2002 NFPA conference & exposition

The public unveiling of NFPA's new single building code (NFPA 5000) is only one of the many events taking place at the 2002 World Safety Conference and Exposition, May 19-23, in Minneapolis. This year's event will be one of the first hosted at the newly remodeled Minneapolis Convention Center, the retrofit of which included a unique fire safety design featured in this month's "Technology In A...

By Staff May 1, 2002

The public unveiling of NFPA’s new single building code (NFPA 5000) is only one of the many events taking place at the 2002 World Safety Conference and Exposition, May 19-23, in Minneapolis. This year’s event will be one of the first hosted at the newly remodeled Minneapolis Convention Center, the retrofit of which included a unique fire safety design featured in this month’s “Technology In Action” section (p. 57).

The conference portion kicks off the show on Sunday, May 19, and over the following four days will offer more than 100 professional education seminars on codes and standards; detection and suppression; electrical safety; research and testing; and fire prevention, among others.

The exposition floor, open from May 20 to May 22, will feature more than 250 booths and a live theater with demonstrations by show exhibitors.

To find out more about the schedule for this year’s show, visit the NFPA web site at www.nfpa.org .

The following is a preview of just some of the technologies showcased at this year’s exposition. Attendees of the NFPA Exposition can reference the booth numbers provided, or circle the corresponding number on the Reader Service Card (p. 51).

300-psi rated alarm valve is UL-listed and available in 4-in., 6-in. and 8-in. sizes. The galvanized trim is offered in segmented or loose versions, and the optional test and drain trim may eliminate the need for a separate inspector’s test connection. (E-3 by Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co., Booth 324)

Fire-alarm control panel allows for one to 10 signaling line currents and up to 3,180 devices, making it ideal for both medium and large applications. These modular panels feature a 640-character, menu-driven display that provides both the type and location of the disturbance. (NFS-3030 by Notifier, Booth 1219)

Halon alternative has recently completed the necessary registrations and reviews with the European Union and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This relatively new substance has zero ozone depletion potential and a global warming potential of one. (Novec 1230 by 3M, Booth 1001)

Harsh-environment smoke detector contains two high-density air filters that capture dust, dirt and water spray while allowing smoke to pass through to the sensor. These photoelectric detectors use a small fan to draw in filtered air samples, and internal circuits can detect a clogged filter or fan failure. (Filtrex by System Sensor, Booth 1005)

Fire-alarm control panel meets the requirements set forth by NFPA 72 and is listed for UL 864. This conventional, zoned unit is expandable to 20 Class-B or 10 Class-A zones, and provides four Class-B or two Class-A notification appliance circuits. (FC-73 by Fire Control Instruments, Booth 901)

Conventional fire detector series offers three options: photoelectric detectors that sense particles as small as 0.5 microns; ionization detectors that detect particles as small as 0.01 microns; and heat detectors for where smoke detection is inappropriate. The full line of detection products are well-suited for required NFPA annual testing, making them an economical choice for small buildings. (EC Series by EST, Booth 1601)

Intelligent fire-detector system delivers information to fire officials through a 6-in. interface screen, one of the largest in the industry. This operator interface screen communicates in hundreds of large-text characters—eliminating the need to abbreviate—displaying up to five events simultaneously using standard hazmat icons for safety. (FireFinder by Siemens Fire Safety, Booth 1301)

Concealed pendent sprinkler features a k-factor of 8.1, and is UL-listed for 135°F to 200°F. Offering room coverage ranges from 16-ft. by 16-ft. to 20-ft. by 20-ft., these quick-response sprinklers are available with coverplate finishes in brass, chrome, white or custom paints. (Globe Fire Sprinkler Corporation, Booth 336)

Speaker and speaker/strobe units provide a 25 or 70.7 VRMs speaker with field selectable power taps of 0.13, 0.25, 0.5, 2 or 4 watts. Also, by using a control module, different strobe units can be synchronized. These speakers are UL-listed for fire protection services per UL 1480—and the strobe is listed for UL 1971. (SSPK Series by Gentex, Booth 1636)