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I have served on NFPA technical committees for over three decades. During that time, I much too often exhibited a lack of common sense in my efforts. To wit, I can be guilty of developing solutions and then searching for the problem. I call this the “what if” approach, and I …

We Must Teach Leadership Before We Expect Ownership If you spend enough time around fire sprinkler contractors, the conversation eventually turns to labor. Hiring, turnover, and the next generation dominate nearly every discussion. I’ve spent years trying to solve the same workforce challenge and assumed the answer was more opportunity, …

This blog contains sponsored content. This month, we introduced Stella, ServiceTrade’s agentic workflows that end the operational drag that costs revenue for commercial field service teams by eliminating busywork, applying institutional knowledge instantly, and clearing the path to scalable growth. The response made one thing clear: people are ready to talk …

Buckley Honored With the 2026 Joe Heinrich Young Professional of the Year Award When the American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) NextGen selected Mindy Buckley as its 2026 Joe Heinrich Young Professional of the Year, it recognized more than an emerging leader. It honored someone who has helped shape her family’s …

This blog contains sponsored content. Ferguson Fire & Fabrication is the leading independent distributor of fire protection material and the largest ISO certified fabrication provider in the country. Relationships are paramount to our business, so we’re there for our customers every step of the way with project management support from …

If there is one thing the NFPA standards development process proves year after year, it is that deadlines have a remarkable ability to inspire productivity. The public comment period has closed for the 2028 editions of NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, NFPA 13D, NFPA 20, NFPA 24, and NFPA 291, while …

I just had a birthday, which made me reflect on my career: what I have accomplished, what I have failed at, and what I still want to achieve. In my professional life, I can look at the buildings and projects I have protected, the range of systems I have designed, …

This blog contains sponsored content. Project Overview The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Parnassus campus undertook a project in early 2026 to replace nine diesel fuel tanks of varying sizes. Each tank required an independent fire protection system designed to deliver effective coverage across curved tank surfaces. Traditional straight …

Welcome to summer! While families are planning trips, camps, and getaways, the construction world is planning data centers and energy generation facilities to support them. For some AFSA members, this is exciting news and an opportunity, while others are left wondering how to get involved in these projects.  The first …

As Chair of AFSA, I am proud of the technical skills that define the fire sprinkler industry. Our work requires precision and coordination, which is coupled with hard or difficult installation conditions. Imagine roughing in a steel pipe system on the fourth floor of a hotel, in February, that doesn’t …