FSSA - Fire Suppression Systems Association

NFPA CONFERENCE AND EXPO - FSSA IS IN BOOTH 1051 The NFPA's Conference & Expo is June 10 - 13, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.  Click here to view details on the conference and to register.  Stop by and visit us at the FSSA booth on the Trade Show floor. Booth number 1051. FSSA TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MINUTES The FSSA Technical Committee met on June 5, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.  The minutes from this meeting may be found by clicking  here. DC APPEALS COURT - NULLIFIES NLRB’S EMPLOYER “NOTICE POSTING” RULE On May 7, 2013, the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. struck down the National Labor Relations Board notice posting rule that would require nearly 6 million employers, the great majority of which are small businesses, to post a workplace notice informing employees of their labor law rights—including the right to form or join a union.  The employer’s failure to post the notice would be an unfair labor practice and expose the company to other sanctions.  Several business organizations, including the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW), which NAW helps manage, challenged the rule and its enforcement provisions in the DC federal courts.  The rule was issued on August 25, 2011 and has never gone into effect due to the DC appeals court grant of an emergency injunction to delay the enforcement date until this appeal is decided.  With the issuance of its May 7th decision, the NLRB notice posting rule and related enforcement provisions are nullified, absent any further NLRB appeals or a request for review by the U.S. Supreme Court.  (National Association of Manufacturers, et al. v. NLRB, No. 12-5068). Rule Violates Employers’ First Amendment Rights The three judge panel unanimously declared that the NLRB rule violates the First Amendment rights of employers against government compelled speech, by requiring employers to post the NLRB-mandated notice in the workplace.  The U.S. Supreme Court’s “leading First Amendment precedents have established the principle that freedom of speech prohibits the government from telling people what to say,” the court noted.  The rule also violates section 8(c) of the National Labor Relations Act which expressly precludes regulation of speech about unionization so long as the communication does not contain a threat of reprisal or force, or promise of benefit. In this case, the business associations clearly objected to the message the NLRB has ordered them to publish in the workplace.  The poster is one-sided, favoring unionization, because for example it fails to notify employees of their rights to decertify a union, to refuse to pay dues to a union in a right-to-work state, and to object to payment of dues in excess of the amounts required for representational purposes.  Employers do have a right not to speak, the court held, noting that for example: “…a company official giving a noncoercive speech to employees describing the disadvantages of unionization does not commit an unfair labor practice if, in his speech, the official neglects to mention the advantages of having a union.” The court did not decide whether the Board lacked statutory authority to issue the notice posting rule—another legal argument advanced by the business associations.  Since the rule was nullified in its entirety on First Amendment grounds, the decision did not reach this argument.  However, two justices in a concurring opinion held that the rule was not a valid exercise of the Board’s statutory authority to issue regulations that are “necessary” to carry out the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act. Noel Canning Decision Cited In its opinion the court also raised the issue as to whether the NLRB had a constitutionally appointed quorum of at least three members when the Board’s notice posting rule was finalized.  In Noel Canning v. NLRB, decided on January 25, 2013, the same appeals court held that a recess appointment to the NLRB is constitutionally valid only if the appointment is made by the President during an intercession recess of the Senate, to fill a vacancy that arose during the same intercession recess.  Although the NLRB lost its validly-appointed quorum on August 27, 2011 when the chairman’s term expired, the court noted the Board did have a valid quorum on August 25, 2011, the date the rule was officially finalized with its filing in the Federal Register Office.  (On April 25, 2013, the NLRB asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the DC appeals court decision in the Noel Canning case.  That petition is pending.) Appeal Pending in South Carolina Case A second notice posting case is pending on appeal in the Fourth Circuit federal court of appeals.  In that case the South Carolina district court struck down the NLRB rule, declaring “There is not a single trace of statutory text [in the National Labor Relations Act] that indicates Congress intended for the Board to proactively regulate employers in this manner.” (Chamber of Commerce of the United States v. NLRB). FSSA TRAINING PROGRAM The FSSA Training program is live!  If you reserved a spot at the forum invoices were emailed in May. For questions regarding the training program or to reserve your space, please contact Vince Mullhausen at FSSA HQ. 2013 FSSA ED SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE APPROACHING The FSSA Education Foundation is now accepting applications for 2013-14 scholarships!  For more information please click here.  The deadline to submit applications is June 17, 2013. FSSA 2014 ANNUAL FORUM - SAN DIEGO SAVE THE DATE! The FSSA 32nd Annual Forum location is confirmed.  Mark your calendar for February 22 - 25, 2014. Book your hotel reservations now at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort by calling 1-800-815-6397 and just mention the FSSA Room Block.  FSSA has a special group rate of $219/per night. FSSA, the FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS ASSOCIATION, is a not-for-profit  trade association, drawing members internationally. FSSA is a unique  blend of designer/installers, manufacturers and suppliers working  together to share ideas and strategies for the benefit of the fire  suppression systems industry. FSSA members are dedicated to  the highest level of safety, reliability and effectiveness of  special hazards fire suppression.   The mission of FSSA is to promote the use of, and be  the leading recognized authority on, special hazard  fire protection systems; employing existing and new  technologies to safeguard people, high-value assets  and the environment. Interested in passing along information on FSSA to prospective members? FSSA has printed cards proclaiming "WHY Join the FSSA" with information on member benefits. If you would like a stack of cards mailed to you so that you can distribute them to your colleagues, please contact FSSA Headquarters. Crista LeGrand, CAE, CMP - Executive Director Vince Mullhausen - Meetings & Member Services Donna Liberto - Financial Manager Jason Dumm - Financial Coordinator (contact Jason for all membership dues &  meeting registration payments or invoicing)

