IFSJ Exclusive: Prepared to protect with Telgian

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Telgian Vice President and NFPA instructor Ralph E. Bless, Jr., PE, CFPS, SET discusses the CFPS test prep for fire protection training he recently carried out in KSA

Over the past 25 years, countries within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have experienced incredible growth. This concentrated, rapid development has led to myriad electrical, fire protection, code enforcement, and ITM challenges.  

As part of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) commitment to serving global stakeholders such as those in the MENA region, Telgian Vice President and NFPA instructor Ralph Bless provided five days of CFPS test prep for team members from the Saudi Electricity Company fire protection group in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. By providing this training for NFPA, Bless supplied participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare them for the CFPS Exam. The CFPS is an essential credential verifying proficiency in mitigating both physical and financial loss from fire hazards. 

Bless has long been recognised as one of the industry’s top experts and he shares this knowledge as a speaker, presenter and instructor across the US and around the globe. He has also published numerous articles on related fire and life safety topics in industry publications worldwide.

Bless is licensed as a Professional Engineer in six US states, a Certified Fire Protection Specialist, Level IV NICET senior fire sprinkler layout technician and holds four additional NICET certifications, as well as ten US state licenses. Dedicated to the industry, he plays an active leadership role within several important fire and life safety organizations including the NFPA.

IFSJ Editor Iain Hoey sat down with Ralph E. Bless, Jr., PE, CFPS, SET, to discuss fire protection training in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Can you tell me about your background in the fire sector?  

I have 40 years of experience in fire protection including a broad range of water-based and special hazard system design, code consulting and fire protection engineering services. I am licensed as a Professional Engineer in six states in the US, a Certified Fire Protection Specialist, Level IV NICET senior fire sprinkler layout technician and hold four additional NICET certifications, as well as ten state licenses.

In addition, I serve on six NFPA committees including Chair of for Record Storage, NFPA 232 as well as NFPA 1, NFPA 13 Installation and Correlating, NFPA 15 and NFPA 915.

How did working with the Saudi Electricity Company fire protection group in Jeddah come about?

NFPA was contracted by the Saudi Electricity Company for in-person CFPS training. The Saudi Electricity Company is the leading provider for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power in Saudi Arabia, with 45 power generation plants across the Kingdom.

This training was very important, as these professionals are involved in the electrical power supply for an entire nation. I was thrilled to be selected by NFPA as the on-site instructor, based on my years of fire protection and teaching experience.

What exactly did the training involve and why is it essential for the participants?

Training involved five days of presentations on a variety of fire protection topics, focused on the NFPA Fire Protection Handbooks.  The focus of the training is to provide participants with the knowledge and skill necessary to prepare for the CFPS Exam.

The CFPS is considered “the global gold standard credential” in the fire protection industry.

Was the training a success? Do you have plans for a similar initiative in the future?

The feedback from the participants was very positive and I look forward to working with them again in the future.  Although I don’t have anything currently on the schedule in KSA, I do have over 40 other training events planned for this year.

What did you learn from conducting this training?

It is always a pleasure to work with other fire safety and fire protection professionals around the world.  And during this trip, I was also able to learn a little about the fascinating culture and history of KSA.

I really enjoyed my time in the country. The people were wonderful and welcoming, and I look forward to continuing to work with professionals for the betterment of the industry and society.

Contact Ralph at [email protected]

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

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