For more than 15 years, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has required internal inspection of automatic sprinkler systems every five years, outlined in its NFPA 25 Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems regulation. However, many organizations do not comply, often because the municipality has not adopted NFPA 25 or does not enforce it. Yet when properly maintained, automatic sprinkler systems have a 97-percent success rate in controlling a fire.

“Even if your municipality doesn’t follow NFPA 25, PDRMA encourages your agency to meet those requirements,” says Tim Lenac, PDRMA Risk Management Services Supervisor. “They are best practices for maintaining your sprinkler system and managing property risk.”

There are two types of systems — wet and dry. In a wet system, water sits in the pipes waiting to respond to the need. In a dry system, air in the pipes trips the system when needed to suppress a fire...

Each year, PDRMA offers members the opportunity to receive cash grants for their risk management solutions. Agencies can submit a maximum of two applications per year — and this year, three agencies received two grants each!

The awards help members fund, implement and/or recognize innovative and cost-effective safety projects or programs. The Risk Management Committee can award $15,000 in grants each year, with a minimum award of $500. You can submit your proposals to PDRMA throughout the year, with a 2020 submission deadline of Oct. 9.

“This year’s winners earned grants for their innovative solutions to challenges in working with special recreation patrons, swimmers and safety rules, driver training and fleet management,” says Jenny Porrevecchio, PDRMA Risk Management Consultant.

Visit the Risk Management Grant and Recognition Program website page to learn more about the 2019 winning grants, review previous years’ winners and download a 2020 application...

The process to revise, update and upgrade the Risk Management Review (RMR) for members gathers momentum as it moves into its second year in 2020, anticipating a full launch in 2021. In 2020...

The 2020 PDRMA Training Calendar is finalized for the first quarter of the year, and you’ll find a mix of familiar programs as well as some new ones that address the latest trends in member risk management...