Highlights
- Effective Compartmentation and Firestopping Message at
Chicago High Rise Safety Discussions
- CSI Show Call for Volunteers
- FCIA Education and Committee Action Conference Info
FCIA's Education and Committee Action Conference, April
28 - 30, 2004 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, promises
to be another blockbuster. Dr. Gene Corley, Lead Investigator
on the World Trade Center Collapse, presents "Lessons
Learned" from the study. The National Association of
State Fire Marshals will provide views on their "Partnership
for Safer Buildings". And, FCIA and IFC will discuss
what each of us can do to promote the benefits of Effective
Compartmentation and Firestopping in our industry. Details
are on the website.
FCIA Committee Meetings - Did you ever wonder how
the FCIA Manual of Practice was written, FM 4991 Approval
for Firestop Contractors, ASTM E 2174 Standard for the Inspection
of Installed Through Penetration Firestop Systems came about?
FCIA Members, like you, came together and got it done. Join
a committee and make a difference
in the industry.
Promoting the Specialty Firestop Contractor Concept and
Firestopping as a Trade - FCIA continues to promote FCIA's
Specialty Firestop Contractors as firms who are passionate
about fire and life safety through their business. Effective
Compartmentation and Firestopping does add value to fire and
life safety in buildings. FCIA Members bring a quality understanding
to this effort through FM 4991 Approval. FCIA's Trade Show
Booth has been at 4 shows so far. In March/April, it's going
to 3 more shows. Call the FCIA Office to reserve the booth
for your show.
CSI Show Call for help - FCIA's Marketing Committee
is promoting the Specialty Firestop Contractor Concept through
Industry Trade Shows. On April 21, 22 and 23, 2004, FCIA will
display at The CSI Show in Chicago (www.csinet.org). We'll
need volunteers to help us at the booth. Reply to this email,
or call the FCIA office if you are interested in meeting specification
writers and architects from Chicago and around the country.
Chicago Board of Realtors and BOMA Testimony - Chicago,
like many cities, is reviewing it's high rise building safety
ordinances, and has proposed a mandate for sprinklers. During
recent testimony, FCIA heard statements from employees and
consultants from the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA),
Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Association (NIFSA) that
adding sprinklers to Chicago's pre-1975 high rise residential
and office buildings is the single best thing that can be
done to provide fire and life safety to the built environment.
There have been several consultants testify on behalf of NSFA
and NIFSA , numerous radio commercials and newspaper editorials
purporting that "Sprinklers are the only option to stop
fire and smoke spread in Chicago's high rise buildings".
Since the early 1900's, Chicago has been a world leader in
high rise construction and fire safety. Recent World Trade
Center collapse research papers cite Chicago's stringent high
rise codes from 1967 (and before) that used fire resistance
rated construction and effective compartmentation as the primary
line of defense in buildings. Today, testimony was heard from
the Board of Realtors and BOMA, the Building Owners and Managers
Association, that Effective Compartmentation using Firestopping,
should be enacted before mandating sprinklers in high rise
buildings.
The Committee, and some of Chicago's alderman agreed that
compartmentation already exists and is an important building
fire and life safety feature that equals sprinklers and alarms.
The Chair, Alderman Bernard Stone, said he remembered "during
the 1974 High Rise Safety Ordinance hearings a high ranking
Chicago Fire Official citing Compartmentation offerred greater
protection than sprinklers". Further, he felt that "Compartmentation
has limited the effect of high rise fires by minimizing the
spread of fire in buildings. Compartmentation has been extremely
important to Chicago". Significant discussion ensued
about the safety evaluation scoring system for buildings in
Chicago. The Committee will be reviewing this piece of building
safety.
FCIA agrees with the Realtors, BOMA, and the alderman that
Compartmentation is a big piece in Fire Protection in high
rise buildings. The right answer to this safety question is
that the "TRIAD" of fire protection makes sense.
