We want to thank everyone who participated in our end-of-year survey. Here is a summary of the responses with 79 responses logged.
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1. How is your staffing?

Other:

• Fully staffed but looking to hire at least 2 positions
• Only an owner/operator. No other employees before or since pandemic started. Use a specific group of subcontractors to perform some of my work.
• Always need to find GOOD employees!

2. How many of your employees have been sick with COVID-19, if any? Have you had a workplace shutdown or interruption of service due to positive cases?

37 respondents say they were unaffected by illness or shutdowns.

Other responses included:
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• 3, no shutdowns
• 5 employees, no shut down due to cases only quarantine
• At this point, we have 10 employees off sick for the Covid. This number represents 1/6th of our team
• 4
• We have seen a significant increase in employees with Covid in Q4 compared to Q2. Roughly 20 staff members tested positive while another 30 were quarantined but did not test positive. This created significant disruptions to normal business production in November and December
• None sick - but been tested multiple times due to possible exposures.
• One employee tested positive. We had two employees to quarantine but tested negative. Have not had to shut down in 2020.
• less than 10 positive cases. Shutdown a branch office for a week.
• Two positive. Neither exposed other coworkers. Contained within those exposed outside of work environment
• 1
• 1
• only 1
• 1 confirmed case of Covid 19. Several quarantine situations during the year, but all were negative for Covid
• 4
• 12 positive cases. No shut down and no interruption of service, however had to juggle previously scheduled appointments with the technicians for 2.5 weeks.
• 9 - 10% of workforce, mostly field. No impact to jobs. Closed office a couple times and had office employees work remote though. Had rotating office schedules.
• 2 - Techs got it, both back to work doing well! No shutdown just protocol in place.
• We Had one person in late February early March sick at the time and was diagnosed with Covid-19 about 10 days later he was on vacation at the time and was in the hospital for 3 weeks
• 2 and they quarantined. No shutdown or interruption
• 3, No Interruption
• 20
• 4 sick out of 45
• 2 People, some work pushed back because of this.
• Zero, however, we have had to have people quarantine which hurt our business.
• 1
• 4 out of 20
• We have had six employees come down with Covid. It is definitely affected the flow of service.
• 1, no
• One contracted COVID on a personal trip, and took two weeks off. No contact with other employees. Two others have quarantined due to exposure, but never tested positive for COVID. No shutdown, nor interruption of service.
• One covid positive employee. Using multiple tactics to avoid a workplace shutdown
• Ten
• 2
• We had one employee who was sick with COVID-19
• 5 no shutdown or interruption
• 5%. No shutdowns or interruptions.
• 58 (5.5% of our workforce) as of today.
• 8-10 sick with COVID. No business shutdown or interruption
• A few have had it but we haven't shutdown and they have been back to work within 14 days.
• 20+ some interruption with quarantining the close contacts. Also, customers postponing work due to their staff having cases.

Comments:

• We have seen a significant reduction in work forces related to the food service and hospitality businesses. Their revenue has been significantly decreased
• My clients are closing every day. Not only small "Mom and Pop" restaurants, but very large chains. Wendy's, Waffle House, Long John Silvers, Subway, Red Robbin, ETC.
• Primarily small mom and pop restaurants however large hotel chains have stretched payments creating concern for those as well
• Very very tiny amount of them.
• Many closed temporarily but now in California some have closed for good.
• We have had a couple of place go out of business, but they were having trouble prior to the COVID outbreak
• Sad to watch so many small businesses that shut there doors thanks to our Governor. I feel so blessed to be still up and running.
• Forecasting to lose 40-50% of restaurant trade
• Not yet, but we have a lot in the restaurant sector and the restaurants are hurting terribly right now. Some may go under if they do not receive a second PPP loan
• Mostly restaurants.
• besides many retail customers going bankrupt many have also closed a number of locations
• Food industry especially
• Mostly small businesses, restaurants, and some large office space customers, that are working from home because its safer, less expensive and more productive. ( Approx. 50 accounts so far. )
• Restaurants and small businesses
• Many small bars with forced shut downs.
• Very few went out of business. All were small businesses. None of our larger customers went out of business - most of them are essential businesses and are exceptionaly busy.
• A number of restaurants.
• We have a large variant when it comes to this. I would say by and large the majority are restaurants.
• We have definitely lost some of the smaller businesses.
• Mostly restaurants.
• A few restaurants have closed. Some other closures driven by market conditions unrelated to COVID. New accounts have more than backfilled those closures.
• Mostly restaurants
• But then we haven't reached everyone yet
• Restaurants mostly
• RESTAURANTS
• Entertainment
• Several bankruptcies among non-restaurant customers and many other restaurants that are now closed and may not reopen
• Restaurants and hospitality industry partners.
• Restaurants, small specialty businesses, movie theatres,
• Not many...yet anyway.

