Many of you received my recap of the NFPA Conference and Expo last week. Because of the excitement around NFPA and the fire protection industry, I decided to have John Mackey, of the Mackey Group LLC, on to discuss. This is John’s 3rd time on the podcast, and everyone always asks when he will be on again. NFPA was a well-needed relief from everything going on in the world. Seeing people face-to-face drive better communication and interaction. Virtual has also been a big win, with lower traveling costs and better time management. The standards for NFPA have also driven the industry forward to where we are today. John and I discussed the pros and cons of different standards like NFPA 72, 25, and 915. Jurisdictional compliance is another hot topic sweeping throughout the US and Canada. Another significant issue within the fire protection industry and the overall construction industry is labor. Even before the pandemic, the lack of technicians and other talent in the market was an issue. How has it transformed, and where are we going? (Check out the Inspect Point Hiring Guide for some help hiring more technicians.) John and I ended Part 1 of the NFPA Recap by discussing Tesla and the lithium-ion battery fire issue. With the onset of newer battery technology, how does the fire industry respond? This week the Sacramento fire department had to use 4,500 gallons of water for one car fire. How do we make this new technology better for firefighters and drivers? Part 2 is coming soon!
0:15 - Introduction
3:35 - COVID in Fire Protection
6:26 - Engagement in the Industry
8:45 - Adoption Among Jurisdictions
11:58 - Shortage of Engineers / Technicians
16:25 - Active-Resume.com & Skilled Labor
19:40 - New Detection Technology
24:30 - Tesla & Lithium Ion Battery Fires
28:24 - Latest From Potter