Episode 21
Michael Crowley - Coffman Engineers
Key Takeaways
- Mike ’s Background
- Over 40 years of Fire Protection Consulting Experience
- Studied Fire Protection and Safety Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology
- Labs were at Underwriters Laboratories
- Received an MBA from University of Houston
- Working at Rolf Jensen and Associates and then Jensen Hughes
- Over 30 years
- Involved in the code writing process and litigation support.
- Saw failures of passive systems
- Got involved with the healthcare industry and was part of committees related to life safety code.
- Dealt with Healthcare projects, finding a balance in passive and suppression systems.
- Faced different life safety issues in different occupancies like assembly spaces, large theaters, and high-rise buildings
- Healthcare
- Was sent to a committee meeting as an alternate and eventually became a full committee member.
- Wife was a nurse, so familiarity with the Healthcare space.
- Did work with the Military and VA Hospitals.
- Chaired the fundamentals committee and the entire correlating committee
- Currently chairs the medical gas technical committee
- Industry Challenges
- Large energy storage systems / thermal runaway
- Doors! Fire Rated doors and compliance / testing
- How numbers were put into codes
- Labor shortage / hiring process
- Advice for newcomers to the Engineering Field
- Find a Niche
- Consider subcategories of engineering, such as acoustics or corrosion control
- Build a resume with an internship
- Coffman Engineering
- Full-service MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) firm
- Works in the Fire Protection Group, which has grown rapidly to cover offices all over the country
- Started as a structural engineering company and has expanded its services over 42 years
- Department of Defense work
- Oil and Gas
- Broaden horizons by working on a variety of projects like working on the Texans Stadium
- Speaking Engagements
- Covered changes in code at a recent ASHE event
- Discussed findings from fire Data. Where fires are happening in Healthcare
- Helps determine where the focus should be in limiting damage
About Michael
Great fire protection and life safety design integrated into the design of a building is Mike’s approach to a safe built environment. Mike is a principal advisor with over 40 years of fire protection consulting experience in unique structures around the world ranging from NFL Football stadiums to high-rise atrium office buildings. He is a subject matter expert in healthcare fire protection and life safety. Other industry-related activities include NFPA Codes and Standards development.
Mike is an instructor for NFPA’s Life Safety Code Course (NFPA 101), NFPA 99, and ASHE on NFPA 99, and a frequent speaker on topics including code compliance in healthcare and fire protection engineering in the built environment.
Mike lives in Houston and is establishing Coffman’s fire protection practice in the area and throughout Texas
https://www.coffman.com/team_members/michael-a-crowley-pe/
About Coffman Engineers
Since Dave Coffman founded our firm in 1979, we’ve added offices across the country and expanded into dozens of service offerings, but our commitment to innovative work and enduring relationships remains unchanged.
Each of our offices is locally managed with staff actively engaged in the community, so you will find us to be focused, proactive, and excited about each new opportunity. We’re also committed to the team effort it takes to make our clients and company successful.
We pride ourselves on working with integrity, honesty, and respect for all. We strive to be good neighbors, supporting many charitable efforts with donations of time and capital. We stand in solidarity against any societal construct that inhibits thriving.
About STI Firestop
Since 1990 Specified Technologies, Inc. (STI) is a global leader in the firestopping industry. The company manufactures a wide array of products and technologies to provide passive fire protection. Headquartered in Somerville, NJ, STI has sales offices all over the globe. STI Marine is a Division of STI that specializes in marine fire protection in the cruise line, offshore oil and gas, and general maritime industry. STI Marine’s product line consists of a full range of products used for penetration seals and cable transits in fire-rated bulkheads and decks, including water-tight firestop sealants, firestop collars for plastic piping, and an innovative cable transit device. All products comply with the IMO FTP Code and are subject to various Type Approvals include MED, DNV GL, Lloyds Register, ABS, USCG, BV, RINA and more…
