In this Issue:

• Membership
• Technical
• Professional Qualifications
• Continuing Professional Development
• Communications & Advocacy
• Corporate 100 Partners
• Chapters
• Foundation
• Careers 

Membership 

Welcome, March New Members!

Join us in welcoming the 59 new members who joined SFPE in March 2021.

Congratulations to the New Professional Member of SFPE

SFPE is thrilled to announce that the following SFPE members were approved for upgrading to Professional Member Grade (PMSFPE).

• Edison Beh
• Thomas Clarke
• David Flack
• David Gramlich
• Saed Halawa
• Kevin Hall
• Derrick Herrin
• Charlie Hopkin
• Wan Ismail
• Benjamin Lapa
• Bruce McClelland
• Alex Miear
• Joseph Ostrowski
• Leong Peng Seng
• Jerome Taveau
• Steven Whitman

SFPE encourages all eligible members to upgrade their memberships to Professional Member grade.

Upgrade to Professional Membership

SFPE encourages all eligible members to upgrade their memberships to Professional Member grade. The Qualifications Subcommittee meets quarterly to review applications. The next application due date is June 1st. To be considered, take a look at the requirements for Professional Membership, as well as the upgrade checklist of required forms.

The 2021 Quarterly Qualifications Subcommittee remaining application due dates are: June 1, September 1 and December 1.

Future City Competition

SFPE sponsored a special award for the 2020-2021 Future City Competition. This year’s competition was held virtually for middle school children to “imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future,” the theme is Living on the Moon.

We would like to thank Kathleen Almand, PE, FSFPE, Babak Bahrani, Ph.D. and David K. Young, P.E., FSFPE who judged the finals on Saturday, March 13.

SFPE would like to congratulate East Oldham Middle School from Kentucky for winning our sponsored special award for "Best Application of Fire Protection Engineering Principles in City Design" announced Wednesday, April 7th.

SFPE Women in Fire Protection Engineering (WiFPE)

Join SFPE Women in Fire Protection Engineering on April 20^th at 1:30 pm EST for its next virtual event SOS: Write for Action and Results.  This fast-moving virtual talk lead by international keynote speaker and Mindset Digital CEO, Debra Jasper, Ph.D., will cover how to save hours every week with SOS (short, organized and skimmable) content, get faster responses with clear calls to action, and design for attention by breaking it down (not dumbing it down).

The WiFPE program is made possible by the generous support of FM Global.  Interested in being a sponsor of this program contact Julie Gordon at jgordon@sfpe.org. 

For more information on Future WiFPE events visit: https://www.sfpe.org/membership-communities/special-interest-groups/women-in-fire-protection-engineering and don’t forget to join the conversation by joining the WiFPE Community located in SFPE Connect… SFPE’s online community.

SFPE Fire Service Webinar: Fire Service Considerations with Lithium-Ion Battery ESS: An Investigation of the Surprise, AZ Incident

Join us April 14^th at 1:30 pm EST for this webinar sponsored by the Fire Service Subcommittee.  Steve Kerber and Mark McKinnon will present about the incident on April 19, 2019 that resulted in severe line-of-duty injuries to four firefighters occurred in a lithium-ion battery energy storage system in Surprise, AZ. UL FSRI conducted an investigation into the incident, which identified several factors the contributed to the severity of the incident. Mark McKinnon and Steve Kerber of UL FSRI will present an overview of the incident, the contributing factors determined through the investigation, and recommendations for the fire service, code officials, utility companies, and manufacturers to prevent similar incidents. Register here.

SFPE Membership Dues – Grace Period Change

The SFPE Board of Directors has recently approved a new 30-day grace period for all membership grades. This means you will access to your SFPE membership benefits for up to 30 days after your expiration date. All SFPE invoices and reminders are currently being emailed to each individual member, so be sure to update your member profile so that you do not have a lapse in receiving you benefits.

