footage. This oversimplified approach ignores unique project requirements and can lead to underestimation of costs. Each project is inherently different, demanding a nuanced approach to estimating that considers specific details and challenges.

Incomplete Documentation: Estimating based on incomplete or inaccurate documentation can result in unforeseen costs and delays. Missing details in drawings or specifications can lead to assumptions that may prove costly during construction. Experienced sprinkler estimators know the importance of verifying and clarifying all project documentation before finalizing estimates.

Inexperience: Entrusting someone to bring in lifeblood to one’s business should be reserved for those that have time in the industry. Inexperienced estimators often lack the industry knowledge and expertise needed to accurately predict costs. Estimating involves not only number crunching but also an understanding of construction methods, codes, and market trends.

EDUCATION TO CLIENTELE

Accurate estimating not only benefits us as contractors but also educates and informs the end users—typically clients and stakeholders—about the intricacies of project costs and the importance of life safety systems. For clients, especially those who may not have a deep understanding, detailed estimates serve as a crucial educational tool. They provide transparency into how costs are determined, what

factors influence pricing, and why certain decisions are made.

Educating clients with detailed estimates allows for breakdown costs to be justified into understandable components, such as materials, labor, equipment, and OHP. Breakdowns allow clients to see where their investment is allocated, fostering trust and clarity in the contractor-client relationship. It enables meaningful discussions about budget considerations and helps manage expectations regarding project scope and quality. When clients understand the significance of providing this level of accuracy, they are more likely to collaborate effectively with us to ensure landing a successful project.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the art and science of sprinkler estimating emerge not just as a financial tool but as a pivotal safeguard in modern construction. Beyond its role in cost evaluation, accurate estimating ensures adherence to stringent safety standards and bolsters resilience against fire hazards. As our fire protection industry becomes increasingly intricate and regulations more stringent, the significance of meticulous sprinkler estimating cannot be overstated. It remains a vital component in the seamless integration of safety, compliance, and costeffectiveness, ultimately contributing to the protection of lives and properties in our ever-evolving world. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Diego

Olmos, SET is the CEO/owner of Fuego Fire Sprinkler Design, located in Atlanta. He has over 25 years of specialized technical acumen encompassing the full spectrum of fire sprinkler systems, from design and hydraulic calculations to cost estimation and risk management. Olmos is also an avid technical writer and trainer of design, and inspection, testing, and maintenance programs of fire sprinkler systems. He is an active participant in AFSA, NPFA, SFPE, and other associations that bring awareness of life-safety systems to the public through education. Olmos holds several certifications, such as NICET 4 in Automatic Fire Sprinkler System Layout, PMP, and is a graduate of St. Mary’s University.

SHARING AFSA’S MISSION GLOBALLY

PRESENTING AT THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE OPERATIONS CONFERENCE AND EXPO IN SAUDI ARABIA

BOB CAPUTO, CFPS | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) was founded in 1981 for the purpose of educating and training the U.S.-based merit shop fire sprinkler industry. As its current president, I had the honor of being invited to participate in the 4th International Fire Operations Conference and Expo held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I was privileged to present two pre-conference workshops on acceptance testing of water-based fire protection systems and fire pump testing, troubleshooting, and installation requirements. I also participated as a panelist, discussing NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, during the conference. I have never felt more welcomed anywhere, and it was good to catch up with old industry friends and acquaintances.

This event, hosted by Saudi Arabia Civil Defense and Saudi ARAMCO, was attended by more than 2,000 people, including representatives of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and was a resounding success in terms of sharing information and furthering the mission of increasing fire and life safety throughout the world. The event was well-planned and invigorating for anyone passionate about the developing technologies being introduced to our industry, along with the anticipation of AI’s impact on us all.

The two workshops I presented were sold out in advance, and the participants were actively engaged and welcoming, asking lots of great questions, making this a true workshop. As any presenter will tell you, having an interactive audience always makes the program better.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to share and expand AFSA’s mission globally while bringing the news and realities of changing norms, both culturally and technically, back to my colleagues in the U.S. The fire protection industry continues to be more than just a great career opportunity. It is an excellent community of dedicated people with a shared mission, regardless of nationality or differences in political views or policies. After this conference, I am invigorated and encouraged by the knowledge that this event is evidence of the NFPA tagline, “It’s a Big World, Let’s Protect it Together.” n

Caputo was honored to to participate in the 4th International Fire Operations Conference and Expo.

Caputo presented two workshops before the conference in Saudi Arabia.

SPARKING CONVERSATIONS; IGNITING INSIGHTS

THE K-FACTOR PODCAST DEBUTS

NATE WILLIAMS | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

When we first started The K-Factor Podcast, my co-hosts AFSA Director of Training & Operations Josh McDonald, MSET, CFPS, CWBSP, WBITM; AFSA Technical Training Specialist Eric Andresen, WBITM; and I had one simple goal: to create a space where everyone in the fire protection industry could feel connected and represented. We wanted to go beyond technical details and day-to-day operations and dive into the perspectives and experiences that shape our industry.

For me, this podcast is personal. As someone who’s new to the fire protection space and has seen how vast and varied it is, I understand how important it is to hear from every corner of our industry. Whether you’re out in the field as a technician, managing operations as a contractor, or driving innovation at a manufacturing plant, your voice matters. And that’s what The K-Factor is all about.

From the very beginning, we wanted this podcast to be about member engagement. That’s why we invited our members to help name the podcast. We sent out a call for votes, and we were blown away by the response. A couple hundred members participated, and the name The K-Factor was born out of that collaboration. It’s a reminder that this podcast isn’t just about us—it’s about all of you who make up this incredible industry.

Each of us on the team plays a key role in bringing The K-Factor to life. Josh is the main host, organizing the topics and

leading conversations on all things fire protection with clarity and focus. Eric serves as our live research guru, ensuring that the technical content we share is accurate and backed by reliable resources. I take on the role of producer, keeping the content on track and asking questions from the perspective of someone newer to the industry, ensuring we’re connecting with both seasoned professionals and those just starting. Together, our unique personalities and backgrounds create a dynamic experience that resonates with our listeners.

One of the things I’m most proud of is how diverse our conversations are. We’ve brought in leaders from all walks of the industry—contractors, manufacturers, engineers, and even those shaping policy. Each guest brings a unique perspective that helps us all understand the bigger picture. It’s not just about the technical side of fire protection (though that’s important, too); it’s about understanding the challenges and opportunities we all face in our respective roles.

We wanted this podcast to feel like a genuine conversation about the industry— casual yet meaningful. But when it’s time to get technical, we make sure you’re getting the most accurate, up-to-date information. There are other fire protection podcasts, and we respect what they bring to the table. We see The K-Factor as another tool in the toolbox for our members to use—a resource designed to complement and enhance their understanding of the industry.

For our AFSA members, The K-Factor is more than just a podcast. It’s a resource for staying informed on the latest industry

developments, a platform for gaining insights from peers and leaders, and an opportunity to feel more connected to the broader fire protection community. I firmly believe that by sharing our stories and learning from one another, we can all do our jobs better and make a bigger impact.

Josh, Eric, and I are passionate about making this podcast something that resonates with everyone. Whether you’re tuning in to hear about the latest technical advancements, get advice from seasoned industry leaders, or simply learn from the challenges your peers are facing, there’s something here for you.

