40/Plumbing Engineer June 2019

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nnually, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) gathers industry professionals to present insights, new products, trending solutions and more. This year, from June 17-20, the conference and expo will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, in San Antonio. Nearly 400 registered exhibitors will be on hand. Sponsors include: FIREX, UL, Victaulic, FM, ETL/ Intertek, Mircom, StarLink Fire, Loos & Co., Peerless Pump, Johnson Controls, AutoSPRINK and Gielle Industries. Over the course of three days, attendees will be able to attend the expo, education sessions and the technical meeting. Expo The expo floor will showcase the latest products and services that professionals need to meet and maintain compliance with prevailing codes and standards in the design, construction and operation of buildings. The floor will be open during the following hours: June 17, 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.; June 18, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.; and June 19, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. A special feature of this year's expo will be the National Electrical Code (NEC) and Emerging Technology Showcase. From smart building technology to energy storage systems and Ethernet power, attendees will learn about innovations in technology that are transforming the industry. Through the showcase, NFPA aims to provide opportunities for attendees to see and explore solutions that are either on the horizon or currently available in the market. Focused on hands-on opportunities, attendees will have opportunity to interact with product and immersive virtual reality experiences. The show floor will also be kept lively with a daily cash-prize drawing. Sponsored by NAPCO Security Technologies, attendees will have the chance to win $1,000 cash each day of the expo. To enter, attendees will have to complete a ballot from their official reg- istration bag, have it validated at the NAPCO Security Technologies' booth #1245, drop it off at the official ballot box and be present at the cash prize stage at the time of the drawing. The drawings will take place 15 minutes before the close of the show each day at the cash prize stage. Education There will more than 120 education sessions on a variety of topics offered at this year's NFPA conference. Sessions will typically last one hour, and begin as early as 8:00 a.m. and end as late as 6:00 p.m. A few sessions to note follow. James Peterkin, PE, of TLC Engineering for Architecture, will present on "The Future of Healthcare Regulations." A panel will be included in this presenta- tion and speak to health-care section codes and standards, the NFPA process and recent significant changes to the codes, such as NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code, and NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. There will also be a focus on proposed motions that will be heard at the conference technical meeting. Jim Reidy, lieutenant at the San Antonio Fire Department, will present "Culture, Cancer, and Firefighting PPE - If You Permit It, You Promote It." Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that firefighters wear is designed to protect them. But firefighters are regularly exposed to carcinogen contamination through dermal exposure, inha- lation exposure and off-gassing. This presentation will provide attendees with an overview of the cancer-causing carcinogen and offer up-to-date data on realistic protec- tion expectations and proven strategies and practices for contamination reduction. Jeff Sargent, principal and electrical specialist for NFPA, will present "Meeting the Inspection Challenges of an Evolving NEC." Each new edition of the National Electric Code (NEC) adds new requirements address- ing new technologies. The electrical inspection commu- nity must evolve in response as these new technologies become a part of the electrical infrastructure of the build- ings they are inspecting. During this presentation, a panel of authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) will discuss how they are preparing for and conducting electrical inspec- tions in today's evolving electrical systems. Chris Christopoulos, fire chief and director of emer-

2019 National Fire Protection Association Conference & Expo

Everything big in fire, electrical and life safety is coming to Texas.

By Ashlei Williams