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January 27, 2020 by Total Fire and Safety
How important is the fire code for animal shelters? Deadly fires at kennels and animal shelters are not uncommon across the U.S. In the past year, over 100 dogs have died in kennel fires, including here near Chicago.
On the night of January 14, 2019, a West Chicago animal kennel went up in flames. Thirty-one dogs perished in the fire. The exact cause of the fire is unknown, but investigators determined no staff was present at the time and no working fire sprinklers were on property. The kennel did have fire detectors, but no one was around to hear them.
The tragedy prompted lawmakers to come up with legislation to ensure such an event never happens again. The new law, signed in August, went into effect January 1. The legislation requires kennels to be staffed 24/7 or have sprinkler systems or alarms that alert local fire departments.
When it comes to arming animal shelters with lifesaving equipment, Total Fire and Safety can help with the installation of …..
Wireless Fire Alarms
- Preferred by fire departments, they are more reliable than land-based systems for their quick and accurate response.
- They can save phone line costs.
- They reduce false alarms to fire departments
- Minimal and guaranteed wireless radio alarm monitoring fees
Fire Sprinkler Systems
- A working fire sprinkler is 96% effective in containing a fire.
- Monthly, quarterly, and annual inspections are necessary to ensure safety and keep your building fire code compliant.
- TFS uses the most up-to-date technology and thorough process to prevent sprinkler failure.
Working fire extinguishers can keep a small fire from getting out of control when someone is in the facility. Every business needs working fire extinguishers at the ready, and be trained to use them.
- A fire extinguisher is your first line of defense, 24/7.
- 30% of fire extinguishers are not in working order. We complete a 12-point inspection to make sure they are fire ready.
- On-site training is provided to guarantee proper employee usage.
All it takes is basic fire protection to save animal and human lives.
Illinois’ new fire code will help protect our furry friends from another senseless tragedy and prevent irreparable damage to lives, structures, and pocketbooks. Total Fire and Safety can equip your facility with the latest fire protection and help maintain the equipment installed. Give us a call today at (630) 960-5060.
Category: Business Safety, Fire Alarm Monitoring, Fire Extinguishers, Fire Extinguishers, Fire News, Fire Safety, Sprinkler Systems, Total Fire and Safety Tags: commercial fire safety, commercialfiresprinkler, employee training, fire and safety equipment, fire and safety solutions, fire safety in the news, Firesprinkler, Total Fire and Safety, wireless fire alarm monitoring, wireless fire alarms, wireless fire alarms for business | Comments Off on A New Fire Code for Animal Shelters in Illinois!
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September 25, 2019 by Total Fire and Safety
If you have ever visited a historic building, what do you notice? Old documents, precious artwork, impeccable craftmanship, and… fire protection equipment? Hopefully your answer to the latter is no. Ideally, historic properties should still maintain the look and feel of an era gone by, but how do you do it and still install and maintain fire equipment that’s up to code?
Everyday commercial buildings are damaged by fires, causing a huge loss for any business. However, these damages can be repaired, sometimes improving the building from its previous structure. This is not the case for historic properties. The true extent of the loss is more significant than the cost of simply restoring the building. Any artifacts, documents, etc. that are lost represent a priceless piece of our heritage.
For the fire safety expert, the challenge of fire protection in a historic building presents three distinctive challenges:
Preserving the Historic Character
In order to protect historic buildings, sometimes structural engineers, preservation specialists and the building managers must get involved in addition to the fire protection experts (TFS). Together they design a solution that meets the needs of NFPA compliance without ruining the historic character of a building. For example, a historic door cannot be replaced with a fire-proof door, however installing sprinklers on either side of the door may be the answer.
Fire safety is prioritized even with our most beloved historic institutions. For example, currently there is a major renovation going on at Mount Vernon, the home of our first president, George Washington. Part of this extensive construction is major improvements to the fire suppression system. When all is said and done, fire safety for Mount Vernon and its visitors will be vastly improved for generations to come.
Total Fire & Safety’s client roster includes many historic buildings, especially in the Village of Downers Grove. We are proud to be able to keep visitors safe while maintaining the distinctive character of each building.
Staying Out of Sight
Ideally, fire protection systems must sufficiently protect a building but remain aesthetically pleasing. One common cause of concern is the fire sprinkler system. Not only do fire sprinklers damage a building’s contents, but they can deface the historic structure. The answer lies in coming up with creative solutions for fire sprinklers:
1. Use copper tubing vs. black or steel pipe to blend in with the building’s architecture.
2. Faux materials can be used that resemble the buildings time period to conceal fire sprinkler pipes.
3. Install painted fire sprinkler heads to match the area.
Another form of hidden fire protection commonly used in historic buildings is wireless fire alarms. Wireless alarms are an ideal, minimally invasive solution when needing to preserve the look and feel of a building. Other advantages to wireless fire alarms include:
- Wireless alarm monitoring provides faster response
- No cables are required for installation
- They eliminate false alarms, which can be costly for non-profit buildings
Updating Outdated Utilities
Many historic facilities have poor water pressure. This renders a fire sprinkler upgrade useless unless an underground line, additional line, or fire pump is installed. Total Fire & Safety can be helpful in making the right decision for any historic property.
