Showing posts with label fire alarm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fire alarm. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

ESC’s John Larkin Featured in Security Sales & Integration Magazine

John Larkin, ESC Senior Partner, was recently featured in a story published in the July issue of SSI magazine.

Entitled “Bundle to Broaden Your Security Services Package,” the story addresses the issue of how an alarm company becomes a single source vendor by creating incentives for his clients to purchase multiple systems, plus maintenance.

In this story John is quoted concerning how he bundles a variety of services together, creating incentives for his clients to purchase more for less. The publication John appears in is a magazine of his peers, which shows how important John Larkin's actions and business opinions are to other professionals in the field of security, safety, and fire protection.

Check out the story (click here) and then call John for a free consultation. Call 614-754-1393 or use our contact form by clicking on the button on the left.

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Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Inspection & Testing of Common Fire Alarm Devices

I ran across the following videos on fire alarm testing and inspection and thought I'd add them to this article on the ESC website. ESC believes it's important that our clients fully understand what must be done and why we do it. These videos will give you a good idea about both. Sometimes it may see redundant that we have to do this on such a regular basis, but your fire alarm system is an important part of your safety program. Without a working system, lives could be lost.

The second video is a training video on a specific fire alarm panel, a Notifier 3030 system. The value of this video is the general explanation of how fire alarms work, what the various devices are called, and what to do under certain conditions. It's a good, general training video that I believe can make a huge difference in your understanding of fire alarm systems and the issues surrounding testing and inspections.

The remainder of this article pertains to frequency of testing and inspection:

As most facility managers know, there are fire codes at the local, state, and national level that require the testing and inspection of all fire alarm systems installed in commercial and government settings. The following test and inspection frequency chart comes from information contained in the National Training Center (NTC) Chuck Notes publication. For more information on NTC, go to: http://www.nationaltrainingcenter.net/index.xml.

Remember, only qualified, licensed fire alarm technicians are authorized to test fire alarm devices and systems. Inspections can be performed by end users, but you must adhere to strict guidelines set forth by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) of Quincy, Mass. per NFPA Chapter 10.

 

Testing & Inspection of Common Fire Alarm Devices

Device

Inspection

Testing

Audible Devices

Semi-Annually

Annually

Visual Devices

Semi-Annually

Annually

Manual Pull Stations

Semi-Annually

Annually

Heat Detectors

Quarterly

Annually

Smoke Detectors

Semi-Annually

Annually

Testing & Inspection of Common Fire Systems

System

Inspection

Testing

Monitored Fire Alarm Control Panel

Annually

Annually

Non-monitored Fire Alarm Control Panel

Weekly

Quarterly

Voice Evacuation Systems

Semi-Annually

Annually

Primary Power Supplies

Annually

Annually

Secondary Power Batteries

Annually

Annually

Secondary Power Chargers

Quarterly

Quarterly

 

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Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Replace Your Home Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years

image of Jim Willisms installing a smoke detectorHome smoke alarms, also called single- and multiple-station smoke alarms, should be, by National Fire Code (NFC), replaced every 10 years.

“According to NFPA, aging smoke alarms don't operate as efficiently and often are the source for nuisance alarms. Older smoke alarms are estimated to have a 30% probability of failure within the first 10 years. Newer smoke alarms do better, but should be replaced after 10 years. Unless you know that the smoke alarms are new, replacing them when moving into a new residence is also recommended by NFPA” (NFPA urges replacing home smoke alarms after 10, National Fire Prevention Association, Quincy, Mass.)

The important point to know is which type of sensor fits the definitions set forth in NFPA 72, NFC, assembled by the consensus of fire professionals and experts and published by NFPA. For example, a single-station smoke alarm, whether used in stand-alone or multi-mode format, is that of the common, ordinary battery-operated detector found in most homes. This includes the 120VAC detector that often comes with a 9-V backup battery. In many locales, for good or bad, the latter has become the detector of choice among code enforcement officials, although recent changes in the NFC allows the use of smoke detectors (read on)’

Photo Caption: This is a combination fire/burglar alarm panel with a supervised power supply in the top panel.

In contrast, the other type of smoke detection device that fire technicians commonly work with is the smoke detector, which connects to a fire alarm system in the home or business. This type of detector derives its operating power from an approved and listed power supply, usually part of a compliant fire alarm control panel. Thus, a smoke detector is able to report alarms and possible trouble conditions to a central monitoring station, as well as locally in the home by sounders placed throughout.

The reason why smoke alarms must be replaced every 10 years primarily relates to the fact that residential smoke alarms are rarely inspected and cared for in the same manner as smoke detectors. In addition, there are safeguards built into a fire alarm system that are designed to detect sensitivity and operational issues that smoke alarms cannot perform in a proactive manner.

If you should have questions pertaining to the smoke alarms in your home and you need the advice of a professional, ESC stands ready to assist you in any and every way possible. If you have a fire alarm system and you’re having issues, also feel free to call on ESC. We offer the finest in service and installation in the state of Ohio.

Give us an opportunity to prove ourselves to you by calling me today. Use our quick response form on the right or visit our Contact Page.

John Larkin, Senior Partner

Copyright©2015

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Fire Alarm and Sprinkler Technician Wanted

Due to our rapid growth in the Columbus and Cleveland markets, Electronic Systems Consultants LLC, Columbus, Ohio, is looking for a skilled, knowledgeable fire alarm and sprinkler technician. Send a resume to john@esc-ohio.com, or call 614-754-1393.

About ESC
Electronic Systems Consultants, LLC (ESC) is a full service systems integrator provider offering a wide range of products and services in the electronic security and fire alarm markets. ESC’s professional staff has over 40 years of combined experience in both the installation and maintenance of integrated systems.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Happy Holidays From ESC

John Larkin, ESC Senior Partner We at ESC are proud of the year we had as an up-and-coming company in the fire and security industry. As we close out 2014, we’ve seen this business model take root from a start-up fire and security parts-and-smarts company--with most of our focus in the electrical bid market since 2011--to a full-fledged service provider with clear and focused attention on State of Ohio contracts among both large and small end users.

This year, ESC also saw growth in the area of key personnel additions to the field tech force, office management, director of business development, and director of social media/web. ESC is anxious to begin the New Year with a fresh perspective on our continued growth as a fire alarm, fire suppression, fire extinguishers, and security company.

:ESC has become one of the primary providers to Ohio Department of Corrections, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Administrative Services for the preventive maintenance and service of our core services. Adding to the good news, ESC also has procured the fire alarm service contract for the Columbus City Schools for 2015. That, along with a backlog of installation projects that include Krogers, NiSource, Ohio Veterans Home, Big Lots, LT Land Development, and the North Point Hotel, means that we expect to see our installation services increase going into 2015.

The year 2015 also will see ESC expand its services to include installation and service of Kitchen Hood and Fire Pumps, as well as small sprinkler installation and repair. ESC also will work to expand our client base within State of Ohio government using our MBE and DBE certifications for additional fire and security preventive maintenance services contracts. So in closing, I thank each and every one of you for your continued business. Together, let’s make 2015 the best year yet.

John Larkin, Senior Partner
Electronic Security Consultants
Phone: 614-754-1393
Web: http://bit.ly/1wXhlut

P.S. We emailed our Christmas card to all of our clients and friends. If you did not receive a copy, please click here to receive a copy in PDF. I'll send you one right away!
Thank you! --John Larkin

Copyright©2014