Breaking New Ground: FM-Approved Water Mist Systems for HC-2 and HC-3 Occupancies

Thursday, October 23, 2025
11:00 am Eastern

The fire protection industry has achieved a significant technological advancement with FM Global's expansion of water mist approval standards to include Hazard Category 2 (HC-2) and Hazard Category 3 (HC-3) non-storage occupancies. After three years of comprehensive research and full-scale fire testing, water mist technology has proven effective for challenging fire suppression applications including manufacturing facilities, convention centers, casinos, food processing plants, and schools.

This educational webinar examines the science and engineering behind these breakthrough approvals. FM Global will present research methodology, fire dynamics analysis, and testing protocols that demonstrated water mist effectiveness in HC-2 and HC-3 environments. Key technical findings include suppression mechanisms, ceiling height limitations, and the physics of water mist performance in higher hazard classifications.

VID FIREKILL will provide technical insights into low-pressure water mist technology, exploring droplet size distribution, heat absorption principles, and oxygen displacement mechanisms that enable effective fire suppression at pressures between 116-232 psi. The presentation will examine system design parameters, nozzle spacing requirements, and the engineering considerations for achieving unlimited area protection.

Marioff will share technical lessons learned from their ongoing HC-2/HC-3 approval process, discussing the engineering challenges of adapting high-pressure water mist systems for these occupancy types, test methodology variations, and the technical criteria that approval bodies evaluate during certification.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the fire science principles behind HC-2/HC-3 water mist approvals
• Examine water mist suppression mechanisms and droplet physics
• Compare technical approaches between low-pressure and high-pressure systems
• Learn about fire testing methodologies and performance criteria
• Explore engineering design considerations for higher hazard occupancies
• Gain technical insights into the approval testing process

This session provides fire protection engineers, consultants, and technical professionals with in-depth knowledge of water mist technology advancements, focusing on the scientific principles and engineering considerations that make these systems effective for demanding fire suppression applications.

Presenters:

Jonathan Carpenter, AVP and Technical Team Manager
FM Approvals
Jonathan leads the certification of fire protection systems, with a focus on water mist technologies under FM 5560. He has played a key role in expanding the standard to cover higher-risk occupancies and data center applications. A recognized expert in the field, Jonathan also serves on the Board of the International Water Mist Association (IWMA), contributing to global advancements in fire suppression standards and system reliability.

Jonathan G. Ingram, B.S.E.E.General Manager / Director of Sales
Marioff North America
Jonathan Ingram leads Marioff’s high-pressure water mist business in North America, bringing over 20 years of experience in fire protection engineering, product management, and sales. Prior to joining Marioff, he held various roles at Kidde Fire Systems, including applications engineering and product management. He serves on multiple NFPA technical committees, including NFPA 76, NFPA 855, and NFPA 2001, and has authored technical articles on clean agent fire suppression for energy storage systems. Jonathan holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Hartford and is a LEED Green Associate.

Miguel Martinez, Chief Commercial Officer
VID FIREKILL
Miguel oversees VID FIREKILL’s global strategy in business development, marketing, and sales, with a strong focus on low-pressure water mist systems for critical infrastructure, data centers, buildings, and maritime applications. Previously he served as Business Development Manager before his promotion to CCO effective December 1, 2023. He represents VID FIREKILL in high-level industry forums, frequently speaking about water mist technology for data center fire protection, infrastructure resilience, and sustainable fire safety solutions.

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