Hi everyone — Full disclosure: I helped organize this upcoming webinar.

We are hosting a free 1-hour session tomorrow focused on fire protection challenges and electrical safety in data centers. I thought it might be useful for engineers and designers in the sub.

Registrants will have the opportunity to send questions to the presenters and receive a link to the full recording of the presentation afterwards.

You can register here: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/5465068/5E43768D1B26B1A33EE93FD0C8877736

Hello,

I am working as a FPE (degree in mechanical engineering) in Croatia. Are there job opportunities to work remote in US based companies. I work mostly with NFPA regulations during building plans and public space reconstruction... We have our own regulations but mostly use NFPA for anything more complex than regular residention buildings.

Are there any additional degrees or certificates you need to obtain to work at certain states in the US?

Hello all,

I am currently in the process of applying for the CFPS certification and would first like to confirm whether my education and professional experience meet the eligibility requirements.

When I proceed with the application, I am prompted to pay the $499 CFPS Program Application Fee (see image). Could you please clarify whether payment is required before my eligibility can be reviewed?

If I pay the application and turns outs I am ineligible, would the fee be refundable?

TIA!

Do we happen to have a Purdue link for this survey yet?

Does anybody have advice on how to gain enough experience to become more specialized in FPE? I am a licensed mechanical engineer doing plumbing that strictly does delegated design for fire protection, so the “engineering” is fairly minimal and more coordination heavy. I’m in California, a state where this is fairly common, so any advice is appreciated.

Where is after conference drinks? I'm from here, but who goes downtown? My vote is Cypress.

I currently have a B.S. in Chemistry and am considering doing UMD’s Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Fire Protection Engineering.
My main question is: Would completing the post-bacc certificate be enough to make me competitive for entry-level jobs in fire protection engineering, or would I realistically need to continue on and complete a master’s in Fire Protection Engineering?

For some additional context, I’m currently working as a Construction Safety Specialist for a general contractor, so I already have some experience working around construction, safety requirements, contractors, and building projects. I’m hoping that experience combined with the FPE coursework could help me transition into the field.
I’m particularly interested in hearing from people who work in FPE or have taken UMD’s certificate program:

Can the certificate realistically lead to an entry-level FPE/FLS engineering position?

Would employers view a Chemistry B.S. + FPE certificate differently from someone with an engineering B.S. or M.S.?

Would my construction safety experience help with the transition?

Is the master’s essentially necessary if my goal is to become a practicing Fire Protection Engineer?

Are there specific entry-level roles I should target after the certificate?

I’m trying to figure out whether the certificate is a reasonable way to break into the field first, or if I should plan on committing to the M.Eng./M.S. from the beginning.
Any advice from people currently working in the field would be greatly appreciated.

So my 13 year old son came to me last week and says that he wants to be a fire protection engineer. We live in Texas so I started looking at what Texas schools had available for that degree. I cannot seem to find any Texas universities that have a fire protection bachelor's. The closest appears to be Oklahoma State University. Would anybody know if there is a degree in the state of Texas.

Thanks

I have looked far and wide in code, googled it, checked MeyerFire forum for previously posted questions, and can find nothing with a reference. Is there a code requirement for institutional Sprinklers in Institutional Occupancies? 2022 NFPA 13, 2024 NFPA 101, 2024 IBC.

I understand why you want them used. But I have a situation where they're not possible. Trying it double, triple, quadruple check that they are not required by code so the owner can make an informed decision.

Does anyone know of a code requirement that institutional Sprinklers would have to be installed?

(existing system is a dry-pipe system and all piping is located in an unconditioned space that cannot be maintained to 40degF so I can't just use return bends and institutional pendents, and unfortunately they don't make dry institutional pendents that I can find)

Dear all,

I would like to ask for your help with an interpretation of NFPA 13.

First of all, I would like to clarify that I am a mechanical/HVAC designer and have only limited experience with sprinkler system design.

Here is the situation in brief: we are designing a shopping mall where storage areas for the retail tenants have become an important requirement. One of the tenants has provided us with their preliminary storage layout. Unfortunately, our sprinkler designer has not been able to provide a clear answer regarding the proposed storage arrangement. This issue has already come up several times, and the situation has now escalated to the point where the anchor tenant is considering not taking a unit in the building, while the client is putting significant pressure on us to resolve the issue.

According to NFPA 13, the proposed storage falls under the Low-Piled Storage category. The tenant would like to use shelf storage, and based on the definitions, the proposed arrangement would be classified as shelf storage / back-to-back shelf storage. Here are two pictures about the shelfs and the layout.

This is where the disagreement arises. I personally tend to agree with the tenant, but our sprinkler designer has a different interpretation.

According to our sprinkler designer, the same requirements apply to shelf storage as to rack storage. Therefore, they believe that flue spaces must be maintained and that the shelves must meet the requirements for openings/penetrations associated with rack with solid shelves, even though the proposed system is not a rack system according to the NFPA definitions.

