A MOVEMENT FOR BETTER FIRE PROTECTION
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You already care about doing great work. What if you could do it faster, better, with quality resources and a passionate community? MeyerFire.com was created to help you excel as an expert and leader in fire protection. This is our anthem. Join the movement for better fire protection. |
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SHARED KNOWLEDGE + QUALITY RESOURCES
⇒ BETTER FIRE PROTECTION
MeyerFire.com is a mission-based online platform built to help fire protection professionals shine.
Our goal is to help save lives. We know the best way to do that is to support you, the fire protection professional, do great work.
We see our purpose as supporting your efforts to effectively achieve great work. We aim to do so by sharing industry best practices, by creating helpful tools and resources, and by bringing together industry experts to share their expertise.
COMMUNITY IMPACT INITIATIVES
UPDATED DECEMBER 2025
① IMPROVE THE PRACTICE
FORUM REACHES 7-YEARS & 1,800 DISCUSSIONS
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THE WHY
The Forum was started in 2018 help in a few ways: - A place to ask legitimate questions on real projects - A place to ask even basic questions (and not be eviscerated for it) - A place where you can get real help - A place that shares answers from multiple perspectives - A place with searchable answers that can be found via Google (later on) - A place that's free and accessible for everyone The Forum has now been addressing real-world challenges for seven years! Many would agree that the Forum community is truly outstanding; we're very thankful for you! THE NUMBERS Total Posts: 1,821 Email Subscribers: 7,036 WHAT'S NEW Moderation: Now that AI is widely accessible, we're keeping a watchful eye with a more active role in moderation and have updated our policies on removing unhelpful or AI-generated commentary. TRENDS & INTERESTING NOTES AI & Search: Both Google's search engines, which feature summaries and data right in the search window, as well as common LLM's like ChatGPT and Gemini are referencing the Forum more and more. You can see links to discussions right inside many AI responses that link right back to us. |
Google's Search and ChatGPT's AI results often now reference MeyerFire content.
Personally I think it's a tremendous service and great feature that the content is searchable and usable with AI; it will undoubtedly serve to help us all get fire protection challenges better addressed in the future.
Shared Purpose: One of the recurring themes we see on the Forum which anecdotally many of us have experienced, is that the fire protection industry operates on a collective shared purpose. The willingness of so many to help each other get things right is something that feels unique to our industry. |
② ADDRESS CHALLENGES
THREE BOOKS IN THE WORKS
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THE WHY
Many of us have recurring frustrations with challenging topics. In fire sprinkler work, topics like combustible concealed spaces and obstructions can be difficult to navigate. 
Three new books are in the works, including books on Combustible Concealed Spaces and Obstructions.
We're working with subject expert authors to tackle these topics head-on with all-new, highly visual, and utilitarian books that help us get quick, correct answers. Learn the topic fast with repeatable and helpful flowcharts, visuals and guidance.
The two currently in the works are Combustible Concealed Spaces by Karl Weigand, and Obstructions by Roland Asp, Mike Joanis, and Jeff Hugo (NFSA). The Obstructions book has a date! It will be released by May 2026. |
THE NUMBERS
Books Published: 1 MeyerFire PE Prep Guide, 8 Editions Books Supported: 6 NFSA Layout Book, 3rd Ed Expert of the Day Handbook, 5 Volumes Books Actively in the Works: 3 Combustible Concealed Spaces The Obstructions Book Life Safety Basics 
The PE Prep Guide has become the leading book to prepare for the Fire Protection P.E. Exam.
