It was great to be back at the NFPA Conference & Expo this past June. The return to in-person meetings gave everyone in attendance an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, attend many informative, educational sessions, and—my favorite—argue and discuss amending motions on the floor at the NFPA Technical Meeting. In …
Read More »Higher Standards
As this issue of Sprinkler Age will be available at the NFPA Annual Conference & Expo®, this column will serve a special purpose. In preparation for the 2022 NFPA Technical Meeting, AFSA has reviewed the posted Certified Amending Motions (CAMs) for the relevant standards on the A2022 and F2021 revision …
Read More »The Antifreeze Loop(hole)
A Call for Action on NFPA 25 EDITOR’S NOTE: This article appeared in the January/February 2022 issue of Sprinkler Age. It has been revised for clarity since being published and is printed below. The end is neigh! Listed antifreeze solutions have been required in new systems since the 2013 edition …
Read More »Air Leakage and Dry Pipe Systems
Written by Jason Webb –Director of Industry Affairs at Potter Electric One of the keys to assessing the overall health of a dry or preaction system is to keep an eye on its leak rate. Excessive leak rates can put unnecessary strain on air compressors or nitrogen generators. For systems …
Read More »President’s Report
It seems amazing that nine months have passed since I stepped into this new and exciting role as the president of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). Having spent over 40 years in the fire and life safety world, I had assumed that when I threw my hat in the …
Read More »Spotlight on Sprinkler System Freeze Protection
The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA), a Dallas-based international trade association representing the fire sprinkler industry, empathizes with the people affected and the hardships presented by this unprecedented winter storm and freeze.The majority of fire sprinkler systems are installed with water-filled pipes, which must be protected from freezing and are …
Read More »ITM Forms Updated
Documents Revised for 2011 Edition of NFPA 25 The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) has unveiled updated inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM) report forms to the 2011 edition of NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, from the previously available NFPA 25, 2008 …
Read More »ITM for the Air Side of Dry Systems
“Air” on the Side of Caution If you are a reader of Sprinkler Age from front to back and not just one who subscribes for the pictures or gossip column, then you’ve seen the article walking you through the procedures for the annual partial and full dry system valve trip …
Read More »Maintenance on Fire Pump and Arc-Flash Hazards
Don’t Open Energized Controllers We’ve probably all heard or used the old adage, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you,” when referring to things that one would better off not knowing, but there are some things that not knowing can indeed hurt you. One such thing that tends to be …
Read More »Digital ITM and NFPA 25
The Impact on Report Compliance The requirements in the 2017 edition of NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, regarding documentation make digital inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) abilities increasingly attractive and useful to industry leaders. This is especially true as more jurisdictions …
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