Featured Articles

AFSA’s NextGen Initiative is pleased to announce that Hunter Brendle is the 2019 Honorable Mention winner for the Young Professional of the Year (YPY) award. Brendle is vice president of Brendle Sprinkler Company in Montgomery, Alabama, which was started by his grandfather in 1960.  “I was very surprised and taken …

Designer Dedicated to Education and Expansion of Industry  Stuart Weeks may have fallen into the fire sprinkler industry by chance, but it’s no accident that he’s excelled here. Stuart Weeks, the 39-year-old design manager at American Fire Protection Inc. in Greenville, South Carolina and president of the South Carolina Fire …

A Case History  In my previous standpipe article (see the July/August 2016 issue of Sprinkler Age), I discussed the following issues in standpipe system design:1. When are standpipes required and what are the installation requirements?2. What type of standpipe system is required?3. Where are the required hose outlets located?4. What …

Members Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries  As the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) celebrates its 38th anniversary in 2019, we also recognize those members who are celebrating milestone membership anniversaries. The member companies featured have belonged to AFSA for 15 or more years of continuous membership.  Several members are celebrating milestone anniversaries …

Nominate Those Who Have Made an Impact on the Fire Sprinkler Industry  The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) recognizes those individuals who have given extraordinary support to furthering the advancement and awareness of fire sprinklers. The prestigious Henry S. Parmelee award, esteemed Fire Sprinkler Advocate of the Year award, highly …

Informal Interpretations Help Members The informal interpretations featured in this issue of Sprinkler Age address standpipe issues. AFSA’s informal interpretations are provided to AFSA members by Senior Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services Roland Huggins, PE; Senior Fire Protection Engineer Russ Bainbridge, PE; and Technical Programs Specialist Tom Noble, …

AFSA Supports Coalition’s Nationwide Educational Event in Boston The vast majority of fire deaths in North America happen at home. The time has come to bring attention to this problem–and its solution. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire Sprinkler Initiative and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) celebrated Home …

AFSA Participates to Educate the Public About Fire Sprinkler Systems  Every year the American Red Cross presents its Home Fire Preparedness Campaign and through this campaign provides a local community outreach opportunity across the country with the “Sound the Alarm – Save a Life” program. This program takes place in …

The Importance of Committees  If you read Nikki Ray’s article in the last edition of Sprinkler Age, you were given a great example of what it means to be an active member of an association—our association—the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). Being an active member can have several different meanings: …

Burn Survivor Supports, Promotes Fire Protection for All “Every day I come to work and think about the ‘What if?’—What if fire sprinklers were in place? What if there was a smoke detector installed? What if the exit was up-to-code in that building?”  Amy Acton’s thoughts are just a small …