We hope you’ll listen, engage with us, and join us on this journey as we work together to innovate fire protection and strengthen our community—one conversation at a time. Be sure to listen, like, and subscribe to The K-Factor podcast on your favorite platform, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, or at firesprinkler.org/ podcast/. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nate Williams is the meeting and events coordinator for the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). With a background in organizing high-profile events such as the Korn Ferry Tour, the College Football Championship, and the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, Williams brings a wealth of expertise and energy to his role. At AFSA, he collaborates with the convention team to deliver exceptional annual gatherings, supports the NextGen initiative to engage young professionals, and manages AFSA’s National Apprentice Competition to highlight rising talent in the fire protection industry. Additionally, Williams oversees the issuance of CEUs to members, ensuring their continued growth and development.

THE ABCS: ITM AND AHJ

THE IMPORTANCE OF NFPA 25 AND THE AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION

JOSHUA MCDONALD, MSET, CFPS, CWBSP, WBITM | AMERICAN FIRE SPRINKLER ASSOCIATION

Sprinklers are extremely effective in controlling fires to save lives and property. The combination of the abundance of water and its heat absorption properties is unmatched. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports in U.S. Experience with Sprinklers that the reasons for sprinkler failures between 2017 and 2021 are 61% of the time due to the system being shut off, 15% due to manual intervention defeating the system, 9% due to damaged components within the system, 9% due to the lack of maintenance, and 6% of the time is there an inappropriate system for the fire. These statistics have stayed consistent since the conception of the studies. The sprinklers have no chance in controlling a fire if water does not make it to the fire. The importance of NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-based Fire Protection Systems, is solidified every time these statistics are released. Owners or designated representatives are responsible for maintaining the sprinkler systems, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) are responsible for enforcing the standard within the jurisdiction. The two largest statistics are due to systems being shut off, and, many times, the fire service is responsible for defeating the system by shutting it off prior to the fire being fully suppressed and extinguished. A successful sprinkler system relies on the AHJ to enforce NFPA 25, but also consider the local fire service department’s preplanning, expertise, and helping to fill any training gaps.

1.1 Scope. This document establishes the minimum requirements for the periodic inspection, testing, and maintenance of

water-based fire protection systems and the actions to undertake when changes in occupancy, use, process, materials, hazard, or water supply that potentially impact the performance of the water-based system are planned or identified.

1.2.1 The purpose of this document is to provide requirements that ensure a reasonable degree of protection for life and property from fire through minimum inspection, testing, and maintenance methods for water-based fire protection systems.

1.2.2 In those cases where it is determined that an existing situation involves a distinct hazard to life or property, the authority having jurisdiction shall be permitted to require inspection, testing, and maintenance methods in excess of those required by the standard.

NFPA 25 is ultimately an owner’s document that provides the frequencies

and activities that are required for any water-based fire protection system. The idea is that by completing tasks by observation, testing, and/or maintenance that there is great chance that the system will work as intended. However, it is good to realize that from an owner’s perspective, the systems are considered as a financial burden not only because of the installation cost but also due to the preventative maintenance programs that are needed. All parties hope that the system never has to activate due to a fire event. The AHJ or contractor that is more intimate with the understanding of NFPA 25 tends to carry more weight on their shoulder to make sure not only that the requirements are completed, but that they are completed properly. AHJs are permitted to increase the requirements of the standard to help pinpoint

The success of sprinkler systems relies on the combined efforts of all stakeholders, including AHJs. AFSA’s hands-on training lab offers an immersive experience to fully understand NFPA 25.

solutions to the problems that they run into locally.

AHJs and contractors must understand the owner’s perspective to truly understand that the most successful approach to enforcing and conduct ITM activities starts with building owner relationships. It is not possible to have easy or successful conversations with owner’s if the hammer is dropped on the deficiency report without context to the importance of the system and an understanding of the requirements. Educating the owner and setting them up for success is a way we can try to change the statistics and have more sprinkler wins.

EDUCATE THE OWNER

Contractors, sit down and discuss the required frequencies and activities to help the owner prioritize and set up an appropriate schedule prior to establishing the contract. Write the report in such a manner that can be understood, is formatted to ensure the AHJ requirements are easy to find and sit down with the owner following your inspection so that the findings are not a surprise.

AHJs, schedule regular inspections and audits to show that you have an interest in helping and not reactively show up to punish them for the requirements that they may not even know. Sit down with the owner so that they understand the importance of your findings. Schedule some of your training to be at a customer site so that both parties can learn more about the systems that protect them. Clearly outline the report expectations both in terms of retention and provision.

It becomes easy to blame the fire service after manually defeating the fire service until there is the realization that the concentration of the fire service’s in-house training is on fire suppression activities, and even more so medical training, as that is the most common emergency that they respond to. Also, funding for other training is not as much of a priority as purchasing the proper equipment to fight the fire, as it is expensive and needed. Many fire -

fighters receive a short basic understanding of sprinklers in Fire 1 and then concentrate on operations and department policy throughout their time on the job. The fire service needs more training on sprinkler systems. It is understandable that if a firefighter is unaware that the sprinkler system and hose stream are accounted for in the design, they may be concerned when the pressure in the sprinkler system decreases as they introduce their handline. It is not practical for us to expect the fire service, who are guaranteed to interact with the sprinkler system, to remember how to tell if a sprinkler is active if they are not trained and retrained. The AHJs, training officers, and contractors need to find the gaps and help the fire service get up to speed and be confident in sprinkler systems. The AHJs need to help to customize their training for the standard operating procedures and the preplans in their location so there are no mistakes when they respond to a fire event. The culture of the industry needs to start to include the fire service as a stakeholder in fire protection conversations.

The success of sprinkler systems relies on the combined efforts of all stakeholders—owners, contractors, AHJs, and the fire service. While NFPA 25 provides a robust framework for ensuring these systems are inspected, tested, and maintained, enforcement and collaboration are critical. AHJs must prioritize building relationships with owners to foster understanding and compliance while also addressing the gaps in firefighter training to build confidence in these life-saving systems. By educating owners and integrating the fire service into fire protection strategies, we can shift the narrative, reduce system failures, and improve fire outcomes. Together, we can ensure that every sprinkler system functions as intended when it matters most.

The American Sprinkler Association (AFSA) provides training for all stakeholders with its best-in-class Beginning, Intermediate, and three-day

hands-on Fire Pump workshops. In addition, AFSA’s ITM Inspector Development program has students NICET Level II ready in 20 months, with the passage rate of NICET Level I and II exams 30% above the national average. Want to learn more? See page 20 in this issue or visit AFSA’s website at firesprinkler.org/. AFSA prides itself on being able to talk shop with all stakeholders and provide the best hands-on training for water-based fire protection systems. Take advantage of these opportunities! n

ABOUT

THE AUTHOR: Joshua McDonald, MSET, CFPS, CWBSP, WBITM, is the director of training and operations for AFSA. He is responsible for developing, updating, and delivering technical content. He has experience in training for fire protection industry professionals, including web-based and hands-on learning. As a manufacturer, McDonald has been involved in the research, development, and technical services of fire protection products and has experience with risk engineering applied to the fire protection analysis and the ITM of fire protection systems. He is a member of NFPA technical committees responsible for developing the model codes and standards. He also represents AFSA on UL standard technical panels and is responsible for revising and maintaining the product standards used in the sprinkler industry. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in fire protection and safety engineering technology and a Master of Science degree from Oklahoma State University in fire safety and explosion protection. McDonald is a member of NFPA.

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP ACROSS GENERATIONS

DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL, MULTIGENERATIONAL COMPANY

MELISA RODRIGUEZ, P.E., SET | JOHNSON CONTROLS

Today’s workforce is diverse both in background and age. For business leaders, knowing how to build an effective team of people who hail from different generations can contribute greatly to the success and profitability of a firm. Unfortunately, generational language and communication styles can sometimes lead to miscommunication and struggles among teams. Striving to understand each other’s viewpoints and learning how to communicate more effectively is one of the most important factors in having a happy and successful workforce.

