Making the grade
When Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Fla., decided to update its 10-year-old fire alarm system, school officials looked for an expandable system that could increase its capability by adding panels. It wanted a fully addressable, intelligent, and menu-driven system with a control panel to be simple enough to be operated by entry-level personnel, with minimum training. After a year of development between the manufacturer and the school, the new FireFinder system offers the school 500 initiating points for smoke detectors, heat detectors, pull stations, duct detectors, water flow detectors, and addressable modules. As the system grows, it can be expanded to support 50 digital loop cards of 250 points each.
Siemens.
Reader Service No. 205
Next-generation detection
Fire detector continuously samples the air and adjusts its detection threshold without user intervention and with no need for an installer to set sensitivity levels. The Acclimate detector incorporates both thermal and photoelectric technologies that interact to maximize detection. An on-board microprocessor and advanced software reject nuisance alarms.
Fire Control Instruments.
Reader Service No. 206
No-fail fire protection
Sprinkler system has built-in features that ensure protection while preventing water from entering the system, even during power failures. Available in both single and double interlock electric releases, in 1½ to 8-in. sizes, the new SureFire Preaction system includes the Model E or F Deluge Valve, EZ Trim, Easy Riser check valve, and PAR-3 Release Control Panel. The SureFire trim kit comes complete with two solenoids, a pneumatic actuator, and all the fittings needed to complete the system.
Viking.
Reader Service No. 209
Twist and turn
Flexible stainless-steel hose used to connect sprinkler heads to the branch lines of commercial sprinkler systems provides no rigid joints between the branch line and the head. Rated up to 300 psi, each sprinkler hose is leak- and pressure-tested. Available in 2-ft. to 6-ft. lengths.
FlexHead Industries.
Reader Service No. 203
Fire notification
An eight-page brochure on flexible network solutions for advanced fire protection includes information on the Noti Fire Net fire system network and the UniNet 2000 facility monitoring network. Designed to provide engineers, end-users, and specifiers with information on flexible network solutions for complex fire alarm needs, the brochure illustrates how Noti Fire Net, a peer-to-peer fire alarm network, allows each fire alarm control panel to maintain its own area of protection, while monitoring and interacting with other nodes.
Notifier.
Reader Service No. 208
Fire-rated insulation
Duct insulation is a non-ceramic, high-temperature blanket that now gives a two-hour fire rating in single-layer applications. FlameCheck 2 is a 2-in.-thick insulation that delivers the same performance in one layer that previously required two, says its maker. It allows for zero clearance to combustibles at the overlap or collar once installed. FlameCheck 2 meets the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association for fire-rated grease ducts.
CertainTeed.
Reader Service No. 207
Controlled report
Fire alarm control panel features advanced auto-programming capabilities, reducing installation time and overall cost, says the manufacturer. The MS-9200UD includes a remote upload/download communicator, which allows for reporting of all system activity to a remote monitoring location. Using Windows-based software, the installer can command the unit to program itself in less than one minute.
Fire-Lite Alarms (Honeywell).
Reader Service No. 204
On-line security
An Internet-powered, BACnet-compliant, IT-friendly building automation system, the eBuilding v1.1 includes improvements to scheduling, alarm management, trending, and extended support for multiple sites. The system has a common navigation menu between Facility pages and Envoy Explorer for integrated site management, the ability to quickly generate a complete web-based graphics system for a facility, scheduling information built immediately in web pages in easy-to-understand formats, and immediate alarm notification via on-screen alerts and system-delivered email or page notification to facility personnel.
Tetrol.
Reader Service No. 211
New escape
New patented fire escape for commercial buildings is concealed within the rafters of the building's roof and can be installed in an existing or new building. The Ferguson Fire Escape System (F.F.E.S.) can be produced in various sizes to accommodate large and small buildings, and can be installed with screws into the wood or metal framing of a structure. F.F.E.S. consists of a rectangular frame with a series of rungs. A pair of roller chains or nylon straps tie the rungs together. The lowest rung features a faceplate matching the exterior of the structure, making the system undetectable from the outside. The system is deployed with a push-button switch positioned beneath a window.
Invention Submission Corp.
Reader Service No. 210
Survey the room
Advanced surveillance system, supported by a digital media infrastructure created by IBM, offers networked digital storage of security video from multiple networked systems. Providing a central point of control for all video files, the surveillance system includes virtually unlimited storage capability, improved access to video files via desktop PCs, and the ability to extract video from remote sites, says its maker.
Panasonic.
Reader Service No. 202