Join Kevin on August 14, 2025 at 9:00 AM EST as he presents Challenges with Protecting Sloped Combustible Attics from Fire. The design and effectiveness of fire sprinkler systems within combustible sloped attic spaces represents a particular challenge.
Structural elements of these attic spaces can contribute to delays in proper sprinkler activation or non-activation of sprinklers near the area of fire origin. This presentation will examine the requirements within NFPA 13 for the protection of these spaces and review the fire testing that has led to changes within the prescriptive NFPA 13 Standard as well as the development of special design approaches which specifically address these challenges.
We will look at understanding the dynamics of hot gas flow paths within these structures to better understand where the challenges are and why the newer special design approaches have been selected.
Biography
Kevin entered the fire protection industry in 1982 in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving 13 years in Fire Protection Contracting as a sprinkler systems designer and Design Manager before beginning employment in the manufacturing and Research & Development sector of the industry with Central Sprinkler Company in Pennsylvania in 1994.
He served as a Technical Services Representative and later as Director of Technical Services at Central Sprinkler Company. Kevin has also served as the Manager of the Technical Services Department at Tyco Fire Products and assisted in the development of and instructed at Tyco Fire & Building Products training seminars held at the Research and Development Center in Rhode Island. He later served as VP of New Technology at Globe Sprinkler Company in Standish, Michigan.
He is a past NFPA committee member for NFPA 24, NFPA13, NFPA 14, & NFPA 80 Committees. He has passed the NICET Level 4 Certification and has served as an alternate member on the NFSA Engineering and Standards Committee. Kevin has over 40 years’ experience in the Fire Protection Industry. He is named on multiple industry Patents including, the UMC Floor Control Assembly and Specific Application Attic Sprinklers.