Changes to NFPA 72, Fire Alarm and Signaling Code 2013 to 2019

Changes to NFPA 72, Fire Alarm and Signaling Code 2013 to 2019

Presented by:  Lenny Belliveau, Protection Engineers, LLC

The Ninth Edition of 780 CMR, the Massachusetts State Building Code is an amended version of the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) which references the 2013 Edition of NFPA 72. The soon (anticipated 2024) to be adopted Tenth Edition of 780 CMR is an amended version of the 2021 IBC which references the 2019 Edition of NFPA 72. As one can imagine, the number of changes between three cycles of the NFPA 72 Code (i.e., 2013, 2016, and 2019) can be overwhelming and would be challenging for anyone to fit into a one hour presentation. Therefore, this program is a “high level” presentation that focuses on specific major differences between the Codes and the impact that will be felt on construction projects related to fire alarm and signaling systems that are permitted under the Tenth Edition of 780 CMR.

Lenny Belliveau is a senior fire protection engineer at Protection Engineers, LLC and has over 25 years of fire protection industry experience designing, analyzing, evaluating and commissioning all types of fire protection systems for transportation, industrial, commercial, and educational facilities.  Lenny attended WPI where he obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, an M.S. in Fire Protection Engineer, and an M.S. in Marketing and Technological Innovation.  He is a licensed professional engineer in 11 states and is a NICET Level IV certified engineering technician.  He has served as a Principal Member and the Secretary of the SIG-PRO technical committee on NFPA 72 for more than 15 years and as a Principal Member on NFPA 76 for over 24 years.  He serves as the co-chair of the AFAA Webinar Topics and Presenter Task Group and is on the Board of Directors for the New England Chapter of the AFAA.  He is a co-contributor and author of specific chapters in several editions of the NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code Handbook and the NFPA Fire Protection Handbook.  For most of his career, Lenny has been providing fire protection engineering and code consulting support to the Federal Government for airport traffic control towers, terminal radar approach control facilities, air route traffic control centers, air route surveillance radars, and other facilities that house National Airspace System (NAS) equipment and appurtenances.