(L to R):  NFSA Staff Tim Butler and Joel Hewitt, and J.F. Ahern Des Moines staff Justin Malloy, Lee Danczak, and Scott Frank 

North Central Regional Manager Tim Butler and Minnesota State Coordinator Joel Hewitt visited several Des Moines area members on a 2-day trip to Iowa in mid-March. Stops included a visit with Ankeny Fire Chief Jim Clack, and Fire Marshal Craig Fraser. Chief Clack is a longtime friend and colleague, and the former Fire Chief of Minneapolis and of Baltimore. Both Chief Clack and Fire Marshal Fraser are champions of fire prevention and public education, and long-standing advocates of fire sprinkler use. Chief Clack is also the newest Iowa member of NFSA.

We also had a chance to visit with Viking Automatic Sprinkler Des Moines Branch Manager, Dan Broich, and J. F. Ahern’s staff: Justin Malloy, Services Manager; Lee Danczak, Fire Protection Senior Designer; and Scott Frank, Contract Sales/Project Manager.

Finally, we met with Iowa State Fire Marshal Dan Wood and his Senior Construction/Design Engineer, Patrick Daughenbaugh.

The visits provided great insight into the sprinkler industry activities in central and western Iowa, identified potential training collaborations at the state Fire School, and gave NFSA staff a chance to meet some of the NFSA members shaping the industry in the North Central Region. NFSA staff will be continuing outreach efforts in Iowa in the near future and will presenting at the Polk County Fire Chiefs Association meeting on April 8.