Fire Alarm Schedule
Ross Island Room

Security Schedule

8:00 - 9:00
  Fire Alarm System Replacement Considerations - Larry Rietz
Nationwide, there are tens of thousands of buildings with aging fire alarm and other fire protection systems.  This presentation will discuss how a facility manager can know if a fire alarm system needs to be upgraded or replaced and what plans can be made to provide a path for a successful fire alarm system replacement.  It will review various design options that are available for a fire alarm system replacement, along with pros and cons on the different approaches.  And it will cover the four key factors that should influence a quality fire alarm system replacement program.  

9:00 - 9:30  Break

9:30 - 10:30 
Emergency Responder Communications Coverage and Two-Way Radio DAS Architecture - Tim Fire

10:30 - 11:00  Break

11:00 - 12:00
Two-Way Communications Systems for Rescue Assistance - Code/Standards Best Practices - Joseph Cervantes
States like California have begun adding in provisions to the building and fire codes, that mandate NFPA 72 be used in review/approvals of these Emergency Communications Systems (ECS). NFPA 72 2019 added definitions and language that supported these systems and the survivability of their installation. The 2022 edition now requires that product used for this intended purpose be UL 2525 tested and listed.

As more building and fire officials are becoming aware of the rigid requirements for these systems, an understanding of the installation of these systems is an important conversation to have to ensure they work for the duration of the emergency. This discussion will focus on the minimum standards for two-way communication system design, installation, and inspection/testing.

12:00 - 1:30  Lunch & Raffle

1:30 - 2:30
Giant Voice Applications and Design - Larry Rietz

The increase in Emergency Communications and Mass Notification Systems has increased the need for intelligible voice and audio communication, both indoor and outdoor.  This presentation will focus on the guiding principles of mass notification design.  This includes the design reliability, code and standards requirements, identifying the AHJ, and differences between high-power and medium power loudspeaker arrays.  It will help the attendees walk through the design criteria, using acoustic models, and determining overall loudspeaker layout.  It will help look at different solutions that can provide cost savings based on various design solutions.  This presentation will hopefully help you think outside the box and look for the best solutions based on your situation.

2:30 - 3:00  Break

3:00 - 4:00
Significant Changes for the 2022 Edition of NFPA 72 - Gary Honold
This one-hour session will cover the NFPA standards development process and how interested stakeholders can participate in the process. The session will also cover the significant changes from the previous to the current edition of NFPA 72, and how to find them in the document.

4:00  Raffle

4:30 - 5:30  Happy Hour

Speakers Bios

	Larry Rietz is Vice President and Service Line Leader for Fire Detection and Alarm for Jensen Hughes and works as a designer, instructor, author, and industry advocate.  He is a NICET Level IV Certified Fire Alarm designer and Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) with over 29 years of life safety industry experience.  He serves on multiple NFPA and UL Technical Committees, and he served on the Automatic Fire Alarm Association (AFAA) Board of Directors from 2014 - 2023.  He is a frequent presenter at a large variety of industry events, is a Contract Instructor with AFAA, and is a guest lecturer at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and the University of Maryland (UMD) fire protection programs.
	Joseph Cervantes has been working in the fire protection and life safety field since 1996, beginning his career as a system installer and progressing through the field ranks to become a project manager and operations manager in Southern California. His experience includes project management in all vertical markets from K-12, higher education, government, commercial, residential, high rise, and clean room application.
	Gary Honold has been the Regional Director for the National Fire Protection Association's Northwest Field Office for eleven years. His job responsibilities include working with AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction), industry, trades, facility managers, and the public to research, adopt and implement over three hundred codes and standards developed by NFPA. He also assists his constituents with technical questions and training on the codes and standards by working with the NFPA subject matter experts and Staff Liaisons on the technical committees for each document.is a Sales Executive for Amplified Wireless Solutions, Inc.
	Tim Fire is a Sales Executive for Amplified Wireless Solutions, Inc.