Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
At the beginning of my career as a fire protection contractor, I became an estimator/project manager. I had a company crash course in the fabrication shop, field, and engineering department. As a project manager, I attended job-site meetings so the foreman and his helper could keep piping. I had to convince the general contractor (GC) that this college kid knew what was going on. Often, I had to convince the foreman as well, and some of them resented my position, given my lack of field experience. Fortunately, I had a great boss, Alan Murphy, who was the sales and engineering manager. He was my mentor, but I didn’t consider him one at the time. Alan had hung pipe for many years, often installing them from his own plans. He enjoyed saying he sold the job, drew the job, fab’d the job, and piped the job. The athlete in me saw Alan as my coach who would take me from the freshman team to varsity. He was a patient teacher, and he empowered me with new challenges. I studied NFPA 13, NFPA 20, NFPA 231,and construction documents. I was at job sites regularly. I figured out all types of projects. We celebrated new contracts. He pushed me to get contract extras for project changes and to defend our work in the field against other trades and the GC. I gained respect from the foreman. The company made money.
Who are the teachers, coaches, or mentors in your company? They are the leaders who share insights and skills to develop young designers, project managers, and new foremen. Those developing young people will become your front-line managers, and they will regularly make decisions that determine the project’s profitability and the company’s well-being.
A valuable method to develop front-line managers is to have them work as apprentice sprinkler fitters. With field experience, they gain firsthand knowledge of system components, installation techniques, and job-site challenges. This practical experience bridges the gap between theory and practice, and deepens their understanding of how design decisions impact installations. It fosters respect for skilled tradesmen and the teamwork required in the field. When leaders integrate field apprenticeship into the learning process, they empower young managers to become the next generation of well-rounded fire protection professionals.
AFSA’s VP of Engineering John Denhardt is a leader and mentor to our accomplished staff of fire protection engineers. I am pleased to share that John had our new Engineer in Training, Mr. Hayden Stoll, work as an apprentice sprinkler fitter for six months at Strickland Fire Protection, Inc. in Forestville, Md. Hayden went from a college kid with no field experience to a meaningful installation contributor who earned the foreman’s respect. Strickland Fire’s generosity set Hayden up for success. That was well done by all.
Effective front-line managers require strong support from the business owner, division manager, department managers, and superintendents. Those leaders, like John, prioritize ongoing education for their front-line managers and their teammates. AFSA has quality programs, led by nationally recognized instructors, to develop your fire protection professionals. Those programs include design schools, hydraulic calculation workshops, ITM inspector development, NFPA 25 ITM workshops, and sprinkler fitter apprenticeship training in the virtual instruction path or employer-led path. AFSA, along with your mentors, can help develop and grow your team to be successful.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Paul DeLorie serves as Senior Vice President of Hampshire Fire Protection Co. in Londonderry, New Hampshire. One of New England’s largest merit shop fire sprinkler contractors, Hampshire Fire Protection has built a strong reputation for excellence in the industry. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, DeLorie brings more than 39 years of experience spanning sprinkler design, estimating, sales, project management, and senior leadership.