One thing we can all relate to is the influx of communication technologies. From Zoom meetings and emails to text messages and Tweets, we have found that people rely much more on technology today and less on face-to-face conversations. In a business setting, sometimes it’s perfectly fine to use text messaging or other forms of communication for quick notes and updates. However, if more formal methods are desired, those expectations should be made clear and communicated upfront with your employees.

In addition to technology habits, people from different generations can sometimes have different working styles and values that can potentially lead to conflict and bias in the workplace. Our natural biases can make us gravitate toward people who are similar to us and not associate with people who are different. We can apply a “halo or horns” effect to people that we assume we will like or dislike without first getting to know them. Learning about biases and how to identify when they are affecting our

Striving to understand each other’s viewpoints and learning how to communicate more effectively is one of the most important factors to having a happy and successful workforce.

perceptions is an important tool in successful working environments.

The main way to build successful teams with people of different backgrounds and perspectives is to work on gaining empathy. Being able to put yourself in someone else’s place and try to view things from their perspective is a very powerful tool. We should work to understand personality types and communication preferences and tailor our interactions to help bridge those gaps between people among different generations.

There are many tools available in the marketplace to aid in this endeavor. For example, the book The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace directs readers to focus on what types of appreciation will mean more to different people, as there is simply not a one-size-fits-all approach to people. Personality assessments like the Disc assessment, MeyersBriggs, StrengthsFinder, and the Hogan

Development Survey can also help us understand personality traits so team members can adjust their communication styles for more effective collaboration.

In understanding diverse teams, it can be helpful to look at the characteristics generally assigned to each generation. The way that people were raised and the major events that happened during their lifetime will have an impact on their values, how they view the world, and how they work with others.

Here’s a quick breakdown of each generation currently in the workforce:

• Baby Boomers (1946-1964) are between 60 and 77 years old. This generation was named after the large increase in birth rates following World War II. Due to the large size of this generation, they remain very economically and politically influential, with many reaching the retirement stage of their careers. Knowledge transfer from these individuals to the younger generations has become a bit of

an urgent matter in many corporate discussions. The general characteristics of this generation include having a strong work ethic and being independent, competitive and experienced in their field.

• Generation X (1965-1980) is between 44 and 59 years old. This group is either already established in leadership roles at their companies or is starting to move into these roles as Boomers continue retiring. The characteristics they embody include diversity, self-reliance, practicality, and flexibility. They tend to be more informal than their elders and were the first generation to start to pay attention to work/life balance. This group expects clear goals and deliverables, they value higher education, they desire the flexibility to accomplish tasks in their own way, and they will seek out feedback if they want it.

• Generation Y/Millennials (1981-1996) are between 28 and 43 years old. This group experienced the great recession when entering the workforce and generally had more student debt than their elders. They desire fair pay, a good work/life balance, flexibility, and clear expectations. Millennials were introduced to the internet at a young age and are generally tech-savvy.

• Generation Z are born between 1997 and 2010, making them between 14 and 27 years old. This group was born into an age where information is available at their fingertips whenever they want it. They are globally the largest generation and, in the U.S., are the most ethnically and racially diverse. They put a high value on self-care and are more accepting and empathetic to mental health issues. This group is shifting away from traditional career paths and education, in part due to seeing the previous generation accrue massive student loan debt.

So, how does one use this info to attract and retain talented employees? Aside from the obvious higher pay and great benefits, building a positive culture at your company can go a long way to developing loyal employees. Effective leaders exist to elevate and enable their teams to do their very best. They use their position to remove barriers to their employees’ success and give them room

to grow and flourish. They know that it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach and everyone has strengths that can be built upon. Being able to look beyond bias and differences, having empathy, and adapting to the different communication styles of your team can be the best way to have a successful, multigenerational company. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Melisa Rodriguez, P.E., SET, is the vertical business development leader for storage with Johnson Controls. She is a licensed fire protection engineer with 20 years of experience in the industry and has held various roles, including project manager, designer, lead fire protection engineer, and senior business development

manager. Rodriguez is also NICET certified Level IV in Water Based Systems Layout. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and MBA from the University of Minnesota. Rodriguez serves as chair of the Minnesota board of licensure (AELSLAGID), vice chair of the Minnesota Governor’s Council for Fire Prevention and Control, NFSA Future Leadership Committee vice chair, SFPE Virtual Learning Subcommittee chair, and president of the Minnesota Chapter Society of Fire Protection Engineers. She is also a principal member on the technical committees for NFPA 14, NFPA 13D/R, NFPA 88A and is an alternate member of the NFPA 13 Discharge Criteria committee.

HIGHER STANDARDS

Happy New Year! 2025 will be an exciting and busy year as it kicks off the revision cycles for the 2028 editions of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems , NFPA 13R, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Low-Rise Residential Occupancies , NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes , NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection , NFPA 24, Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances , and NFPA 291, Recommended Practice for Water Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants, and the 2027 edition of NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems . While the public input window will be closed for NFPA 14 at the time of publication, there will still be plenty of time to make your mark on the standards being revised for their 2028 editions. The public input window for those standards will close on June 4, 2025. That may feel like a long way away, but be sure to submit early and often as the years seem to keep flying by.

Along with the new year, AFSA has new regional boundaries and has increased from seven regions to 10 regions! This means that AFSA’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC) will be expanding, too. Currently, the TAC is made up of 15 voting contractor members and alternate plus a number of ex-officio associate members. With the additional regions, the TAC will be expanding to include 20 voting contractor members, with each region being represented by at least one voting member. Contractors Category 15 and higher spanning multiple regions will receive an automatic seat. If you have any interest in participating in the TAC in an official capacity, please make sure you reach out to be considered.

Keeping with the New Year’s theme, here are some resolutions we are aiming to achieve for the standard development process this year:

• Continue to lead by example on NFPA Technical Committees.

• Protect the principles of merit shop contractors.

• Address knowledge gaps in NFPA 88A for parking structures to provide prescriptive approaches based on technically substantiated research.

• Ensure NFPA 420 adequately addresses water-based fire protection systems and contains applicable, user-friendly requirements.

• Make common sense requirements for minimum power ratings for fire pumps.

• Reorganize NFPA 13! (Just kidding!) If there is anything you would like to see addressed, do not hesitate to reach out to AFSA’s Engineering and Technical Services Department at technical@firesprinkler.org. n

Current Representation on NFPA Technical Committees

45 Documents (Codes, Standards, Guides, and Recommended Practices)

57 Technical Committees

119 Committee Representatives

KEVIN HALL, M.ENG, P.E., ET, CWBSP, PMSFPE AFSA DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING

AFSA TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

E. Parks Moore, P.E., Chair (National Scope)

S&S Sprinkler Co. (Pye-Barker)

Alternate: Phillip Clemen, Rapid Fire Protection Group

Chris Campion (Region 9)

Eastern Fire and Safety

Alternate: Thomas Carlock

Christopher Caputo (Region 3)

Metro Fire Equipment

Alternate: Bret Evans

Jason Gill (Region 8)

Crews and Gregory Fire Sprinkler, Inc.

