by Stan Barnes, Accounts Manager
My name is Stan Barnes, and I’m an Advocate for Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems. Throughout my career, I’ve learned that saving lives requires more than just fighting fires or testing equipment—it requires a comprehensive community risk reduction approach.
When Fire Became Personal
My first fire as a firefighter was my own house catching fire. As documented in Paul Mobley’s book “The American Firefighter,” I went back into our burning home to rescue one of my little brothers. We lost everything and had to relocate for months. That experience taught me about community vulnerability—my family became a statistic in the very community I have sworn to protect.
Building Community Risk Reduction Expertise
During my tenure with the Farmington Hills Fire Department, I specialized in community risk reduction (CRR) following NFPA 1300 principles. My programs weren’t just about fire safety education, they were comprehensive, data-driven initiatives that identified community risks, developed targeted interventions, and measured outcomes. We documented multiple cases where children applied fire science principles from my programs to prevent injuries and save lives.
Then, as an Arson Investigator, I repeatedly saw how inadequate fire protection system maintenance—the focus of NFPA 25—directly impacted community fire outcomes. Technical system failures don’t just affect individual buildings; they compromise entire community safety networks.
NFPA 1300 + NFPA 25: A Powerful Integration
Now at Dyne Fire Protection Labs, I’ve come to understand that NFPA 25 (fire protection system testing) and NFPA 1300 (community risk reduction) aren’t separate standards—they’re complementary components of comprehensive life safety strategy.
NFPA 1300’s Community Risk Assessment identifies where fire protection systems are most critical to community safety. NFPA 25’s Technical Standards provide the engineering foundation that makes risk reduction strategies effective. You can’t reduce community fire risk if the systems designed to protect high-risk populations don’t work when needed.
Dyne Fire Protection Labs: Supporting Community Safety
Our comprehensive services at Dyne directly support both NFPA 25 compliance and NFPA 1300 community risk reduction:
- Fire sprinkler testing ensures reliable activation in facilities serving vulnerable populations
- Firefighting foam analysis protects industrial facilities that could threaten entire communities if compromised
- Antifreeze solution testing maintains system function in cold climates when fire risks are highest
- Dry chemical agent analysis protects critical community infrastructure
With 5-business day turnaround, free test kits and shipping, online results, and laminated system tags, we remove barriers to proper testing that might otherwise leave vulnerable communities unprotected
The Integration Lesson: Recent Tragedy
The recent Fall River/Gabriel House fire that claimed ten lives illustrates why integrating NFPA 1300 and NFPA 25 is critical. This represents both a community risk reduction failure and a technical system failure. If integrated NFPA 1300/25 principles had been applied, this high-risk building would have received enhanced testing protocols that might have prevented the system failures contributing to these deaths.
Why the Wider Lens Matters
Fire Protection isn’t about individual buildings – it’s about community resilience:
- Individual system failures have community consequences, diverting emergency resources
- Community risk patterns should inform technical priorities for testing and maintenance
- Technical competence supports social equity, ensuring systems work equally well in all community areas
The Call for Integrated Action
I'm calling for a fundamental shift from isolated technical compliance to integrated community risk reduction:
- Fire Departments: Use NFPA 1300 risk assessment to prioritize NFPA 25 enforcement
- Building Owners: Understand system maintenance as community responsibility
- Contractors: Recognize technical work supports broader community safety goals
- Community Leaders: Integrate system performance into comprehensive risk planning
The future of fire protection lies in integrated community risk reduction that combines NFPA 25 technical excellence with NFPA 1300’s comprehensive community focus. Together, we can build safer communities through smarter fire protection.
Questions? Contact Stan by calling (248) 231-7937 or by emailing stan.barnes@nfpaglobal.com.
©Dyne Fire Protection Labs 2025
