Bill McKay,Advanced–Jim Stewart, Advanced–Mike Balsey, Advanced–Gay Johnson, King Co.–Jamie Vos, Security Solutions–Randy Knighton, Knight–Herb Canon, Knight–Rick Sigmen, Commercial–Steve Hobart, SimplexGrinnell–Mike LaBelle, SimplexGrinnell–Ceven Cullens, SimplexGrinnell–Mike Fitz, MDE–Mark Hoyt, Noveon/Blazemaster–Ashton Wolfe, Wolfe–Joe Stewart, Wolfe–Herb Schairbaum, Bates-TC Fire Protection Student–Tracy Moore, Moore–Ken Moore, Moore–Ron Greenman,Bates Technical College

Welcome to the first Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of AFSA for 2006. Because Bill had me do most of the talking my notes are kind of sketchy so this installment will be brief. I suppose whether that’s good or bad depends on your point of view. As you can see from the list of attendees this was the biggest turnout we’ve ever had. The usual room we use (the big one) was too small for all the folks that showed up. Fortunately the gracious people at 13 Coins opened up the accordion wall that separates the small meeting room from the large and allowed us to use both. Luckily there wasn’t another party going on. And I use the term party on purpose because I’ve never seen the crew so raucous. And now—THE NEWS!

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Attendees

Steve Hobart, Simplex/Grinnell–
Kyle Evans, Simplex/Grinnell–
Mark Hoyt, Noveon–
Ashton Wolfe, Wolfe Fire–
Bill McKay, Advanced–
Lloyd Ivy, AFSA–
Mike Fitz, MDE–
Jamie Vos, Security Solutions/BL&S–
Kevin Kane. Viking Supply Net–
Randy Knighton, Knight Fire–
Herb Canon, Knight Fire–
Ron Greenman, Bates TC/AFSA

Bill opened the meeting by talking about the new requirements for inspectors performing IT&M. By the time you read this the deadline for grandfathering inspectors into the three-year temporary certificate program will have come and gone so to address the details of that would be mute. Suffice it to say that after December 14, 2005 the only way to obtain certification for IT&M will be possession of a NICET Level II or III in IT&M or NICET Level III in AS Layout. This can then, along with a fee, qualify the applicant for a State of Washington Certificate of Competency. Go to the State Fire Marshal’s website for details:

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Attendees:

Sam Pierre, Washington State Fire Marshal
Larry Glenn, Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office
Steve Muncy, AFSA
Roland Huggins, AFSA
Joe Faulkner, Sprinx
Chuck Paradis, Sprinx
Bill Cunningham, Plumbco
Randy Knighton, Knight Fire
Roger White, Knight Fire
Ashton Wolfe, Wolfe Heat & Fire
Jamie Vos, Bellingham Lock & Safe
Cevin Cullens, Fire Dynamics
Dixie Cullens, Fire Dynamics
Joe Stewart, Wolfe Heat & Fire
Mike Fitz, MDE Engineering
Bill McKay, Advanced Fire
Ron Greenman, Bates Technical College

Now that it’s almost Fall welcome to the Summer edition of the AFSA/PacNW Chapter newsletter. We met in early August and Steve Muncy, president of AFSA, was our guest. We were also honored by the greatest turnout of contractor members I’ve seen since I started coming to these meetings. The social half hour was such a big hit that it moved from the bar into the banquet room and it was about a half hour more before we got down top business.

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Following is Harasyn Sandell’s winning entry from the AFSA/PacNW Scholarship Contest for the 2004/2005 school year. Harasyn is graduating from high school in Sequim this term and she will be attending the Dominican University of California in San Rafael, California. Harasyn has won a $1500.00 prize to use for her education. Harasyn will be going off to school with a new awareness of how fire sprinklers can save lives and property. Your dues to AFSA made this scholarship award possible. Please take the time to click the link below to read Harasyn’s essay.

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Attendees:

Sam Pierre, Washington State Fire Marshal
Roland Huggins, AFSA
Joe Faulkner, Sprinx
Randy Knighton, Knight Fire
Roger White, Knight Fire
Kent Fricks, Hughes Supply
David Smith, Vancouver, WA FD
Kyle Evans , Simplex/Grinnell
Mark Hoyt , Globe Sprinkler
Kevin Kane, Viking Supply Net
Bill McKay, Advanced Fire
Ron Greenman, Bates Technical College

So finally the Spring newsletter. This was one of the more pleasant meetings in that business was minimal and socialization was at full throttle. The main topic of discussion was the return of WORK. Everyone was busy to too busy. Not wanting to give his competition a leg up Kevin clandestinely showed the contractors present a few new Viking products. Given the secrecy he displayed I think I won’t mention what Kevin showed me other than to say one of the items was a part that poor designers love to draw but that heretofore didn’t exist. Ponder on that for awhile.