Alternate: Bob Beckwith, Cavalier Fire Protection, LLC

Matthew Heidler (National Scope)

Johnson Controls Fire Protection

Alternate: Kevin Galligan

Chris Johnson (Region 7)

Piper Fire Protection

Alternate: Steven Helkin

Chris Kachura (National Scope)

VSC Fire and Security

Alternate: Andrew Hafner

Adam Levine (Region 9)

Capitol Fire Sprinkler

Alternate: Chris Ribando, Approved Fire Protection

Jeff Lewis (Region 8)

VSC Fire and Security

Alternate: David Victor

Dale Lindh (Region 4)

Summit Companies

Alternate: Paul Szafranski

Eric Rieve (Region 10)

Rieve Fire Protection

Alternate: Connor Rieve

Steven Scandaliato (Region 5)

SDG, LLC

Alternate: Michael Newell, Belvedere

John Schotz (National Scope)

Davis Ulmer Sprinkler Co. (APi Group)

Alternate: Steve Ulmer

Taylor Schumacher (Region 4)

Security Fire Sprinkler

Alternate: Calen Schumacher

Byron Weisz (Region 2)

Cen-Cal Fire Systems, Inc.

Alternate: Erik Weisz

KEVIN HALL, M.Eng, P.E., ET, CWBSP, PMSFPE

Staff Liaison

American Fire Sprinkler Association

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

AFSA Manufacturers/Supplier Council Chair

Phil Schechinger, ASC Engineered Solutions

Alternate: AFSA Manufacturers/Supplier Council Vice Chair Andy Kaempfer, Safe Signal

Johnson Controls

Melisa Rodriguez

Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co.

Cary Webber, Alternate: Brandon Telford

UL Solutions

Kerry Bell, Alternate: Jeff Hebenstreit

Victaulic

Kevin Kelly, Alternate: Alaina Schwall

Viking Corporation

Martin Workman, Alternate: Josh Overholt

ABOUT THE TAC

TAC meetings are open to all AFSA members in good standing. Contact your regional representative to discuss any issues that the TAC should hear. While the number of voting members on the TAC is currently restricted to 15 contractor companies, there are other opportunities for interested AFSA members. If you are interested in serving on an NFPA or UL technical committee, email technical@ firesprinkler.org. All technical committee appointments are made by the TAC.

TECHNICAL CHALLENGES

CAN YOU MEET THE CHALLENGE?

AFSA’s Engineering & Technical Services Department staff present technical challenges here for you and your co-workers. These exercises are also excellent preparation for professional certification tests and may count as CEUs. Check with your certification organization. Answers to this issue’s questions will be presented in the next issue.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY QUESTIONS

The following questions are based on NFPA 25, 2023 edition.

1. Paddle-type water flow switches are allowed to be disabled when:

A. a listed device is used to lock the paddle from moving.

B. the paddle is jammed with a foreign device like a wood wedge or a screwdriver.

C. a cable tie is used to prevent the paddle movement.

D. it is never allowed to disable a paddle-type water flow switch by preventing the paddle’s movement.

2. All hose connection pressure-regulating devices are required to be tagged with all of the following test result information:

A. Date, inlet pressure and outlet pressure

B. Inlet pressure, outlet pressure, and flow

C. Date, inlet pressure, outlet pressure, and flow

D. Date, flow, and outlet pressure

3. Which response best describes when an obstruction investigation is triggered? A dry sprinkler system has an increase in water delivery compared to the acceptance test results.

A. 50% increase in all systems

B. 25% increase in all systems or an increase of 5 seconds in systems protecting dwelling units

C. 10 second increase in all systems

D. 5 second increase in all systems that protect residential units

4. When existing sprinkler system fire department connections are hydrostatically tested every five years, a passing test will meet the following:

A. A minimum test pressure of 150 psi for two hours with no visible leaks and no drop in pressure.

B. A minimum test pressure of 200 psi for two hours with no visible leaks and no drop in pressure.

C. A minimum test pressure of 150 psi for two hours with no visible leaks and a maximum 5 psi drop in pressure.

D. A minimum test pressure of 200 psi for two hours with no visible leaks and a maximum 5 psi drop in pressure.

5. Check valves, strainers, and restricted orifices are to be internally inspected every five years. This includes:

A. All check valves, strainers, and restricted orifices installed in the fire protection systems.

B. All check valves, strainers, and restricted orifices installed in the fire protection systems excluding the dry, and preaction valves.

C. All check valves, strainers, and restricted orifices installed in the fire protection systems excluding the dry, and preaction valves and the fire pump sensing lines.

D. All 2-in. and larger check valves, strainers, and restricted orifices installed in the fire protection systems.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ANSWERS

The following questions and answers are based on hazard classification.

1. What is the occupancy classification of a typical office space that does not contain machines or storage, and in which the quantity and combustibility of contents is low? NFPA 13-2025: A.4.3.2(12)

A. Light hazard occupancy

B. Ordinary hazard occupancy

C. Residential occupancy

D. Extra hazard occupancy

2. An elementary school classroom is a typical example of a(n) __________ hazard classification. NFPA 13-2025: A.4.3.2(5)

A. Residential hazard occupancy

B. Light hazard occupancy

C. Ordinary hazard, Group 1 occupancy

D. Ordinary hazard, Group 2 occupancy

3. A typical hotel room in a 16-story building is classified as a(n) __________ hazard classification. NFPA 13-2025: A.4.3.2(13)

A. Residential hazard occupancy

B. Light hazard occupancy

C. Ordinary hazard, Group 1 occupancy

D. Ordinary hazard, Group 2 occupancy

4. A fire pump room containing a diesel driven fire pump is classified as a(n) __________ hazard classification. NFPA 13-2025: A.4.3.4.2(10)

A. Ordinary hazard, Group 1 occupancy

B. Ordinary hazard, Group 2 occupancy

C. Extra hazard Group 1 occupancy

D. Extra hazard Group 2 occupancy.

UNCLE RUSS

Jean and I recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. We met on the second day of our first year of college and exchanged vows three years later. Some of you know the story where I was late for our wedding because I got caught up at my part-time job and lost track of time. Jean laughingly states that she should have seen what was coming regarding my affinity for work.

My first job was in the sixth grade. It was working for my older brother’s vending machine business. Every day after school, I helped him fill the machines which were in schools around the Las Vegas valley. I was paid a whopping $1.25 an hour—which was rather good for a 12-year-old in 1965. I remember how proud I was when I filed my first income tax return—of course, I got everything back apart from my contribution to Social Security.

I worked continuously through the rest of my school years. My jobs included janitorial, landscaping, and road maintenance. I played sports in junior and senior high school, and my mom would pick me up after practice and take me to my job. It became easier once I could drive. I took pride in working as I bought my own clothes, never had to borrow money for gas or dates, and was able to invest in my hobbies, such as hunting and camping. When I turned sixteen, I had to pay $25 a week for room and board to my parents. I learned that my earnings were not just for my enjoyment but came with responsibilities. Later, I found out it was a forced savings plan, as they gave me back the money they had collected to use for college.

Working did not cease while attending college. I worked part-time during the school year and full-time during semester and summer breaks. After Jean and I were married, I held three jobs simultaneously much of the time. Most of my work was at night, including two years washing commercial aircraft. I was proud when I completed my studies with no debt and with no assistance from my parents—although I did have the luxury of knowing that they were ready to help if it were ever needed.

I share this because there are so many today who are unwilling to work. I am the first to recognize that one can become obsessed with making money to the exclusion of everything else. I am not proposing that work is the most important thing. We must have balance in our lives, but in the end, the only way most of us will be successful financially or otherwise is if we are willing to work. Do not forget work also includes learning skills that increase our marketability and earning power.

I have a professional colleague and friend with whom I share similar feelings about work. He is an electrical engineer

and spent much of his career as the director of government affairs for a company owned by a French conglomerate. He remarked that his French colleagues would often chide him about American economic power, often implying that it was mere circumstance and luck that allowed it to happen. However, whenever he was asked “How America became such a great economic power,” he always answered, “Because we work!”

