AGF Manufacturing, Inc., a designer and producer of innovative fire sprinkler products, is donating RiserPACKs and other materials for sprinkler advocacy and education. Donations go through the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition’s (HFSC) stipend program, which provides kits to build an NFPA 13D display for fire departments across the United States. The displays are used to educate the community on the benefits and simplicity of NFPA 13D residential sprinkler systems and advocate for increased residential sprinkler installation.
The HFSC developed the kits with a grant from State Farm, including a material and tools list, instructions, and riser designs. The initial concepts for the displays were from the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB), who worked with dozens of fire departments to build the displays as an educational tool in areas that had home fire sprinkler ordinances. HFSC added the display as an option to their stipend program and interest spread nationally and in Canada.
AGF Manufacturing learned about the stipend program and display guides in 2018 and offered to donate their RiserPACK riser manifolds to stipend recipients. During the first year of their involvement, AGF donated over 40 RiserPACKs. AGF then assigned their intern, Ryan Overton, an engineering major, to review HFSC’s display guide and simplify the design and instructions based on fire department feedback.
The 13D Display Kit now includes the streamlined instructions and AGF’s RiserPACK with a pressure gauge, drain valve, and Potter flow switch. Viking, Watts, and Potter also donated Viking sprinklers and CPVC pipe, a Watts backflow preventer, and a Potter alarm. The kits are used to educate builders, local officials, and communities across the nation and advocate for NFPA 13D systems in more residences.
