Russell P. Fleming, P.E., is the executive vice president of the National Fire Sprinkler Association. He has more than 30 years of service on the NFPA 13 Sprinkler Committee, is a past member of the NFPA Board of Directors, and past chairman of its Standards Council. A Fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, he has served as an adjunct in the fire protection engineering program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, writes a regular column on fire sprinkler issues for the NFPA Journal, and has authored chapters in NFPA and SFPE technical handbooks. Contact him at fleming@nfsa.org.