I believe hard work trumps almost everything. Early in my career, I was fortunate to work with a small team of individuals for a fire sprinkler firm. We were inexperienced and very young. When we started, the company had a poor reputation and was not successful financially. However, in the space of a couple of years, we became one the finest companies in our market. We accomplished this by making up for what we lacked in experience with hard work.

I still work with this group of professionals. We bring the same work ethic to the job every day and, together with others who are willing to put in the effort, have built a successful company. Yes, there are many smart and experienced people, but as I look around our industry, what really sets successful organizations apart and will continue to make them unique is the willingness of their people to work.

Work is the “not so secret” sauce for success. There is no real substitute. Think about it. n

RUSS LEAVITT, CFPS, S.E.T. TELEGIAN HOLDINGS EXECUTIVE CHAIR AFSA COMMITTEE MEMBER & SPEAKER

AFSA NEWS

CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 2025

5

• Signage Rquirements for NFPA 13 Webinar firesprinkler.org/calendarevent/signage-requirementsin-nfpa-13/ 11 - MARCH 17

• Beginning Design School

AFSA Headquarters, Richardson, TX firesprinkler.org/programs/beginning-fire-sprinkler-systemplanning-school/ 17-19

• Sprinkler Hydraulics Workshop firesprinkler.org/programs/calculations/ 19

• Basics of Plan Review for Sprinkler Systems (AHJ) Webinar firesprinkler.org/calendarevent/basics-of-plan-reviewfor-sprinkler-systems-ahj/ 24

• Introduction to the Fire Sprinkler Industry

AFSA Headquarters, Richardson, TX firesprinkler.org/programs/introduction-to-the-firesprinkler-industry/ 25-26

• Beginning ITM Workshop

AFSA Headquarters, Richardson, TX firesprinkler.org/programs/beginning-itm-workshop/ 27-28

• Fire Pump ITM Workshop

AFSA Headquarters, Richardson, TX firesprinkler.org/programs/fire-pump-itm-workshop/

MARCH 2025

17-28

• Advanced Intermediate Design School

AFSA Headquarters, Richardson, TX firesprinkler.org/programs/intermediate-fire-sprinklersystem-planning-school/

APRIL 2025

7-8

• Beginning ITM Workshop

AFSA Headquarters, Richardson, TX firesprinkler.org/programs/beginning-itm-workshop/ 7-9

• Advanced Hydraulics Workshop firesprinkler.org/programs/advanced-sprinkler-hydrauliccalculations-workshop/

AFSA TRAINING LAB FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

The lab is in great shape now that AFSA has relined the wet pit and increased the support for the vertical turbine water supply pumps. Some automation equipment is installed and operational. AFSA is currently working on the finishing touches and dialing the equipment in, starting to install sprinklers in the spray demonstrations area, and looking forward to beginning the removable obstruction frame. It is all coming together, and AFSA cannot thank its Associate Members and our members enough for making this happen!

AFSA is genuinely excited to have a top-notch lab to complement training for you, our members! If you are interested in renting the facility or providing customized training at the sprinkler playground, please complete the request form at www.firesprinkler.org/facility-request-form/. Fill it out soon because time slots are starting to fill up!

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

Through August 31, 2025, eligible college or trade school students can visit afsascholarship.org to apply for one of AFSA’s “second chance” scholarships. Created by AFSA’s Public Education & Awareness Committee to raise awareness about fire sprinklers, the fire protection industry, and its careers, the contest is open to those students who want to pursue a college degree or trade school education. The scholarship offers the chance to win one of five scholarships. Applicants visit the website, read a short passage on fire protection and fire sprinklers, and answer questions about the reading. Each correct answer offers one entry into the scholarship contest, with eight entries possible per applicant! Five winners are randomly selected to receive a one-time $1,000 AFSA scholarship payable to their respective college, university, or trade school. For more details and to enter, visit afsascholarship.org/secondchance/.

SHARE YOUR STORY!

AFSA is encouraging members to “Tell us your story!” It could include a successful result resulting from a Technical Review (saved time and money), someone who started out as a sprinkler fitter apprentice and now owns a business, or a design school graduate who is now a lead designer, etc. Stories may be featured in Sprinkler Age and on AFSA’s social media platforms. Email communications@firesprinkler.org to share your story.

STAY IN THE KNOW WITH SPRINKLER AGE

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

FOLLOW AFSA ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Get real-time updates on the association’s official happenings sent to your desktop or wireless device by subscribing to or following AFSA social media:

• TikTok: tiktok.com/@firesprinkler.org/

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/american-fire-sprinklerassociation-afsa-/mycompany/

• Facebook: facebook.com/firesprinkler.org/

• Instagram: instagram.com/firesprinklerorg/. n

CHAPTER NEWS

COLORADO

The AFSA Colorado Chapter has scheduled several events for 2025: chapter meetings on Feb. 12 and Aug. 20 and CEU training on May 7. For more information, visit afsacoloradochapter.org/.

FLORIDA

The chapter will hold “Meetings in the Capital” Feb. 19-20 at the Hotel Duval in Tallahassee. All members are encouraged to “Walk The Halls Of The Capital” come share your industry stories with legislators. This is an opportunity to educate legislators about the needs of the fire sprinkler industry and continue to build stronger relationships between AFSA-FL and the people who pass legislation that affect businesses. This event is approved for 3 CEU Hours. Everyone is welcome! For more information, visit member.afsafl.org/.

LOUISIANA

Mark your calendars! AFSA’s Louisiana Chapter will hold meetings Feb. 18 and Apr. 22 in Baton Rouge. The 2025 Southern Fire Sprinkler Summit will be held Jul. 22-25 in Pensacola, Fla. with the theme “Caddyshack.” Visit southernfiresprinklersummit.org/ for details.

For more information on the chapter, visit lafiresprinkler.org/ or contact chapter Executive Director Ellen Ballard at eballard@firetechsystems.com.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

The Sacramento Valley Chapter will host its 13th Annual Trade Show at Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Mar. 6 from 3:00 p.m.—7:00 p.m. This event is for owners, contractors, consultants, architects, fitters, engineers, fire department personnel, designers, and all members of the fire protection industry! This event is FREE and showcases over 50 exhibitors, new products, delicious food, a no-host bar, and raffles. For more information and a hotel promo code for reduced room rates, visit sacvalleyafsa.org/ or contact chapter Executive Director Paulene Norwood via email at paulenesacvalleyafsa@gmail.com or via phone at (916) 296-0635.

SCHUYLKILL

The Schuylkill Chapter held its annual joint meeting with AFAA, ASCET, NFSA, and SFPE on Jan. 13. It was a great evening experience for all participants as they enjoyed a cocktail hour and dinner while taking part in conversations recapping 2024 and what’s in store for the new year.

The chapter will hold a two-day seminar event Feb. 26-27 at the Hotel West & Main in Conshohocken. CEUs and Credit Hours provided! A room block is available. Register by Feb. 14. Questions? Contact Meaghen Wills at mwills@sciensbuildingsolutions.com. Visit afsapendel.org/ for more information on the chapter and events.

VIRGINIA

What an incredible year for the AFSA Virginia Chapter in 2024! As we reflect on this fantastic year, we’re so proud of all we’ve accomplished together. Here’s a look at just a few of our highlights:

• Record-Breaking Job Fair – In February, we hosted a record-breaking job fair at Regency Mall with 300 attendees, connecting job seekers with incredible opportunities in the fire sprinkler industry.

• $1,000 Scholarship Awarded – We awarded a $1,000 scholarship to a welder student, helping to support the next generation of trades professionals.

• Community Engagement with HCPS – We partnered with Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) 10th graders for an amazing community project where they installed fire sprinklers in a house as part of their hands-on learning experience.

