Highlights
- ICC Discussing "Balanced Approach"
- FCIA Articles hit the streets
- FCIA Firestop Industry Conference
- FCIA at IAPMO Hearings
FCIA Articles hit the streets - FCIA's writers have been busy promoting Firestopping and Firestop Contractors in the Construction Industry. FCIA published 4 articles in the National Insulation Association Outlook Magazine, with Aedan Gleeson, Bob LeClair, Don Murphy lending a hand. In Canada, Mike McClure, ThermoFire Systems, Inc, Keith Brebner, Global Firestop Systems, Rob Hlady, Affinity Architecture wrote an article on Firestopping. Don Sabrsula, FireSafe of Houston, worked with ASTM for an article in SN, "Standards News" that discussed the Firestopping Installation and Inspection Process using FCIA Member Contractors and ASTM E 2174 ~ ASTM E 2393 Standards for the Inspection of Penetration Firestops and Joints as the basis. Visit the our publications page to view the articles. Also, watch for more new articles in other publications shortly.
ICC Code Technology Committee (CTC) - On July 25 & 26, the International Code Council (ICC) CTC is holding a hearing on several items in fire and life safety. "Balanced Fire Protection", Emergency Use of Elevators, Carbon Monoxide Detectors and Climbable Guards are being discussed in an open forum. We've heard that this Balanced Fire Protection discussion is to be held Monday Morning, from 8:00 until it's finished. It may continue into Tuesday as well. ICC's discussion is at the Four Points Sheraton, off Irving Park Rd. & I-294, Schiller Park, IL. (847) 671.6000. Contact Mike Pfeiffer, ICC Committee Secretary & Vice President, Codes & Standards Development, (mpfeiffer@iccsafe.org) if you plan on attending the meeting. Mike spoke at the FCIA Conference, San Antonio in 2000 about codes and firestopping. The Alliance for Fire and Smoke Containment and Control is meeting that week also. Reply to this email for further info.
FCIA Firestop Industry Conference - FCIA's Firestop Industry Conference, November 9 - 11, 2005 will bring a big spike to your business....Join FCIA at Paradise Point Resort & Spa, San Diego, CA for top notch education about Firestopping, Effective Compartmentation and fun. Join FCIA Members for the 1st "Firestop Industry Beach Bash". We'll have a great Southern California cookout, Volleyball Tournament, and some fun. Welcome leaders from the Firestopping and Effective Compartmentation Industries as we learn about Perimeter Fire Protection from A to Z, New MasterFormat Firestopping Specification Sections that have significantly increased our opportunities to provide fire and life safety, along with FCIA walkaround seminars that will help open new opportunities for your business. Listen to the results of the NIST Study on the World Trade Center tragedy, and some possible solutions with Effective Compartmentation. FCIA Members will present interesting Firestopping Project Profiles, with unique solutions to unusual problems. And, FCIA's Firestop Industry Trade Show will feature Firestopping and Effective Compartmentation Industries. Plus, FCIA's Board of Director Elections and the Annual Firestop Industry Awards Banquet Thursday night brings an opportunity to honor some FCIA Leaders.
Come to San Diego, have some fun...form relationships that can last a lifetime, and reap the benefits of FCIA Membership. Late next week, visit the FCIA Website for the FAXBACK Form to Register. To reserve your room now, contact Paradise Point Resort (website - http://www.paradisepoint.com/ ). Rooms are $155/night, including high speed internet access in the rooms. Also, if we get 30 people at the spa, FCIA Members receive a discount. Mention FCIA or Firestop Industry Conference to get the group rate. Transportation is available from Cloud 9 Shuttle, for about $9 from the airport. Plus, Nordstrom Dept. Store makes shuttle runs for great shopping nearby. Paradise Point is close to Sea World, the San Diego Zoo (where the firestoppers hang out) and downtown San Diego.
FCIA Furthers Working Relationship with DHI - FCIA's Board of Directors and DHI's (Door and Hardware Institute) President, Mark Hallgren met to strategize how to promote Firestopping and Effective Compartmentation at the FCIA Education and Committee Action Conference. Further meetings have taken place with DHI to develop programs that benefit members of both groups. "Fire Doors are the Front Door for Effective Compartmentation and Firestopping", stated Mark Hallgren, DHI President. Watch for more from DHI and FCIA as both become active promoting the effective compartmentation story.
FCIA at IAPMO Committee Hearings - FCIA is still fighting this code change proposal to require that plumbers be the only people that can install firestopping around plumbing penetrations in IAPMO Code areas. The Code Proposal is a result of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) American National Standard (ANSI) program for qualification of installers of firestopping for piping penetrations with the UA Pipefitters Union. This standard requires installers to be journeymen plumbers to install firestopping around piping penetrations. FCIA testified on behalf of all the specialty contractors that install firestopping including the Insulation Contractors Association of America, National Insulation Association and Sealant Waterproofing and Restoration Institute and FCIA. Together, we represent most specialty firestop contractors across the US. The result was that the motion failed by one vote at the hearings, but still is . This same motion will be heard at the International Building Code Final Action Hearings in Detroit this September.
FCIA Speakers set Effective Compartmentation Strategy - After Bert Polk set the stage for us, FCIA's Code Consultant, Bill Koffel, moderated an excellent panel discussion on how to promote Effective Compartmentation in the industry for fire and life safety. His point about educating those involved in the construction, maintenance and building team have been the basis of FCIA's strategy for some time. Look for FCIA to take the show on the road soon working with other industries to spread the word about Effective Compartmentation and Firestopping.
