FCIA Committee Meetings, Committee Updates, Fall Meeting Date Announcement
FCIA Committee Meetings a big success! Over 60 people attended FCIA Committee Meetings in Phoenix, AZ May 4-5, 2001. Committee meetings were all well attended, with new committee chairs elected. Goals and objectives were set by each committee for the coming year. Additionally, updates were delivered by Mark Tyrol, FM Global; Rich Walke, UL & a roundtable discussion on Perimeter Fire Containment Systems generated much interest.
Accreditation Committee - Aedan Gleeson (GPI - Gleeson Powers,Inc.,508.553.0800, aed@gpi-firestop.com) & Craig Watkins (Nelson Firestop Products, Inc., 614-834-8102 craig.walkins@egs-eg.com), Co-Chairs - Discussion in this committee was targeted at publicizing the FM 4991 Firestop Contractor Approval Program. Mark Tyrol, FM, gave a PowerPoint presentation about FM. This presentation is being reformatted for FCIA Members use at various meetings, to be available from the Education Committee this summer. The group also started researching the "Firestop Inspector Firm/Agency Approval Program", to approve 3rd party independent inspector firms, much like the Firestop Contractor Approval Standard, FM 4991. Underwriters Laboratories is in discussions with the committee about this emerging specialty. Jeff Gould, FM, recently announced that the official "FM 4991 Standard" is now available. Contact the FCIA Office if you need a copy. And, FCIA made a call on the ARCOM Masterspec person responsible for firestopping to introduce the FM 4991 Standard to this important organization.
Technical Committee - Mike Dominguez, Firestop Specialties, Miami, FL - Chair. (305.871.2320 FireStop34@aol.com ) The Technical Committee worked diligently on filling in the gaps in the FCIA Manual of Practice. Although the book is almost complete and valuable "as is", the committee is finishing the book. New sections will be sent to existing manual holders and included in new MOP's sold this summer. On the "3rd Party Independent Inspection Standard", written by Don Sabrsula, FireSafe of Houston, Inc., FCIA has hired consultant Randy Hensley to prepare the document in "ASTM Format" for the ASTM Balloting Process taking place in late July.
Education Committee - Pete Barbadoro, FireSmart Systems, Inc., Quincy, MA - Chair (617.786.1413 pete@firesmart.net ) Pete and Renee Woodruff, F Rodgers Insulation Interiors Inc., Livermore, CA - (770.574.2232 Sealsys1@aol.com ) Co-Chair, are working together to develop educational tools that contractors can use to improve their own firms and educate the industry influences in their own areas.
Communication Committee - Steve MacMillan, Fire Barrier, Inc., (954.344.6862, fyrestop@bellsouth.net )- Chair. The website has been used by both FCIA members and interested parties to get information about the industry and FCIA. Our goal is to keep the information up to date...no small task in this fast growing and changing group.
Program Committee - Bob LeClair, A.F. Underhill, Inc., Chair (781.828.9760, thegreyone@prodigy.net ) The mission of this group is "to develop enlightening, entertaining and energetic programs that provide the membership with professional and social venues to improve the industry through interaction." They are actively organizing the Fall Meeting in New Orleans, and scheduling events for the next few years as well.
Code Committee - Kathy Taraba, 1 Source Firestop, Inc. - Chair (303.838.6110 ktaraba@earthlink.net ) The code committee is working with FCIA's Consultant, Bill Koffel, Koffel Associates, Inc. on the International Building Codes and NFPA 5000 Code. Bill is very involved in both ICC and NFPA and has helped get FCIA known in these important industry groups. He's also working with FCIA to develop new strategies aimed at the Firestop industry's needs. A meeting is to be scheduled in Colorado to set strategic direction of this important committee with Bill Koffel. Contact Kathy for details.
Marketing Committee - Don Murphy, PPMI Firestop - Chair (317.894.9111 dwmurphy@oaktree.net ) and Breck Spain, Performance Contracting ( 916.485.4891 breck.spain@pcg.com ) The committee is working together with the Education Committee to develop a marketing presentation on the FCIA for members to use to promote the FCIA. And, the committee is working with the International Firestop Council to jointly exhibit in trade shows where FCIA will be involved as well. Contact Don Murphy if you are interested in working with this group.
Perimeter Fire Containment Roundtable - Over 30 people attended this optional, earlybird program. Attendees all were involved in serious discussion educating themselves about this critical passive fire protection feature. Topics covered included updates on current codes, testing differentiation between typical "joints" and "perimeter fire containment "joints", testing at Omega Point Laboratories and Underwriters Laboratories, status of the new ASTM Standard due out soon, confusion between flame barrier requirements at spandrel with joint protection at slab edge, and discussion about the various types of perimeter construction other than glass curtainwall...such as brick, block, granite, Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS), and industry education/training about this critical area. There will be a follow up meeting to this at the International Firestop Council Meeting in Dallas, June 18, 2001. Contact Richard Byrne at IFC, rbyrne@taminc.com for details.
FCIA Fall Meeting - Get ready and mark your calendars now for New Orleans, LA - November 7 - 9, 2001. The Program Committee is working as a team to assemble a world class conference for FCIA. Watch for more details in the next few weeks.
FCIA in the spotlight - Factory Mutual publishes a subscriber newsletter where the FM 4991 Approved Firestop Contractor Program will be announced. Look for the article in the summer issue. FM Publishes the newsletter sending it to building owners, architects and other parties interested in loss prevention. Also, The National Roofing Contractors Association published in their NRCA Member News a short announcement about the new FM 4991 Approved Firestop Contractor Program.
FCIA Invests in Promotion - FCIA contractor and manufacturer members have designed and purchased a "Display Booth Tower" for use at trade shows by FCIA Members. The booth, (84"H x 30" x 30" triangle) can be used in a standard 10' x 10' booth space at local, national and regional trade shows in conjunction with your own mockups and table tops. To schedule the booth (you pay shipping costs) for a trade show in your area, call the FCIA office at 630.690.0682.
FCIA Members in the Spotlight - FCIA members are taking their "Firestop Programs" to the streets! Listed below are seminars given by FCIA members the last few months: Associated General Contractors - Panel, Mike Hubbard (Firestop Technologies, Inc., Powell, TN), Karen Layng (Vedder Price), Don Murphy (PPMI Firestop), Blase Reardon, Mike Wellons (Firestop Carolinas, Inc.), Renee Woodruff (Seal Systems, Inc.), spoke at the AGC Convention, Nashville, TN; Blase Reardon and Breck Spain (Performance Contracting) spoke at W.R. Grace & Co.'s National Sales Meeting, Greenville, SC; Aedan Gleeson and Blase Reardon addressed the Connecticut Fire Marshals and Building Inspectors at their annual conference on Passive Fire Containment, Storrs, CT; Bob LeClair (A.F. Underhill) and Blase Reardon addressed the Massachusetts Fire Marshals Convention in Amherst, MA. If you are speaking or have spoken recently, let the FCIA Office know! We're tracking FCIA Member contacts with our industry.
FCIA News needs you! - If you have anything of significance to report; i.e. presentations, education accolades, business accomplishments, etc...... Email us at info@fcia.org with your news. FCIA Members are on the move. Make it known through your association!