Welcome Aboard Taylor!

Taylor Kaufman has been with A-Gas RemTec for almost 5 years as a part time employee while finishing her degree at The Bowling Green State University. She graduated with her degree in Apparel Merchandising and Product Development in December 2012. Taylor has since decided to join the A-Gas RemTec team full time. She will be focusing on the fire protection side of the business. We want to congratulate Taylor on graduating and welcome her on as a full time employee!

A-Gas RemTec always looks to the local University for part time employees to assist with updating our databases, reaching out to our customers to update their information and finding new leads. We want to welcome Trent Kaufman, Nick Grzebienik, Corine Fonseca, Kathy Suber and Rebecca Barth. We also want to mention our other part time employees that assist with the same tasks: Anita Brooks, Pat Payne and Jane Culpepper. This group of people really helps A-Gas RemTec develop our databases and customer relationships on both the Fire Protection and Refrigerant departments. 

National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors Atlantic City

The Flame - FFEDA Update

February 19, 2013

This month, we are pleased to present information on the Saturday night entertainment: Bobby Blackmon!    Feeling the Blues? Join FFEDA at our 50 Years with FFEDA Celebration Dinner on Saturday night, June 22nd and let Bobby Blackmon croon those blues away!   Bobby Blackmon is an entertainer with a talent for contemporary Southern soul, blues and classic R&B. Bobby's career began in the Southwest in the small town of Athens, Texas. He played in many house bands and worked as a sideman with many well known blues and R&B artists before making his home base in Central Florida. His band includes: Bobby (Guitar & Vocals), Jack Bumgarner (Keys), Jimmy Seay (Bass) and Terrance Jenkins (Drums). Blackmon gained many new fans when he was a co-headliner with Buddy Guy at the House of Blues-Orlando in 2006. In May 2010, he opened for the legendary BB King in Orlando. Bobby's band performed at the BB King's Club in Orlando two nights a week from 2008-2012.   In March 2013, he opened for the Robert Randolph Band at the City of Orlando's Blues & BBQ event. Bobby has shared the stage with many other blues artists at festivals and comes from a long line of polished blues guitarists from Texas.  His band is the premier choice in Central Florida for private parties, festivals and nightclubs. Bobby is based out of Leesburg where his fans gather each year to catch his band at the annual Mardi Gras & Bikefest. Check out his website at www.myspace.com/beautifulbobbyblackmon and hear songs from his 3 CDs.   You can also hear his most recent CD, Yeah Baby-Chillin With The Blues which is a mixture of downhome to southern soul blues at www.cdbaby.com/cd/beautifulbobbyblackmon. Bobby's CD was picked as a Pick To Click on satellite XM/ Sirius BB King's Bluesville radio show. His music is played on numerous blues stations throughout the USA. His band also has numerous live performances videos on www.youtube.com. You'll be sure to enjoy one of the best live shows in the business when you attend Bobby Blackmon's high energy show at the FFEDA 2013 Annual Conference, Trade Show & 50th Anniversary Celebration! More Information FFEDA Website 2013 Calendar of Events Not a Golfer? Make a Donation to the Charity through FFEDA If you would like to forego participation in the golf tournament, but would still like to support The Children's Burn Foundation of Florida, you can make a donation to the Charity either onsite or prior to the conference.  