TRENDS & INTERESTING NOTES Future Authors: If you've considered sharing your expertise in written form, get in contact with us. There are many ways to collaborate and bring your expertise out into the industry. |
TOP-OF-MIND TOPICS
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AI IN FIRE PROTECTION
The adoption of large language models is already changing the way we work. On the Blog, Joe provided commentary on how these changes are affecting our line of work. Read more about Can ChatGPT Pass the Fire Protection P.E. Exam? and Decoupling & De-costing: FPE Change is Coming. DELEGATED DESIGN One of the most controversial aspects of the North American design culture around fire protection today is delegated design; the roles and often skirted responsibilities. Joe wrote a few pieces on this in FP Bid Documents: What Matters Most to You?, |
AFFORDABLE & ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION
The key to making a meaningful difference in the skillset of the industry starts with education that's affordable. Joe wrote on the balancing need for affordability if education is going to be used and beneficial for the industry. In the coming weeks, we'll debut a short video series talking about just this topic. COORDINATION AMONG DESIGN & AHJs One of the key areas that codes and standards don't necessarily address is the gray areas - the coordination topics between Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) and the design community. There are basic yet impactful resources that can be developed in this space that we're actively working on. Read the first article on it here. |
③ ACCESSIBLE FIRE PROTECTION EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY PASSES 600 USER ORGANIZATIONS
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THE WHY
The #1 frustration that we've heard from leaders is how time-consuming, costly, and unnecessarily difficult it is to get new learners up to speed. We all know what bad outcomes look like - and most happen from either a lack of knowledge or strong sense of apathy. We can change that. 
We need education, and we need it to be effective without costing thousands of dollars per person.
If we want to tangibly improve results in the real-world, then it starts with knowledge, building skill, and advocating for good fire protection outcomes. The University platform was built to address the need for affordable, engaging, and accessible learning without limits. It's built to help you and your team learn and grow as quickly as you want. THE NUMBERS Published Courses: 68 (+13 since June 2025) Expert Instructors: 13 Learning Modules: 935 (+115) Active Learners: 1,797 (+394) Active Organizations: 610 (+127) All-Time CPD/CEU Hours Earned: 16,600 hours (+6,400) WHAT'S NEW PE Exam Prep: Go from zero to passing the PE with 11 all-new courses, 20 weeks of mini-practice exams, and your own analytics dashboard. Included at no extra cost. 
Eleven all-new courses just for PE Exam prep, included now with the University at no extra cost.
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Virtual Simulations: Operate an entire fire pump room (valves, waterflow switches, inspector's tests, drains, hoses, controllers, and a fire pump control panel) without breaking anything! Flow water and test a horizontal split-case electric fire pump in our live virtual environment. 
Undoubtedly being in the field is the best way to learn. But learning inexpensively, anytime, from anywhere? That's where virtual learning can be of tremendous benefit.
WHAT'S NEXT New PDF Cheatsheets: We've added or updated over 30 new PDF cheatsheets just in 2025 alone. There are so many quick and helpful resources right at our fingertips with these. See the entire list here. 
Over 90 ready-to-go PDF resources that address common challenges.
We're reinvesting and are working with major partners to do exactly what everyone is asking for - more immersive, engaging and meaningful simulated learning environments. Plenty more to come this year. More Advanced Content: We started with the basics, and now that much of the foundational material is there, we're moving into more intermediate and advanced topics. Be on the lookout for new courses that will speak to more mid-level and senior-level professionals in the near future. |
OUR CAUSE IS SIMPLE: SAVE LIVES, GLOBALLY.
We are working towards this in two ways:
(1) EMPOWER PROFESSIONALS FOR A MORE FIRE-SAFE WORLD.
We work to help fire protection professionals shine. When you are able to do great work, you are the advocate and the expert that makes real change happen. We want to support you in what you do best, with articles, tools, education and community that helps you be effective and grow all the time. Empowering the professionals in this industry is our best shot at making a positive impact in improving fire safety around the world.
(2) END THE WATER CRISIS IN OUR LIFETIME.
Water is not only good for suppressing fires, it's the source of life we need to live. Nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide are without access to clean water. Access to water means education, income, and health - especially for women and children. Fixing this major challenge is possible, and possible within our lifetime. We support charity:water in helping bring access to clean water worldwide.
These projects have only been made possible because of the community and your support on this platform, so thank you!
(1) EMPOWER PROFESSIONALS FOR A MORE FIRE-SAFE WORLD.
We work to help fire protection professionals shine. When you are able to do great work, you are the advocate and the expert that makes real change happen. We want to support you in what you do best, with articles, tools, education and community that helps you be effective and grow all the time. Empowering the professionals in this industry is our best shot at making a positive impact in improving fire safety around the world.
