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The Air Up There
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And The Fair Land
A Special Thanksgiving Day reprint from the Wall Street Journal
Anyone whose labors take him into the far reaches of the country, as ours lately have done, is bound to mark how the years have made the land grow fruitful. This is indeed a big country, a rich country, in a way no array of figures can measure and so in a way past belief of those who have not seen it. Even those who journey through its Northeastern complex, into the Southern lands, across the central plains and to its Western slopes can only glimpse a measure of the bounty of America. And a traveler cannot but be struck on his journey by the thought that this country, one day, can be even greater. America, though many know it not, is one of the great underdeveloped countries of the world; what it reaches for exceeds by far what it has grasped. Read the rest of the article here.
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Video of the Month: Are Fire Suppression Clean Agents Safe for People? |
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| | Fire protection expert Lee Kaiser explains if fire suppression clean agents are safe for people exposed to them. |
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Vitaulic Hires Middle East Fire Protection Head |
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Adam Hicks (above) who will be based in Qatar, will head Victaulic's team of regional fireprotection experts.
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10/30/15 By James Morgan ConstructionWeekOnline.com Victaulic has hired Adam Hicks as its new fire protection manager for the Middle East.
Hicks, who will be based in Qatar, brings with him experience in the development of codes and standards, and the training of engineers, designers, and end users. As part of the role, he will take responsibility for the entire range of Victaulic fire protection products across the region, including specialized couplings, preaction, dry and deluge valves, flexible drops, and patented fitting brackets. Click here to read the rest of the story.
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Plans for FSSA 2016 Annual Forum
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Fike Hires Sales VP | |
11/15/15
Blue Springs, MO -- Expanding reach, increasing offerings and improving efficiencies were the key components in the Fike Corporation's decision to hire David Kemp as their Executive Director of Sales for the Americas.
In this newly created role, Kemp will be responsible for outside sales, sales management and business development for the Americas. This territory includes North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
Kemp will work with the entire sales team to help develop and drive sales strategies streamlining the go-to-market strategy and value proposition of Fike solutions. Helping customers work through a wide range of options to provide the best solution for their needs remains a top priority.
"The world is spinning faster than ever in terms of safety product technology and offerings," said Dave Peirano, Executive Vice President. "Fike already manufactures great products. We brought David in for this new role to sharpen the sales focus and tactics to decisively address the question 'Why Fike?' when customers want the best for their business."
Kemp comes to Fike with nearly 25 years of experience in various sales-related roles. He was most recently the Vice President of Sales and Global Marketing for Emerson.
About Fike
Fike Corporation is a globally recognized supplier of precision-engineered solutions for explosion protection and pressure activation, pressure relief and fire protection. Since 1945 our highly skilled workforce has designed, built and tested solutions for Fortune 500 companies and businesses around the world that want peace of mind from experiencing consequences of serious financial loss or a devastating disaster.
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Strong Dollar Hits Tyco |
 11/13/15 By Zacks Equity Research Tyco International Ltd reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2015 adjusted income from continuing operations of 61 cents per share compared with 56 cents in the prior-year quarter, driven by successful productivity initiatives and cost-out actions. The adjusted earnings were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Net income from continuing operations came in at $82 million against a loss of $75 million in the year-ago quarter. GAAP income from continuing operations was 19 cents per share versus GAAP loss of 17 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. Revenues decreased to $2,505 million in the reported quarter from $2,703 million in the year-earlier quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,536 million. A stronger U.S. dollar against foreign currencies had a negative impact of 7% on the top line. Also, organic revenues declined 1% in the reported quarter. Inorganic growth contributed 2%, which was partially offset by the impact of divestitures. See the rest of the article here.
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Fire and Construction Industries (UK) Urged to Clarify Fire Engineering Guidance |
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Bob Glendenning of Sherwin-Williams addresses the audience at the Institute of
Civil Engineering
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10/29/15 By Adam Bannister Editor, IFSEC Global With 263 buildings with 20 or more stories set to further crowd London's skyline, prominent figures from across the supply chain have expressed concerns that current fire-engineering guidance is not fit for purpose.