We will collect all contributions made through FFEDA and make a one time donation.  Please make your check out to FFEDA and designate in the memo line (or attachment) that it is meant for The Children's Burn Foundation of Florida.  We will make sure that you are recognized as a donor!  Call for Past Presidents Have you or a family member been a FFEDA president during the past 50 years? If so, we want to know. Please email the FFEDA office at ffeda@executiveoffice.org       with the names and years served. We will recognize past presidents during the 2013 conference and would love to have everyone listed!    Keep an eye out for next month's issue of the Flame where we will highlight more exciting events that will be happening during our 2013 Annual Conference, Trade Show & 50th Anniversary Celebration!

Florida Fire Equipment Dealers Association | | ffeda@executiveoffice.org | http://www.ffeda.com 325 John Knox Road, L103 Tallahassee, FL 32303

A-Gas RemTec Available 365 Days a Year, Coast to Coast

A-Gas RemTec has a 24 Hour Platinum Recharge Service for Halon 1301, HFC-227ea, HFC-125 and Novec 1230. Our Green Team provides RemTec Quick Quotes within an hour of your request. We handle all types of situations and provide the quickest turnaround. We have a large inventory of refurbished system bottles from many leading manufacturers. Any day of the week, no matter the time A-Gas RemTec is on-call 24 hours for you. Your emergency is our top priority.

A-Gas RemTec also purchases used and unwanted Halon 1301, Halon 1211, HFC-236fa, HFC-125 and Novec 1230. We handle the shipping charges and prepare all of the documentation involved.

A-Gas RemTec can handle any cylinder, any where, coast to coast.

Contact Terri AuFrance, Sandy Hoffman and the Green Team for more information and Quick Quotes.

1-800-372-1301

Terri.aufrance@remtec.net

Sandy.hoffman@remtec.net

**For Emergencies call Terri’s Cell Phone 419-466-6238**

www.remtec.net

National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors 2013 50th Anniversary

SUPDET presenters discuss Halon alternatives for U.S. Air Force

Presenters at today's Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Applications Conference (SUPDET) In Orlando highlighted how the U.S. Air Force has developed replacements for the fire suppression agent Halon 1301 to protect "hush houses," or jet engine noise suppressor systems.

The need to find an equivalency to Halon 1301 appears to be an environmental one--the agent is classified as an ozone-depleting substance. (The European Union discontinued use of Halon for noncritical applications in 2003.) SUPDET speakers Juan Font with the U.S. Air Force and William Meyring of 3M also outlined the steps taken to phase out the cleaning agent and develop alternative system solutions for the Air Force's critical facility. Read an overview of the presentation.

