Class Reviews

My background is in the fire sprinkler contracting industry spanning the last 49 years going back to 1975. I started working part time in the summers at my father’s sprinkler company fabrication shop. I did this each summer up through 1977 when my father brought me into the office to worked full-time as a “sales engineer”. He taught me the intricacies of water- based fire protection system design (sprinklers, standpipes and fire pumps) and later taught me the craft of system sales and later project management. I worked at my father’s company unit 1986 and then moved on to work at four other sprinkler contracting firms up through 1995 as a senior fire protection systems designer and NICET Level III water-based systems layout technician. And more recently from 1995 to the present, I have been working at a sixth sprinkler contracting company as a senior water-based fire protection systems designer, a NICET Level IV water-based systems layout technician, project manager on many of our company’s large and special projects, and manager of our company’s codes & standards department.

I have known and worked with Sagiv Weiss-Ishai, P.E. at the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) Plan Check Division going back to 2013 when we first began discussions on how elevator controls interface with fire alarm and sprinkler systems on multiple projects. Since that time, I have come to know and respect Sagiv deeply regarding his vast knowledge regarding all of the applicable codes and standards related to elevator technologies, includingelevator controls, elevator public safety and fire safety.

Since we were first introduced, Sagiv he has been so actively involved in the fire protection industry. Not only as a CA licensed FPE and as the senior FPE at the SFFD, but as a contributor at multiple NFPA and SFPE conferences, an AHJ member of the CA State Fire Marshal’s office Fire Alarm Code Advisory Committee, an AHJ member on the NFPA 72 SIG-PRO Technical Committee, as well as and AHJ member in the ASME A17.1 Emergency Operation & (Elevator) Hoistway Technical Committees, and as a member of the ASME A17.1 – OEO Task Group related to elevators.

From Sagiv’s tutelage over the years regarding how elevator controls interface with automatic fire sprinkler systems, I have learned one very important fact. To get a complete handle on when sprinkler protection is and is not required in all elevator spaces for all types of elevators, this involves numerous codes and standards. Not the lease of which is what specific edition of these codes and standards will apply during any given code adoption and publication cycle. Both on a national and local level. As such when I recently attended the 2024 Class 1 - Interfacing Elevator Controls with Fire Alarm and Sprinkler Systems Sagiv presented 165 slides during the two-day class which concisely outlined how elevators are used fire fire fighting, how they are grouped in banks, and regulated under the State of CA elevator code, ASME A17.1 – 2004 & 2019 Safety Code for Elevators, the current 2021 IBC and IFC, the 2022 CA CBC and CFC, the current 2020 NFPA 70 NEC, Article 620 for Elevators/2022 CA CEC, the current 2022 and upcoming 2025 NFPA 72 regarding interfacing elevator controls with fire alarm systems. And the current 2022 and upcoming 2025 NFPA 13 regarding where sprinkler protection is required or prohibited in all elevator spaces. Including current CA removal of sprinklers in elevator pits which most likely this same condition as part of the 2025 NFPA 13. An effort it has taken Sagiv 9 years to bring to fruition. Thus a sprinkler flow switch or heatdetector are no longer required in the elevator pit for Phase 1 elevator recall if sprinkler protection is removed from the pit.

During the Class I Sagiv presented all of the informaƟon regarding all of these interrelated codes and standards in such a straight forward manner and in such an even pace. All of the information presented was so easy to follow. And Sagiv made sure his delivery of this information was straight-forward and to the point, with some lighthearted commentary along the way. And the Q&A sessions at the each of each day were fantastic. There was no time limit for this part of the class sessions. And each question posed by the attendees during Sagiv’s presentation was addressed and answered in a lot of detail to make sure each question was answered fully. And Sagiv did such a great job explaining all of the nuance differences between the applicable codes and standards inside and outside of CA on a national model code level.

You ask Sagiv a question and he immediately has the answer for you, and he will provide any amount of technical or general detail in his answer to your question. I look forward in earnest to attending the next and all future Classes.

Fritz Descovich

Nicet Level IV Water-Based Systems Layout

Codes and Standards Manager / PM

WB Fire Protection Systems Consultant (Internal to AFP)

Allied Fire ProtecƟon (AFP)

Oakland, CA

The continuing education classes offered by Fire Protection Education are the most insightful and informative training sessions I have attended in my 37-year career. The classes are taught by Sagiv Weiss-Ishai who is truly one of the most knowledgeable instructors in the fire protection community. When you combine an excellent instructor with a great class format, you end up with an extremely engaging, impactful training experience.

I have been attending FPE classes since the fall of 2020. Until August of 2023, the FPE class agenda included a 7-hour formal presentation followed by an unlimited question and answer session. (Participants ask questions in the chat box throughout the presentation as well as during the Q&A session). During the Q&A session, Sagiv answers each and every question. Attendees are also welcome to ask follow-up questions and to elaborate on their original question.

Based on feedback from participants, Sagiv revised the agenda for the August 2023 class to include a 3.5-hour formal presentation followed by the unlimited Q&A period. The revised agenda turned out to be a big hit because it gave the group more time to ask more questions. Since the Q&A discussions reinforce the content presented during the formal presentation, I always make it a priority to clear my schedule. The Q&A session also gives participants the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of attendees who share the common goal of improving fire, elevator, and life safety.

I’m a licensed Professional Engineer and a Certified Fire Protection Specialist with HENRY ADAMS, LLC, an MEP/FP consulting engineering firm located in the Baltimore/Washington area. The majority of my work is in the Mid-Atlantic Region, however, my firm also provides services in other regions of the U.S.A. While the majority of the attendees are located in California, I have found that the content of the FPE courses is relevant to all regions. The classes are offered from 8:00am to Noon PST or PDT (11:00am to 3:00pm EST or EDT). This is extremely convenient since I am able to finish most of my work in the morning, then dedicate my entire afternoon to the class and the highly anticipated, unlimited Q&A session.

Jeanne C. Schmager Tebera, PE, CFPS

Principal

HENRY ADAMS, LLC Consulting Engineers

Baltimore, MD