Jon Bernal Appointed to NFPA 72’s Committee for Protected Premises Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems (SIG-PRO)
ACS Group is proud to announce that Jon Bernal has been appointed as a Principal member of the NFPA Technical Committee for Protected Premises Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems (SIG-PRO), the committee responsible for developing and maintaining Chapters 12, 21, and 23 of NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
This is a meaningful recognition and a significant step for both Jon and for the company, as a fire protection engineering and life safety consulting firm. Seats on NFPA Technical Committees are not simply awarded; they are filled by professionals who have demonstrated deep expertise, active engagement in the industry, and a genuine commitment to advancing the standards that shape how life safety systems are designed and built across the country.
What this appointment means
NFPA 72 is the foundational code governing the installation, performance, inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm and signaling systems in the United States. From a single-building system to a sprawling campus or a high-rise mixed-use development, fire alarm work in this country is built on NFPA 72.
The code does not update itself. It is shaped by the professionals who sit on NFPA Technical Committees and participate in a structured, consensus-based development process that is open to the public.
The NFPA standards development process moves through four formal stages:
1. Public Input — Anyone can propose changes. The committee reviews all submissions and publishes a First Draft Report.
2. Public Comment — A second round of review allows further comment on the First Draft, producing a Second Draft Report.
3. NFPA Technical Meeting — Members debate and vote on proposed amendments at the annual NFPA Conference and Expo.
4. Standards Council Action — The Standards Council issues the final edition of the standard, handling any appeals in the process.
Committee members are appointed by the NFPA Standards Council and serve as the core of this process. They are responsible for deliberating on proposed changes, resolving technical disagreements, and ensuring the final code reflects current engineering knowledge, technology, and field conditions. A seat on one of these committees puts a practitioner at the table where those decisions get made.
The SIG-PRO committee specially covers the installation and operation of protected premises fire alarm and signaling systems, including their interconnection with initiating devices, notification appliances, and other related building control equipment, within the protected premises.
For ACS Group, Jon’s appointment reflects something we have always believed: that real expertise belongs in the rooms where standards are written, not just applied. Our clients work with us because they want professionals who understand code at a level deeper than a code check — the kind of NFPA compliance consulting and code consulting services that anticipate where standards are headed, not just where they are. This appointment is evidence of that depth, and it positions ACS Group to stay ahead of where NFPA 72 is heading before the next edition is ever published.
Jon’s participation also means our clients gain a direct line of insight into the development process. When code language is proposed, debated, or changed, Jon will be part of that conversation. That knowledge flows directly back into the consulting and design work ACS Group delivers every day.
We are proud of Jon and his dedication to our clients, our community, and most importantly, our team.
ABOUT JON BERNAL
Jon has worked across a variety of sectors, including hospitality, gaming, higher education, energy storage, and government, bringing a perspective shaped by every angle of the industry — fire protection engineer, licensed fire alarm technician in New York City, owner’s representative for the US government, and volunteer firefighter. His range of experience is what makes him effective when dealing with complicated projects.
As a Las Vegas fire protection consultant for ACS Group, LLC, Jon leads fire alarm design and NFPA compliance work for clients across the western U.S. He holds NICET Level II Fire Alarm Certification and serves as a Principal member of the NFPA SIG-AAC Technical Committee responsible for NFPA 72.