Members in the news

Chet Schirmer

Chester (Chet) Schirmer
Chet Schirmer, 84, NFPA Board of Directors Chair from 1984-1986, passed away on February 19. Mr. Schirmer was the CEO of Schirmer Engineering Corporations, and had long and distinguished service with NFPA. He served on the Research Foundation’s Board of Trustees, including as Chair. He was awarded NFPA’s Standards Medal in 1992. He also was the donor of a legacy set of sprinkler-related test data that formed the basis for the former standard NFPA 231C (now part of 13), which resides in NFPA’s Charles S. Morgan Library.

Mr. Schirmer served on many NFPA Technical Committees, including: Water Extinguishing Systems Correlating Committee (predecessor if the Automatic Sprinkler Systems Correlating Committee); Building Service & Fire Protection Equipment; Building Construction; Automatic Sprinkler Systems Correlating Committee; Residential Sprinkler Systems; Sprinkler System Discharge Criteria; Sprinkler System Installation Criteria; Fire Code Committee; Rack Storage; Exposure Fire Protection; Systems Concepts for Fire Protection In Structures; and Environmental Technical Advisory Committee.

Memorial donations may be sent to Habitat for Humanity, 2268 NC Hwy. 5, Aberdeen, NC 28315.

John A. Blair, Sr, renowned safety standards expert, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday April 23,2013 with his family by his side. Mr. Blair retired after 42 years with DuPont, continued his activities in developing international standards for safer consumer products for infants, children and the elderly. He participated and many times chaired technical committees of volunteering consumers, manufacturers and federal representatives who drafted, finalized and promulgated safety standards that are now used as safety criteria for design, manufacturing, importing and marketing consumer products for infants, children and the elderly. These safety design standards are now used for such products as gas cans, go-karts, swimming pool alarms, soccer goals, children’s furniture, candles, children’s toys, portable fuel containers, cigarette lighters, power scooters, gun locks, air rifles and air mattresses. He was formerly a member of NFPA's Technical Committee on Fire Tests, Technical Committee on Furnishing and Contents and Technical Committee on Hazard and Risk of Contents and Furnishings. Mr. Blair also served on the Board of Directors of ASTM, American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (AALA) National Fire Protection Research Foundation, ASTM Standards Research Institute and Standards Engineering Society (SES).

Jeff Collins was sworn in as Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's new administrator. Chief Collins is a 19-year veteran of the fire service, serving the past 17 years with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Prior to his selection, Chief Collins served as a deputy chief and fire marshal with PBC Fire Rescue. He is the Chair of the Technical Committee on NFPA 1, Fire Code. He is also the president of the Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association.

Former Lousiana State Fire Marshal Henry Hillary Fry passed away on March 8. Marshal Fry served as State Fire marshal from 2004-2007. Under his leadership, he commanded the state's fire service response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. He then directed the enormous task of the rebuilding efforts.

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