• Seminars & Training – Another sold-out seminar at the Chesterfield Training Center, with 90 paid members! Plus, we helped launch a fire sprinkler training program in HCPS and are working on completing a fire sprinkler lab at the HCPS ACE Center.

• Successful Board & Member Meetings – Five well-organized board and member meetings were held in Richmond, Thornburg, Williamsburg, and we wrapped up the year at the Rivers Casino in Portsmouth.

• Golf Tournament – Our fantastic golf tournament sold out in just si weeks and raised significant funds for two great charities. The NexGen group also hosted a popular putting contest, adding even more fun to the day!

• AFSA National Convention – We had nearly every board member attend the AFSA National Convention at the Gaylord in Denver, with two board members and one chapter member also serving as trainers at the event. None of this would have been possible without the dedication, time, talents, and creativity of our incredible members. For more information about the chapter and its 2025 events, contact Executive Director Steve McGee via email at exedirafsava@gmail.com. n

ASSOCIATION NEWS

FSCATX

FSCATX will hold its 1st Quarter Chapter luncheons in February 2025. The Houston meeting will take place on February 4 at the Cadillac Bar, beginning at 11:00 a.m. The program will be “Fire Pumps 101: Fundamentals, Start-up, and Commissioning Essentials.” The Austin meeting will be held February 6 at 11:00 a.m. at the Frank Fickett Center – Heritage Room. The program will be “5-Year Standpipe Flow Test Inspector.” The DFW meeting will happen on February 5 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lewisville Recital Hall/Lewisville Grand Theater in Lewisville. “Winterization, Legislation and Fire Sprinklers” will be the presentation.

The 2nd Quarter Chapter luncheons will be held in April. “Leadership vs Management – Is One Better Than the Other?” will be the program for Houston (April 23 at the Cadillac Bar) and Austin (April 24 at the Frank Fickett Center – Heritage Room). DFW will meet April 30 at the Winewood Grill in Grapevine a and present “ with “Standpipe Systems — Calcs, Responsibilities and Applications” as the program.

Mark your calendar for Skins & Fins 2025 “Pirates of the Caribbean” to be held June 5-8 at the South Shore Harbour Resort in League City.

For more information on FSCATX events, visit fscatx.org or email Executve Director Sarah Kiefer at sarah@fscatx.org. n

AFSA CHAPTERS

ALABAMA

Lee Seewald – Pres.

202-252-5101

Greg Willis – Exec. Dir. 334-567-4257

ARIZONA

Jason Williams – Chair

480-421-8411

Denniece Cooper - Exec. Dir.

DALLASFORT WORTH

CJ Bonczyk – Chair 817-529-1693

FLORIDA

Bob DiModica - Chair 239-514-7155

Jessica Cox – Exec. Dir. 813-784-3624

ILLINOIS-INDIANA

Skyler Bilbo – Chair 217-342-2242

Mitch Bortner – Vice Chair 206-348-0078

LOUISIANA

Randy Laguna – Chair 504-464-6236 ext 224

Ellen Ballard – Exec. Dir.

NEW JERSEY

Thomas Bowlby, Jr. – Chair 908-226-5313

Victor Lugo – Exec. Dir. 201-635-0400

NEW MEXICO

Paul Chavez – Chair 505-898-9197

Renee Nix - ED/Treasurer

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Holly Gray Salmon – Chair 916-296-9913

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

SAN DIEGO

Mark Scott – Chair 619-778-2377

TENNESSEE

Casey Milhorn – Chair 615-349-5278

David Pulliam– Exec. Dir. 901-484-0605

UTAH ROCKY MOUNTAIN

Mark Winder, Jr. – Chair 385-630-8064 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

AFSA NEW MEMBERS

New members as of October 28, 2024

CONTRACTORS

Alarm & Suppression, Inc., Ballston Lake, NY

All-Safe Fire Protection, LLC, Pleasant Valley, MO

Alternative Fire Protection Services, Menifee, CA

Aqua Fire Protection Inc., Stockton, CA

Armor Fire Sprinkler Service LLC, Hurlock, MD

Community Fire Protection, Seaside, CA

Gilbert Fire Protection, Gilbert, AZ

Ideal Fire Services LLC, Smithton, MO

Riser Fire Protection LLC, Waxahachie, TX

RLS Fire Protection Systems, Santa Rosa, CA

TouchDown Fire, Inc., Ripon, CA

ASSOCIATES

Atsion Run, New York, NY

Granby Compsosites, Ham-Nord, PQ, Quebec, Canada

DESIGNERS

Brooks Fire Protection Engineering, LLC, Overland Park, KS

Net Positive Consulting Engineers, Fresno, CA

AHJS

William Aceto, Upper Marlboro, MD

Jesse “Bryan” Ausenbaugh, Prosper, TX

Samuel Baucom, Kyle, TX

David Bell, Berea, KY

Jeremy Berger, Maple Grove, MN

Andre Brown, Frederick, MD

Aaron Cihak, Hoquiam, WA

Stanley Cywinski, Philadelphia, PA

John Esposito, Brooklyn, NY

Roberta Gorman, Boise, ID

Jimmy Grostick, Olympia, WA

Chris Heyer, Beverly Hills, CA

Andrew Horton, Fayetteville, AR

Michael Jozwiak, Lansdowne, PA

Adam Krouse, Ann Arbor, MI

Matthew Lumadue, Salinas, CA

Joshua Mailman, Augusa, ME

John Meizoso, Doral, FL

Duane Miller, Springdale, AR

Doug Mitchell, Portland, OR

Zahra Mosavat, Los Angeles, CA

Kevin Myers, Scott, AR

Kevin Nguyen, Hayward, CA

Joel Norris, Wichita, KS

Maria Perez, Victoria, TX

Alejandro Piña, Steven, PA

Austin Sealey, Saraland, AL

Joe Sheehy, Pittsburg, KS

Philip Smith, Gilbertsville, PA

Salvatore Sparacio, Stevens, PA

Beau Stevens, Richardson, TX

Rufus Stokes, Yeadon, PA

Al Tarman, Chaska, MN

Lloyd Waldon, Fort Washington, PA

Michael Welvaert, Plano, TX

Michael Yacovino, Canton, CT

U.S. CONSTRUCTION REPORTS

CONSTRUCTION STARTS INCREASE 4% IN OCTOBER

Total construction starts increased 4% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.2 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts grew 14%, nonbuilding starts moved 2% higher, while residential building starts fell 3%. On a year-to-date basis through October, total construction starts were up 3% from the first 10 months of 2023. Residential starts were up 7%, nonresidential buildings rose 1%, and nonbuilding starts were up by less than one percent.

For the 12 months ending October 2024, total construction starts were up 1% from the 12 months ending October 2023. Residential starts were up 6% and nonresidential and nonbuilding starts were each down 1%.

“Construction starts have yet to see the impact of falling interest rates,” said Richard Branch chief economist of Dodge Construction Network. “Several more rate cuts will be needed to start moving construction projects through the planning process to start. Clarity, though, has improved now that the election is in the rearview mirror; however, developers may wait until the full scope of President-elect Trump’s legislative agenda comes into better focus.” n

CONSTRUCTION STARTS INCREASE 5% IN NOVEMBER

Total construction starts increased 5% in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.2 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts grew 2%, nonbuilding starts moved 16% higher, while residential building starts fell 1%. On a year-to-date basis through November, total construction starts were up 5% from the first 11 months of 2023. Nonresidential starts were up 4%, residential starts were up 7% and nonbuilding starts were up by 5%.

For the 12 months ending November 2024, total construction starts were up 4% from the 12 months ending November 2023. Residential starts were up 7%, nonresidential starts were up 2% and nonbuilding starts rose 4% over the same period.

