NFPA 72 Standards: New Appointments and Industry Debates Shape Fire Safety Future
2 days ago
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Shaping Fire Safety: Key Appointments and Ongoing Debates in NFPA 72 Standards
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 72 standards, crucial for fire alarm and signaling systems, are undergoing significant developments. Recent appointments to key committees bring decades of experience to the forefront, while ongoing debates highlight the complexities and differing perspectives within the fire safety and alarm industries regarding proposed changes to these vital regulations.
Key Appointments to NFPA Standards Bodies
Jack Coffelt Joins NFPA 72 Committee: Jack Coffelt, General Manager at Asurio, a developer of life safety inspection systems, has been appointed to the NFPA 72 Testing and Maintenance of Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems Committee. With over 30 years of experience across various fire life safety disciplines, including fire alarm, sprinkler, and suppression systems, Coffelt brings extensive practical knowledge. He holds a NICET Level IV certification in Fire Alarm Systems and has served in leadership roles at major fire life safety companies.
New Members for NFPA Standards Council: The NFPA Board of Directors has appointed three new members to its Standards Council, effective January 1, 2025: Guy Colonna of FSL Consulting LLC, Raymond Grill of Ray Grill Consulting PLLC, and John LeBlanc of Factory Mutual. Randy Krause was reappointed for a second term, and Jeffrey Foisel and Rodger Reiswig also had their appointments extended. These individuals bring vast experience in fire protection engineering and a deep understanding of NFPA standards development.
The Ongoing Battle Over NFPA 72 Changes
The alarm industry continues to challenge a specific change within NFPA 72, Section 26.5.3.1.3, which would require privately-owned and operated Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL)-listed central monitoring stations to obtain approval from local municipalities to receive fire alarm signals. This battle, which began in 2013, stems from concerns that the change unfairly burdens highly regulated NRTL-listed stations while allowing less stringent remote stations to operate without similar approvals.
Jay Hauhn, Executive Director and CEO of The Monitoring Association (TMA), highlights that this provision is unique within NFPA codes, as it mandates special approval for a service that exceeds a lesser standard. The alarm industry argues that this change was introduced to address local issues in certain municipalities, particularly in Illinois, where some cities sought to establish their own central monitoring stations and exclude private monitoring services.
Despite the alarm industry's success in reverting the language in 2015, the controversial clause was reinstated in 2016. The industry's latest attempt to amend the code was overwhelmingly approved at the NFPA conference but subsequently rejected by the NFPA Technical Committee. Critics, including Richard Simpson, TMA Standards Chair, question the fairness of the process and the potential biases of some committee members.
The Role of the NFPA Standards Council
The NFPA Standards Council, a 13-member body, plays a critical role in overseeing the development of NFPA's fire and safety standards. It ensures compliance with NFPA regulations and serves as the appeals body for matters related to standards development. The recent appointments and reappointments to the council underscore its ongoing mission to provide robust oversight and expertise in creating and maintaining fire safety guidelines.
Sources
Asurio General Manager Jack Coffelt Appointed to the NFPA 72 Standards Committee, citybiz.
Alarm industry continues its fight against NFPA 72 changes, Security Info Watch.
NFPA announces new Standards Council appointments, Fire & Safety Journal Americas.