Presenting a series of seminars on fire protection leading speakers from Arup, Sherwin-Williams - the global coatings leader which organized the event - and the Institute of Civil Engineers - where the event were held - gave their prescriptions for improving fire engineering in complex, modern structures. There were also speakers from the ASFP, the fire service and building control, which warned the industry that cut-price operators in its field were undermining standards. The rest of the article can be read here.
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Integration: HVAC Fans and Smoke Control |
10/28/15 By Mark Mecham, PE, JBA Consulting Engineers, Las Vegas Consulting-Specifying Engineer Fire, life safety, and HVAC systems must be integrated by the engineer to achieve reliability in smoke control systems. This includes mechanical equipment, physical barriers, or a combination of both.
The 2015 edition of NFPA 92: Standard for Smoke Control Systems, defines dedicated smoke control systems and nondedicated smoke control systems as: - Dedicated smoke control system: Smoke control systems and components that are installed for the sole purpose of providing smoke control and that upon activation of the systems operate specifically to perform the smoke-control function.
- Nondedicated smoke control system: A smoke control system that shares components with some other system(s), such as the building HVAC system, which changes its modes of operation to achieve the smoke control objective.
The most recent edition of the International Building Code (IBC) requires the implementation of smoke control systems in a limited number of building scenarios. Read the rest of the article by clicking here.
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Construction Concerns: Classification of Flammable and Combustible Liquids |
10/26/15 By Gregory Havel Fire Engineering Since the inception of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations regarding hazardous materials-including combustible and flammable liquids-the categories "flammable" and "combustible" have not matched the boundaries of similar classifications in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 704, System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response, 2012 edition, and other NFPA standards with which most emergency responders are already familiar. According to the NFPA standards, a flammable liquid is any liquid with a flash point below 100°F (37.8°C): - Class IC liquids have a flash point below 100°F (37.8°C).
- Class IB liquids have a flash point below 73°F (22.8°C) and a boiling point at or above 100°F (37.8°C).
- Class IA liquids have a flash point below 73°F (22.8°C) and a boiling point below 100°F (37.8°C).
Click here to read the full report.
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Fire and Life Safety in Data Centers - Role of Engineers |
10/27/15 By Amanda Pelliccione, CFE Media Consulting-Specifying Engineer The Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2015 Fire and Life Safety Study indicated that 46% of engineers specify, design, or make product selections for data centers. Below are six high-level findings impacting the fire and life safety industry today as they relate to data center projects: - Products specified: Eight in 10 engineers specify fire, smoke, heat, and linear detection systems for data centers. Other top products include smoke detection, controls systems, and dampers (77%); network and intelligent fire alarm control panels (63%); and chemical and clean agent fire-suppression systems (60%).
- Annual specified products value: The average firm specifies $3,066,667 in total fire and life safety products for new and existing data centers on a yearly basis. Twenty-four percent of these firms specify more than $5 million in fire and life safety products.
- Future critical challenges: The top critical challenges or issues affecting the future of fire and life safety systems in data centers, according to respondents, are subjective interpretation of regulations by code authorities (79%), code enforcement not understanding new systems (71%), and inadequate budget for good design (70%).
- Discipline input: Local authorities having jurisdiction or fire officials have the most input/impact (69%) on engineers' fire and life safety design for data centers, followed by owners (43%) and electrical engineers (32%).
- Vendor involvement: Six in 10 engineers cited that equipment vendors are occasionally involved in helping them complete their data center specifications, compared with 27% frequently, 6% always, and 4% never.
- Important design factors: Sixty-eight percent of engineers consider product quality to be an extremely important factor that leads to their selection of fire and life safety systems for data centers. Other important factors include service support (54%), manufacturer's reputation (47%), and a manufacturer's complete product series or system capabilities (44%).
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Recall: Sure Signal Products Recalls Heat-Activated Fire Alarms
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 Recall date: October 29, 2015 Recall Details
UnitsAbout 375,000 DescriptionThis recall involves Sure Signal Products heat-activated fire alarms sold under the following brand names and models: DeTech FST2004H, MasterGuard QR50, Responsive TR70-R and Thermalink QR50. They are white, round and measure about 7 inches in diameter. The alarms have a round fuse at the center. The fuse is white or chrome and about 1.5 inches in diameter, and has a temperature rating of 117°F or 136°F. The alarms were manufactured from January 1, 2004 through July 1, 2015. Date codes are listed in a YYDDD format and range from 04001 through 15182. The alarm's model is printed on a label on the back of the alarm. SSP, the temperature rating and the date code can be found on the back of the fuse. Incidents/InjuriesNone reported RemedyConsumers should immediately contact Sure Signal Products for free replacement fuses. A video with instructions on how to replace the fuse is available at http://SureSignalProducts.com. Read the rest of the notice here.
