About DGA Fire Protection Engineering
A Code-First Fire Protection Engineering Practice.
DGA is an independent, licensed fire protection engineering firm serving building owners, developers, architects, and contractors across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, Oregon, and Florida. The firm engineers solutions that pass authority review, protect occupants, and keep commercial and industrial operations running safely.
Independent means no equipment, installer or contractor ties. The recommendation is the one the code and the building call for.
“The sequence of operations was thorough, they were on-site for the integrated testing and worked through every deficiency with our controls contractor until it all passed.”
- 100+ projects delivered
- Licensed PE NY · NJ · PA · MD · DE · WA · OR · FL
- Files with FDNY & NYC DOB
01Approach
Built for Complex Scenarios Where Prescriptive Codes Fall Short.
DGA was founded on a straightforward premise: the fire protection problems that actually matter to building owners are the ones generic templates cannot solve.
The firm specializes in complex scenarios where prescriptive codes leave gaps and modern life safety standards must be reconciled with existing construction.
Every engagement begins with the specific code environment of the project. Each recommendation ties back to a governing jurisdiction, an applicable NFPA standard, and the operational realities of the building.
In practice
Recent work, anonymized.
- Special industrial occupancyChemical Distribution Warehouse Compliance AssessmentAn NFPA 30 assessment of a flammable liquids warehouse, delivered as a sealed, risk-prioritized report the insurance underwriter accepted.Read the case study
- Federal · HistoricHistoric Federal Office Building CertificationA fire protection inspection and sealed certification letter for a federal agency in a historic NYC metro building, accepted by federal reviewers on schedule.Read the case study
- Manufacturing campusMedical Manufacturing Campus ExpansionIntegrated sprinkler, fire alarm and suppression design for a medical device campus addition, brought online with no service interruption and approved on first submission.Read the case study
02Structure
Lean Operational Structure, Direct PE Accountability.
Fire protection engineering is priced less by the hour than by the organization behind the hour. A large national firm’s rate must carry regional offices, dedicated business development teams, and multiple layers of project management.
Traditional large firm
The pyramid
- Senior leadership
- Account management
- Project management layers
- Junior drafting pool
- Business development, regional offices & overhead
Every layer is carried in the hourly rate.
DGA
Direct delivery
- Client project
- Licensed Professional EngineerWalks the site, sets the design basis, checks every calculation, and seals the drawings.
- AHJ review and approvalThe same engineer answers reviewer comments through sign-off.
The fee pays for engineering.
The leaner structure does not change the standard: the same codes, the same hydraulic calculations, and a professional seal that carries the same legal weight.
03Credentials
Professional Credentials & Regional Licensure.
Who does the work
Every project is led by a licensed PE with a graduate degree in fire protection engineering and field experience across industrial, federal and healthcare facilities.
Licensed Professional Engineers
Active PE licenses in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, Oregon, and Florida, with full authority to stamp and seal life safety and fire protection engineering documents across all four jurisdictions.
Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Active professional members of SFPE, engaging directly with the international organization of fire protection engineering practitioners and technical researchers.
NFPA Codes & Standards
Active application of and ongoing engagement with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes, standards, and technical review cycles.
Extensive Field Experience
Fire pump acceptance tests, facility code surveys, and AHJ coordination conducted and witnessed across industrial, federal, commercial, and healthcare facilities.
Licensed jurisdictions
Select a state for local codes, reviewing agencies, and recent projects.
04Process
The Engineering & Plan Review Process.
How a project moves from a fixed-scope proposal to permit sign-off, in three stages.
- Phase 01
Investigation & Code Feasibility
On-site verification, code classification under the IBC and NFPA standards, and an alternate method or variance strategy where the prescriptive path does not fit.
- Phase 02
Analysis & Calculation
Water supply analysis, hydraulic calculations and pipe sizing, and PE-sealed construction documents.
- Phase 03
AHJ Resolution & Sign-Off
Direct representation before NYC DOB and FDNY, New Jersey UCC offices, Philadelphia L&I, and Maryland fire marshal reviewers through permit issuance.
05Engagement
How We Engage.
Discretion and Confidentiality
Client information is handled with discretion. DGA never names clients in marketing materials without explicit permission, and all case studies are anonymized by default.
Fixed-Scope Proposals
Every engagement starts with a short discovery conversation and a transparent, fixed-scope fee proposal, so the scope and the fee are settled before work begins.
Direct PE Accountability
You communicate directly with the licensed Professional Engineer stamping your drawings. No intermediary project coordinators; any drafting support works under that engineer’s direct review.
Ready to Talk to an Engineer?
DGA accepts projects of varying complexity and scope across NY, NJ, PA, MD, DE, WA, OR, and FL. Share the project details and expect a reply within one business day.