Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
Virginia Chapter Celebrates Sprinkler Lab Opening
On April 8, 2025, the Virginia Chapter of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) conducted a board and members’ meeting at the Academy at Virginia Randolph located in Glen Allen, Va., to celebrate the grand opening of the new fire sprinkler lab and fire sprinkler curriculum at the school. The chapter meeting was a great success with 48 attendees and a delicious lunch expertly prepared by the HCPS culinary students.
Mac Beaton, director of workforce and career development, and Bev Cocke, M.Ed., administrative coordinaor of workforce development for Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) presented a PowerPoint presentation on the genesis of the fire sprinkler lab and future projects moving forward with the chapter and HCPS. Virginia Chapter Board Member Mary Catherine Coyle, social media chair, prepared an excellent presentation on “How to Retain Employees” that was well received by the meeting attendees.
The fire sprinkler lab has active alarm, dry, pre-action and deluge valves for the students to use in training exercises during the semester. In addition, chapter vendor members donated an air compressor, backflow preventor, PRV valves, a fire alarm panel and a fire pump for additional training. Henrico County Public Schools also built out a glass-walled separate wet room with a large drain for the students to activate different types of fire sprinkler heads.
Jeff Lewis, chapter second vice president and education and apprentice chair led the effort with Beaton and Cocke to make these public private endeavors come to life. Lewis set this wildfire in a board meeting nearly four years ago and we have been trying to contain it ever since. We are looking forward to the next flare up!
Henrico County Public Schools approved and implanted a fire sprinkler curriculum that started last semester with four students and there are already 17 signed up for 2025-2026 school year. The new HCPS fire sprinkler program is utilizing the National Center for Construction and Education & Research (NCCER) sprinkler fitting training books for the instruction.
Chapter member Atlantic Constructors, Inc. provided an instructor to teach the class. Derek Zane has 25 years in the sprinkler industry as a new construction foreman and senior ITM technician. He brings his vast experience and enthusiasm to teach the next generation of sprinkler fitters and technicians.
The chapter is looking forward to providing the membership with opportunities to hire HCPS NextGen students for internships, part-time positions while in school, and eventually signing them on to full-time positions on HCPS Letter of Intent Signing Day.
The chapter greatly appreciates members who donated their time and talents for the HCPS fire sprinkler lab: Atlantic Constructors, Inc., Brooks Equipment Company, Ferguson Fire and Fab, Fire Pro, Inc., Johnson Controls, Inc., Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Company, Inc., VSC Fire & Security, Victaulic Company, Viking SupplyNet, and Zurn Industries.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bob Beckwith is chair of AFSA’s Virginia Chapter and an owner of Cavalier Fire Protection, LLC in Dumfries, Va. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and is a NICET Level III in ITM. Contact Beckwith via email at BBeckwith@cavalierfire.com.