Duane: I think since you'll be speaking to future FPEs you should not only share the final polished list the Forum-ites help you write, but you should share the cynical answers as well. I think it would be very beneficial for the students to understand the current attitudes towards consulting engineers from the installing contractor community. Let them know how widely ostracized Mechanical Engineers are in the fire sprinkler community due to their apparent lack of concern for 'practicing within their areas of expertise.' Similarly, make it clear to these future FPEs that having an FPE after your name doesn't mean you're an expert when it comes to fire sprinkler consulting. This Forum has plenty of experience with FPEs that may know fire modeling or alarm systems, but don't do much better than the MEs when it comes time to take responsibility for a fire sprinkler system.
So challenge the students to take ownership of the systems with which they are associated. Just because they may only be hired to provide a 'performance specification,' that doesn't mean they can pass all engineering off to the contractor. Know enough to complete a full system design, so that when they provide performance specs, they understand what performance parameters are required to properly bid the job. Mark A. Sornsin, PE| Fire Protection Engineer Ulteig Engineers, Inc.| Fargo, NDÂ [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Johnson, Duane (NIH/OD/ORS) [C] Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 6:07 AM To: [email protected] Subject: top five list I will be a guest lecturer at the Univ of Md next week. I will be providing a list of must do's while preparing sprinkler drawings. Knowing that many students will be going to work for consulting firms and others to installation firms, I want to provide input from both perspectives. So I ask the forum the following questions... here is your chance to provide input to future industry personnel: If you were asked to provide a top 5 list that an engineer should do/identify on a sprinkler design, what would they be? What are the first 5 items a sprinkler designer should do when preparing drawings? Feel free to email me direct. Thanks. Duane Johnson, PE Program Manager Division of the Fire Marshal (Support Contractor) Office of Research Services National Institutes of Health 301-496-0487 "Protecting Science - One Sprinkler at a Time" _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