(2) END THE WATER CRISIS IN OUR LIFETIME.
Water is not only good for suppressing fires, it's the source of life we need to live. Nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide are without access to clean water. Access to water means education, income, and health - especially for women and children. Fixing this major challenge is possible, and possible within our lifetime. We support charity:water in helping bring access to clean water worldwide.
These projects have only been made possible because of the community and your support on this platform, so thank you!
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TAP STAND IN ZIMBABWE
STARTED OCTOBER 2020 |
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REHABILITATED WELL IN MOZAMBIQUE
STARTED APRIL 2021 |
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NEW WELL IN MALAWI #1
STARTED AUGUST 2021 |
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NEW WELL IN UGANDA
STARTED DECEMBER 2021 |
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TAP STAND IN TANZANIA #1
STARTED APRIL 2023 |
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TAP STAND IN TANZANIA #2
STARTED NOVEMBER 2023 |
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NEW WELL IN MALAWI #2
STARTED JUNE 2024 |
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OUR TEAM
JOE MEYER, P.E.
FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER / OWNER
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Joe Meyer is a licensed Fire Protection Engineer and is the creator of MeyerFire.com. His main role is guiding the direction of the community and organization to make the most meaningful impact for the industry.
Joe is passionate about the fire protection industry and about improving parts of the industry in a positive way. He develops a mix of written content, tools, resources, and other projects aimed around high-impact opportunities to better fire protection practices overall. Joe graduated from the University of Kansas in Architectural Engineering and later the University of Maryland in Fire Protection Engineering. Before setting out on his own in 2019 to pursue his own practice, Joe worked in fire alarm, suppression, and clean agent design for a large MEP firm in Kansas City and then led a fire protection group for a small MEP & Structural Engineering firm in St. Louis, Missouri. |
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What's up with all the sketches? Joe became very interested in architectural sketching during drafting & studio courses in college and started an online art shop selling minimalist architectural artwork. The online shop ran from 2012 to 2020 (when meyerfire.com began to take off) and included hundreds of different sketches, illustrations & painting. He now leads his illustration team to produce the visual content that MeyerFire may be best known for today.
Joe wrote the MeyerFire PE Prep Guide (beginning in 2016), compiled the NFSA's Expert of the Day Handbooks (2004-2018, 19-20, 21-22, and 23-24 Editions), and was a contributing author to NFSA's Layout, Detail and Calculations of Fire Sprinkler Systems (3rd Edition, 2021). Joe has served as a Chapter President in SFPE, served on the Engineering Advisory Board for the University of Kansas CEAE program, and has lectured at the university level. |
JOCELYN SARRANTONIO, P.E.
FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER / TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
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Jocelyn is a licensed Fire Protection Engineer with 18 years of experience in design consulting engineering, with ten of those exclusively in mission-critical (data center) design. Jocelyn’s work has exposed her to fire suppression and fire alarm system design, life safety systems, energy storage systems, code consulting, corrosion prevention, and hazardous materials. Working in mission-critical facilities has given her experience in jurisdictions across the United States, requiring the agility to work with different clients and authorities having jurisdiction. She has a passion for details and enjoys a good scavenger hunt in the code. Before joining MeyerFire as Technical Director, Jocelyn led a 15-person team and served as the fire protection discipline lead and subject matter expert for mission-critical fire protection at a large international company. In addition to mentoring, much of her work included writing technical reports for AHJs to demonstrate code compliance of complex MEP systems. She studied Mechanical Engineering (BS/MS) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and lives in Upstate New York with her husband, three girls, and three cats. Jocelyn works with our technical and creative teams to expand our content and deliver meaningful, impactful help to the aspects of the fire protection industry that need it most. Jocelyn is the first Fire Protection Engineer to join the team. |
ERIK RADER
IMPACT DIRECTOR
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Erik Rader serves as the Impact Director at MeyerFire, where he helps lead the development of high-quality training resources and coordinates key initiatives that drive meaningful improvements across the fire protection industry. He plays a central role in project planning and content development, working closely with authors, instructors, editors, and creatives to bring new learning tools to life.
