In August of 2007, the San Diego Fire Protection Association received the distinct honor of being named Fire Protection Contractor Magazine's “Organization of the Year”. We cannot adequately express how much it means to us to have been so recognized, and would like to give our heart-felt appreciation to the FPC Magazine , now in its 30th year of publication.

We submitted the following text for the article, but we do strongly encourage you to subscribe to the FPC magazine so that you can read the supporting content provided by the FPC writers and editors themselves.

San Diego Fire Protection Association

The San Diego Fire Protection Association (SDFPA) was founded in 1987 by a small group of San Diego area sprinkler contractors and suppliers to, “…develop, encourage, and improve the conditions of the fire protection contractors, engineers and equipment developers and to develop, encourage and improve the education of the public, the building trades industry and the municipal and county fire departments regarding fire protection equipment and processes and to enhance communications among them.” (SDFPA Bylaws).

However, the original intent was to give local industry a collective voice in opposition to proposed plan check fees by City of San Diego.  With the members working together, the Association was successful in putting those fees back into the permit system.  Instead of deferring the fees, they were made payable at the time of general permit, which enables the sprinkler contractor to remain flexible and responsive to changes for the duration of the project without the specter of additional fees being levied for each change.
  
Through the intervening years, the Association has evolved into a powerful voice for change and improvement throughout Southern California.  Among its many accomplishments are the continuing ongoing, monthly classes on NFPA 13, 13D and 13R, taught for free (except for coffee and donut support) to AHJ’s, engineers and designers by nationally recognized Association member instructors, and the 21 consecutive  charity events (softball and golf tournaments) which have contributed over $150,000 to the San Diego Burn Institute’s  “Camp Beyond the Scars” for young burn survivors throughout Southern California.

Two important elements of SDFPA’s growth and success have been the ongoing contributions to charitable causes and the Association’s neutral position regarding union and open-shop labor.  For the past 20-years SDFPA has been the one venue where fire sprinkler contractors, suppliers, designers and AHJ’s can meet to discuss industry information without political or practical considerations regarding labor.  SDFPA maintains relationships with both of the national fire sprinkler trade groups and various local and regional fire service and industry associations as well. 

Coincidentally, SDFPA’s history of charity and labor neutrality can be traced to the same event.  In the summer of 1987, shortly after the Association was founded, three local companies (all union-signatory) planned a picnic that included a “friendly” softball round-robin.  The next year, six teams participated, and the local union business agent helped to coordinate the event.  But in 1989, a challenge was issued by a local open-shop team, and the decision was made that if the event were to move forward, it would do so as an open tournament to raise money for the San Diego Burn Institute.  While the planning for the first year’s “official” open tournament didn’t go as smoothly as some would have liked, it did raise enough money to get everyone’s attention regarding the potential for future activities.  And it firmly established the Association principle that our over-riding motivation for working and playing in these events is the Burn Camp kids. 

One of the Association’s largest recurring projects has been the triennial Fire Department Survey of all fire jurisdictions in San Diego, Southern Orange and Riverside counties.  The completed survey outlines each agency’s specific requirements with regard to sprinkler design criteria, plans, submittals, inspections and other local policies. The responses are then compiled and posted on the Association website (SDFPA.ORG) where they can be accessed by anyone visiting the site.  Another major project has been the establishment and expansion of this website.  Initially conceived in 2004, the initial site was designed and maintained by the Association secretary, Terri Simmons Leyton.  In late 2006, the site was expanded to include instant links to local and national fire sprinkler sites, a news server specifically highlighting articles of interest to the fire protection industry, links to local AHJ’s and jurisdictional websites, and many other features of interest to our members and guests. 

Through the years, the Association has provided a forum where each member company, regardless of size, location, union affiliation or business experience, can meet on neutral and equal ground to address problems common to all, and to act as a cohesive group in addressing these problems with the appropriate authorities.  From an initial roster of about 15 members, the Association has grown to over 56 members, including 24 contractor members.  Aside from running their businesses, our members serve on at least 4 NFPA technical committees, the California Fire Prevention Institute workshop committee, the ICC Ad Hoc Committee for Residential Fire Sprinklers, and are active in several Fire Prevention Officer’s Associations, both locally and statewide.  Many have served on the City of San Diego select committees to re-write and publish complete revisions and updates to the city’s fire sprinkler policies. Others have appeared before the San Diego City Council in support of expanding fire sprinkler requirement to all high rise buildings within the city, are serving on the Advisory Board to the San Diego Burn Institute, and have actively lobbied the California State Legislature in support of extended use of fire sprinklers throughout the state.  In spite of resistance from property owners and the Building Industry Association on the subject of sprinklers retrofit in older, high-rise condominiums, we have seen some significant shifts in our favor in recent months as the City of San Diego is moving forward with a sweeping retrofit resolution which we hope will pass the City Council in the coming months.

The Association is controlled by an elected Board of Directors, which appoints the Officers of the Association on a yearly basis.

The 2007-2008, Board members are:

• John Durso (Schmidt Fire Protection)
• Toby McDonald (Western Fire Protection)
• Steve Leyton (Protection Design & Consulting)
• Chris Bohon (Ferguson Fire and Fabrication)

The appointed officers for 2007-2008 are:

• President:  Mike Moffat (The Moffat Group, Inc.)
• Vice President:  John Durso (Schmidt Fire Protection)
• Secretary:  Terri Simmons Leyton (Protection Design &and Consulting)
• Treasurer:  Ken Wagoner (Parsley Consulting)
• Fund Raising:  Chris Bohon (Ferguson Fire and Fabrication)
• FPO Liaison:  Sam Husoe (NFSA-Western Region)
• Burn Institute Liaison:  Dawn Robinson (San Diego Burn Institute)
• Education:  Ken Wagoner (Parsley Consulting)

The Association meets on the second Tuesday of every month for lunch at Marie Callender’s Restaurant in La Mesa, CA.  Cost is the same ($10) as it was in 1997.