Telgian’s Vice President Tom Parrish recently shared his vast knowledge of fire safety with Construction Executive magazine for the December issue. Since 2003, Construction Executive has been considered the leading source for the news, market developments, and business issues which impact the construction industry. Parrish’s expertise, which includes more than 25 years in fire protection and emergency response, provided a unique perspective for the article, “How Fire Loss Impacts Code Development and Enforcement.” This piece traces how tragic events have long been the catalyst for improving building construction safety through the development of new fire codes. Following a significant fire loss there is much that can be learned about what occurred and how the loss may have been prevented; fire codes that exist today are often the direct result of tragic fire loss.
Parrish’s article also details several preventable disasters and the code changes that they triggered, such as the Great Chicago Fire, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, and the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Fire. These major fires played a critical role in driving the development of modern-day fire codes including what is now the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. The Life Safety Code is the most widely used source for strategies to protect people based on building construction, protection, and occupancy features that minimize the effects of fire and related hazards. Understanding these events provides a clearer understanding and appreciation for current fire codes aiding in compliance, enforcement and risk management.
For 25+ years, Tom Parrish has held positions with municipal fire, law enforcement and emergency medical services, and in private industry system design and installation programs. He serves on several NFPA technical committees including NFPA 72 Signaling Systems for the Protection of Life and Property and Emergency Communications Systems. Parrish is also a board member of AFAA and is a senior instructor for NFPA.
His professional credentials include Level IV NICET Certified Fire Alarm Technician, Level III NICET Inspections and Testing, Certified Fire Protection Specialist and Master Electrician. Parrish is board-certified as a Physical Security Professional by ASIS and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Technology from the Kean University of New Jersey.
To read How Fire Loss Impacts Code Development and Enforcement in its entirety, please visit Construction Executive.
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