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In Episode 93 of the Fire Protection Podcast, host Drew Slocum sits down with Dr. Roger Reiswig from Johnson Controls. With nearly four decades at the company and an active role on NFPA, UL and international code committees, Dr. Reiswig offers a rare inside view of where fire and life safety standards have been, why they change and what fire protection professionals need to know today.

Among the topics covered:

  • How countries outside the US adopt and implement NFPA codes (often faster than US states)
  • European EN standards vs NFPA: where they align and where they differ
  • Europe's requirement to replace smoke detectors on a fixed cycle vs the US approach
  • The 2010 scope change in NFPA 72 and why inspections actually pulled back
  • Remote and automated inspection technology: where adoption stands today

Watch the video below or visit the Fire Protection Podcast.

“We do say in (NFPA) 72 that if you can’t maintain or test a device after it’s installed, you do not install it…there’s a different way to do it.”

– Dr. Rodger Reiswig, Vice President, Industry Relations, Fire Detection, Johnson Controls

Got questions? We’ve got answers.

FAQs drawn from the episode's key topics.


Why do some US states still operate under older editions of NFPA 72?
Adopting a new edition takes time and money: training, documentation and updated enforcement procedures. Some jurisdictions are several cycles behind. Knowing which edition applies in each state you work in directly affects what you're required to test and how.

How widely has remote inspection technology been adopted in the field?
Adoption is growing, and customer reception has been strong. Modern horn strobe inspection, for example, can activate every device in a building, confirm each one functions and identify any failures in seconds.

What's the difference between smoke detector replacement requirements in Europe vs. the rest of the world?
In much of Europe, smoke detectors must be replaced or recertified on a fixed schedule, with the timeline varying by country. In the US, no mandatory replacement cycle exists. Under UL and NFPA guidelines, a device can remain in service indefinitely as long as it tests within the proper sensitivity range and passes functional testing.