President's Message
January 04
 Part
2 - "Where are we now, and where are we going...early
2004"
Introduction
In the last message, we reviewed where FCIA has been "from
30,000 feet"......Call it the Executive Summary. In the
final 2 parts of this message, you'll see what created the
results that made up the Executive Summarry. It's the hard
work of FCIA Volunteers and FCIA's staff. Read on....
Where are we now
FCIA Committees continue to be “where the action is”.
Our FCIA Members work together to further our industry through
joining together to tackle big jobs. Here are just a few accomplishments
from 2003, and info about where each committee is going in
2004:
Accreditation Committee – Aedan Gleeson, Chair
- In 2003, this group has grown the Specification Presence
of “FCIA Member", "FM 4991” and “ASTM
E 2174”. Specifications where a FCIA Member, FM 4991
Approved Contractor are appearing Nationwide due to FCIA’s
presentations at SCIP(Specifications Consultants in Independent
Practice), AIA and CSI Chapters, advertising in " www.4Specs.com
", ARCOM’s MasterSpec and BSD SpecLink Master Specification
Programs, heard and subscribed by architects nationwide. ASTM
E 2174 is also part of this new specification requirement.
In 2004, the Accreditation Committee's goal is to get more
FCIA Members to become FM 4991 Contractors. This is critical
to fulfill specification demands for Approved Contractors.
They are also soliciting questions submitted for the new “DRI
Test”. These questions are sent either to the FCIA Office,
or FM Directly. FM 4991 has received a "PIN number"
(FM 4991 is the PIN or Project Identification Number). ANSI
Approval for FM 4991 is important to be recognized by code
writing agencies. This committee, led by our first President,
Aedan Gleeson, has also been meeting with NFPA and the National
Association of State Fire Marshals to further promote "The
Specialty Firestop Contractor Concept" in our industry.
Technical Committee – Mike Dominguez, Chair
– The Technical Committee, originators of the “FCIA
Manual of Practice” (special thanks to Kathy Taraba on
this original undertaking in 1999/2000), started new projects
in 2003 that will be fruitful in 2004. The “Standard
Answer” Program of common answers to questions contractors
struggle with every day, will be published shortly. Their
work with CSI’s MasterFormat 2004 revisions, made sure
we were represented during this industry wide event.
For 2004, FCIA’s Technical Committee is preparing for
the 5 year revision to the “Manual of Practice”,
developing a program to communicate the "penetration
location standard" presented by Richard Smits, Skidmore
Owings & Merrill architects in Orlando, in addition to
work on the MOP's content. They are reviewing strategies to
make the MOP more widely available to those who are influential
about fire and life safety in the industry.
Code Committee - Kathy Taraba, Chair – As a subcommittee
to the Technical Committee, the codes group has helped make
FCIA visible on the Code Development “radar screen”.
Kathy Taraba, and FCIA’s Code Consultant, Bill Koffel,
attend code hearings and speak about code changes that may
alter passive life safety in buildings during these conferences.
Kathy and FCIA has been a member of the “Alliance for
Fire and Smoke Containment and Control”, which works
as a group to promote the passive fire protection industry
nationally. Additionally, Kathy has been involved with the
Alliance for Fire Safety, a subcommittee of AFSCC that works
together to effect change in codes from the local level, through
a large PR campaign. FCIA thanks Kathy for her tireless volunteer
efforts at many hearings around the country that have made
our industry a supporter of fire and life safety. Kathy and
FCIA Code Consultant, Bill Koffel, work diligently to keep
the “Specialty Firestop Contractor Concept” front
and center in the code arena. FCIA currently is looking for
a Voting Firestop Contractor Member to work with Kathy in
the codes. If you are interested, either reply to this email,
or email Ray Usher.
Inspection Task Force – Don Sabrsula, Chair -
Another subcommittee of Technical is the Inspection Task Force.
Don Sabrsula has worked closely with ASTM to produce “ASTM
E 2174–01 “Standard for the Inspection of Through
Penetration Firestop Systems”. This document has been
specified by ARCOM MasterSpec, and BSD SpecLink as a specification
requirement for firestopping inspections.
In 2004, we expect that the complimenting standard, ASTM
E 21XX - “Standard for the Inspection of Joint Systems”
will become a standard. Once this happens, maintenance will
be needed on ASTM E 2174 to keep it up to date. Many in the
ASTM circles have complimented ASTM and FCIA's efforts to
get this standard developed and published in a very short
time. The idea was generated in March, 1999 when Roger McKenzie,
McKenzie Insulation, asked why there were no standards for
inspection, as there were in structural steel fireproofing.
Watch the FCIA Website (www.fcia.org) in the next few weeks
where the ASTM E 2174 Standard will be available through FCIA.
Education Committee – Bob Patton & Renee Woodruff,
Chairs – In 2003, this group finished the Firestop
Presentation, “FCIA, FM 4991 and ASTM E2174”, available
on the FCIA Website, downloadable as a membership benefit,
and public service. It's been used by FCIA Members quite a
bit over the past few months. Visit the Internet
Page for the program.
For 2004, the Education Committee will roll out a new education
program for FCIA Member Contractors to use when training their
staffs. The presentation, with many pieces, will be suitable
for many audiences, from employees, to architect/engineers,
code officials, and others interested in our business. Look
for this new presentation in the "Members only"
area of the website, which will be created in April.
We at FCIA are passionate that Passive Fire and Life Safety
Systems are an integral part of people protection in buildings,
as are sprinklers, alarms and security. FCIA is educating
our construction industry about how to protect fire and life
safety in buildings through passive fire protection and a
“zero tolerance” systems application protocol. If
we can attain further “buy in” to this "zero
tolerance" concept in our industry, buildings can be
safer for all our citizens, and more important, our families.
Who better to fulfull this goal, than the Professional Specialty
Firestop Contractor.
Help yourself and our industry by getting involved in a committee,
or recruiting a new FCIA Voting Contractor Member. (see www.fcia.org/committees
to contact chairs)
Next President's Letter - FCIA's President's Letter will
look next at the remaining FCIA Committee activity and some
tangible goals for 2004.
Stay Tuned ...
Ray Usher
FCIA 2004 President
Superl, Inc.
(763) 573-7464
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