Technotes: Meet Our SMEs
NFSA’s Expert of the Day (EOD) program is a benefit that strives to help our members with technical responses to codes and standards questions on requirements pertaining to water-based fire protection. The EOD program has subject matter experts (SME) across the Codes, Standards and Public Fire Protection, Engineering, and Contractor Services departments available each business day. NFSA staff SMEs represent the fire sprinkler industry on dozens of NFPA codes and standards technical committees, numerous ICC codes and committees, as well as the committees and boards of the AWWA, FM, ICC, SFPE, and UL.
This edition of TechNotes is written for you to meet the SMEs that are on the other end of your EOD phone calls and emails. Each SME has a wide range of experience in the fire sprinkler industry. While the bulk of the EOD program and SME workload is answering NFPA 13, NFPA 13R and NFPA 13D related questions, each SME is also specifically designated to answering technical questions related to fire sprinkler systems in other standards, building and fire codes, and other related fire protections systems as shown in the table below.
| CODE/STANDARD | SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT |
| NFPA 1/IFC | Terin Hopkins/Jeff Hugo |
| NFPA 3/4 | Jeff Hugo |
| NFPA 11 | Vince Powers |
| NFPA 14 | Terin Hopkins |
| NFPA 15 | Roland Asp |
| NFPA 20 | Mike Joanis |
| NFPA 22 | Roland Asp |
| NFPA 24 | Roland Asp |
| NFPA 25 | Vince Powers |
| NFPA 30/30B | NFPA 13 SME |
| NFPA 45 | NFPA 13 SME |
| NFPA 72 | Vince Powers |
| NFPA 75 | NFPA 13 SME |
| NFPA 101 | Jeff Hugo/Andrew Bevis |
| NFPA 214 | Roland Asp |
| NFPA 241 | Mike Joanis |
| NFPA 750 | Roland Asp |
| NFPA 5000/IBC/IEBC/IRC | Jeff Hugo/Andrew Bevis |
| AWWA | Roland Asp |
Roland Asp, CET
Roland is the Codes and Standards Manager. Roland is a NICET Level III Fire Protection Engineering Technician. In addition to his SME responsibilities above, Roland serves on numerous technical committees for NFPA such as:
- NFPA 13 Installation Criteria (AUT-SSI)
- NFPA 13R/13D Residential Committee (AUT-RSS)
- NFPA 101 Residential Occupancies (SAF-RES)
Roland is the editor of TechNotes, secretary of NFSA’s E&S Committee and the chair of the AWWA Fire Protection Committee. Roland has been involved in the layout and installation of thousands of fire sprinkler systems ranging from single-family homes to large commercial projects and is experienced in the varied steps needed to successfully bring a fire sprinkler system from the design phase to completion. Roland and his family are from New York and currently live in the Baltimore, Maryland area.
Andrew Bevis, CBO, MCP
Andrew is the Codes and Standards Specialist. Andrew is one of the newest NFSA staff and EOD SME. He holds 29 ICC and NFPA Certifications including Master Code Professional. In addition to his SME responsibilities above, Andrew currently serves on:
- ICC Plumbing and Mechanic Code Action Committee (PMGCAC)
- ICC Emerging Leadership Membership Council (ELMC)
- Applications for appointment to NFPA 101 and NFPA 5000 core and correlating committees
Andrew has worked in the building regulatory industry for 7 years. He has held various plan review, inspection and building official positions. Most recently, Andrew was the Chief and Deputy Chief Building Official for the City of Atlanta, Georgia. He received his B.AS in Architecture from Southern Illinois University. Andrew enjoys solving complex code issues and the technical writing that comes along with it. Andrew resides in Southern Illinois with his family.
Terin Hopkins
Terin is the Public Fire Protection Specialist. Terin has 34 years in public safety beginning his public safety career in 1981 as a Volunteer Firefighter/EMT and then serving 25 years with the Prince George’s County Maryland Fire/EMS Department, retiring in 2009. He then went to work for the Howard County Department of Fire Rescue Service, Office of the Fire Marshal. In 2018 he was hired as the Mid-Atlantic Field Service Coordinator with NFSA. In addition to his SME responsibilities above, Terin represents NFSA on several NFPA technical committees including:
- NFPA 1 Fire Code (FCC-AAA)
- NFPA 14 Standard for the Installation of Standpipes and Hose Systems (SPI-AAA)
- NFPA 13E Recommended Practice for Fire Department Operations in Properties Protected by Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems. (FIY-AAA)
Terin is active with the NFSA’s Capital Region Chapter and participates in NFSA’s training program such as Technical Tuesdays and NFSA’s fire sprinkler and valve demonstration trailer. Terin resides in the Baltimore, Maryland area with his family.
Jeffrey M. Hugo, CBO
Jeff is the Vice President of Codes, Standards and Public Fire Protection. This department represents the fire sprinkler industry in the development of model codes and standards. Jeff is a Michigan registered Building Official, Building Inspector, and Plan Reviewer since 1995. He holds a multitude of certifications by the ICC, including the Certified Building Code Official (CBCO). Jeff has been with the NFSA since 2005 and, in addition to his SME responsibilities above, serves on several technical committees, such as:
- NFPA 1, Fire Code (FCC-AAA)
- NFPA 101 and NFPA 5000 Correlating Committees (SAF-AAC and BLD-AAC)
- ICC International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
Jeff also serves and is the past chair of ICC’s Industry Advisory committee (IAC) as well as ICC’s Fire Code Action Committee (FCAC). Jeff contributes to NFSA’s Leadership Team, Code Development Team, Legislative and Regulatory Team and is the secretary to NFSA’s ITM Committee of the Board of Directors. Jeff resides in the Bay City, Michigan area with his family.
Michael Joanis, PE
Mike is the Director of Contractor Services. As part of the leadership team, he is responsible for delivery of technical services to our members. Mike is a University of Maryland, College Park fire protection engineering graduate and registered professional engineer in several states. In addition to his SME responsibilities above, Mike has served previously on:
- NFPA 241 Safeguarding Construction, Altercation, and Demolition Operations (COD-AAA)
- NFPA 1037 Standard on Fire Marshal Professional Qualifications (PQU-FMA)
- Applications for appointment to NFPA 13 (discharge criteria), NFPA 232, NFPA 241, and NFPA 909.
Mike has over 25 years of experience as a sprinkler contractor and consulting engineer and is a licensed sprinkler & special hazards contractor and active member of both SFPE and NFPA. Mike resides in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts area.
Vincent Powers, CET
Vince is the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance Specialist. Vince holds several active NICET certifications: Level III Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems, Level II Fire Alarm Systems, Level II Special Hazards Systems and Level I Water-Based Systems Layout. In addition to his SME responsibilities above, Vince represents NFSA on several technical committees including:
- NFPA 25 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Systems (INM-AAA)
- ASSE 15000 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Systems
- Applications for appointment to NFPA 72 Testing and Maintenance (SIG-TMS)
Vince has 20 years in the fire protection industry and has initiated and managed several departments including inspection, testing, and maintenance, fire alarms, as well as special hazards. Vince has an honorable discharge from the US Navy and resides in the Baltimore, Maryland area.