Technical Activities

Seeking Members for New Task Group on Fire Model Selection

SFPE seeking members from all interest group categories for a new task group will be responsible for revising the SFPE Guide for Substantiating a Fire Model for a Given Application (2010). The intent of this guide is to provide a framework with which one can determine and document if a particular fire model is suitable for use for a specific fire protection application.  Currently, fire models and their use is an evolving process, and with a few exceptions, there is no formal process by which fire models are approved.  It is therefore incumbent upon the user of the fire model to determine the suitability of a fire model and, if required, upon the authority having jurisdiction to evaluate the acceptability of that determination.  This guide serves both the user of the fire model and the consumer of the results of the fire modeling. This guide applies once a decision has been made to use a computer fire model for a fire protection application.

SFPE is seeking members from the following interest categories:

• Producer – an individual who represents an organization (or trade association) that manufactures or markets the products that could be affected (by the standard).
• Design engineer – an individual who uses the standard to produce drawings, diagrams, specifications, or calculations for the construction of a building or system (consultants, architectural/engineering firms or contractors).
• Enforcement official – a representative of an organization responsible for enforcing the requirements of the standard (authority having jurisdiction or code official).
• Research and testing -- an individual who represents public or private sector research organizations and academics who perform research that falls within the scope of the standard.
• Facilities owner — an individual having a legal interest in a property, building, or structure (facility manager, owner representative).
• Insurance interests -- a representative of an insurance company, broker, agent, bureau, or inspection agency.
• Specialist – an individual with expert knowledge within the scope of the standard who is not described by one of the categories above

We are hoping the task group will hold its first meeting in July 2021. If you are interested in joining this task group, please contact engineering@sfpe.org.

Report on Subcommittee for Standards Oversight Ballot on Final Modifications to the SFPE Engineering Guide: Fire Safety for Very Tall Buildings.

The SFPE Subcommittee for Standards Oversight (SCSO) has approved its ballot on the final modifications ballot on the final modifications to the SFPE Engineering Guide: Fire Safety for Very Tall Buildings, 2^nd edition. The following is the report on this ballot:

• Number of members on SCSO – 12
• Number of members voting affirmatively – 12
• Number of members voting negatively with reasons – 0
• Number of members voting negatively without reasons – 0
• Number of members abstaining – 0
• Number of members not returning ballots – 0

In accordance with the SFPE Technical Document Procedures, the Ballot will be considered approved when the ballot is approved by a 2/3 majority from a minimum quorum of 50%+1 of the task group. As such, the ballot is approved. Therefore, the document is approved for publication. The document will be forwarded to SFPEs publishing partner Springer our publishing partner for publication.

SFPE woold like to thank the members of the SFPE Tall Building Task Group that was responsible for updating the content in this guide. The purpose of this guide is to identify the unique fire safety challenges related to very tall buildings and provide the professionals engaged in the design of these buildings with information on the topics that affect the performance of very tall buildings and their occupants during a fire. This guide addresses these topics as part of the overall building design process using performance-based fire protection engineering concepts.

The 2nd edition will have new information related to:

• Existing building considerations
• Energy storage systems
• Aerial vehicle platforms
• Unique features (i. e. observation decks, amusement rides, fireworks, etc.).

It will also include significant updates to sections related to:

• Structural fire protection
• Facades/building envelope including information on green walls and LCD displays
• Notification including social media and other forms of electronic communication
• Timed egress analysis and using computer models

Once published, the document will be available in print and digital versions.

Continuing Professional Development  

New SFPE eLearning Platform

Better. Bigger. Easier than before.

SFPE’s new eLearning portal is now live! Sign in using your SFPE member credentials and check out all of our upcoming live or on-demand programming. This platform houses all of our live online seminars, live webinars, on-demand webinars and premium webinar packages. Completing any of these programs in the SFPE eLearning portal also allows for you to maintain and track all professional development hours with your certificates automatically populating in your profile.

