National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) News

The US federal government passed a new legislation called the ‘Tax Cuts & Job Act’. This legislation includes incentives for businesses that install new fire sprinkler systems. As fire sprinklers are the quickest way to extinguish a fire, it’s important to incentivize businesses to install one. Money should never be seen as a deterrent to keeping your employees and patrons safe. ‘Tax Cuts & Job Act’ US Congress has added fire protection as an eligible expe...

Congratulations are in order for Luther Pringle of the American Fire Protection Group’s (AFPG) Los Angeles Division, who placed 15th out of 150 total contestants in the Design Technician Competition held at the National Fire Sprinkler Association conference in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Design Technician Competition NFSA’s Design Technician Competition pits engineers from around the country against one another in a competition of skill, accuracy and precision pertaining to the desi...

Effective November 1, 2020, Robert (Bob) Caputo became the new President of the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). Bob is a sprinkler industry veteran with more than 40 years of experience, ranging from owning a fire sprinkler installation company in San Diego, California to teaching technical seminars for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Fire sprinkler industry veteran Bob most recently served as Vice President for training and technical support for Fire & Life Sa...

International Fire Suppression Alliance, Ltd. (IFSA) recognized that the emergence of the COVID-19 virus spread, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), has resulted in the postponement or cancellation of virtually all industry events over the next few months, as countries struggle to contain it.  Fire Industry events cancelled The list of international events and trade shows cancelled and postponed includes: 17-18 March 2020 - ABSpk conference in Sao Paulo –...

Dr. William F. Jenaway, President of the Congressional Fire Services Institute, announced that Chief Shane Ray has been appointed to the CFSI Board of Directors. Dr. William Jenaway made the announcement at the CFSI National Advisory Committee meeting on December 10th in Washington, DC. Chief Ray’s appointment is to a newly created board position. President of NFSA Chief Shane Ray currently serves as the President of the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), a role he has held sinc...

On May 18, 1999, the inaugural meeting of the International Fire Sprinkler Association was held in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Representatives of ten companies along with staff from the National Fire Sprinkler Association agreed on the establishment of a new organization that would work to increase global awareness of the effectiveness of automatic sprinklers and other water-based fire suppression systems. From the start, the IFSA founders envisioned a supporting role for IFSA: it would be an org...

The latest national codes recognise fire sprinklers as a proven technology for preventing deadly fires In just 11 days, four major fires have drawn the nation's attention to the dangers associated with older residential properties that do not have fire sprinkler systems. The fires included three in apartment buildings and one in an extended living hotel. Although all the incidents involved low-rise buildings, the fires spread quickly, trapping many occupants on upper floors an...

NFPA’s James M. Shannon Medal awarded to Jim Dalton in recognition of his work The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced Jim Dalton as the 2018 James M. Shannon Advocacy Medal for his career long commitment and passion for fire safety culminating with his efforts that led to the passage of the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act. NFPA’s Fire and Public Safety initiatives The James M. Shannon Advocacy Medal was established in honor of Jim Shannon, who ser...

The Viking Group, a renowned brand in the manufacture and distribution of fire protection and life safety systems, is pleased to announce that its Chairman and CEO, Mr. Kevin Ortyl, has been named the 2016 recipient of the National Fire Sprinkler Association’s Golden Sprinkler Award. This award, which is the NFSA’s highest honor, is presented each year to an individual that has dedicated his or her career to advancing the fire sprinkler industry. Ortyl began his career at Viking in...

A Joint Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by NFSA, ASFA, ICC and CPSE AFSA, NFSA, ICC, CPSE sign a historical agreement. More than 3,000 people in the U.S. lose their lives each year to fires and 84 percent of those who die do so in their home. While smoke alarms provide an early warning signal of smoke or fire, sprinklers installed in ceilings respond to fires while they are still small, controlling the spread of deadly heat, flames and toxic smoke, as well as...

Portland's new building codes will make the installation of fire sprinklers in homes mandatory  Portland has approved building code changes emphasizing installation of fire sprinkler systems in all new homes, effective  September 15. The city of Portland, has approved building code changes that will require all new one- and two-family homes and town houses built in the city to be equipped with life-saving fire sprinkler systems. These new codes will take effect on S...

Pennsylvania court has made the installation of fire sprinkler systems in homes compulsory The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., applauds the decision made by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S. applauds the decision made by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania that determines t...

NFSA releases the second edition of its most popular book on Fire Sprinkler Systems  The NFSA announces the publication of the 2nd Edition of its popular textbook: Layout, Detailing and Calculation of Fire Sprinkler Systems. This text remains the most complete book ever written for the fire sprinkler engineering technician. This newly revised textbook has been updated to reference the 2007 and 2010 editions of NFPA 13 with more examples, student exercises, new chapt...

The fire protection legislation is expected to accelerate cost recovery of fire sprinkler retrofits Passage of this landmark fire protection legislation will accelerate cost recovery of fire sprinkler retrofits. On Friday, January 22, 2010, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) as primary cosponsor, introduced the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2010. The bill is the Senate companion bill to HR 1194 in the House of Representatives introduced la...

  The new code will require fire sprinklers in all new homes, beginning 2011 The residential sprinkler requirement was voted into the 2009 IRC Code by building code officials from all over the U.S.The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., has announced the State of California has adopted building code changes that will require all new one- and two-family homes and town houses built in the st...

Ausmus Marburger named recipient of the Association's highest honor - the Golden Sprinkler Award Ausmus Marburger named recipient of the Association's highest honor -- the Golden Sprinkler Award. The Awards Committee of The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., has announced that it has named Ausmus Marburger of Fire Protection Industries in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, as the 2010 recipien...

The life-saving technology of fire sprinklers has been around for more than 100 years The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) has announced the availability of a new, online resource toolbox to provide community leaders with the latest available assets and information to assist with planning issues at the local level. The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., has announced the availabili...

Prince George's County recorded no deaths in fires in any homes protected by home sprinklers Recent findings from a key study show the overwhelming effectiveness of mandatory home fire sprinklers in saving lives in municipalities with mandatory fire sprinkler codes for homes. Prince George's County, Md., the first county in the nation to require residential fire sprinklers in its building code, has reported that since 1992, when the code was first adopted, there...

All new one- and two- family dwellings in the US are to have residential fire sprinklers starting 2011   American homes are one step closer to being more fire-safe, following an October 28 vote at the International Code Council (ICC) hearings in Baltimore, Md. The vote reaffirmed national building codes making it mandatory for all new one- and two- family dwellings to have residential fire sprinklers starting in 2011. American homes are one step closer to b...

USFA launched an effort to encourage everyone to install and maintain home smoke alarms and sprinklers The nationwide ‘Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign' will emphasise how important smoke alarms are to the saving of lives. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has launched an effort to encourage everyone to install and maintain home smoke alarms and, if possible, sprinklers. More than 3,000 people die in home fires each year, and the majority of them have...

NFSA has won a public relations award for its Fire Sprinkler Design Technician Recruitment video Recruitment video addresses need for fire sprinkler technicians The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., announces it won a Public Relations Society of America New Jersey Chapter "Pyramid Award" for its Fire Sprinkler Design Technician Recruitment Video, targeting entry-level workers to join the fire sp...

Members of the Common Voices Coalition accepting the award Award given in recognition of oustanding contributions to firefighter health and safety The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., announces its Common Voices advocates' coalition received the Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award. Named after retired Senator Paul S. Sarbanes of Maryland, the award - presented by th...