What is the AFAA?

The Automatic Fire Alarm Association (AFAA) was formed in 1953 and is the only national trade association exclusively dedicated to representing the automatic fire detection and fire alarm systems industry. The membership is made up of all segments of the industry: (manufacturers, distributors, state/regional associations, users, AHJs engineers, etc).

The Automatic Fire Alarm Association of New England is committed to:

1. Influencing codes and standards at all levels to make building safer through the proper application of automatic fire detection and fire alarm systems.
2. Educating all levels of the industry and AHJ's (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) in New England as well as nationwide. Click on Training for a list of seminars currently being offered.
3. Provide a communications network to quickly and accurately identify industry problems, support exchangeof ideas and disseminate information on solutions, and organize corrective programs
4. We actively participates in the code change process for all three major model building codes organizations  (BOCA, ICBO, SBCCI), including the new ICC( International Code Council), and of BDMC (Board For the Development of the Model Codes) code hearings . Members also participate in the promulgation of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code and NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm Code.
5. Through our participation, we have been able to influence the requirements of the audibility of fire alarm systems, alarm verification for smoke detectors, maintenance and testing of systems, and 100% acceptance testing at time of original installation.
6. On numerous occasions we have been able to influence decisions on and defeat code changes  which would have decreased the life safety afforded to properly designed and installed automatic fire detection and alarm systems.
7. Supporting and developing research to improve life safety in america. Fire tests, partially funded by the association and a number of its Member Associations, were conducted by Factory Mutual Research in a simulated hotel guest room to identify the performance of the  smoke detectors and quick response sprinklers. The substantial data obtained  was made available to our  members and used to support changes to the Model Codes.
8. Currently the Association is supporting the National Fire Protection Research Foundation's  "National Fire Detection Reasearch Project". This is a four-year project designed to provide the NFPA Technical Commitees involved with promulgating the standards for fire protection equipment and devices with the technical data required to develop guidelines for the optimum location of these devices.
9.  Promoting the role of the industry in meeting the public need for life safety.