FIRE SAFE NORTH AMERICA, INC.
GOLD CANYON, AZ

On New Year’s Eve 2015, in Dubai, flames engulfed the exterior of the luxury 63-story hotel, “The Address”. The fire – the third major skyscraper fire in Dubai since 2012 – also ignited concerns about the use of highly combustible materials on the exterior facades of hundreds of skyscrapers throughout the UAE and around the world. Fire Safe North America participates on an NFPA 5000 Task Group on Building Exteriors and promotes the implementation of NFPA’s Standard 285. This standard provides a standardized fire test procedure for evaluating the suitability of specific exterior wall assemblies under fire conditions. It is the position of Fire Safe North America (FSNA) that balanced fire protection design, also referred to as Fire Safe North America is a broad based coalition of experts, companies and association members, also representing manufacturers and suppliers of fire and life safety products, materials and systems. Fire Safe North America has evolved from its predecessor, the Alliance for Fire and Smoke Containment and Control, Inc. (AFSCC). Executive director, Ms. Vickie Lovell, explained that the name change will not alter the original mission of the organization, but is intended to reflect the expanded focus and objectives of the organization. Ms. Lovell continued, “ Fire Safe North America Fire Safe North America In addition to increased life safety, enhanced resiliency includes increased building longevity, durability, and more opportunity for adaptability, reuse and increased resistance to disasters. “With an increasing desire to protect the environment, and dwindling funds for disaster mitigation and post disaster recovery, communities are beginning to demand construction that is more durable than that provided by the minimum requirements in the current building code”, noted Riley Archer, President of Fire Safe North America Fire Safe North America will continue with a strong and active participation with the codes and standards development process through the National Fire Protection Association and the International Code Council, as well as extending their efforts to include codes and standards involvement in Canada. Through various committees and study groups, Fire Safe North America will be a resource for articles, test reports, research documents, and other information promoting the need for fire safety layering in building design. Fire Safe North America Vickie J. Lovell is the President of InterCode Incorporated, an independent consulting firm located in Delray Beach, Florida. InterCode specializes in building code development and the building code revision process, and the construction standards development process. InterCode is retained by individual companies and trade associations (representing hundreds of companies) in the United States to serve in an advisory capacity in their code-related commercial markets. InterCode Incorporated was established by Ms. Lovell to provide companies and trade associations, who have commercial markets affected by building codes and standards, with representation and advocacy in codes and standards. Riley Archer has over 10 years of management and technical experience in the construction industry. During his tenure as technical manager in the fire protection industry, Riley has spent considerable time designing and testing passive fire protection systems and products through Underwriters Laboratories certified testing facilities. Mr. Archer is now responsible for managing the sales marketing division of a leading U.S. firestopping manufacturer. Riley currently serves as the President of Fire Safe North America and the Vice President of the International Firestop Council. He is also a member of the ICC and is active in code development through the organizations that he is associated with and within his own company. Charbel earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania in 1976, after which he spent 8 years with McKinsey and Company, the management consultancy, working on assignments in Europe, North Africa and the United States. Subsequently, Charbel became a Vice president of Thomas and Betts, a manufacturer of electrical and electronic components, where he ran a division for three years. Prior to co-founding STI, he spent two years with an investment group. 3M Fire Protection Products Bill Kesting is the Global Business Manager for 3M’s Fire Protection Products, headquartered in St. Paul, MN. With a 30-year reputation in firestopping innovation, 3M Fire Protection Products is proud to be a leader in the firestopping industry. Properly installed 3M firestop systems meet building and life safety code requirements while helping protect occupants, equipment, and property through the typical life of a building. Bill is actively engaged with the IFC, FSNA (formerly AFSCC), NIA, FCIA, and NFPA, as well as other international fire protection organizations. His background with 3M includes leadership positions in sales, marketing, international business, and strategic management, across multiple industry sectors. He is a certified Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma process improvement and Design-for Six Sigma methodologies, and earned his MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, Chicago, IL. Jay is actively involved in the ICC, NFPA, ASTM and SFPE, and believes in the quality, value and resiliency that cement products provide in today’s structures. Mr. Crimi is a Registered Professional Engineer, and founder of A.C. Consulting Solutions Inc., which specializes in Building and Fire related Codes, Standards, and product development activities in the U.S., Canada and Europe. A.C. Consulting Solutions Inc., provides services to manufacturers and industry associations in advocating for safe product approvals and Code recognition. Because of the overwhelmingly positive feedback following the June meeting, a Summit meeting was held on October 29, 2015, in Denver. Presentations at the Summit provided the answers to requested information on test scenario planning and project management. Shared with prospective financial sponsors who attended the meeting was the research plan and budget prospectus for Project FAIL-SAFE.