NAFED mourns the passing of fire safety industry leader Mike Laderoute, who dedicated five decades to fire protection. A Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, he was a mentor, educator, and innovator. Share memories and read his full obituary here.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) understands that due to the flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Helene, many members of the medical and industrial gas industry may be experiencing difficulty in obtaining cylinders due to the increased demand for these gases or a disruption in the normal business model for cylinder exchange and testing facilities.

Portable fire extinguishers and fire extinguisher system components may be serviced by companies not located in this state, when a company licensed by the Safety Fire Division has placed their own tag upon that extinguisher.

As the prevalence of lithium-ion batteries in our daily environment continues to increase, so does the need for a fire protection solution. To capitalize on this growing market, several companies have introduced fire extinguishers to the marketplace that claim to address the multiple hazards associated with lithium-ion thermal runaway/fire events.

NFPA 96 2017 Edition, the currently adopted edition which does not change in the latest edition published by NFPA, requires that at minimum there be an audible OR visible indicator to show that the system has activated. In 10.6.2 it requires that IF the building has a fire alarm system the activation of the extinguishing system shall activate the building fire alarm system.

REMINDER: The Dalton Fire Department does not use third-party companies to perform fire safety inspections or any other services on behalf of the DFD. Earlier this year we told you about a fire extingusiher service company from out of town has been contacting local businesses in our area and using pushy sales tactics to suggest that they are offering fire inspections at the direction of the DFD but this is *not* the case.

This Special Report updates a communication from back in March 2023. On May 23, 2023, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a revision to Special Permit (SP) DOT-SP 21502 for transportation of ANSUL CLEANGUARD fire extinguishers. The revision is the result of a DOT PHMSA editorial review of the Special Permit with intent to provide additional clarity.

As part of our improved delivery initiatives, we are continuing to review all components offered for sale. To assist with production efficiency and reduced lead times we will be discontinuing the offering of CO2 cartridges for use in restaurant systems, effective May 1st, 2023. T he impacted part numbers are listed below with the applicable Nitrogen Cartridge replacement.

This year, NAFED is introducing The Norb Makowka Award. This annual award honors a technician in the fire protection industry who has put their energy and time into embracing codes and standards, working towards improving their knowledge and understanding in the fire protection industry, and investing time improving our industry through organizations, committees, and related associations.