Fire Protection Podcast

00:31:39

What Inning Is M&A In? With John Mackey of The Mackey...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/09/30

John Mackey, CEO of The Mackey Group, is back for his yearly state-of-the-industry catch-up with Drew. John advises fire and life safety owners and PE-backed platforms on M&A and growth, and his Mackey Report pulls industry research and investor-conference analysis into one set of benchmarks for what good looks like in this business.The M&A story has a new layer. The platforms that were acquiring five years ago are mega platforms now, and a second tier of companies founded eight to twelve

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00:12:21

The Fall River Fire and the O-Ring Sprinkler Problem...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/08/26

Grant Lobdell is back on the show at a moment when the whole industry is paying attention. The fire at Gabriel House in Fall River, Massachusetts put a hard question in front of every contractor: how do recalled sprinkler heads stay in buildings for decades, and whose job is it to catch them?Grant runs the lab side of Dyne Fire Protection Labs, now an NFPA Global Solutions company, and his answer starts with an honest observation: contractors handle the routine work well. It's the tests that come

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00:37:47

Episode #97: Inspection Data Is Your Biggest AI...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/06/30

Drew brings two of Inspect Point's own onto the show this time: John Ryan, a senior solution engineer who came up through the product and engineering side, and Jimmy Snowden, who leads the support team and spent years as a technician and inspection manager before joining the company. If you've caught their monthly customer session, "Coffee with Jimmy and John," this is the same back and forth, now for the industry at large.The heart of the conversation is data. Everybody is talking about AI, but

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00:31:30

Shawn Mahoney on NFPA 241, Wood-Frame Fires, and the...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/06/17

Shawn Mahoney of NFPA's Technical Services team joins Drew for his fourth time on The Fire Protection Podcast, and this one covers a lot of ground before landing on a problem the industry keeps stepping over: construction-site fires.You've seen the headlines. A light wood-frame building goes up mid-construction, and the whole thing is gone, like the Denver complex that took a 238-unit building with it, or the South Park fire in North Carolina that killed two workers. Shawn's point is blunt: we

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00:37:43

From Fitter to Founder with Levi Rock of Red Seal...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/06/03

Levi Rock got laid off for three weeks when COVID hit, and it changed how he thought about job security. In 2020 he started Red Seal Fire Protection in Windsor, Ontario, and grew it to 17 employees in five years by keeping it simple: show up when you say you will, turn reports and deficiency quotes around within 48 hours, and get out of the way so customers never have to think about their fire protection.In this episode, Levi joins Drew Slocum to talk about building a service-first fire protection

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00:41:44

Why Your Dry System Leaks More Than You Think

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/05/20

Ray Fremont Jr., president of General Air Products, joins Drew to talk about the air supply side of dry pipe sprinkler systems. General Air Products has been building air compressors for fire sprinkler systems since the 1960s, and the Fremont family has been in the compressed air business since the 1930s. Ray covers how dry system air supply has changed over the last century: plant air compressors and schedule 40 pipe, the shift to thin-wall steel, nitrogen generators, and a newer vapor corrosion

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00:40:15

The Code Committee Insider: Fire Alarms, CO Detection...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/04/15

Dr. Roger Reiswig, Industry Liaison at Johnson Controls, joins Drew for a conversation spanning nearly 40 years of fire alarm industry experience. Roger started as a Simplex technician in 1986 and now represents JCI across NFPA, UL, FM, and international organizations including the European Alarm Association (Uralarm).Topics include how countries outside the US often adopt NFPA codes faster than US states, the differences between European EN standards and NFPA/UL requirements, Europe's mandatory

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00:43:55

Behind the Scenes with IoT Monitoring: What...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/03/25

Bob Marshall, CEO of Whisker Labs, joins Drew Slocum on Episode 92 to discuss Ting, the IoT sensor that monitors home electrical systems for arcing hazards before they become fires. In this episode:How Ting takes 30 million electrical measurements per second from a single outlet The on-device and cloud AI that detects electrical arcing using image recognition 26,000+ hazards identified (and growing at 30 per day) Real data from Hurricane Helene, the LA wildfires, and Winter Storm Fern Why

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00:48:29

The Voice of the Sprinkler Trade: A Conversation with...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2026/01/22

0:00 - Paper documents, hydrant flow testing, and lost inspection data04:59 - Deficiencies are not a gotcha game8:47 - Ontario Fire Code limits and NFPA 25 enforcement gaps15:23 - Strategic planning and involving Al20:20 - 2025 highlights, consistency, and "what I'd do differently"24:05 - Current state of the fire protection industry40:27 - Notable fire incidents & what we learned from real sprinkler activations46:20 - Closing thoughts and Chris's podcast

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00:39:07

2025 Fire & Life Safety Trends, Data, & What’s Next...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/12/18

Timestamps:00:00 Why 2025 fire protection data matters02:47 2025 fire protection industry report preview06:28 Why fire protection businesses need a tech stack08:42 Inspection dollars vs service proposals11:46 Deficiency approvals and compliance platforms17:05 Common fire inspection deficiencies24:53 NFPA questions and inspection data quality29:42 Growth of regional fire protection companies36:40 2026 outlook and Al in fire inspection

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00:45:18

AI & Fire Codes in Practice with Scott Reynolds from...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/12/11