FCIA requests UL reference ASTM E 2174& ASTM E 2393 in Directories - FCIA recently requested that UL include references in the UL Books to ASTM E 2174 & ASTM E 2393, the "Standard for On Site Inspection of Penetration and Joint System Firestops". These standards, a collaboration of FCIA Contractor & Manufacturer Members, IFC and others, moved through ASTM E 05 Committee on Buildings (Omega Point Labs John Nicholas, Chair), has been accepted unilaterally by FCIA. IFC has moved for the standards to become code requirements in the past cycle, with significant FCIA support at code hearings and in the press. Also, look for an FCIA Article to be published in ASTM Standards News about the standards and how they tie in to contractor qualifications. FCIA Contractors believe that a qualified contractor, inspected by a qualified inspection firm, makes sense. "Better qualified contractors reduces the cost of inspection significantly", states Don Sabrsula, FireSafe of Houston, Inc.
Omega Point Laboratories Purchased - Omega Point Laboratories, Inc. was purchased by recently by Intertek, Inc., according to John Nicholas, OPL. John mentioned that although they are now part of a larger firm, each plant or laboratory operates autonomously. However, there are now more than 200 laboratories worldwide, 13,500 employees and $2 billion in firm resources from which Omega Point can draw for various new initiatives. Firestop testing is done by Intertek in other parts of the world in addition to testing at OPL in San Antonio. We look forward to growing our relationship with OPL and other key laboratories in the US, Canada and other parts of the world.
FCIA Welcomes new members – FCIA welcomes the following new members to our association, and looks forward to working with them on new and existing FCIA Initiatives:
- Affinity Architects, Inc. - Rob Hlady - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Building Specialties, Inc. - Jim Descant - Houston, TX
- DW Firestopping - David White - Lafayette, LA
- Fireproof Contractors, Inc. - Chris Yargo - Houston, TX
- Grabber Construction Products, Inc. - Kelly Jones
- Groundstar Systems, Ltd. - Doug Burton - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- National Firestop, LTD - Robert Gray - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- WW Nash Construction Co., Inc. - Richmond, VA
- Owen Construction - Dan Owen - Langdon, Alberta, Canada
- Rudd Palmer Co., Inc. -
- Total Firestop Systems, Ltd - David Willoughby - Stony Mountain, Manitoba, Canada
- TurnAir Systems, Inc. - Bob Turan - Coral Springs, FL
- Western Construction Services, Inc. - Kent Johnson - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Allen Rams, Beverly Life Safety, & the FCIA Membership Committee have offerred a program that rewards new member recruitment. The next FCIA Member who recruits 10 new members to join FCIA, receives free attendance fee at the San Diego Firestop Industry Conference. Be sure the member cites you as "Sponsor" on the membership form.
FCIA Friends Moving around - Renee Woodruff, former owner of Seal Systems, a division manager at F.Rodgers Insulation Interiors, Inc., and a former FCIA Board Member, has moved to the Fire Glass Industry with Safti First Glazing as the West Coast Regional Manager. Email her at reneew@safti.com . We look forward to working with her on Effective Compartmentation Initiatives for FCIA. Rich Walke, UL has transferred to the Regulatory Services area at UL. Although we'll miss his strong technical knowledge and history with our group, we look forward to a new relationship as we work together in the codes arena, where our paths will cross along the way. Best wishes to both friends...
FCIA "Marketing Toolbox" Education Programs - FCIA rolled out many new Education Tools at the FCIA Education and Committee Action Conference. They have been developed, with many articles, to provide FCIA Member Contractors with Tools to become the recognized expert in their area. listed below, and available now!
- New AIA CES Approved Firestopping Quality Process Presentation (FREE) for use by FCIA Members. Approved for 1 hour credit, this program is available from FCIA Contractors to architects, engineers, building officials and fire marshals. Certificates going out
- FCIA's New Firestop Education Program (FREE TO MEMBERS) is a 202 slide generic education tool meant to streamline the Firestopping Education Process. It reviews generically firestopping products, systems, codes, and many other topics. Complete with script, it can be used for audiences from new firestopping employees, architects, engineers, building officials and fire marshals, inspectors who want a full, detailed look at the industry.
- FCIA Manual of Practice - This 3" thick book is the firestop industry resource. Available in Print - $295/members, $345/Non Members. CD, $195 Members, $245/Non Members. 2005 Updates are due out shortly.
- FCIA's New Firestopping Fundamentals Education DVD's ($145) complete the package with full visual effect...and is an excellent training piece. Do you want us to come to you?
- FCIA's Custom Education is also available. Call for information. To request these items, simply email bill@fcia.org . Watch for more new things from the Education Committee in the next few months.
Join a Committee Now - Contractors, Associate Members, and Manufacturers are welcome. To sign up, fill out a form and contact the Chair.
FCIA Mourns Passing of Ray Usher - FCIA Immediate Past President, Ray Usher passed away after a battle with cancer in late May. Cards can still be sent to Maggie & Family at Superl, Inc. 5155 E. River Rd., Suite 104 ~ Fridley, MN 55421. A Memorial Program has been set up at the University of Minnesota’s Cancer and Transplant Center. Checks are to be made out to “Minnesota Medical Foundation”. Be sure to reference “Ray Usher” in the memo section or invoice reference area of the check. Send to:
University of Minnesota, c/o Rosemary Gruber
University of Minnesota Cancer Center
MMC 806
420 Delaware St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Bill McHugh, FCIA Executive Director ~ 630.690.0682
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FCIA is a non profit organization of Firestop Contractors, Contractor Branch Offices, Manufacturers and Associate Members interested in furthering life safety through the Professional Specialty Firestop Contractor Concept.
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