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NFPA Americas Fire and Security Expo will join with the 2010 NFPA Conference & Expo …. Event to be held in Las Vegas this June

 January 25, 2010, Lisle, IL—The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and ROC Exhibitions, Inc. announced today that Americas’ Fire and Security Expo (AFSE), previously held in Miami, will join together with the 2010 NFPA Conference &Expo, the largest and most prestigious fire and life safety industry event in the United States which will be held in Las Vegas June 7-10.

 “AFSE has been a successful event for 15 years, serving primarily the Latin American distributors and integrators of fire and security products. Joining with NFPA’s premier Conference & Expo, which alternates between Chicago, Boston and Las Vegas, will better serve distribution channels and end users from Latin America by providing a larger audience and additional opportunities,” said Marc Rosenstock, President of ROC Exhibitions, Inc. “We are also exploring options for a possible return to Miami in 2011 with a new regional show that would meet the needs of that market,” Rosenstock added.

 Sessions of special interest to the Latin American audience will be offered in Spanish or simultaneously translated, a Latin American networking function will be introduced, and an International Business Center will be established for the convenience of end-users and channel partners visiting from Latin America and other countries.

NFPA and ROC Exhibitions, Inc. are inviting both attendees and exhibitors from AFSE to participate in the 2010 NFPA Conference &Expo which takes place June 7-10 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.

Exhibiting companies interested in reaching the largest gathering of international fire, life safety and electrical professionals in the region are encouraged to demonstrate their products at the 2010 NFPA C&E.

 Conference attendees will be able to select from over 130 educational presentations organized by the NFPA to keep them up-to-date with the most important trends and code issues in the industry. At the expo, end users, distributors, and integrators will have an opportunity to network with 5,000 of their industry peers and interact with over 300 market-leading manufacturers and suppliers to the industry.

Registration is now open for the 2010 NFPA Conference and Expo.  Visit www.nfpa.org/conference to pre-register.  International travelers can request an official letter of invitation on the website for use in the visa application process.

Companies interested in demonstrating their products at the NFPA Conference & Expo should contact ROC Exhibitions, Inc. in Lisle, IL at 630-271-8210.

Press contact: Kathleen Brown
Telephone: 630-271-8233
e-mail: kbrown@rocexhibitions.com

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The most important event of the year for professionals in fire protection, electrical, & life safety and security, the 2010 NFPA Conference & Expo, is being held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, June 7-9.  Take this opportunity to get learn about the latest fire safety, electrical and building code changes and see products from leading fire protection and life safety suppliers. 

For event schedule, conference line-up and exhibitor list, visit www.nfpa.org/conference.

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NOTIFIER Fire Alarm/Mass Notification Systems Now Provide Multi-Media Alert Services 

NORTHFORD, Conn, December 17, 2009 – NOTIFIER by Honeywell (NYSE: HON) has expanded its mass notification (a.k.a. emergency communications) capabilities to include delivery of multi-media alerts to PCs (personal computers), electronic signage, telephones and wireless devices. Communication management tools provided by REACT Systems™ can now integrate with NOTIFIER’s suite of mass notification systems to deliver critical information to targeted audi ences.

The REACT Critical Response Notification System works in conjunction with NOTIFIER’s suite of indoor/outdoor voice systems, amber strobes and LED signage to create a highly comprehensive emergency communication delivery system. Audio, SMS (text messaging), pictures and video alerts can be directed to targeted audiences, including first responders, personnel or the general public.

Instant pop-up windows containing emergency event information and response procedures can appear on PCs, regardless of the programs in-use. Alternate evacuation route diagrams can be shown on public video monitors simultaneously in different locales throughout a building. Verbal alerts can be sent to telephones while SMS and e-mail messages are delivered to wireless devices. Overall, communications can be distributed to an unlimited number of locations and recipients throughout the world, in any language.

Alerts can be triggered manually or triggered automatically via integration with NOTIFIER fire alarm and mass notification systems. The REACT Console allows authorized users to initiate and update alerts, manage users, track the status of events, update media content (i.e. maps, graphics, photographs) and manage the system configuration. To quickly launch general or predetermined notifications, “Single Button Alert” panic buttons can be configured to initiate alerts to specific audiences quickly with the click of the mouse or press of a button on the keyboard.

For more information on NOTIFIER’s complete portfolio of mass notification solutions, visit www.notifier.com.

Notifier is a member of www.fire-professionals.com.  Visit the Notifier Company Showcase page on Fire-Professionals.com

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Jim Kidd is smiling and he is content.

Retirement is in sight at the end of this year, but he continues to work as hard now as he did on his first project.  Jim is smiling and content because he is one of those rare professionals who loves his work and is passionate about his industry.