In Episode 89, Drew Slocum welcomes Scott Reynolds, Co-Founder and CEO of UpCodes, for a deep dive into the future of building codes, AI-driven code research, and the growing need for accessible, reliable, and continually updated code information across the built environment.Scott shares the origin story of UpCodes, starting with his early career in architecture—working internationally in Hong Kong and later in New York City—where he experienced firsthand how difficult it is to navigate complex,

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00:36:32

Smarter Workflows with AI in Fire Protection

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/11/20

Timestamps:00:00 - Introducing today's guest01:57 - Launching the first Al agent04:19 - How AI adoption changes business processes06:58 - Code complexity in fire protection09:30 - Generative Al vs agentic Al explained12:10 - How data supports better decisions14:39 - FireCAD design assistant and design workflow gains18:56 - Passion, innovation, and industry growth19:49 - OEMs, contractors, and AI-enabled data flow25:24 - Using AI for simple tasks and avoiding hallucinations29:45 - The rapid shift

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00:35:32

Tragedy, Testing, & Change: How Data Drives Fire...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/10/23

In this episode of The Fire Protection Podcast, host Drew Slocum sits down with Grant Lobdell, President of Dyne Fire Protection Labs, to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing the fire protection industry today—sprinkler testing and system maintenance.Grant shares insights on Dyne’s acquisition by NFPA Global Solutions and how this new initiative supports NFPA’s life safety mission. The conversation takes a serious turn as Drew and Grant unpack the tragic Fall River, Massachusetts fire,

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00:36:00

How JEM Systems is Powering the Next Generation of...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/10/08

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome02:15 Jason’s Background and GEM Systems03:40 Integrating Design, Engineering, and Distribution07:47 Navigating COVID-19 and Supply Chain Shifts12:06 Expanding into Sprinkler Design15:20 AI, Data Centers & Code Shifts17:44 Connectivity, Safety & Working Together22:17 Codes, Compliance, and Public Safety23:58 Efficiency, Software, and Real-Time Solutions26:22 From Soccer Fields to Fire Systems28:05 Business Growth, ERP, and Integration Challenges32:10 Training,

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00:49:47

Codes That Save Lives: A Conversation with NFPA’s Jim...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/09/17

00:00 Introduction & Conference Recap03:50 Jim's Background, NFPA's History and Mission10:49 Public Awareness & "Code for Every Moment" Campaign14:15 NFPA's Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem16:18 Reverse Renovations with Jonathan Scott18:23 Real-World Code Application & Lessons from Tragedies21:54 How Codes and Standards Are Written24:43 Code Update Cycles and Politics28:58 Making Codes Approachable and Industry Sustainability39:08 Al's Role and Risks in Fire Protection43:12 The Nuances of Codes,

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00:36:38

Recurring Revenue & Customer Service in Fire...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/09/04

Timestamps00:00 Welcome & Introduction02:35 Karsten’s Journey into Fire Protection07:26 Why Recurring Revenue Matters09:32 Turning Installs into Service Contracts11:13 Customer Service as a Growth Driver13:09 AHJ Compliance Platforms & Industry Shifts14:28 Navigating Local Jurisdiction Challenges18:18 Risk Management and System Types19:33 Karsten’s Favorite Systems to Work On24:45 Suppression Systems & Market Competition26:19 Restaurant Stories from the Field28:15 Embracing Technology and AI in Fire

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00:43:21

Why Training is the Best ROI in Fire Protection –...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/08/14

Timestamps00:00 Introducing Rob Stewart and Fire Tech02:51 Real-World Fire Protection Stories06:36 Rob’s Background and Industry Goals09:10 Fire Protection Training Needs & Demographics11:48 Cross-Training Between Sprinkler & Alarm Disciplines14:35 Documentation Challenges & The Role of the Back Office20:00 Evolving Codes, Jurisdictional Differences, and AHJ Influence22:24 Updating Training to NFPA & NICET Standards24:16 Regional Code Variations25:37 Digital Documentation vs. Static Forms29:12

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00:37:26

The Fire Inside: How This Alarm Tech Built His Own...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/07/02

00:00 From Technician to Entrepreneur02:20 Dakota’s Background & Apprenticeship Path04:34 Motivation to Start a Business06:30 Identifying a Niche in the Fire Industry08:39 Learning Design and Troubleshooting09:35 Teaching Himself FireCAD + Early Wins14:33 Balancing Install, Design & Multiple Projects18:02 Favorite Systems & What Works Best21:05 The Problem with Proprietary Equipment22:26 Customer-First, No-Contract Philosophy28:28 Work-Life Balance & Being a Present Dad30:44 Technology and Business

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00:29:55

Unifying Fire Protection Install & Service with...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/06/04

Drew chats with Glen Tipton, Director of Solution Engineering at BuildOps, about bridging the gap between install and service in the fire protection world. They dive into how BuildOps’ new partnership with Inspect Point is helping contractors streamline project management, inspections, and compliance. Packed with insights on recurring revenue, workforce challenges, and real-world tech adoption, this is a must-listen for anyone in fire life safety looking to level up operations.

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00:38:29

Finding the Niche Within a Niche: Fire Safety...

Fire Protection Podcast ·

2025/05/01

Join host Drew Slocum as he sits down with Kyle Jarvenpaa, VP of Business Development at Space Age Electronics, a company specializing in fire and life safety system components since 1963. Kyle pulls back the curtain on Space Age's unique "niche within a niche," discussing their role in supporting OEMs, contractors, and engineers through complementary products and a focus on efficiency. Dive deep into the practical applications of NFPA 241 for safeguarding construction sites, learn about innovative

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