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Goldie Paine - Amerex "Leading Lady" Passes |
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Goldie P. Paine, co-founder of Amerex Corp.
in Trussville, died on Oct. 16, 2015. She was 89. (AL.com File/Frank Couch)
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10/30/15 By Greg Garrison AL.com Goldie Paine, co-founder of Amerex Corp., was once Alabama's leading lady of international industry. In 1970, Paine started Amerex in Trussville along with her husband, E.K. "Ned" Paine, who died earlier this year, and a group of friends and family from West Virginia. It would become the world's largest producer of fire extinguishers, although the business nearly extinguished itself at first. Read the rest of the article here. |
Floating Data Center Reduces Cost, Power Use |
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The floating data center operated by Nautilus Data Technologies.
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11/20/15 By Robert Gates, News Writer TechTarget A new data center provider promises big benefits from its novel floating data center, but the idea of running IT equipment on a barge is enough to make some IT watchers seasick.The newest data center design to hit the market will involve lots of water, but not in the usual way -- it is a floating data center.
Water is the most important ingredient in the recipe to keep the data center cool, which led one company to build a new floating data center. Nautilus Data Technologies Inc. recently unveiled a waterborne data center. The Pleasanton, Calif.-based company completed a proof-of-concept earlier this year on a data center aboard a 110-foot long barge at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California. Click here to read the full article.
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Fire Protection in Pre-Code Buildings |
11/16/15 By Gregory Havel Fire Engineering Throughout the world, there are thousands of buildings that were constructed before building and fire codes were developed. In the United States, building and fire codes were developed locally in response to issues that developed, beginning in the mid-1600s. In 1873, the National Association of Fire Engineers (NAFE), the predecessor of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), issued a document outlining its eight fire protection concerns, which follow: - Flammable and combustible building materials.
- Excessive height buildings, beyond the reach of ground ladders.
- Fire escapes.
- Water supply.
- Space between buildings.
- Corridors and open stairways.
- Fire alarms.
- Fire department.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
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Healthy Hospital Success: Fire and Life Safety |  11/24/15 Consulting-Specifying Engineer With hospital projects, it is imperative that engineers get everything exactly right-after all, the lives of patients treated in the health care building may depend on it. Answers to a variety of fire and life safety questions are included. CSE: What unique fire suppression systems have you specified in hospitals? Tommy Spears, PE, Vice President of Design Solutions, TME, Little Rock, Ark.: The most unique fire suppression systems that TME designs for hospitals are for specialty areas including MRIs and critical care areas, as well as in data centers. The fire suppression equipment within data centers usually includes a pre-action wet fire suppression system and a very early smoke-detection apparatus (VESDA) that use the most sensitive detection techniques to take every precaution in verifying a fire condition before introducing water into the room. We have also used clean agent FM-200 for MRI rooms for critical care areas where patients cannot be easily relocated in the event of a fire. Nolan Rome, PE, LEED AP, Senior Vice President, ccrd, a WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff Co., Phoenix: Recently we have been providing interlocked pre-action systems and some dry-agent systems, such as FM-200. We also work with the architects closely to create unique ways to treat the fire protection needs of large drop-off canopies at hospitals in several locations. Kunal G. Shah, PE, LEED AP, RCDD, President, PBS Engineers, Glendora, Calif.: With the ever-increasing need for a robust IT backbone and system, reliability and data preservation is critical. In this light, much of our designs implement FM-200-type fire suppression systems within data and IT rooms. These systems are typically combined with a pre-action system to prevent the sprinkler piping to have water and the potential to leak. Click here to read the rest of the article. |
Most Popular Stories from October 2015 |
These are the stories in our last issue that got the most clicks. If you haven't already, check them out! |
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