In a recent phone interview, Jim said “I just cannot cruise into retirement. There are a few new projects starting up and a few older ones that I want to see to completion.”

Looking back over his career, Jim says there was never a time when he did not enjoy his work. “I truly love the industry and it has treated me well. It is never boring because I have had the opportunity to work on so many unique and varied projects.”

Those projects are all so diverse.  They include the special agent protection systems ranging from the newspaper presses at the Boston Globe … to the entire Pusey rare books library at Harvard University.

The beginnings of a career
Jim Kidd has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeaster University. He is also one of the first in the country to achieve a National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technology (NICET) Level lV, Senior Engineering Technician (SET), in Fire Protection Engineering Technology, Special Hazards Systems Layout.

Throughout his career Jim has worked on projects where Hiller’s specialties apply but his first four years were spent as a systems designer and field technical representative for the FYR-FYTER CO. (Norris Industries). The following 29 years he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Systems Engineer for a Massachusetts-based fire systems reseller.

Jim has now worked in the Special Hazards, HPR, and Fire Protection business for a total of 48 years.  14 years ago, Jim partnered up with The Hiller Companies to open up the New England office, where he is vice president.

The Hiller Companies, who has existed for more than 90 years, are specialists in the special hazards, HPR fire protection business.  They are a nationally known company with 8 offices throughout the US.

Jim says that this field is a very interesting and exciting specialized industry, which offers an abundance of opportunities for new engineering graduates.   Jim feels this has certainly been a very productive and gratifying career for himself and is grateful for the myriad of opportunities it has presented him over the years.

Committees
The work Jim did in the industry exposed him to several different industry committees and associations. Jim is a 25-year member of the NFPA 12 Technical Committee on Carbon Dioxide Systems, and he was appointed to the NFPA 2001 Committee on Clean Agents in 2005.

 “I will continue to represent The Hiller Companies on with the NFPA Committee work. I feel it is important to have a voice in the creation of the industries’ codes and standards,” he says.

Jim is also a founding director and was a 25 year member of the Technical Committee  of the Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA).   He is also a member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors (NAFED) and the New England Chapter of Fire Protection Systems Designers Association.

The Future
Jim’s experience will continue to be shared with his valued and competent colleagues at The Hiller Companies.  Jim hopes to continue to offer training and be available for special projects.

“I am leaving Hiller New England with the utmost confidence that all my colleagues will continue to provide professional, expert fire protection services to our customers.”

What I’ll miss the most, though, are the wonderful colleagues and friends I’ve made throughout my years in the business.  I especially will miss the incredible group of people I’ve worked with at Hiller New England, some of them for more than 35 years. The many friends, too, at The Hiller Companies have been so supportive and encouraging and I’ve very much enjoyed their friendship and camaraderie throughout the years.

I’ll also miss the many friends I’ve made because of my involvement on the many committees I’ve had the privilege of serving.

What about retirement?   I am excited about pursing my favorite hobby, photography, as well as spending more time with my seven grandchildren.  I hope to enjoy some traveling with my wife, Nancy, also.  In addition, a new puppy is definitely in our plan!!

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Advanced Fire Systems’  Ax Series of Intelligent Fire Alarm Control Panels support 1, 2 or 4 loops in both standalone and networked (up to 200 nodes) configurations. Each high current (500 mA) SLC driver, supports up to 126 intelligent devices with unique sub-addressing expanding system capacity up to 1512 points per panel. An integral “loop booster” sustains regulated loop voltage during AC power loss eliminating degradation in system performance and may support either shielded or non shielded wire.

Each panel comes with two expandable to four, high current, voltage regulated, Notification Appliance Circuits that are compatible with virtually any listed Notification Appliance Device available on the market. An integral 5 Amp power supply may be expanded to 10 Amps. Its built-in voltage and current meters provide tremendous time savings during the install process and similar to the system status, may be viewed on or off site with its Virtual Panel Software Tool or our IP Gateway product. All of the AX Series panels and peripherals are certified to ANSI/UL-864 9th Edition.

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Take the CS 4-Minute Fire Survey … Campus Safety magazine is conducting its second annual fire survey.  The poll will take about four minutes to complete. All answers, E-mail addresses, participant names and campus identities will remain confidential and will only be used in tabulation with other responses. The results of this poll will appear in the January/February 2009 issue of Campus Safety magazine.  The survey will be open to campus protection professionals until Dec. 10.

To participate, click here.

To forward this survey to a colleague, please send them this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=NE1oF6a3ze61GXpOUaMS_2bA_3d_3d.