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Members Present (in no particular order):

Kyle Evans, Simplex/Grinnell/Steve Hobart, Simplex/Grinnell/Bill Cook, Reliable Fire Sprinkler/Rick Sigmen, Commercial Fire/Ceven Cullens, Fire Dynamics/Dixie Cullens, Fire Dynamics/C.T. Cullens, Fire Dynamics/Mike LaBelle, Fire Dynmaics/Kevin Kane, Viking Supply Net/Joe Faulkner, Sprinx/Bill McKay, Advanced Fire/Mike Balsey, Advanced Fire/Randy Knighton, Knight Fire/Roger White, Knight Fire/George Goodall, Seattle Fire Department/Ron Greenman, Bates Technical College

So I’m really late with this newsletter but better late than never. This past meeting we had George Goodall from the Seattle Fire Department as our guest. George came to tell us what changes have been made to the Seattle Administrative Code. Probably the best news is that all those special little rules Seattle has grown over the years were scrutinized and, for the most part, eliminated. This went hand in hand with the hard work done in adjusting the new I Codes to Seattle’ special needs. You’ll find that there are fewer of these special rules and that the Seattle Fire Code is more in line with the IFC. If you’d like your own copy of the Seattle Fire Code 2004 and the amendments to the 2003 IFC you can get it at the SFD for $64.00 (not an advertisement). On the bad side is that fees have soared. For details contact Diane Hansen at 206/386-1450. I want everyone, especially Diane, to know that George told me to give you her name.

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Members Present (in no particular order):

Michael Fitz, MDE
Kyle Evans, Simplex/Grinnell
Rick Sigmen, Commercial Fire
Ceven Cullens, Fire Dynamics
Dixie Cullens, Fire Dynamics
Lamont Mang,
John Abel, Crown Fire
Kevin Kane, Viking Supply Net
Chuck Paradis, Sprinx
Bob Waters, Noveon/Blazemaster
Scott Cradduck, Hughes
Kent Fricks, Hughes
David Smith, Vancouver, WA FD
Lloyd Ivy, AFSA
Bill McKay, Advanced Fire
Ron Greenman, Bates Technical College

Well, this newsletter took me a long time to get out this time. First thing you should notice is the new look of the webpage. we changed it around to make it easier to navigate. As is obvious from the attendees list we had another great turnout and although we had some business as usual I’m happy to say that it was a great social event as well. New folks we haven’t seen before were Lamonte Mang, Kyle Evans and Kent Fricks. Kent is taking over for Scott Cradduck who, after years of threatening, has finally decided to retire. Way to go Scott. It was also good to see someone from the local Simplex/Grinnell office in attendance. I hope this will be a usual thing.

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Larry Glenn from the State Fire Marshal’s office pointed out to me that I erred in the paragraph below published in the last newsletter..

“There was a lot of discussion about 25 following Robert’s presentation. I’m going to keep the comments here short since, as I mentioned earlier, much is still in the air and since the TAG is scheduled to meet next week anything I say here may change. I can say without a doubt that 25 is now the law throughout Washington. I can also say without fear of contradiction that the special license idea for IT&M is dead. The only companies that will be able to perform IT&M will be fully licensed, level 3 sprinkler contractors. There may be additional restrictions added but fire alarm only companies, fire extinguisher only companies, etc. will need at a minimum a level 3 sprinkler contractor’s license if they want to legally perform IT&M on any system that falls under the definitions in NFPA 25.”

What I should have said was that the special plumbers license was a dead issue. Fully licensed level 3 sprinkler contractors will be able to do IT&M on their existing license and fire extinguisher and fire alarm companies may do IT&M if the company is also a level 3 sprinkler contractor or has what will be the new Sprinkler System Inspection and Testing Contractor License issued by the State Fire Marshal. This license excludes these companies from testing fire pumps, deluge, pre-action, foam or chemical based fire protection systems. All technicians working for this type of company need to be certified by the Chief of the State Patrol, through the Director of Fire Protection. To obtain such a certification the technician needs to successfully complete the elements required for certification as a NICET IT&M level 2 or 3 or have NICET certification as a level 3 or 4 AS layout technician. There will be a short window where other methods of certification are available. I’ll address these in the next newsletter since I don’t know when these changes to the WAC will become enforceable and the timeline is tied to that date. The certification of the technician applies to all IT&M technicians whether they work for a sprinkler contractor or an inspection and testing contractor although a technician working for a sprinkler contractor may perform IT&M on any system or device that the contractor is licensed to design and install.

Members Present:

John Abel, Crown Fire Protection
Mark Holey, Crown Fire Protection
Roland Huggins, AFSA
Mark Hoyt, Globe Fire Sprinkler
Steve Muncy, AFSA
Bill McKay, Advanced Fire
Joe Faulkner, Sprinx
Matt Newton, Conover Insurance
Rick Sigmen, Commercial Fire Protection
Ceven Cullens, Fire Dynamics
Dixie Cullens, Fire Dynamics
Mike LaBelle, Fire Dynamics
Robert Lacey, Wash. State Rating Bureau
Randy Knighton, Knight Fire
Ron Greenman, Bates Technical College

As you can see we had one of the best turnouts in my memory for the August meeting. Since 9/11 and the subsequent dip in the market I’ve noticed a trend towards sparse participation. I hope this quarter’s attendance portends a trend in both increased participation AND an improving economy. Certainly we helped the economy of the 13 Coins that night.

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