The K-Factor Podcast

By AFSA Applied Learning & Lab ServicesBusiness Technology Education

The K-Factor Podcast episodes

September 30 054 The OG of the Fire Sprinkler Podcast: Stories and Lessons from a Career in the Industry
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The K-Factor Podcast and The Fire Sprinkler Podcast come together for a special crossover episode featuring one of the OGs of the sprinkler podcasting space. We talk about his career, the changes he has witnessed, lessons learned along the way, and the people and experiences that shaped his journey. It is an honest conversation about the history, growth, and future of the fire sprinkler industry.
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
37 min
September 29 After a High-Rise Fire, One Family Fights to Make Buildings Safer-AFSA 45 K-Factor Roundup
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After Melanie Diaz died in a high-rise apartment fire, her family turned their grief into action. We discuss their efforts to improve safety in residential buildings through sprinkler retrofits, tenant protections, and legislation in Maryland. We also recognize the Diaz family as AFSA’s 2026 Fire Sprinkler Advocates of the Year.
Melanie’s story is a reminder of why the work we do in fire protection matters: behind every system, standard, and inspection is someone’s life.
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
29 min
September 16 053 Plumbing Meets Fire Protection: NFPA 13 and NFPA 24 for Contractors
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Stephen Bitely and Scott from Stokes Plumbing and Trenching join The K-Factor Podcast to discuss expanding from plumbing into the fire sprinkler industry, including the challenges and opportunities of adding fire protection services. The conversation also explores where NFPA 24 and NFPA 13 meet and what contractors need to understand when navigating the transition between underground fire service mains and building sprinkler systems.

VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
45 min
September 14 055 Thought Experiments, Healthcare, NFPA 99, NFPA 3 and 4 with NFPA
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Jonathan Hart of NFPA joins The K-Factor Podcast for a conversation about the NFPA standards development process and how thought experiments can help professionals examine complex fire and life safety questions from a different perspective.
The discussion also explores healthcare facilities and the roles of NFPA 99, NFPA 3, and NFPA 4, including healthcare fire and life safety, system commissioning, integrated testing, and the importance of ensuring that connected systems work together as intended.
This episode offers an inside look at NFPA standards for contractors, engineers, designers, inspectors, AHJs, and healthcare facility professionals.
As a bonus, viewers can watch Josh slowly lose pressure as the convention catches up with him in real time.
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
47 min
September 02 052 Fire Sprinklers in Silence: Testing Sprinklers Inside Hush Office Booths
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Robert Korpacki from Hush Office joins the K-Factor Podcast to talk about office phone booths, modular workspaces, and the fire protection concerns surrounding enclosed office pods. We also operated fire sprinklers inside the booth to observe sprinkler discharge and discuss what it means for modern office design, NFPA compliance, and fire protection system performance.
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
33 min
August 19 051 Flight Risk: Maintaining Complex Fire Risks
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James Casey from Eastern Fire joins the K-Factor Podcast to discuss human interaction with the built environment, maintaining multiple fire protection systems inside airports, and how human behavior impacts life safety in unpredictable spaces. This episode explores the challenges of protecting dynamic environments through engineering, maintenance, and real-world system performance.
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
28 min
August 05 050 From Fireground to NFPA 25 Flow Testing
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Cole Abbott from Petcosky Fire Protection joins the K-Factor Podcast to discuss his transition from firefighter to fire sprinkler apprentice. From the challenges of changing careers to learning the fire protection trade, this episode explores the opportunities, training, and mindset needed to succeed in the fire sprinkler industry.
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
43 min
July 22 049 Pressure to Perform; NFPA 14 (2027) and NFPA 20 (2028) changes explained
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Kevin Hall, M.Eng, PR, ET from AFSA joins the K-Factor Podcast to talk about future changes and ongoing discussions surrounding NFPA 14 and NFPA 20 within the AFSA Technical Advisory Council. From standpipe systems to fire pump requirements, this episode explores how upcoming code revisions could impact the fire protection industry.
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
59 min
July 15 048 Viva Las Fire Protection: Inside NFPA 241 and the Codes & Standards Process
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Recorded live from the NFPA Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, this episode of The K-Factor Podcast features Shawn Mahoney, Senior Engineer, Technical Services at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
If you work in commercial construction, fire protection, or jobsite safety, this conversation is for you.
Shawn explains why NFPA 241, Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations, is one of the most important standards affecting construction projects today. We discuss fire protection during construction, temporary fire safety measures, and practical ways contractors can reduce risk on active jobsites.
We also take a behind-the-scenes look at the NFPA codes and standards development process, exploring how industry experts collaborate to develop the standards that shape construction and fire protection across North America.
Whether you're a general contractor, fire sprinkler contractor, construction manager, engineer, safety professional, or AHJ, you'll come away with a better understanding of how fire safety standards are created—and why they matter long before a building is occupied.
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
46 min
July 08 047 Becoming Successful in Fire Sprinkler Sales
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What does it really take to succeed in sales? Devin O’Leary from Johnson Controls joins the K-Factor Podcast to talk about the mindset, personality traits, and people skills behind top-performing sales professionals in the fire protection industry. From building relationships and confidence , this episode is packed with real-world sales insights for anyone looking to grow in fire protection sales.

#FireProtection #SalesSuccess #JohnsonControls #FireProtectionSales #SalesPodcast #KFactorPodcast
VIP
Reach out with questions and topics you would like covered at [email protected].
For more training opportunities visit: www.firesprinkler.org
TikTok: @firesprinkler.org
LinkedIn: American Fire Sprinkler Association
Facebook: firesprinkler.org
Instagram: @firesprinklerorg
Don't forget to like, subscribe, & review!
29 min

About The K-Factor Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to The K-Factor, the podcast that brings you inside the world of fire protection. Hosted by industry experts Josh McDonald, Eric Andresen, & Hayden Stoll. This show dives into…