National Fire Protection Association Blog

Chris Butts: Profile of a CFPS Board Member

Certification is an important credential that can help you demonstrate your knowledge and competence. NFPA offers four different professional certification programs including: Certified Fire Protection Specialist,  Certified Fire Plan Examiner I, Certified Fire Inspector I, and Certified Fire Inspector II

Having obtained a certification, professionals can leverage this achievement to attain different goals. Recently, we profiled the responsibilities of a fire marshal who’s earned his CFPS. Today, we feature a senior fire protection engineer/code consultant who shares his current responsibilities having earned his CFPS 9 years ago.

Name: Chris Butts, PE, SET, CFPS

Title: Senior Fire Protection Engineer/Code Consultant

Organization: O'Brien & Gere Engineers - Federal Business Unit  

Location: Summerville, South Carolina

Industry: Fire Protection Engineering

Where and when did you take your last NFPA certification class? Chris took the CFPS exam in Orlando, Florida in 2004. He lived in the area at the time so it was a convenient location for him.

How has NFPA certification changed your career? His current responsibilities focus on fire protection design, code consulting, project management, and business development.

“The CFPS Certification is a credential that signifies credibility in fire protection because it is based on the broad knowledge base contained in NFPA's Fire Protection Handbook."

"Clients, AHJ and employers view the CFPS credential as assurance of qualification.”

Chris was elected to the CFPS Board of Directors in June 2011 and currently serves as the Chairman of the Marketing & Communications Committee.

Have you earned certification or are you in the midst of training? Share your challenges, issues, and achievements by responding to these brief questions. We can't wait to hear from you!

NFPA Journal celebrates the Certified Marine Chemist Program

Only when an NFPA-certificated marine chemist has certified an area of a ship as safe can anyone enter and begin the work of repairing that ship, says Lawrence Russell in his article "Vigilant Eye" in the most recent issue of NFPA Journal. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration both require a marine chemist certificate before shipboard repair can begin. 

This year is the 50^th anniversary of NFPA’s decision to administer the Certificated Marine Chemist Program. It also marks the completion of the 20^th revision of NFPA 306, Control of Gas Hazards on Vessels, and the development of NFPA 350, Guide for Safe Confined Space Entry and Work, a new document that focuses on creating best practices for working in and around confined spaces. For more on the new guide, go to page 58 in your copy of the March/April issue of NFPA Journal or read the article online. 

 

Customer explains how NFPA training changed her career path

One of the many things I like about working at NFPA is the interaction I have on a daily basis with our customers and seminar instructors. With interaction comes stories and no matter what hat I wear at NFPA, I love hearing a great story. After talking to one of our customers, I thought I'd share one of my favorites.

When Sherrill Nardontonia, an administrative assistant at York Hospital was pulled aside by the hospital's director of engineering, she had no idea what career changing event was in store for her. The hospital had undergone 7 life safety surveys in 1 year and the engineers needed a "go to" person to manage code compliance. As someone who had never cracked a code book, Sherrill took the advice  of the engineers by registering for an NFPA seminar. The 5-day seminar - Life Safety Code, NFPA 99 and the SOC for the Joint Commission Compliance, was a whirlwind of information. "This seminar paved the way for me to be all I can be to uphold the high standards set by the director of engineering."

When asked what made the difference in her learning experience, Sherrill pointed directly to NFPA instructors Bill Koffel and Jim Lathrop. "I was captivated by Jim's teaching style and the way he integrated stories to back up his material. Bill was very professional and knowledgeable of every aspect of the codes he was teaching and impressed me with his ability to recite codes immediately when asked a question. The NFPA training experience gave me a stepping stone to bigger and better things in my career."

Sherrill is now the regulatory compliance assistant at York Hospital in York, PA.

Thank you for sharing your story Sherrill.

UL and ULC announce important changes to certification programs

UL recently posted a Public Notice for a suspension of standard UL 2196 that impacts some fire resistive electrical cables and systems, specifically Electrical Circuit Protective Systems (ECPS) within the categories FHIT for UL and FHJR for ULC. NFPA recommends you review this public notice on UL’s website. UL offered the following additional background and recommendations:

LOCATION OF THESE WITHDRAWN SYSTEMS:
These systems are primarily installed in mixed occupancy high-rise buildings, and in tunnels, bridges, and other commercial infrastructures.  In many circumstances, the referenced systems exist in conjunction with other fire mitigation system options, which are not in question.  Within a building or structure, the locations of these fire resistive circuit cable systems are typically found as part of in the following life safety installations:

• Fire pump- Feeder/controls
• Elevators
• Smoke control equipment
• Command center critical systems
• Pressurized stairway systems
• Smoke management systems
• Fire alarm systems
• Electrical Equipment Rooms - Feeders/Service
• Emergency Generators and Standby Power Systems

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUILDINGS CLOSE TO COMPLETION OR AWAITING SIGN-OFF
UL is recommending you consider a “performance approach” to assessing the building’s unique situation. First, utilize a team to review and identify risks in the building (e.g. are there redundant systems in place and is there a need for an additional fire mitigating system?)  Specific to the installed or almost installed ECPS, guide the team to consider the following variables:

• Distance of cable in ECPS
• Location of current system
• Redundant systems currently in place
• Is COPS classification essential to owner?
• Number of stories in building
• Use of the building
• Occupancy of building
• Fuel loading
• Sprinkler system coverage  
• Fire alarm systems

Assessing these variables will help evaluate risk and determine next best steps.  Because there is so much variability to buildings that may have an Electrical Circuit Protective Systems (ECPS), it is impossible to recommend one solution to fit all building/structure types.

A FAQ is also posted on the UL website.

For additional questions, please contact, Bob James, Robert.J.James@UL.com; phone 813-956-8669. He is a member of UL’s Regulatory Services Staff, whose general email address is: ULRegulatoryServices@UL.com.

NFPA will be reviewing this Public Notice to determine its impact on any NFPA codes or standards and working with the appropriate technical committees. 

New free NFPA fire safety posters for older adults posted on the Fire Prevention Week web pages

As part of the new materials designed to reach populations at high risk during Fire Prevention Week, NFPA is providing four new Remembering When™: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults posters in English and Spanish on the topics of escape planning, smoke alarms, space heater safety, and cooking safety. The posters can be downloaded free of charge.
The 8 ½-by-11 four-color posters can be put on bulletin boards or windows of senior centers, fire stations, places of worship, grocery stores, restaurants, libraries, senior housing, or assisted living buildings or they can be handed directly to older adults who attend a group presentation or are visited in the home. There is also room on the posters to put in the local fire department contact information.

-Sharon Gamache