NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, includes requirements for inspecting and testing systems and components, but many inspectors aren’t sure how to record and report what they’ve observed or tested. There’s guidance in the annex for classifying deficient findings, but that guidance doesn’t include all possible situations. Also, the standard doesn’t clearly explain what to do when an inspector identifies a possible substandard installation, or a component that doesn’t meet the requirements of the installation standard. This session will include examples of inspection and test results and findings using pictures of systems and components to illustrate many of the gray areas of NFPA 25. The speaker will interact with the audience, asking for opinions on the condition of each system or component and how best to record and report that condition. The audience will also be encouraged to share their own examples of uncertainty based on the standard.

Health care occupancies are constantly battling ITM contractors about their fire alarm ITM program and results. Errors in the development of ITM contracts, a lack of training and understanding of code requirements and device-specific testing criteria, a lack of owner involvement, the inability to involve all necessary parties, and several other factors often lead to citations from CMS accrediting organizations (AOs) such as TJC and DNV. Utilizing several components of the NFPA Fire and Life Safety EcosystemTM and a brief review of NFPA 72® and NFPA 4, this session will present a case study of Baptist Health, an 11-hospital health care system in Arkansas and outline how the system successfully worked with a local fire alarm ITM provider to develop a truly code-compliant fire alarm ITM program over a 2-year period. Review of lessons learned and a step-by-step guide will be provided.

How well do you know the fundamental requirements of NFPA 72®, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code®? At this session, attendees will use active polling to gauge their understanding of the topics and test their knowledge. Also, are you familiar with some of the significant changes in the 2022 edition of NFPA 72?

This presentation addresses the deterioration of our national water infrastructure and the fire protection issues stemming from recently adopted water loss mitigation strategies. References are made to the ASCE and AWWA annual infrastructure reports and EPA water loss mitigation strategies. Examples are discussed involving valve closures, debris /blockages, and under-supplied fire pumps. Methods and resources for the proper graphical evaluation of water supply are presented. This fully developed presentation was delivered to the Annual Insurance Loss Control Association and the National Fire Sprinkler Association virtual conference in April 2020.

This panel discussion will take a close look at an ITM analysis based on inspection data: examine how the data were collected through the compliance reporting platform, the methodology of the analysis, and findings and recommendations on ITM requirements and frequencies. The panelists will compare the findings with the current requirements in NFPA 25 and NFPA 72®, and discuss how data can be used to affect codes and compliances and the impact on users and other key stakeholders.

This presentation will showcase the final results of the six-year NFPA Research Foundation project, ESFR Sprinklers and Obstructions. Included will be a detailed review of the code changes in the 2022 edition of NFPA 13. In addition, the newly created ESFR Sprinkler Obstruction Analysis Tool will be demonstrated with relevant examples. The presenter, the project lead researcher, will present the new code language, the intent of the code change, and the technical substantiation.

Top-load automatic storage and retrieval systems (TL-ASRS) create a difficult challenge for traditional fire protection systems. Multiple robots powered by onboard batteries travel simultaneously along rails above tightly spaced stacks of plastic containers, resulting in extremely dense combustible storage without aisle spaces or other means to access the storage area. While sprinkler protection has been effective at suppression, final extinguishment has been difficult due to deep-seated fires that cannot be reached during manual fire protection efforts. This presentation will review recent large-scale tests both evaluating sprinkler effectiveness and targeting final extinguishment through the use of automatic sprinkler protection coupled with manual firefighting strategies. This holistic protection method demonstrates sufficient effectiveness corresponding to the TL-ASRS fire hazards.

Passenger elevator types and code compliance: this multidisciplinary subject is changing with the evolution of elevators themselves as well as the codes and standards involved. Confusion over when to provide sprinklers, smoke and heat detectors, recall, and shunt trip results in unnecessary devices being installed that are difficult to test and maintain, or missing devices and failed elevator inspections. This presentation simplifies requirements based on elevator type and characteristics to assist designers and installers determine the right equipment to be provided.

NFPA 14 has been utilized as a universal prescriptive basis of design for standpipe systems worldwide, but does not adequately address various firefighting tactics and operational strategies that may vary by region in the United States and by country internationally. This program will focus on the intent of the standard and different methods to provide adequate and reliable water supplies for interior fire department operations

This live roundtable session will provide attendees an overview of the key changes coming to the 2022 Edition of NFPA 13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. The panel will consist of active committee members who will share their insights and discuss the background on these changes (why they were made, the benefits they may bring to the industry, any debates that may have happened during committee meetings, etc.). Session attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions for the panel in real-time, via the live chat function. The session will be hosted and moderated by an NFPA technical staff member.