The case for Firefighter Air Replenishment Systems model codes: debunking myths that could put firefighters at risk

On Friday May 16, 2025, Daily Dispatch published an opinion piece by code consultant Jeffrey Shapiro entitled "Firefighter Air Replenishment Systems (FARS) – Do They Belong in Model Codes." Mr. Shapiro reaches the misguided conclusion that FARS do not belong in the model code – a code he co-authored with Chief Ronny J. Coleman and code consultant Jim Tidwell for the 2015 International Fire Code (IFC).

The opinion piece appeared just four days before the Fire Advisory Board of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) was scheduled to hear arguments to rescind its 2021 recommendation to all its member governments to adopt codes requiring FARS. The piece touched on numerous topics related to FARS history, cost, value, and the role of model codes. No one contacted Johnson Controls or, to our knowledge, any FARS advocate to fact-check the piece.

When the arguments in the opinion piece are fact-checked, the case for FARS as an important life safety system for firefighters in high-rise building fires and the need for model codes covering FARS becomes clear.

The following facts support the continued inclusion of FARS in the model codes:

1. FARS has proven itself in real-world fire incidents.

The number of times a FARS has been deployed in a working fire is difficult to determine, because there is no mandated reporting and no entity that is tasked with tracking deployments.

However, a 2021 report in the Frisco Enterprise documented the use of FARS by the Frisco, Texas Fire Department while fighting a fire in a 17-story residential high-rise. This account directly contradicts the statement that there is a lack of evidence showing even a single FARS system contributed to a better outcome.

According to published reports, Frisco firefighters received low-air alarms while operating inside the structure and accessed the FARS system, which functioned as designed to allow quick access to air replenishment.

Frisco Fire Department Battalion Chief Keith Gall, who was on scene at the fire, spoke about the use of FARS to the newspaper. "It's quicker, less manpower, more effective, more efficient," he said. "Overall, it’s a gamechanger." The article also contained additional content related to the value of the FARS system and its contribution to what was clearly a "better outcome."

You can read the Johnson Controls case study on this FARS deployment here.

FARS is not unproven—but it is underutilized. That is changing fast as jurisdictions across the country are looking for ways to keep pace with increasing commercial and residential development in denser urban and suburban communities and address the unique risks that taller, more complex buildings present. Model codes help speed the process of risk reduction through code adoption and implementation without impacting fire department budgets.

2. Existing code-mandated building safety systems do not address all fireground realities, nor solve the logistical challenges of air resupply.

Out-of-air emergencies and/or exposure to toxic smoke have happened in numerous large structure fires in buildings that were not equipped with FARS. A simple online search can provide examples.

Even in fully code-compliant buildings, there are no building-installed safety systems that make FARS redundant. Dense smoke remains a persistent hazard that impairs visibility and increases air consumption, and exposure to toxic smoke remains a risk. Sprinkler systems do not deliver air. Elevators, if working, cannot match the speed of air delivery by a FARS. They also present risks to firefighters due to malfunction, the condition of the elevator shaft, and other variables. Only FARS, a dedicated building-installed standpipe for air, can provide instant access to air resupply inside a building, allowing fire crews to refill their SCBAs in two minutes or less while under full respiration.

Emergencies in high-rise buildings are low frequency, high-impact events. But the low incidence of a fire at any particular location does not mean that these buildings should not be equipped with proven technologies to increase occupant and first responder safety should a fire occur. Hence, we have code requirements for sprinkler systems, building intelligence systems, seismic structural standards, etc., as well as testing, certification, routine inspection and maintenance standards and recommendations for regional consistency to facilitate mutual aid.

FARS is a proactive, firefighter-controlled solution to the challenge of air resupply that is not dependent on the integrity of other building systems.

3. FARS is cost-effective and comparable to other building utilities – less than 1% of total construction cost.

A manufacturer-led cost study shows that FARS typically represents less than 1% of total construction costs. The median cost was 0.8%. These costs are less than or equal to those of other building utilities.

4. Operational strategies and decisions should be determined by fire chiefs and their ops personnel, not by those who may lack current field experience.

Safety requirements for buildings are best decided by those who understand their community's rate of growth, risk, and response capabilities. Fireground tactics and equipment use is best decided by those who lead operations. Model codes are tools for fire department leadership to make informed decisions to meet the needs of their jurisdiction and simplify code adoption. There is no room for misinformation in this process.

5. Model Code Inclusion Encourages Innovation and Competition

Model codes are a blueprint for adoption, not a mandate. Access to model codes provides a standardized path for jurisdictions that want to adopt FARS, ensuring consistency and increasing safety. Adoption drives growth and competition. As more jurisdictions adopt FARS, new providers are incentivized to enter the space, spurring innovation, reducing costs, and expanding options.

6. Model Code Inclusion Reflects What Firefighters Are Asking For

Firefighters are asking for tools that extend their operational time and improve safety.

Fire department leadership across the country sees FARS as one such necessary tool and are advocating for codes that require FARS in new construction. The growing number of code adoptions nationwide, not the number of deployments of the FARS system to date, is the metric that supports the legitimacy of FARS.

Conclusion

Model codes for FARS did not just begin "showing up" in model code appendices 20 years ago. Model codes contained in the Uniform Plumbing Code (2006); the International Fire Code (IFC) in 2015; and the NFPA Fire Code (2018) were proposed, vetted, and approved by qualified professionals who initiate, review, and approve code changes through an accepted process, and who had accurate information on which to base their decisions.

Fire service leadership depends on factual information to drive their decisions at the jurisdictional level. Debunking myths with the facts detailed above leads to good decision-making, which places the health and safety of our frontline firefighters at the forefront of our decision making.

Johnson Controls welcomes the opportunity to answer any questions about FARS and its code advocacy and encourages future authors of articles on the FARS system to contact our team for accurate responses to their questions and concerns.

A condensed version of this article appeared in the Daily Dispatch on June 20, 2025.