Casey Grant has been named executive director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation. The Foundation, an affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), manages research on a broad range of fire safety issues in support of the NFPA mission.
“Casey brings years of experience with the Foundation and NFPA and deep research expertise to his new leadership role,” said NFPA President Jim Pauley. “Through his great accomplishments directing a wide-range of research, Casey is uniquely qualified to lead the Foundation in advancing NFPA’s mission.”
Grant previously served as research director for the Foundation. He is a registered professional engineer in fire protection engineering in California and Tennessee and is a fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and the Institute of Fire Engineers. Prior to joining the Research Foundation in 2007, Grant was the secretary of the NFPA Standards Council and an assistant chief engineer for nearly 20 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, both in fire protection engineering.
The nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) has announced a new stipend program for U.S. and Canadian fire departments looking to conduct home fire sprinkler demonstrations within their communities.
HFSC will offer $1,000 stipends to fire departments to conduct live home fire sprinkler demonstrations within their communities. The stipends will pay for materials to build the side-by-side fire and sprinkler burn demonstration units and other costs to host the events. HFSC provides guidance for building the units and conducting a public education event through its free Fire and Sprinkler Burn Demonstration Kit.
Each demonstration will feature two similarly furnished rooms—one protected with fire sprinklers and the other without fire sprinklers—to illustrate the dangers of home fires and, more importantly, the lifesaving benefits of home fire sprinklers.
“These demonstrations showcase the effectiveness of home fire sprinklers at a time when consumers are made to falsely believe that modern homes are built safer,” said Peg Paul, communications manager for HFSC. “In reality, fires in today’s homes are burning hotter and faster than in homes of the past.”
Only fire departments that are members of HFSC’s free Built For Life Fire Department (BFLFD) Program can apply for the stipend. Fire departments can sign up to become a BFLFD at homefiresprinkler.org/index.php/residential-fire-sprinkler-programs. Currently, over 2,500 fire departments have committed to making home fire sprinklers a focus of their community outreach as members of the BFLFD Program.
To apply for the $1,000 fire and sprinkler burn demonstration stipend, please visit www.homefiresprinkler.org/index.php/2015-1000-side-by-side-demo-stipend.
Smeal Fire Apparatus Co. announced that Atlantic Coast Fire Trucks—the authorized sales and service dealer for Smeal, US Tanker and LTC brand apparatus in North Carolina, South Carolina and eastern Tennessee—has opened a new service facility in Denver, NC.
The 7,500-square-foot facility is located northwest of Charlotte, NC, and provides full fire apparatus service, including preventative maintenance programs, chassis service including brake repair replacement, electrical and hydraulic system repairs, aerial and pump repairs. It provides expanded service capacity from the dealership’s previous service center in nearby Mooresville. The new service manager for the service facility is Mark Hammill, master EVT and ASE certified technician.
“We are extremely pleased to add this new location and expand service capabilities for our customers in our assigned territory,” said Steve Dill, president of Atlantic Coast Fire Trucks. “Centrally located, this facility can easily reached by our customers in North and South Carolina as well as eastern Tennessee.”
“Providing both exceptional, customized products and service is a long-standing priority for Smeal, and we’re very happy that Atlantic Coast Fire Trucks has made this commitment to expanding and enhancing service for our customers, including the City of Charlotte, where the entire fleet of front-line apparatus are Smeal brand,” said Jeff Wegner, Smeal’s Vice President – Sales.
