What are Laterals? One of the aspects of NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems, that has been regularly edited over the last several cycles of the standard is the protection of piping against fire damage. This article will look at these changes with a particular …

Application and Pitfalls When reviewing a set of contract documents, I often find myself gravitating to the life-safety drawings. These drawings spell out several items which help me in evaluating the overall sprinkler needs for a project. Among the most common items identified are the location and rating of the …

Members Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries As the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) celebrates its 38th anniversary in 2019, we also recognize those members who are celebrating milestone membership anniversaries. The member companies featured this issue have belonged to AFSA for 15 or more years of continuous membership. Several members are celebrating …

What is it? Exposure protection refers to the protecting of a structure from a nearby fire. This can be in the form of radiation from a nearby fire, exposure to flames from a jetting fire, from a burning building or roof at a lower elevation than the exposed building, or …

Contributions Support Exceptional Fire Protection Engineers Each year, the Center for Life Safety Education (CLSE) and the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) come together to award the Philip L. De Camara, Jr. Scholarship, established to honor a man who was dedicated to the fire sprinkler industry. That scholarship awards $3,500 …

Texas Development is a Model Using Incentives to Achieve Community Risk Reduction On average, seven people die in home fires in the U.S. every day (NFPA). Of all structures, homes are where we are most vulnerable, accounting for four of every five fire deaths and three of every four fire …

Why You Should Get Involved with AFSA’s Mentor Program Mentorship is overflowing with benefits for both the mentor and mentee. Mentorship relationships are customizable and look different from person to person. The process doesn’t have to be a dry “check-the-box” style approach, but can rather look however you want it …

Fire Prevention Week Spotlights Steps to Stay Safe and Prevent Fire Tragedies Earlier this year, a devastating fire ravaged a family’s home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The fire broke out in the early morning hours, trapping and claiming the lives of all seven of the family’s children, aged 14 to …

Advantages of Glycerin-based Antifreeze Solutions Over Propylene Glycol-based Antifreeze Solutions By Manny Silva, Chief Engineer, Fire Suppression Products, Johnson Controls. Introduction Corrosion is an issue that has long plagued the fire protection industry. Corrosion of pipes, valves, sprinklers, and other components used in a fire sprinkler system has been a …

The Question of Travel Time EDITOR’S NOTE: Through this article, AFSA is attempting to bring this issue to contractor members’ attention and recommends members discuss this law’s implications with a local labor attorney and review company policy to ensure that they are in compliance with the law.  Recently, we have …