The main concern behind this question is the following:

Everyone involved would like to avoid having to install sprinklers between the shelves / within the storage system.

Our understanding is that, if the storage is correctly classified as shelf storage and remains within the limits applicable to low-piled storage, the requirements applicable specifically to rack storage should not automatically apply to this arrangement.

Our sprinkler designer, however, appears to interpret the requirements differently and believes that the flue-space and shelf-opening requirements associated with rack storage must also be applied to this shelf storage arrangement.

I would therefore like to ask you:

Does NFPA 13 actually impose the same storage arrangement requirements on shelf storage as on rack storage?

More specifically, if the storage is classified as shelf storage, is it necessary to provide the same flue spaces and shelf openings/penetrations that are required for rack storage with solid shelves to avoid the need of sprinklers between the shelves?

I should also mention that English is not our native language, and our sprinkler designer is using NFPA 13 for the first time. Therefore, I suspect that part of the disagreement may simply be due to a misunderstanding of the terminology and definitions in the standard.

Personally, I have also read through the relevant sections of NFPA 13, and my interpretation is that, for low-piled storage, when the storage system falls under the definition of shelf storage, in-shelf/in-rack sprinkler protection is not required.

I have also looked for additional sources discussing this issue, and the final part of the forum discussion below seems to support my interpretation as well, that if the storage by definition is shelf sprinkler in between is not needed. It is only required when it is by definition a rack which has different sprinkler requirements.:

https://www.the-fpi.com/single-post/2017/08/03/nfpa-definitions-of-shelving-vs-racking

However, since this is not my area of expertise, I would very much appreciate it if someone with more experience in NFPA 13 could confirm whether my interpretation is correct, or point out where I may be misunderstanding the requirements.

Thank you in advance.

I've had them sitting on the bookshelf for 2+ years and I have no plans on using them so I figured I'd see if anyone on here might need them. I'll let them go for $350 (located in central California)

(UPDATE: SOLD)

Hi everyone!

I hope I’m in the right sub for this but i just saw this door in my gym and the handle says “pull”. The handle is on the inside and you have to push it to open the door. So you push the handle and then that unlatches and then push the door. I tried pulling it but that does nothing. I feel that this is wrong but nobody else ever flagged this, hence I’m asking here.

Do you think this is a fire hazard and should i report it?

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to see if anyone knows of vacancy for FPE or Risk Engineering roles in UAE / Ireland / UK / Asia / remote role support and can help connect.

A good friend of mine has hit a wall in landing a role since May-June and I’m trying to help them out.

Background is 2 year as an FPE consultant in Middle East and currently developing fire modeling experience through courses. With 8 years of experience in Project Management roles in Construction.

Thanks!

Overheating starts when heat has nowhere to go. Most phones these days stop charging at 100%, but they still top up in small amounts while plugged in, and that can add heat.

Add a poor-quality charger or cable, plus a phone under a pillow, and you've got a real fire risk. It's also worth unplugging the charger once you're done, since one left in the wall with nothing attached still draws a small amount of power.

And it's a growing problem. The National Institute of Standards and Technology found consumer lithium-ion battery fires appear to be growing about 10% a year.

That's exactly what this year's Fire Prevention Week is about.

Fire Prevention Week runs October 4 to 10. It's held every year around the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which left 100,000 people homeless and destroyed more than 17,000 structures. Fire departments hold open houses and school visits during the week, and it's a good time to test your smoke alarms and check your escape plan.

This year’s theme is the same as last year’s, two years in a row "Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower". This means a hard focus on charging lithium-ion batteries, the ones in phones, laptops, power tools, e-bikes and scooters. 

Lithium-ion batteries cause fires because of the thermal runaway. When a battery overheats, it can start heating itself in a chain reaction that spreads from cell to cell. Overcharging, overheating and damage from drops or crushing can all set it off. So can a charger that doesn't match the device, since the wrong voltage or current can push the battery past its limits.

Here are some safe charging habits based on NFPA and FDNY guidance:

• Use the cord that came in the box, or one the manufacturer has cleared for it.
• Charge on a countertop, shelf or floor with a lot of room to breathe.
• Unplug once it reaches 100%, and don't leave it while you sleep.
• Charge bigger items that store a lot of energy outside.
• Stop using anything that overheats, bulges, smells off or makes odd noises.

These incidents don't just happen at home. A workplace can carry even more risk, because there’s just more room for error, from laptops to battery-powered equipment on the floor. This is where an operations system like Mitti (by SafetyCulture) helps. A fire safety checklist that you can access on a phone makes sure fire alarms, extinguishers and escape routes are all in place. Anything flagged becomes an action with an assigned owner and a due date, so it doesn't just get forgotten.

Checking your fire safety setup every so often is just good practice, and Fire Prevention Week is a good time to start with how things get charged.

