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 …

As most of our members know, the stated mission of AFSA is “to be the voice of the merit shop fire sprinkler contractor. We educate and train the industry while promoting fire protection systems to save lives and property.” This mission statement is a living, breathing mantra that reminds us …

The NFPA standards development process is often discussed in terms of public inputs, public comments, committee statements, certified amending motions, and votes at the NFPA Technical Meeting. Those steps are important, but the real impact of the process is seen later, when the language developed through that process is applied …

Lou Holtz passed away on March 4 of this year. He was 89 years old. He was a longtime college football coach who led Notre Dame University to a perfect 12-0 record and the national championship in 1988. He is the only coach to take six different programs to bowl …

What’s in a name? “That which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet.” Okay, so I’m not writing about Shakespeare; however, I am writing about a recurring challenge we encounter at AFSA; AFSA profiles! Whether you are an AFSA member or not, anyone can create and …

The debate over horsepower ratings on fire pumps has been heavily debated the last three revision cycles in NFPA 20, and this Technical Review that we received from a member is the exact reason why a hard limit needs to be set on these fire pumps. As noted in the …

Boots, Business, and Breakthroughs! Get out your Western wear and join the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) for connections, collaboration, and a little Texas flair at AFSA45: Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition. The best in the sprinkler industry will convene in the Lone Star State September 27-30, 2026, at the …

Get Ready for the 33rd Annual NAC Empower your apprentices and celebrate your dedication to training by encouraging your apprentices to enter AFSA’s 33rd Annual National Apprentice Competition (NAC)! This competition showcases apprentices’ skills and will be the highlight of AFSA45: Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition, to be held September …

AFSA Trains From Beginner to Next Level Designers The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA)  has design on its mind and your designers in mind! The association offers two schools to train your layout technicians: Beginning for new designers and Intermediate for those ready to advance their skills to the next …

A Look Into the Industry’s Past and Future Attending AFSA43: Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition in Denver, Colo., in the fall of 2024 as a NextGen Scholarship recipient was an experience that exceeded every expectation I had walking into the convention. From the moment I arrived, it was clear that …