Testimony from the Realtors and BOMA included criticism of
the NIFSA and NFSA's promotion of a sprinkler mandate and
misleading total cost of sprinkler system installation. Sprinkler
installations were quoted at $1.50 - $4.50/SF for a typical
high rise condo building. BOMA's estimates have been $10.00
-$15.00/SF not including asbestos removal, which may be up
to $18.00/SF in older buildings. Sprinklers would breach the
many compartments designed into these buildings, adding cost
as well. Additionally, the Realtors and BOMA questioned sprinklers
reliability statistics and sprinkler product recalls as well.
The group argued the NFSA's 50 year useful life statement
for sprinklers, with the onset of microbial corrosion (MIC),
general corrosion, plus installation, testing and maintenance
issues, doesn't add up. Bottom line was that the Realtors
and BOMA agreed that sprinklers were an important safety feature.
However, Smoke Control, Compartmentation, Fireproofing all
increase the Margin of Safety in buildings significantly and
are already designed into older buildings.
FCIA believes that Firestopping should be done first in older
buildings that were built with compartmentation to take full
advantage of this fire protection feature. Then, alarm and
detection systems may be installed, with sprinklers as can
be afforded by residents and office building owners and managers
to complete the TRIAD. Financial incentives from Chicago and
the US Governments for these improvements to fire and life
safety should include Firestopping, and not just be focused
on sprinkler, detection or alarm systems as it may be the
least expensive option. And, Firestopping and Smoke Protection
is a good value for building owners at between $.50-$3.00/SF.
Chicago's hearings are important for not just the Midwest,
but the world's high rise structures. Nationally and worldwide,
major cities look to Chicago for High Rise Building Safety
benchmarks. Aldermen at these hearings were thinking national
as well. They were aware of testimony results of plenum cable
ordinances in New York that had occurred the day before. The
result is that as Chicago goes, so goes the country with fire
and life safety in high rise buildings. Bill McHugh, FCIA
Executive Director represented FCIA at these important hearings.
Advertisements - Advertise
your firm on FCIA's Website, or in the E-Newsletter. Visit
the FCIA Website to learn more.
New FCIA Members - FCIA Welcomes new Voting Contractor
Members, J-Kaulk Firestopping, Jeff Kauzlarich, Capital Insulation,
Dave Procida; Associate Members Brichem, Inc., Jack Seeney
and Allied Telephone & Data Corp., John Shirk,
FCIA Member News - Renee Woodruff, F. Rodgers Insulation
Interiors, Inc., was recently named "Employee of the
Year" for her firm. Congratulations Renee! FCIA is pleased
to publish member milestones. Email Bill
McHugh with news.
Firestopping and Smoke Protection Industry Value -
Regardless of our role in the firestopping industry, providing
Systems Installation Services and Maintenance, selling Firestop
Products or Design / Inspection Services, providing value,
recognized by the purchaser is key to our success. FCIA and
Firestopping - Smoke Protection is being recognized more than
it had in 1995 through specifications asking for FCIA Members,
FM 4991 Approved Contractors and ASTM E 2174 Inspection. Purchasers
of our Firestopping Process are beginning to ask for these
qualifications. These specification requirements mean specifiers,
engineers, purchasers, and eventually building owners, "will
receive what they paid for" in Effective Compartmentation
and Firestopping. Although we constantly hear in our industry
"all they want is the low price, regardless of quality",
the percentage of time that a general contractor and owner
recognize the true value of Effective Compartmentation and
Firestopping is increasing. FCIA's aim is for the value of
fire and life safety provided to be recognized faster through
education and promotion of the Specialty Firestop Contractor
Concept and Firestop Trade Development.
Bill McHugh, FCIA Executive Director
"Good merchandise finds a ready buyer." PLATUS,
c.200 B.C.
(c) Copyright FCIA 03/10/04 Permission is hereby granted
to forward, print, circulate, quote with credit to FCIA.
FCIA is a non profit, volunteer organization of Firestop
Contractors, Contractor Branch Offices, Manufacturers and
Associate Members interested in furthering life safety through
the Professional Specialty Firestop Contractor concept, (knowledge,
value, expertise).
For more information, contact the
FCIA Office
Bill McHugh, Executive Director
1257 Golf Circle
Wheaton, IL 60187
630.690.0682 Phone
630.690.2871 FAX.
Email: info@fcia.org
Website: www.fcia.org
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