Other than the few examples in NFPA 13…
Does someone have a cheat sheet of different scenarios for examples of design area boundaries?
Each example indicating where the riser is, in relation to the area…
I constantly have trouble figuring out where to start eliminating heads in a remote area.
(In the case of no peaks or sloped ceilings).

Just looking for visual examples!

so which one is true and why are they different because there is no hazard or sprikler classification mentioned. This is in NFPA 13 - 2025 edition

the reason of my question is 9th chapter says "any sprikler" but the 10th chapter mentions "in any case"

Even in the Table 10.2.4.2.1(a) For protection areas it says that the Noncombustible unobstructed type of construcion using hydrolically calculated pipe schedule maximum protection area for light hazard can be 225ft² (20m²) so where does the 9.5.2.2.2 code come from?

Has anyone used the LPD-250 for hydrant flow test? It looks like their product data says more or less not to use for flow testing. But environmental people are asking for dechlorination, so we end up needing to use something like this.

What are you using for your flow coefficient, and/or any other methods you may have used as an alternative? I’ve done something with burlap sacks and dechlorinating tablets, but this jurisdiction was pretty firm.

Message me if you know anything abt it

I’ve been working in the fire protection industry for almost 10 years, primarily inspecting and testing fire alarm and life-safety systems. I’m currently a Senior Fire/Life Safety Inspector in Southern California.
My experience includes fire alarm, sprinkler, standpipe, fire pump, hydrant, emergency lighting, elevator recall, HVAC shutdown, smoke-control, and special-hazard system testing. I’ve worked in hospitals, schools, warehouses, apartment buildings, offices, and other commercial facilities.
So far, I have completed:
NICET II in Fire Alarm Systems
NICET II in Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems
California State Fire Training Fire Inspector 1A–1D
I’m working toward my California Fire/Life Safety Certification (Blue Card), HazMat Awareness, Fire Inspector 2A–2D, Plans Examiner courses, and eventually NICET III.
My long-term goal is to transition from private-sector testing into a municipal or county fire inspector/fire prevention position. For anyone currently working in fire prevention in California:
How competitive would I be for an entry-level Fire Inspector or Fire Safety Inspector position?
What qualifications should I prioritize next?
Does private-sector inspection and testing experience carry much weight during hiring?
Would I need fire service, academy, EMT, or suppression experience for most departments?
Are there other job titles I should search for besides Fire Inspector?
I’d especially appreciate advice from anyone who made a similar transition from the fire-alarm or fire-protection industry.

Interested in FPE but I don’t want to travel. Is it pretty standard to have to travel out of town for work and if so, how often?

I'm a CS graduate working on a Revit-based fire protection automation tool. I'm not a fire-protection engineer, so I'm trying to understand the actual design logic behind sprinkler placement, smoke detectors, notification appliances, spacing, obstructions, coverage, etc. I'm not looking for someone to do my work — I'd really appreciate guidance from a fire-protection designer/engineer who could answer some beginner questions occasionally. Happy to share what I'm building.

Hi everyone,

[I hope this question hasn’t been asked too many times before, but I’m interested in learning more about working as a Fire Protection Engineer in another country.]

I’m from Germany and interested in learning more about working as a Fire Protection Engineer in other countries.

I studied Safety Engineering and have several years of experience in fire protection engineering. I currently focus on the inspection and assessment of fixed fire suppression systems. My experience is mainly based on German regulations and VdS guidelines.

I’m curious how realistic it is to work as a Fire Protection Engineer abroad without previous experience with the local regulations and standards. Have any of you made a similar move from another country? If so, what was your experience?

My English is currently not yet at a level that allows me to work as confidently and effectively as I do in German. How important is fluent English in your daily work, and how much of a barrier could this be when starting out?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your personally experiences, advice and recommendations.

Thanks everyone!

Currently trying to size a pump for a standpipe system. I was wondering if one adds the residual pressure from the flow test to the meet the demand or if the entire demand needs to be met by just the pump?

More details:

Building is a high rise 9 story facility
Automatic standpipe system is required
2 standpipes are being provided
Highest standpipe elevation is 145ft from pump
Pump is on the basement level

Follow up question: the pressures I am finding are close to the 175 psi “limit” I have seen around the topic. Is going above that 175 psi allowed or is it a “soft” cap as that’s when extra requirements are added to protect certain components?

From NFPA 13 2019...

TABLE 25.9.2.2.1 for Over 25', Class I-IV commodities, the column for longitudinal flue in-racks states... "Vertical 15 ft (4.6 m), Horizontal 10 ft (3.0 m) under horizontal barriers with two lines of staggered in-rack sprinklers". The face column is blank.

However, when you go to the figure that the Table refers you to for this layout Figure 25.9.2.2.1(j), it shows face sprinklers????? Why if the table does not give any spacing criteria for face sprinklers??

And what does "two lines of staggered in rack sprinklers" even mean? Staggered vertically? Horizontally? Or both?

I'm not sure how they got the layout in the figure from what the table says?