“Construction starts continue to move sideways as the market waits for further rate cuts,” stated Richard Branch, chief economist of Dodge Construction Network. “Elevated interest rates, labor shortages, and strict lending standards will continue to constrain construction activity in the near term.” n

PRODUCT NEWS

TYCO LAUNCHES ESFR-25 DRY-TYPE PENDENT SPRINKLER

Johnson Controls has launched the new Tyco® ESFR-25 Dry-Type Pendent Sprinkler offering efficient, FM Approved fire protection for commercial refrigerated and frozen storage areas. The dry-type sprinkler is used in applications where the water is supplied from a wet system in an adjacent conditioned space. It is designed for dependable operation in cold storage areas up to 50 ft (15.2 m) in height with temperatures as low as minus 60° F (-51° C). The ceiling-only, lower-pressure sprinkler provides flexibility and efficiency by reducing the need for a fire pump and eliminating the need for in-rack sprinklers when protecting high-piled storage within these box-in-box applications.

While an effective solution, traditional in-rack sprinkler systems can be complex and expensive. Obstructions and tight clearances can make installation difficult while daily operations such as shelving and retrieving products can damage in-rack sprinklers, resulting in potential downtime.

Ceiling-only cold storage protection, like the Tyco ESFR-25 Dry-Type Sprinkler, operate without the need for in-rack sprinklers for an overall simpler and more affordable solution. And as box-in-box freezer storage facilities become taller to accommodate more product, reliable performance at ceiling heights of up to 50 ft offers greater peace of mind. This new Tyco cold storage sprinkler is also designed to operate at lower-end head pressures, reducing or even eliminating the need for a fire pump. Visit JohnsonControls.com/.

GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS TO CONSIDER

The Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants, Inc. (MMIC) offers two types of health plans to company employees. The first is traditional fullyinsured group PPO, HMO, and high-deductible health plan with HSA options. Group health coverage is guaranteed to employees (pre-existing conditions are covered) and benefits payable are unlimited. A company can start or transfer a group health insurance plan at any time throughout the year since the open enrollment period does not apply to group health insurance plans. A national network of providers is available.

The second option is level-funded group health insurance program— reduce monthly premium between 20-25%. This group plan is available to employer groups with two to 50 employees and behaves like a traditional, fully-insured health benefit plan. The employer provides a flat monthly premium payment determined upfront and guaranteed not to increase for a full year as long as there are no changes to your group benefits or enrollment. To obtain a free quote, email quotes@mmicinsurance. com or call 1-800-349-1039.

RIDGID® INTRODUCES COMPACT PRESS TOOL

RIDGID®, part of Emerson’s professional tools portfolio, introduces the latest innovative tool in the RIDGID compact press tool family that delivers powerhouse performance with total access. The RP 251 press tool de-

livers more in every press, working harder to help professionals work smarter and perform better on residential and commercial jobs with less fatigue and more efficiency.

Featuring endless 360-degree head swivel, the RP 251 reaches tight spaces from practically every angle and has an ergonomic design with forward-positioned trigger and in-line SlimGrip™ handle for easy, overhead one-handed use. It also comes equipped with a brushless motor capable of over 60,000 press cycles requiring no scheduled maintenance for maximized jobsite performance. An improved 360-degree LED light ring provides bright visibility in dark conditions for enhanced execution. Visit RIGID.com/.

NFPA REPORT ON SINGLE EXIT STAIR APARTMENT BUILDINGS

The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) released “One Stair, Two Perspectives: Single Exit Stair Symposium,” a report summarizing key discussions and findings from a recent symposium addressing concerning efforts by legislative bodies in the U.S. and Canada to increase the allowable height of single exit stair apartment buildings from three or four stories to six.

The International Code Council and NFPA codes currently allow single exit stair buildings under specific conditions for new apartment buildings up to three and four stories, respectively; however, the symposium focused on a recent legislative trend, falling outside the traditional codes and standards development process, to increase the allowable height to six stories for such buildings.

The International Single Exit Stair Symposium held in September 2024 gathered fire protection experts, code authorities, building officials, and other stakeholders from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The goal of the symposium was to bring together proponents and opponents for a detailed discussion of the issue, to identify concerns with proposed changes, and identify knowledge gaps.

The report outlines several crucial safety concerns related to the proposed increase in allowable height for single exit stair apartment buildings. There was general consensus among attendees that additional data collection and research are needed. NFPA will sponsor a research initiative through the Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) to address critical knowledge gaps. Visit nfpa.org/ or nfpa.org/education-andresearch/research/fire-protection-research-foundation/. n

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

LI LI JOINS TELGIAN AS REGIONAL PRACTICE LEADER

Telgian Engineering & Consulting, LLC (TEC) announces the addition of Li Li as regional practice leader, Fire Protection Engineering. In this position, Li will be responsible for the implementation of fire protection solutions and strategies serving TEC clients in the Pacific Northwest region.

“Li will spearhead the growth and management of our fire protection engineering practice in the Pacific Northwest,” says TEC Vice President – West, Drew Gerard. “He is recognized for his exemplary leadership and forward-thinking solutions, and his expertise in project management, operations and design strategies will be a great asset to our team.”

Certified in NICET III Water-Based Systems Layout, Li earned his B.A. Art degree from The International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT) in Seattle. Previously at Columbia Fire LLC, Li held a variety of positions including project executive and director of operations. A proven leader with over 10 years of experience in the management of fire protection operations, Li will focus on partnering with clients to provide fire protection and life safety engineering, design and consulting solutions for a wide variety of business sectors. Visit Telgian.com.

ANDY JENKS APPOINTED NFPA CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) has announced the appointment of Andy Jenks as its new chief operating officer (COO). Jenks

joined NFPA as vice president of marketing and digital experience in 2018 and expanded his role to manage the association’s IT division in 2020. In his new role as COO, Jenks will oversee all operational aspects of NFPA.

“Andy is passionate about NFPA’s mission, our stakeholders, and our people, and will play an invaluable role driving meaningful progress for NFPA and our diverse audiences,” said NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley. “In this new leadership position, he will work to advance our goals and strategies, ensuring that we continue to grow and deliver value to the customers we serve. I’m confident he’ll continue to bring exceptional dedication and impact to NFPA.”

Over the past six years, Jenks led the NFPA marketing team and its digital transformation efforts. With a focus on making data-driven decisions, he has been responsible for overseeing traditional print marketing, social media, website development, email marketing, search engine marketing, and creative services. Among Jenks’ accomplishments has been the launch of NFPA LiNK®. With the expansion of his role over the past four years, Jenks has led the charge in strengthening the association’s IT systems and making process improvements that enhance the NFPA customer experience.

Prior to joining NFPA, Jenks built and led the digital marketing department at Benjamin Moore & Co., where he was responsible for leading two development teams. Jenks’ tenure at the company was preceded by the co-founding of Swatchbox Technologies, a software firm that created a revolutionary virtual design platform, which was acquired by Benjamin Moore in 2010.

Jenks graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1992. Visit NFPA.org. n

INDUSTRY NEWS

ARMSTRONG NAMES KILMER AS NEW REPRESENTATIVE

Armstrong Fluid Technology announced that Kilmer Environmental is the new representative for northern central Ontario. With a highly knowledgeable and experienced team comprised of mechanical engineers and CETs, Kilmer Environmental provides application design assistance to building owners, consultants and contractors for a wide range of energy efficient products for the residential, commercial and institutional markets.

For more than 35 years, Kilmer Environmental has worked closely with clients across central and northern Ontario to provide innovative solutions for various HVAC applications. Visit ArmstrongFluidTechnology.com/.