Posted by Fred Durso, Jr. on 03/01/2013

Fire Equipment Distributors of Texas (FEDOT)

Fire Suppression Systems Association FSSA Annunciator

Annunciator

A monthly news update from the FSSA
Issue 54, February 2013

 

FSSA's New Training Program

FSSA announced the launch of a new On-line Training Program designed to educate and train personnel within the fire suppression industry. This new initiative, according to Shawn Mullen, Protex Central, FSSA Training Committee, "will enable member companies and others to take advantage of on-line training at a very reasonable cost. We are very enthused about the benefits of the Training Program and what it means to many people in their career educational path." The Training Program is a result of several years work and effort of many people. It is divided in to four work areas: two basic and two advanced. These custom courses are based on our products, procedures, practices and systems. FSSA has teamed with Flex Training to offer training that adapts to a person's learning. It is a collaborative model that offers: * Multimedia, learner exercises, quizzes, exams * Easy-to-master planning and tracking tools * Training based on solid educational best practices by course development experts * Template-based learning with consistent outcomes and knowledge retention After satisfying the elements and testing in each work area, students will receive a certificate of completion. For a listing of the four work areas and related elements, as well as pricing information, please click here. FSSA thanks all of those persons assisting in this effort including David McGlynn, Derek Wester, Tom Wysocki, Dan Hubert, George Keeley, and Shawn Mullen. A FSSA Member company may purchase a "seat license" for an employee of the company. This seat license can be used for one level or all four levels.  There is no expiration date for the seat license. A company may purchase as many seat licenses as it wishes. The seat license would be dedicated to a specific individual and would not be transferrable.

FSSA's New Officers

The Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA) elected officers and directors to lead the organization. Dale Kent, 3M Corporation, was elected president and will serve a one-year term. Eric Burkland, Healey Fire Protection, was elected Vice President, while Tim Carman, Tyco Fire Protection, will serve as Secretary Treasurer, also for one-year terms. Carla Pizzarello, Advanced Safety Systems, will continue to serve on the Board of Directors as Immediate Past President. In the Installers Division, Bill Blanchard, Great Lakes Building Systems, was elected Chair, and Anna Gavin, Fireline Corporation was elected Vice Chair. Eric Burkland; Rick Scott, BFPE International; and John Lawlor, Keystone Fire Protection, were elected to the Board of Directors for a two-year term ending in 2015. Steve Carter, Orr Protection Systems; Roddy Bieber, Api Systems Group; and Matt Euson, 3S Inc., continue to serve on the Board for an additional year. Paul Harris, Honeywell Fire Systems, was elected Chair for another one-year term, as was Jon Demeter, Wesco HMB, as Vice Chair of the Manufacturers Division. Gerry Connolly, UTC Climate, Controls and Security; Helen Lowery, DuPont Fluoroproducts; and Bill Howerton, Fike Corporation, were re-elected to the FSSA Board of Directors for a two-year term ending in 2015. Joe Ziemba, 3M Coporation, was named Marketing Committee Chair; Jonathan Ingram, UTC, will serve as Membership Chair; Carla Pizzarello will tackle the FSSA Program activities; and Shawn Mullen will continue to serve as Chair of the FSSA Training Program, with the help of Steve Foulk, Comprehensive Fire Technologies as Vice Chair.

Representatives for FSSA on NFPA Committees - Applications Due to FSSA by March 15, 2013