Upcoming Course Offerings

Announcing our upcoming professional development offerings! These virtual seminars have been derived from our in-class courses. For all programs, attendees will be able to attend live sessions and will be provided recorded videos of the program they can go back and watch for up to a month after the seminar is over.

Principles of Fire Protection Engineering
Date: Starting May 3
Instructors: Bill Koffel, Aixi Zhou, and Scott Rockwell

Smoke Control Essentials
Date: Starting May 27
Instructors: Jeff Tubbs and Jim Quiter

2021 PE Exam Review Course
Date: Starting June 1

Beyond the Cause and Origin: Engineering Analysis of Building Fire
Date: Starting June 14
Instructors: Fred Mowrer and Tom Long

Advanced FDS with PyroSim and Smokeview
Date: Starting June 28
Instructor: Bryan Klein

Call for Committee Members!

Are you interested in setting the direction for the continuing professional development for fire protection engineers? If so, please join us on the SFPE Continuing Professional Development Committee! This group is responsible for overseeing all of SFPE’s educational offerings including seminars, webinars, conferences, symposia and the SFPE PE Exam Review Course. Contact Louis Guerrazzi, SFPE Staff Liaison to the CPD for more information at lguerrazzi@sfpe.org.

Professional Qualifications

SFPE Creates Academic Leadership Council

The Academic Leadership Council is a new group the SFPE has formed to increase collaboration between the Society, the Foundation, and universities that offer fire protection/fire safety engineering programs.  This is part of the 2021-2023 SFPE Strategic Plan to both raise awareness of fire protection/fire safety engineering and to support higher education for the industry.

If this topic is of strong interest to you, the committee welcomes new members. Contact Victoria Valentine to learn how to participate.

ABET Program Criteria for Fire Protection

ABET’s Engineering Area Delegation (EAD) has released program criteria for public review and comment for 5 different programs.  One of these is fire protection.  The public review provides feedback on proposed changes and revisions to ensure the criteria are clear.  SFPE’s Higher Education Subcommittee assisted with the revisions to the criteria to better align with the SFPE Recommended Minimum Technical Core Competencies for the Practice of Fire Protection Engineering.  The proposed language for fire protection engineering programs can be found here.  Comments are due by June 15, 2021.

Do You Want to Have a Virtual PE Exam Question Session?

Since the fire protection professional engineer (PE) exam has moved to a computer-based test (CBT), fewer new questions are introduced each year.  However, there is still a need to build up the question bank, especially within specific topics, and work on efforts related to the exam.  Thank you to all the volunteers who participate with the efforts to maintain the PE exam.

There is opportunity for other chapters or member groups to also hold a virtual event.  For information on how to do so, contact Victoria Valentine.

Public Policy Seeking Volunteers

The Committee on Professional Qualifications (CPQ) – Public Policy Subcommittee is seeking energetic volunteers. The group is working on two main projects in 2021. The first is reviewing the existing SFPE position statement to determine if any updates are needed. The second is compiling resources to help chapters and members advocate for fire protection engineering at a grassroots level. If you are interested in participating, contact Victoria Valentine for more information.

ABET 2021 Symposium

The 2021 ABET Symposium is quickly approaching on April 14-16, 2021 and there is some great content lined up! In addition to breakout sessions, Town Halls and Discussion Dens, the keynote sessions will both inform and inspire you. The opening keynote speaker is Kimia Ghobadi, Ph.D., a John C. Malone Assistant Professor and the associate director at the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.  The closing keynote will feature a panel of Ph.D. candidates from CSSE, who will discuss their work building and maintaining the JHU COVID-19 dashboard and modeling the global coronavirus pandemic. The panel will be moderated by Andrew Phillips, provost at the U.S. Naval Academy and Computing Area Director on the Board of Directors of ABET.  Register today!

