05/28/2026
Phase I of the National Apprentice Competition opens Monday! π₯
June 1β14, free to take, and every apprentice who completes (and their training coordinator) it is entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card. The top seven finalists head to San Antonio for AFSA45 in September with an expense-paid trip for the apprentice and a guest!
π Details in the comments. Share this with your team! π
05/27/2026
The K-Factor Podcast is back with an episode that hits close to home for anyone who's ever trained or been trained. So...everybody?ποΈ
Jalyn Hopkins and Shakira Staten, Training Coordinators for our VIP Apprenticeship Program, sit down to talk about what it actually takes to develop the next generation of fire protection professionals.
βΆοΈ Listen on your favorite podcast app or watch us live in the studio on YouTube. https://firesprinkler.org/podcast/
05/26/2026
A fire broke out on a balcony at an Annapolis apartment building last week. π₯
Here's what happened: the sprinkler activated, contained the fire, and 25 firefighters showed up to a situation that was already under control. No injuries. No displacement. No interior damage.
Fire Chief Doug Remaley said it best, "This incident is another powerful reminder that sprinkler systems save lives."
This is the work. This is why it matters.
π See the full story: https://bit.ly/4tRt6Cy
Sprinkler System Contains Balcony Fire At Annapolis Apartment Building
A working sprinkler system contained a balcony fire Friday afternoon at a three-story apartment building on Bay Forest Court in Annapolis, preventing the fire from spreading into the apartment or oβ¦
05/25/2026
To the veterans who served and the families who stood behind them, today is for you.
We're grateful for the freedom to do the work we do, in the communities we serve, because of the sacrifices made by so many. Happy Memorial Day from AFSA. πΊπΈ
05/22/2026
β° Phase I of the AFSA45 National Apprentice Competition opens June 1 and your apprentice could be competing on a national stage in San Antonio this September.
Here's what's at stake:
π 1st Place: $10,000
π₯ 2nd Place: $7,500
π₯ 3rd Place: $5,000
4thβ7th Place: $2,500 each
Every finalist also receives an expense-paid trip to San Antonio, complimentary AFSA45 registration, and a brand new set of hand tools.
Phase I is free to take and runs June 1β14. Every apprentice who completes the exam is entered into a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card: three winners selected, along with their training coordinators. If your apprentice is NOT already enrolled in Canvas, they'll need to fill out an entry form before June 1.
Get all the details at the link in the comments.
05/21/2026
AHJs and fire service leaders, this is for you!π
The 2026 Safety Stand Down is June 14β20, and this year's theme is "Firefighter FITNESS: Fit to Serve, Fit for Life."
The Sweepstakes Quiz is live now at SafetyStandDown.org. Complete it by June 30 and you're automatically entered to win one of 200 limited-edition challenge coins.
Training resources for department leaders are also available on the site ahead of Stand Down week. Share it with your crew!
π SafetyStandDown.org
Firefighter Safety Stand Down | Enhancing Firefighter Health & Safety
Join the annual Firefighter Safety Stand Down to enhance firefighter health, wellness, and operational safety. Get resources, training, and best practices to reduce risks in the fire service. Learn more today!
05/19/2026
Sprinkler systems have an importance factor of 1.5 and are required to be seismically protected in Seismic Design Categories C, D, E, and F. Sprinkler systems are exempt from protection in Seismic Design Categories A and B.