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The Center for Campus Fire Safety supports the USFA’s INSTALL. INSPECT. PROTECT. CAMPAIGN Encouraging residents to install smoke alarms and sprinklers.

Newburyport, MA  … More than 3,000 people die in home fires each year in the United States; most of whom are in homes without a working smoke alarm. To prevent these deaths, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sponsoring a nationwide Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign designed to raise awareness about how working, properly installed smoke alarms can lower a person’s chances of dying in a fire. CCFS is supporting this critical effort to reduce injuries and the loss of life.

The USFA’s Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign is aimed at encouraging Americans to practice fire safety by installing and maintaining smoke alarms and residential fire sprinklers, which can help save the lives of residents and fire fighters, practicing fire escape plans, and performing a home safety walk-through to remove fire hazards from the home.  The campaign is promoting fire safety through a free Campaign Toolkit disc; educational materials; print, radio and television PSAs; children’s materials, community organization-sponsored events and a consumer-friendly campaign Web site.

According to Paul D. Martin, President “ CCFS is proud to be a partner with the USFA in this very relevant campaign.  Far too many people have died in fires as a result of not having working smoke alarms or sprinklers. One person killed in a home fire is just too many. Together, we can educate our communities and help save lives.”

“If a fire breaks out in your home while you’re asleep, how will you know?  Having a working smoke alarm is like having a fire safety official on duty in your home, 24 hours a day.” said Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator Glenn A.Gaines.

“Working smoke alarms will alert you to the fire and we know conclusively, a residential sprinkler system can help put the fire out.” Gaines adds, “Smoke alarms and sprinklers are able to provide residents the time it takes to get everyone out of the house, before firefighters have to come in.”

When both smoke alarms and fire sprinklers are present in a home, the risk of dying in a fire is reduced by 82 percent, when compared to a residence without either.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2003-2006, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
The USFA offers a few helpful tips on smoke alarms and sprinklers:
> Place properly installed and maintained smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas and on every level of your home.
> Interconnected smoke alarms are best, because if one sounds, they all sound.
> Get smoke alarms that can sound fast.  The U.S. Fire Administration recommends that every residence and place where people sleep be equipped with both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.
> Inspect and test smoke alarms monthly and change alkaline batteries at least once every year, or as instructed. You can use a date you already know, like your birthday or when you change your clocks as a reminder.
> If possible, install residential fire sprinklers in your home.
> Avoid painting or covering the fire sprinkler, because that will affect the sensitivity to heat.

CCFS is supporting the USFA’s Install. Inspect. Protect Campaign in the November December issue of Campus Firezone, a free newsletter distributed to well over 15K readers.  We will also include the educational video at training sessions throught the year.

Organizations in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration’s Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign include the American Fire Sprinkler Association, Burn Institute, Everyone Goes Home, Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association, Fire Department Safety Officers Association, Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, Home Safety Council, International Association of Black Professional Firefighters, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Women in Fire & Emergency Services, NASFM Fire Research and Education Foundation, National Association of Hispanic Firefighters, National Association of State Fire Marshals, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, National Fire Protection Association, National Fire Sprinkler Association, National Volunteer Fire Council, and SAFE KIDS Worldwide.

For more information on the Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign and other fire prevention information, please visit www.usfa.dhs.gov/smokealarms.

Install. Inspect. Protect.
Smoke Alarms Save Lives

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According to its website, Chemetron is meeting today’s needs and tomorrow’s changing requirements for integrated fire suppression systems. We combine fire suppression systems and technical expertise, which affords the extra measure of safety and reliability for any facility – anywhere!  Browse the links below to learn about application solutions that help protect your people, property, and the environment. Click here to read more about their industrial applications.

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According to BuildingReports.com, “as a building owner or property manager, it’s ultimately your responsibility to ensure that the fire and life safety systems installed at your location are working and in compliance with regulatory standards. When you contract with a service company for inspection, testing, and maintenance of your systems, how can you be sure they are performing the job properly and that your systems meet local codes and standards?”

BuildingReports understands your concerns and have created a range of products and services that help ensure your inspections are done right. Click here to watch their latest informational video.

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Marioff cautions that the threat of fire should never be underestimated. “This is doubly true of the threat of fire in tunnels. Our HI-FOG® Water Mist Fire Protection System takes tunnel safety to a much higher level. Fire is always a serious threat to tunnel users, the infrastructure and transportation continuity. Even though tunnel safety has improved in many ways, there is still plenty of room for further development.”
A fixed fire protection system is of paramount importance when enhancing tunnel fire safety. A high-pressure water mist fire protection system is an excellent solution to prevent direct and consequential damage to people, tunnels and traffic. For more information, click here.

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