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• TVSFPE Chapter Meeting 2/5/2026

  • When
    02/05/2026
  •  
    5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Mimi's Cafe - Turkey Creek

  Register

  TVSFPE, TVSFPE will be meeting Thursday (2/5/2026) at Mimi's Café in Turkey Creek:  https://www.mimiscafe.com/locations/knoxville/ The meeting will be from 6pm to 8pm. The SFPE Foundation will start by providing a brief update. The speaker is Andrea Franchini, PhD. He will be presenting on: "Optimizing the inherent fire capacity of structures by rethinking the design workflow".  Description: Performance-based fire safety design generally follows conventional structural engineering workflows, which begin by defining a set of hazard scenarios. Next, they involve structural response analysis to estimate hazard consequences in terms of damage or loss metrics of interest. These metrics are eventually appraised to determine whether the performance objectives are achieved or design iterations are needed. However, such a workflow is not optimal for fire safety design. Indeed, the strong coupling between the fire phenomenon and structural features enables an ad-hoc design variable selection (and optimization) to reduce fire intensity. Building upon these ideas, the presentation i) illustrates the advantages of treating fire scenarios as output design variables through an approach named Consequence-oriented Fire intensity Optimization (CFO); ii) shows how the CFO approach can optimize the trade-off between implementing passive fire protection and enhancing a structure’s “inherent fire capacity,” defined as its ability to retain integrity/functionality without additional fire safety measures; iii) demonstrates these concepts through the fire safety design of a steel girder bridge.  Speaker Introduction:  Andrea Franchini is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Structural Fire Engineering Team at Ghent University (Belgium). His research focuses on probabilistic performance-based analysis, design, and optimisation of structures exposed to extreme hazards, with particular emphasis on fire, as well as on optimal experimental design under uncertainty. He holds a PhD from University College London (UK) and a double MSc in Structural Engineering from the University of Trento (Italy) and Tongji University (China). His project titled “A Novel Risk-Based Fire Design Method for Sustainable Structures” received a Student Research Grant from the SFPE Foundation within the May 2022 Grant Cycle. Andrea Franchini is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Structural Fire Engineering Team at Ghent University (Belgium). His research focuses on probabilistic performance-based analysis, design, and optimisation of structures exposed to extreme hazards, with particular emphasis on fire, as well as on optimal experimental design under uncertainty. He holds a PhD from University College London (UK) and a double MSc in Structural Engineering from the University of Trento (Italy) and Tongji University (China). His project titled “A Novel Risk-Based Fire Design Method for Sustainable Structures” received a Student Research Grant from the SFPE Foundation within the May 2022 Grant Cycle. A social hour will be held between 5pm and 6pm.  Please note that Mimi's Cafe' has food, and is located at 10945 Parkside Dr. Knoxville, TN 37934 Previous Meeting Minutes will be attached below. Below are the TVSFPE By-Law Revisions for your review. The first reading will be at the 2/5 meeting.  TVSFPE Bylaws Rev 10 DRAFT 260128.docx Thank you, Channing Walmsley TVSFPE Secretary Cell: 865-320-7091 Office: 865-241-5755 http://www.tvsfpe.org/

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• 2026 TVSFPE Annual Seminar: Fire Sprinkler Plan Review, IFC Requirements for Flammable/Combustible Liquids, and Rough & Final Inspections of Fire Sprinkler Systems

  • Start
    04/06/2026
  •  
    8:00 AM
  • End
    04/07/2026
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Bearden Banquet Hall [5806 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919]

  Fire Sprinkler Plan Review, IFC Requirements for Flammable/Combustible Liquids, and Rough & Final Inspections of Fire Sprinkler Systems

  Presented by John Swanson, National Fire Sprinkler Association

  
  

  See TBD

  
  

  TVSFPE will host a two-day course covering  three topics. 

  
  

  Instructor:

  John Swanson currently serves as NFSA’s Codes and Standards Specialist. In this role he provides training and education and represents NFSA on code development and technical committees. Prior to joining NFSA, John spent 20 years as a Deputy State Fire Marshal-Inspector/Plan Reviewer with the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division and served 8 years as a Firefighter with the City of Lakeville, Minnesota. He currently serves as a Principal member of the NFPA 72 – National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code Technical Committee and the International Building Code (IBC) Fire Safety Committee. He serves as a contract instructor and subject matter expert for the International Code Council (ICC) and has assisted with development of ICC exam content. In 2013, John was appointed by MN Governor, Mark Dayton to serve as the fire service representative to the Minnesota Board of Architecture and Engineering.

  Location:
  

  This seminar will be held at the Bearden Banquet Hall: 5806 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37919.

  
  Seminar registration cost is $500 for professionals and $250 for fire service and state/municipal code officials. The registration cost does not include travel or lodging expenses.  Registration and payment deadline is March 30, 2026.  You will receive a confirmation of receipt of registration form and payment. A receipt and map/directions (if requested) will accompany the confirmation. Please register online or mail the completed registration form, with payment, to:
  TVSFPE 2025 Seminar c/o Justin Gardner
  9047 Executive Park Drive, Suite 203, Knoxville 37923

  
  

  The seminar will consist of a morning session and an afternoon session each day with a lunch break in between. The morning sessions will begin at 8:00AM and end at approximately 11:30AM each day. There will be a one-hour lunch break from 11:30PM to 12:30PM. The afternoon sessions will begin at 12:30PM and end at approximately 4:00PM each day.

  
  

  ***Class materials will be provided electronically. Printed class materials are available for an extra charge.***

  The seminar is an excellent opportunity to accumulate CEUs or PDHs. This seminar will provide 12 continuing education credits. The State of TN, pending approval, will issue 12 CEUs for Fire Inspector and Building Inspector. Participants will receive class materials, breakfast and lunch both days, and a
  certificate of completion for the course.

  For any questions about registration, seminar details and/or the TVSFPE in general contact David DeVinney at (270) 303-5976 or david.devinney@tvsfpe.org. 

  
  

  A portion of seminar proceeds will be applied to the TVSFPE Scholarship Fund, which allows us to provide an annual scholarship to students pursuing formal education in the field of fire protection.

  
  

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