Featured Articles

  • THE IMPORTANCE OF ANNUAL FIRE PUMP TESTING

    ENSURING YOUR FIRE PUMP SYSTEM IS READY WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST Fire pumps are critical components of …

  • THE NAC IS A “WIN-WIN”

    NAC’S PHASE I EXAM HELPS EVALUATE, PREPARE, AND SHOWCASE YOUR APPRENTICES AFSA’s Annual National App…

  • TAKING AFSA43 TO A NEW HEIGHT

    CONVENTION, EXHIBITION, AND APPRENTICE COMPETITION TO BE HELD IN THE MILE-HIGH CITY Mark your calend…

  • FLASHPOINT

    With the changes to automobile vehicles over the years and the method in the way parking garages are…

  • PRESIDENT’S REPORT

    Why are standards, not standard?  I mean the very word itself conjures up thoughts of other wor…

Storage Issues Got You Stumped?

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

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Construction Employment Rises by 280,000 in 2018

Associated General Contractors of America Surveys Contractors for 2019 Construction employment increased by 38,000 jobs in December and by 280,000 jobs, or 4.0 percent, over the past year, while the industry’s average pay accelerated and unemployment decreased to a historic low, according to an analysis of new government data by …

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Protecting Storage Occupancies

Issues Concerning Smoke and Heat Vents When protecting storage occupancies there are several issues that can impact the selected protection methods. This article will discuss conditions where smoke and heat vents or mechanical smoke removal systems could potentially be installed along with sprinklers and the issues that might arise. The …

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2019 Construction Economic Forecast

ABC Reports Momentum Will Persist for Several More Quarters U.S. economic performance has been brilliant of late. Sure, a considerable volume of negativity has surrounded issues such as the propriety of tariffs and shifting immigration policy, but the headline statistics make it clear that domestic economic performance is solid. Nowhere …

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Dry Pipe Sprinkler Systems

The Importance of Accuracy A variety of factors have contributed to the increased implementation of dry pipe sprinkler systems. The inclusion of exterior design elements such as exterior canopies, in addition to NFPA 13’s prohibition of the use of antifreeze in new installations, has forced designers to include dry pipe …

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Slow but Steady Growth

Review and Forecast for the Fire Sprinkler Industry As everyone is settling into the New Year, professionals in the fire sprinkler industry are reflecting on 2018 and looking for predictions on 2019. With overall construction growth slowing down over the last few years, 2019 looks to follow the same pattern. …

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Honoring Academic Excellence

Graduates Achieve AFSA’s 2018 Sprinkler Fitter National Honor Society The American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Fire Sprinkler Fitter National Honor Society was first established in 2012 to recognize those trainees, along with their sponsoring employers, who have completed all four levels of the AFSA Correspondence Course for Fire Sprinkler Fitters …

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Making a Difference in the Community

AFSA Virginia Chapter HelpsBurn Survivors Fire is one of the most devastating tragedies a family can endure. The loss of one’s home, property, and treasured memories is shattering, but losing a loved one or having a loved one sustain injuries changes everyone’s life forever. According to the American Burn Association …

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