Erik brings a background in education, project management, and data analysis, with previous experience at organizations like Oracle and NextGen Healthcare. His skills in managing complex projects and aligning teams make him a strong fit for MeyerFire’s mission-driven work. As MeyerFire’s first full-time team member, Erik is focused on building systems that support long-term growth—from developing new curriculum paths and expanding university partnerships to supporting our efforts in test prep, virtual learning, and industry engagement. His work helps ensure that our platform continues to serve professionals with practical, relevant, and impactful content. |
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FEATURED INSTRUCTOR
STEVEN BARRETT, P.E.
PRINCIPAL / FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER
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Steven Barrett is a licensed professional engineer in the discipline of fire protection with over 14 years of design experience in the practice of fire protection, fire alarm, building code, and life safety in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry. He is the Fire Protection Discipline Leader for the SmithGroup Midwest Region (including Madison, Milwaukee, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Chicago – the office where he is based). Steven Barrett is also an adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois where he teaches Plumbing and Fire Protection Design in the Civil and Architectural Engineering Department to bachelor’s and master’s students. With MeyerFire University, Steven has led many our code and life safety courses, including popular courses on Determining Occupant Loads, Intro to Codes & Standards, Intro to Means of Egress, and Fire & Smoke-Resistive Construction. |
THE EXTENDED TEAM
What began out of a basement in 2016 has grown into a major online hub, and we couldn't be more thankful. The extended MeyerFire team is made of contributors who are passionate about making a positive impact in the world. We wouldn't be here without the dedication from these major contributors within our extended team:
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MEYERFIRE
JOE MEYER, PE | OWNER / FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER JOCELYN SARRANTONIO, PE | TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ERIK RADER | IMPACT DIRECTOR ALYSSA MEYER | EDUCATION SPECIALIST MEYERFIRE UNIVERSITY ILLUSTRATION DIANA TSIGLER | ARCHITECT, ILLUSTRATOR VERIKA ZOLINA | ILLUSTRATOR KSENIA PLATONOVA | ILLUSTRATOR JULIA MARSHALKINA | ILLUSTRATOR ALEXANDRA TABOLINA | ILLUSTRATOR KRISTINA POTANINA | ILLUSTRATOR JOE MEYER, PE | ART REVIEW, ILLUSTRATOR MEYERFIRE UNIVERSITY VIDEO PRODUCTION MINO STOGANOSKI | VIDEO EDITOR, QUALITY REVIEW PAVLO MAZNEVSKI | VIDEO EDITOR JEN YUVA | VIDEO QUALITY REVIEW, WRITER MEYERFIRE UNIVERSITY GRAPHICS & AUDIO PABLO CASTILLO | GRAPHICS MODELING JOHN JAMES CORPUZ | WEB PRODUCTION JEFF KELM | VOICE TALENT MEYERFIRE UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL EDITING JOCELYN SARRANTONIO, PE | TECHNICAL DIRECTOR JESSE CECIL | TECHNICAL EDITOR JOE MEYER, PE | TECHNICAL EDITOR |
MEYERFIRE UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTION
STEVEN BARRETT, PE | INSTRUCTOR BEN BROOKS, PE | INSTRUCTOR CHRIS CAMPBELL, PE | INSTRUCTOR JESSE CECIL | INSTRUCTOR DERKE DUVAL, PE | INSTRUCTOR ED HENDERSON, PE | INSTRUCTOR AARON JOHNSON | INSTRUCTOR CHRIS LOGAN, CFPS, RSE | INSTRUCTOR JOE MEYER, PE | INSTRUCTOR MAX NEWTON, PE | INSTRUCTOR FRANCK ORSET | INSTRUCTOR CHRISTINE PONGRATZ, PE | INSTRUCTOR JOCELYN SARRANTONIO, PE | INSTRUCTOR DAVID STACY, PE | INSTRUCTOR AL YAKEL, SET | INSTRUCTOR ERIC ZDANKIEWICZ, PE | INSTRUCTOR |
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