7. In planning for 2021, is there anything you have to plan differently than you normally do?​

NAFED staff participated in a webinar "Coronavius (COVID-19): What You Need to Know" presented by the National Safety Council in partnership with the CDC. We've been given access to share this webinar with you so you can stay informed on what the World Health Organization is now classifying as a global pandemic and consider what steps may need to be taken for yourself, your business, and your employees, if you haven't already.

View the presentation here.

Other helpful links on COVID-19:
• An infographic from CDC explaining how to keep workplaces, schools, homes and commercial sites safe from coronavirus
• OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
• NIOSH Guidance on coronavirus in workplaces
• CDC guidance on mass gatherings and large events
• CDC tips on what to do if you are sick

Regarding the Conference

NAFED is aware that the progressing situation may impact our future scheduled events. We are in close touch with our event venues in Atlantic City and Chicago and will be monitoring all local advisories. If there are any changes, we will update you as soon as that decision is made. We understand if you need to make changes to your reservation and will be waiving the cancellation fee.
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Be safe and be well.

New Fire Equipment Industry Benchmark Shows Positive Conditions for Early Summer
 
CHICAGO, Illinois. (July 17, 2019) – The fire equipment industry has a new, innovative industry benchmark, and it shows positive business conditions for the month of June 2019. The benchmark, the “NAFED Gauge,” is an exclusive index from the National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors (NAFED).
 
"This cutting-edge benchmark will help companies in the fire equipment industry make better business decisions,” said Danny Harris, CAE, NAFED Executive Director. “It is one more way that NAFED is contributing to our members' success as they seek to protect the lives and property of others."
 
This first-ever NAFED Gauge was well represented in the number and geographic distribution of responses. A large majority of these June 2019 responses rated current business conditions as positive, with 88% choosing that answer when asked the question, “How would you describe your current business conditions?” This translates to a NAFED Gauge reading of 121, with a number over 100 indicating conditions are positive.
 
"While that number by itself is helpful, NAFED members can also access other important measures for future business expectations, current challenges, and current sources of revenue," said Tim Krulan, NAFED President. "This is a goldmine of information that makes NAFED membership a critical business tool for any company involved in the fire protection services and equipment industry."
 
While this is the first month for the NAFED Gauge, future months will allow the industry benchmark to project trends that can be of ever greater help in planning for the future.

You can view the June benchmark data here.
 
Members will be able to access all future benchmark data by logging in to the member area of the NAFED website at www.nafed.org. Those companies that are not currently members can also find membership information on the NAFED website.
 
For more information about NAFED or the NAFED Gauge, contact Tamara Matthews, Communications Manager, at tamaram@nafed.org.
 
 
About NAFED
The National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors (NAFED) is a trade association serving companies that sell, distribute, and service fire equipment. Members sell and service portable fire extinguishers in addition to a full range of fire protection services including the installation and/or maintenance of pre-engineered kitchen systems, industrial systems, fire alarms, security systems, sprinklers, fire hose and standpipes, and emergency and exit lighting. NAFED members work in commercial, industrial, and residential settings making buildings safe and giving individuals the tools they need to fight early-stage fires.

​Following the 2018 annual meeting in St. Louis, NAFED instated three new board members who will serve out two-year terms with the option to renew for another two years. Congratulations and welcome to our new board members.
 
Region One Director: Michael Hein, Gordon Fire Equipment, LLC
Region Seven Director: Mary Krinbring, AAA Fire Protection Inc.
Director-at-Large: Daniel C. Laughlin, Pro-Tech Fire Protection, Inc.
 
On the executive committee, Tim Krulan has transitioned to president and George Seymour is now past president. Rodney Lee Lawson has taken on the role of treasurer.
 
Per the new bylaws, directors can roll over their term and serve for another two years. Staying on until 2020 are Charles Sanford, Michael Teeter, Christopher Jones, and Ken May.