FSSA is currently accepting applications for the FSSA Principal positions on the following NFPA Committees: NFPA 18 - Water Additives for Fire Control & Vapor Mitigation - WAB-AAA NFPA 33 & 34 – Finishing Processes FAA-AAA NFPA 170 - Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols - FIS-AAA NFPA 318 - Semiconductor and Related Facilities - Cleanrooms - CLR-AAA NFPA 2010 - Fixed Aerosol Fire Extinguishing Systems FSSA is also accepting applications for FSSA Alternate positions on these NFPA Committees:  NFPA 17 & 17A – Dry & Wet Chemical Extinguishing Systems DRY-AAA NFPA 18 - Water Additives for Fire Control & Vapor Mitigation - WAB-AAA NFPA 33 & 34 – Finishing Processes FAA-AAA NFPA 37 – Internal Combustion Engines - INT–AAA NFPA 72-CH7- Testing and Maintenance of Fire Alarm Systems NFA-TMS NFPA 72-CH 26- Supervising Station Alarm and Signaling Systems - SID–SSS NFPA 101 – Building Service and Fire Protection Equipment - SAF–BSF NFPA 170 - Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols - FIS-AAA NFPA 301 – Merchant Vessels - MER–AAA NFPA 318 - Semiconductor and Related Facilities - Cleanrooms - CLR-AAA NFPA 2010 - Fixed Aerosol Fire Extinguishing Systems If you are elected as an FSSA representative, you must sign and agree to adhere to the FSSA Technical Committee Representation Policy. Therefore, please review the policy carefully. You will want to pay close attention to section 1.0 which explains Appointment of Representatives and section 2.2 which outlines the responsibilities of alternate representatives. Click here to view and print. If you are interested in representing FSSA on any of the committees listed above, please complete the application below and return it to FSSA headquarters by Noon Eastern Time – March 15, 2013 by fax: 410-931-8111 or via email: vincem@clemonsmgmt.com. • Click here for the NFPA Application (return to FSSA, not NFPA) The FSSA Technical Committee will review the applications and will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors for final approval. FSSA will then be submitting its recommended representatives to NFPA for review. If you have any questions, please call FSSA Headquarters at (410) 931-8100. Thank you.

Technical Committee Meeting Minutes

The FSSA Technical Committee held their meeting on Friday, February 22, 2013 during the FSSA Annual Forum in Bonita Springs, Florida. There were over 30 people in attendance. Click here to view the minutes from the meeting.

Perfect Attendance

Roger and Carolyn Bourgeois, Bourgeois & Associates, Inc, Houma, LA, score a 100% rating for attending EVERY FSSA Annual Meeting and Forum since 1982. Roger and Carolyn have not missed one meeting since FSSA's founding!! Bourgeois & Associates, Inc. is a Charter Member of FSSA, and Roger Bourgeois is a past president of the organization. Congratulations Roger and Carolyn!!

Are You an FSSA Ambassador?

Interested in passing along information on FSSA to prospective members? FSSA has printed cards proclaiming “WHY Join the FSSA” with information on member benefits. If you would like a stack of cards mailed to you so that you can distribute them to your colleagues, please contact FSSA Headquarters.

Lenmark Receives FSSA Leadership Award

The award is generally presented at the Fire Suppression Systems Association's Annual Meeting, but since Voigt and Mary Jean were vacationing in Maui during the meeting, the FSSA Board of Directors voted unanimously to present this special award during his retirement party on November 17, 2012, during his retirement party. Voigt “V2” Lenmark Jr was presented with the FSSA Leadership Award and is now the fourth recipient in the fire suppression industry to receive this award. The FSSA Leadership Award recognizes those individuals who have displayed leadership and dedication to the industry. Voigt was a founder of FSSA and served in several positions including president in 1992. His steadfastness and business acumen helped not only his company but FSSA as well, especially during the formative years of the association. Voigt led by example and blazed a trail for FSSA when times were difficult. He proved that the association was indeed a valuable entity, and today FSSA is stronger and more vital than ever. After 43 years in the fire protection business, FSSA congratulates V2 and wishes both him and Mary Jean a happy retirement! V2 officially retired at the end of December 2012.

FSSA 2014 Annual Forum - San Diego

The FSSA 32nd Annual Forum location is confirmed.  Mark your calendar for February 22 - 25, 2014. Book your hotel reservations now at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort by calling 1-800-815-6397.  FSSA has a special group rate of $219/per night.