Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
Having problems getting people to chapter meetings and activities? In my experience, having been the chair of two different AFSA chapters before becoming the president of AFSA, common problems or issues tend to unite communities. Training programs and fun events can only go so far. There needs to be some unifying issues that bring people together for common causes and form bonds with associates, colleagues, and friendly competitors. Even with not-so-friendly competitors. I don’t always know what fire protection contractor concerns exist in your local market or region, but things like long lead times for plan review, excessive permit fees, common misunderstandings with local AHJs, and similar issues can be the catalyst.
While I’m an old-school guy who doesn’t like remote work, I like the idea of hybrid meetings. They’re easier to attend, take less time away from work and family, and can include AFSA staff for participation in technical and membership questions, short presentations, and more. It could even lead to combined meetings with members from other chapters. For the record, I hate remote work because people need to get together in person for collaborative thinking, and when people are out of sight, they are out of mind as well. This can also impact remote meetings, but some of that gets solved with a hybrid approach. If all the information is digital, electronic meetings work well, but people work with people, and that’s how we build relationships.
Chapters start to fall apart and lose their interest when our meetings include more vendors than contractors. A raffle (like a TV or gift cards) can temporarily attract a crowd, but there needs to be substance, or people won’t return for the “rubber chicken dinner” and sales pitch. We have seen successes where chapters ask one or two manufacturers or suppliers to sponsor a meeting with a prize item or host the bar in exchange for presentation time to introduce their products and services. Of course, the main event should be a technical topic or a local AHJ discussing their issues with the industry. Insurance companies and local engineering firms can also bring interest and perspective.
Programs that attract design managers, designers, project managers, estimators, and company owners can increase attendance and tend to keep people engaged in common causes and interests. If your chapter meets quarterly, at least one meeting could target field labor, with tool demos, lift and ladder training, confined space entry discussions, and even conversations about improving production. Inspectors are also a good target. Focusing quarterly meetings on specific targets can help show where the greatest needs are.
Perhaps host local members with a 60-minute Zoom-type call to ask them about their needs and interests, and discover what topics would bring them and their people to a meeting. Have a roundtable discussion to learn how the chapter can serve the needs of our industry in your region. I’ve always been told that if you want to know what people think, you should ask them. Of course, if no one has anything to offer, maybe everything is perfect, and no challenges or common problems exist…. I’ve been in this industry for 48 years and would love to see that.
AFSA is a member association whose success has continuously been attributed to its focus on the local contractors and suppliers. We are national, but we act and think locally. Everything starts with the members and the chapters; we’re here to help in any way possible. There is no single solution for every chapter or problem, but in my experience serving as your president, I can assure you that our problems are the same everywhere; only the accents change.
On a separate note, I am excited to report that we are accelerating the production of AFSA’s design training series, Sprinkler System Design, which is being revised by a fantastic group of volunteers, in conjunction with staff members. Special thanks and acknowledgment to our volunteer group, including Jared Van Gammeren (and his team), Jason Gill, Byron Weisz (and his team), Randy Mongiovi, and Casey Milhorn for their time, knowledge, and experience. Once completed, we expect it to quickly become the industry gold standard for training sprinkler system layout technicians for many years. The current three-book series is still available for purchase and helpful, but we expect the newly updated product around mid-to-late 2026. While we strive to introduce new and relevant training materials and live programs, we must also keep the current ones updated, all of which keep staff very busy. Thank you for your membership, and I look forward to seeing many of you at AFSA44 in our nation’s capital.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bob Caputo, CFPS, is president of AFSA. He has been an important part of the fire sprinkler industry for over 41 years and is a long-time member of AFSA and promoter of merit shop contracting. He has chaired and served on many NFPA committees. Caputo has written and presented seminars throughout the world on fire protection and life-safety systems and is a regular speaker at AFSA and NFPA conventions. He has developed AFSA education and training materials, and chaired two chapters of AFSA—Arizona and Southern California. Caputo is the recipient of numerous awards, including Fire Protection Contractor magazine’s “Industry person of the Year,” San Diego County Fire Chief’s Association’s “Fire Prevention Officer of the Year,” and AFSA’s highest honor, the Henry S. Parmelee Award.