·         The Minnesota Chapter is working with the State Fire Marshal Division and state fire service to identify communities exceeding state building code requirements pertaining to fire sprinkler design and installation.  Both groups are also reviewing contractor’s performance of those criteria so systems can be assured of reliability.  The first Minnesota Code Forum is scheduled for February 26, 2008.

·         An advisory group to the MN State Fire Marshal was able to get a rule passed to require a level of competency to perform fire protection system plan review and or inspections of such systems. 

·         An old issue in Minnesota has resurfaced. Minnesota has its own “home-grown” plumbing code and back in 1990, the Minnesota Department of Health proposed changes to these rules that would have required all fire sprinkler systems to have; a reduced pressure zone assembly (RPZ), a double-check valve with intermediate atmospheric vent (DCVIAV), or a double-check valve assembly (DCVA). 

·         MN Chapter is sponsoring training seminars scheduled for April 1-4, 2008 again to be held at the Minnesota Fire Museum.

·         MN Chapter Burn Aid 12^th Annual Golf Invitational is scheduled for September 8, 2008 at the wonderful North Oaks Golf Club. 

·         The Minnesota Chapter of the NFSA has finally gotten their Sprinkler kids trademarked.  The logo showing children type sprinklers is used on bookmarks and rulers with some products covering the country.  The trademark must be displayed indicating the MN ownership.

WISCONSIN

·         The International Building Code-2006 and NFPA 1 2006 as the State Building and Fire Codes becomes effective March 1, 2008.   A very high profile article of the IBC was the inclusion of the multi-family fire sprinkler threshold.  A step program reducing the number of units from 21 to 9 as of March 1, 2008 then to all units three or more effective 1/01/11.

·         The Wisconsin Chapter of the NFSA conducted eleven side-by side burn demonstrations between  in 2007 with one being done on the steps of the Capitol for a State Assembly Committee focusing on the multi-family legislation.   Total viewers exceeded 2,000 for the programming that drew very active interest.  Several others expect hundreds in the audience to witness the power of residential fire sprinklers and to see the destruction of “flashover.”   After doing a special program for the state fire inspectors, many more are anticipated for 2008.

·         Fire-Safe Cigarette Legislation was voted unanimously out of State Senate and Assembly Committees awaiting approval in both Houses before being sent to the governor.   Regional Manager Gengler testified before both committees in support of the fire service.

·         Mini-Max legislation being opposed by industry and friends.  A legislative initiative by the Associated Building Contractors would call for a maximum in building requirements to become state law.  The concept would tie the hands of communities looking to make more stringent their thresholds for sprinklers or any other building construction need the community feels would benefit the buildings of their respective communities.  Minnesota already is hampered by this type of builder/developer friendly action.

·         Legislation initiated by the Builders Association to ensure a better system of tracking incidents of fire and fire-related deaths has been formally introduced with a purpose to track fires and building construction types.

·         The 20^th Annual Burn Center Golf Invitational will be  held August 25, 2008 at the beautiful and challenging Grand Geneva Resort & Spa.  Sponsored by the Midwest Sprinkler Industries and the Milwaukee Fire Department and presented by the Wisconsin Alliance for Fire Safety, the 2007 outing yielded $110,000 bringing the total to over $1,614,000.   Proceeds will go to the new Columbia St. Mary’s regional Burn Unit, some educational programming, the WAFS Summer Camp and to a new educational tool for pre-school education for fire and burn safety.

·         Wisconsin Seminars are scheduled for McFarland and Oak Creek

COMMON ISSUES           

The Newspapers in Education Fire Safety was unquestionably the biggest opportunity yet to reach the country with fire safety and fire sprinkler information.  The local programming reached sixteen states and more than two million students and nearly fifteen million potential daily readers Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle endorses program with Secretary of the Department of Public Instruction, State Fire Chiefs, State Fire Fighters and State teachers unions.   Regional Manager Gengler expects to get a Minnesota program underway soon.  

Check web sites for Illinois & Wisconsin info: www.nfsamn.org & www.nfsawi.org.

Firefighter's Hall & Museum in St. Paul:
April 1, 2008 - CPVC Installation Requirements & Procedures (4 hours)
Commissioning & Acceptance Testing of Sprinkler Systems
April 2, 2008 - Sprinkler Protection of Rack Storage
April 3, 2008 - Plan Review Policy & Procedure
April 4, 2008 - Hydraulics for Fire Protection

McFarland, WI Fire Stations
April 29, 2008 - Plan Review Policy & Procedures
April 30, 2008 - Pumps for Fire Protection
May 1, 2008 - Commissioning & Acceptance of Sprinkler Systems (4 hours),

Milwaukee, WI Wyndham Hotel-Airport
May 21 - 22, 2008 - Project Management                                                                                                       

Oak Creek, WI
June 10, 2008  – Introduction To Fire Sprinkler
June 11, 2008  – Plan Review Policy & Procedures
June 12, 2008  – Commissioning & Acceptance Testing of Sprinkler Systems, 
        Underground Piping for Fire Protection Systems (4-hours each class)