🔥The Start of Something Great (or Terrible)

Welcome to the first edition of the Riser Room, where we proudly walk into every building with our eyes focused on the ceiling.

Almost every great thing starts off terribly.

The first airplanes could barely get off the ground. Michael Phelps used to struggle to swim the length of a pool. And Harry Potter started as scribbles in a cafe.

Every great thing has an awkward beginning, but that’s exactly what makes it great! In other words, this newsletter may start out rough, but I’m committed to making it genuinely useful.

If you’ve worked in fire protection for more than five minutes, you’ve probably realized that the industry has some issues. I’m not talking about the “fire inspector with a power complex” issue. I’m talking about how we live in a world where you can chat with a virtual AI robot, but Foreman Frank’s still drying his sprinkler plans on the hood of his truck after his helper baptized them in black water.

This is a great industry, with good money and good people. But we all need to stay more connected. To share what’s working, what’s not, and where the opportunities are. If a five-minute read could make or save you a few grand, seems like a no-brainer.

That’s why this newsletter exists — to keep you up-to-date without having to read 500 pages of NFPA bedtime material.

Each week I’ll send news, ideas, updates, and tips, all with a healthy dose of humor.

Full disclosure, this newsletter isn’t for everyone. It’s for professionals in fire protection. If you don’t know what a riser room is, unsubscribe now and go join “HVAC Weekly” or something.

Around here, we’re raising ourselves, our companies, and the industry.

Riser Room. Mwah.

Everyone thinks October is all about costumes, candy, and pretending you didn’t eat the last Reese’s. But did you know it’s also Fire Prevention Month? The industry celebrates with two big events: the Annual AFSA Conference and the Annual SFPE Conference.

AFSA44 in Washington DC wrapped up two weeks ago, bringing together some of the top names in fire protection for a few unforgettable days of learning, connection, and celebration. Highlights included sessions like Women in the Industry and the always-exciting Apprentice Competition. The energy and passion on the floor were impossible to miss.

Just as the AFSA buzz was settling down, the SFPE 2025 Annual Conference kicked off in Vancouver, putting fire protection engineers in the spotlight. Packed with deep dives, demos, and networking, the conference offered a lot for those who are “designing” the future of the industry.

Now that the conferences are behind us, it’s time to pack up the name badge, head home, and stop to pretending we’re not all competing for the same jobs.