NFPA CONTINUES PROJECT ON EV HAZARDS IN PARKING STRUCTURES

Alternative fuel vehicles are designed with larger quantities of combustible materials (e.g. fuels, plastics, synthetic materials, etc.) that present new and unique hazards, particularly in parking garages and vehicle carriers. To help provide informed guidance for the fire safety design of parking garages or other facilities where a large number of vehicles are densely placed, the Fire Protection Research Foundation—the research affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®)—is now undertaking the third part of a three-phase project addressing sprinkler protection guidance for modern vehicle hazards in parking structures and systems.

“Characterizing EV Hazards in Parking Structures to Inform Fire Safety Design Guidance: Full-Scale Testing,” the third phase of the project, will involve characterizing the overall hazard of modern vehicles (e.g., heat release rate, or HRR, of internal combustion engine and electric vehicles) and determining the overall impact of sprinkler protection on hazard mitigation through full-scale fire and sprinkler testing.

This experimental program ultimately aims to determine the optimal sprinkler design density to control vehicle fires and prevent spread to neighboring vehicles in a standard parking garage. To answer out -

standing industry questions, this test program will include three baseline unsprinklered calorimetry tests to characterize the hazard of internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles (EV) followed by six tests in a mockup open parking garage with use of sprinkler densities aligned with current standards requirements and industry practice, and one test of a two-car stacker arrangement with sprinkler protection.

These experiments will provide crucial data on heat fluxes and fire spread in parking structures, informing fire protection practices and sprinkler design standards, by providing data on what hazard classification in NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems is appropriate for ICE vehicles and EVs in a parking garage. They will also provide a better understanding of the full-scale fire behavior of modern vehicles in different variables and fire scenarios.

Funding for this one-year project has been provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), along with support from industry sponsors, including AFSA, the American Society of Health Care Engineers (ASHE), Arup, Johnson Controls (JCI), National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), Victaulic, Viking, and the FPRF Property Insurance Research Group (consisting of AXA XL, CNA Insurance, FM, The Hartford, Travelers Insurance, Verisk, and the Zurich Insurance Group).

While vehicle fires in parking structures that develop into large-scale incidents are fairly rare and the rate of civilian injuries is low, recent fires that occurred at Liverpool’s Echo Arena in the UK and Stavanger Airport in Norway involved hundreds of automobiles and resulted in severe structural damage, underscoring the damage and economic losses that can incur.

“Modern vehicles burn differently than traditional combustion engine vehicles, as a result of recent changes in vehicle design, materials, and motor technologies,” said Victoria Hutchison, a senior research project manager with the Foundation. “Recent events have highlighted the need to reclassify modern vehicle fire hazards based on results of large-scale fire testing and reevalu -

ate recommended protection measures.”

For more details, visit nfpa.org/.

SFPE ANNOUNCES THE 2025 EUROPEAN CONFERENCE & EXPO

The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) announces the 2025 SFPE European Conference & Expo in Fire Safety Engineering will be held in Edinburgh, UK, April 9-10, 2025. Hosted every other year, the conference features two days of technical content from fire safety experts on current and future trends in fire safety engineering.

The conference will feature over 40 presentations structured around the topics of fire protection, fire safety regulatory frameworks, structural fire engineering, emerging trends, electric vehicles, parking structures, building envelopes, sustainability, digitization, human behavior, wildland fires, timber construction, fire testing, fire modeling, and smoke control, plus additional poster presentations.

In addition, two conference seminars have been planned and are available at a discounted rate when bundled with conference registration. Make plans to join peers from Europe and beyond as the global fire protection and fire safety engineering community convenes at the SFPE European Conference & Expo on Fire Safety Engineering. Visit sfpe.org/europe25/ for the full conference schedule, networking and sponsorship opportunities, and to register.

NFPA REPORT ON SINGLE EXIT STAIR APARTMENT BUILDINGS

The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) released “One Stair, Two Perspectives: Single Exit Stair Symposium,” a report summarizing key discussions and findings from a recent symposium addressing concerning efforts by legislative bodies in the U.S. and Canada to increase the allowable height of single exit stair apartment buildings from three or four stories to six.

The International Code Council and NFPA codes currently allow single exit stair buildings under specific conditions for new apartment buildings up to three and four stories, respectively; however, the symposium fo -

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Save 10% on any two ITM Workshop courses when you purchase two within the same calendar year. Save 20% off all three ITM Workshop courses if purchased within the same calendar year. The same student must enroll in each ITM Workshop course that receives the discount; no transfers are allowed. Savings on courses are valid through Dec. 31, 2025.

Students learn essential procedures and best practices based on NFPA 25. This hands-on course is tailored for those responsible for the ongoing maintenance and compliance of sprinkler systems.

cused on a recent legislative trend, falling outside the traditional codes and standards development process, to increase the allowable height to six stories for such buildings.

The International Single Exit Stair Symposium held on Sept. 11–12, 2024, gathered fire protection experts, code authorities, building officials, and other stakeholders from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The goal of the symposium was to bring together proponents and opponents for a detailed discussion of the issue, to identify concerns with proposed changes, and identify knowledge gaps. Visit NFPA.org.

ARMSTRONG LAUNCHES NEW SMART RECOMMISSIONING PROGRAM

Armstrong Fluid Technology has launched a new service to help building operators restore and maintain top performance and efficiency in HVAC systems. The new SMART Recommissioning service optimizes pumps, controls strategies and BAS integration. Working with current building loads, the program updates the asset’s configuration settings, enables cloud connectivity and documents asset details. Prior to the completion of a newly constructed building, the building load values

used by engineers and contractors to commission HVAC systems are only estimates. Because actual loads are often different from estimates, equipment settings must be adjusted to ensure optimal efficiency. In addition, at any point in the lifespan of a building, changes in tenant makeup and sun exposure can affect the heating and cooling requirements. Visit ArmstrongFluidTechnology.com/.

NFPA LAUNCHES GLOBAL EDUCATION NETWORK

The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) has announced the launch of its Authorized Education Network (AEN), a global initiative designed to meet the increasing demand for high-quality safety training. Through the AEN, NFPA-approved instructors will deliver NFPA training courses via a network of authorized training providers, offering unparalleled access to the expertise that professionals worldwide rely on to address evolving safety challenges.

“With the NFPA Authorized Education Network, we’re taking a major step forward in expanding access to the world-class training that NFPA is known for,” said NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley. “This initiative helps meet the huge global demand for authentic NFPA instructor-led training, ensuring that safety professionals everywhere have the knowledge, information, and skills they need to protect lives and property.” Visit NFPA.org/.

NEW PROJECT INVESTIGATES LITHIUMION BATTERY FIRES’ IMPACT

Through newly awarded funding from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention & Safety Grant program, the Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF)—the research affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®)—is conducting a threeyear, $1.06 million study to investigate the impacts of lithium-ion battery fires on the fire service. The research focuses on harmful chemical exposures to firefighters and the procedures needed to ensure that personal protective equipment (PPE) is effectively decontaminated to limit secondary exposures. Called “Lithium-ion Battery Fires: Initial Investigation into Contamination, Cleaning

Efficacy, and Firefighter Exposures,” the project will be led by FPRF along with the project partners: North Carolina State University, the Illinois Fire Service Institute, and Command and Control, LLC.

“Lithium-ion battery fires pose unique challenges due to their intense heat, potential for explosions, and release of toxic gases,” said Amanda Kimball, executive director of FPRF. “These incidents not only endanger firefighters but also the public, as these batteries are commonly found in consumer products and electric vehicles.” Visit NFPA.org/. n