OSU Industry Advisory Board

The Oklahoma State University (OSU) Industry Advisory Board (IAB) for the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology (FPSET) program met on April 8, 2021 in a hybrid fashion with some attendees on campus and others virtual.  The IAB heard about the solutions for virtual classrooms and modifications made based on restrictions due to the pandemic.  It is anticipated that classrooms will return to a more traditional format with the Fall semester.  The discussions on curriculum and future planning show a dedication to remaining current and providing a strong education in both fire protection and industrial safety.

Communications & Advocacy

Center for Global Public Safety

The WPI Center for Global Public Safety held their 3rd Annual meeting on April 1st. Similar to other events this was held virtually, but still convened many industry partners in this forum. The focus for this event was responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and general readiness to collaborate and tackle challenges facing the world. Speakers included John Kelly (Vice President, Quality Operations and Environment, Health & Safety, Pfizer), Prof. Hui Zhang (Director, Public Safety, Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Ching), and Dr. Shola Odusanya (African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria) to name a few. The discussion concluded with recognition that hybrid environments are likely to continue for a significant period of time, teams will continue to diversify with global events and ease of communications, and connections between universities and industry are instrumental in conquering future challenges as they arise.

Chapters 

SFPE Welcomes the 109th and 110th Chapter

The SFPE Board of Directors has approved the SFPE Albania Chapter and the SFPE Eastern Canada Student Chapter. We are excited to welcome these two new chapters to our growing fire protection engineering community.

SFPE Chapters

We’d love to feature your chapter’s activities and news in future issues of SFPeUpdate. Send news about your local chapter events to Julie Gordon, SFPE director of Membership and Chapter Relations.

Corporate 100 Partner Program

The SFPE Corporate 100 Partners Program was founded in 1976 to give organizations and individuals an opportunity to show their support of SFPE’s mission. With the financial support of Corporate 100 Partners and the dedication of both volunteers and staff, SFPE has made groundbreaking strides in defining and improving the practice of fire protection engineering.

SFPE would like to thank our Visionary Partners for their continued support of SFPE, the profession and advancing the mission of the society.

• AGF Manufacturing
• AIG
• FM Global
• JENSEN HUGHES
• Johnson Controls
• Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.

Interested in aligning your organization with the Corporate 100 Program?  Contact Julie Gordon at 301-915-9721 or jagordon@sfpe.org.

Foundation

The SFPE Foundation welcomes Leslie Marshall, PhD.

The SFPE Foundation is excited to welcome Leslie Marshall, PhD, as our new Foundation Manager. Leslie is the first full-time employee for the

Foundation, creating a new milestone as the Foundation continues its trajectory of growth and giving to serve the global fire protection and safety engineering community as well as enhance the scientific understanding of fire and its interaction with the natural and built environment. Read Leslie's full welcome message here.

Upcoming Deadline: Student Research Grant Applications

The SFPE Foundation is accepting applications for student research grants. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply. The grant program is open to any research topic that will advance fire safety science and fire protection engineering. A $5000 stipend will be provided to the student recipient of the grant. Travel support to the SFPE annual conference, or equivalent will also be provided. Grantees will have the opportunity to participate in the SFPE Foundation Student Innovation Showcase which includes the SFPE annual conference, SFPE website, and magazine exposure. Applications are due May 1^st to be awarded in July.

For more information and submission details, please visit https://www.sfpe.org/foundation/foundationresearch/appgrants.

Careers

Looking for a new career path or looking for that one specialized employee?

Whether you’re just entering the profession, interested in new career opportunities or looking to fill a position at your own company, SFPE Career Connect is the place for fire protection engineering jobs. Not only are there more than 500 current jobs posted and new ones added each day, but Career Connect also offers resources to help fuel your job search, hone your interview skills and even navigate today’s digital world with regard to networking. Don’t want to spend your time searching for new opportunities? Let them find you by posting your anonymous resume to the Career Connect resume bank.