Regardless of the fire protection systems installed, working to minimize the ignition of a fire should be a priority. Scheduling fire safety inspections annually is important to maintain a safe environment for the building and its occupants. Total Fire and Safety works not only to uphold the integrity of an historic building, but also provides the best fire protection equipment around. Give us a call today! 630-960-5060
Category: Business Safety, Fire Equipment Inspections, Fire exits, Sprinkler Systems, Total Fire and Safety Tags: commercial fire protection, commercial fire safety, commercialfiresprinkler, fire and safety equipment, fire and safety needs, fire and safety solutions, Firesprinkler, firesprinklerinspections, Total Fire and Safety, wireless fire alarm monitoring, wireless fire alarms, wireless fire alarms for business | Comments Off on Preserving Fire Safety in Historic Buildings
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September 19, 2014 by Total Fire and Safety
We have been very busy lately installing a new wireless fire alarm monitoring system for the Village of Downers Grove, IL. Total Fire & Safety was proud to be selected to install the upgrade, which will allow local businesses to connect wirelessly to the village operations center for more efficient, cost-effective service from their local fire department.
Businesses will be able to cut the cord and “go wireless” in Downers Grove beginning October 1st!
Downers Grove joins other local Chicagoland communities that recognize the savings and efficiency involved in upgrading to wireless fire alarm monitoring. Wireless systems are more reliable than phone lines in receiving fire alarm transmissions to the dispatch center, thereby reducing the amount of false alarms they receive.
For most business owners, changing to a wireless alarm system will be an initial modest investment with an increase in monitoring fees from the village. However, businesses can save up to 70% on their monthly fire monitoring systems by disconnecting the two land lines they will no longer need with the wireless technology. More than 1,000 businesses in the village are now able to upgrade to a wireless system and start saving!
If you are a business in Downers Grove interested in going wireless, hire the company that the Fire Department hired! Enjoy a special introductory monitoring price of $30/month by contacting Jeff Buff at Total Fire & Safety at 630.960.5060 ex. 121 or by submitting the contact form with the promo code DWG. You must also download the application for wireless connection from the Downers Grove website at www.downers.us/bus.
We look forward to helping business owners in the Village of Downers Grove take advantage of this opportunity to upgrade to a safer, faster system! If you would like a free evaluation of your current fire monitoring services, also contact us at 630.960.5060.
Category: Fire Alarm Monitoring Tags: Total Fire & Safety, wireless fire alarm monitoring, wireless fire alarms, wireless fire alarms for business | Comments Off on Downers Grove Gets Ready to Cut the Cord, with Help From Total Fire & Safety
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May 21, 2014 by Total Fire and Safety
Total Fire & Safety is welcoming some new additions to our website, including the “Wireless Fire Alarm Monitoring” page!
More and more municipalities, particularly in Chicagoland, are looking to reduce costs and increase efficiency by mandating wireless fire alarm systems for the businesses in their service area. Wireless fire alarm monitoring is faster, safer, and more reliable than phone- based systems that can fail from environmental factors. Also, with wireless fire alarm systems, businesses can disconnect their unneeded landlines and realize a substantial monthly savings.
Our new page includes information about Vigilant™ fire alarm monitoring equipment, which is our preferred manufacturer of fire safety equipment. Vigilant is an industry leader known for its affordable, yet high-quality products that easily retrofit in single-unit facilities or multi-story office buildings.
We’ve also added new icons on our home page to signify three growing and very important parts of our business—life safety training, first aid supplies and emergency lighting.
A new icon on our home page indicates our established life safety code training service which prepares employees for fire scenarios and teaches them the correct use of fire safety equipment. For businesses where fire prevention is a priority, these classes prepare employees with the information they need to keep themselves, their co-workers, and the facility safe. Classes are held at your location in a classroom setting with a hands-on, live burn session so employees get firsthand experience in extinguishing a fire. Other classes we offer include: hood suppression systems, paint booth suppression systems, proper evacuation procedures, fire sprinkler systems proper apparatus usage and more.
Everyone knows the red cross means safety, and the recently added icon represents our first aid supplies. Our service protects your employees with stocked cabinets of quality first aid supplies that we routinely replenish. When a minor injury occurs, your business is prepared, with the the right supplies on hand. We make the program affordable by only charging for the products your employees use. Our service helps businesses meet OSHA Regulation CFR 1910.151 (b).
Our third new home page icon is the exit sign, which represents our emergency lighting and LED emergency lighting, including signs and combination exit sign and lighting units. We keep your emergency lighting in working order with regular inspections to ensure that all units are in compliance, mounted correctly and free of damage, with batteries charged and bulbs in proper working order. We are also specialists in helping companies convert their emergency signage from conventional light bulbs to LEDs, which has helped many of our clients reduce their service and supply cost.
We regularly provide free evaluations of your existing systems and can make recommendations on how to reduce costs for your company. For more information on our quality products and services, or to schedule an evaluation of your site, visit us at totalfireandsafety.com or call us at 630-960-5060.
Category: Fire Alarm Monitoring, Total Fire and Safety Tags: emergency lighting, fire and safety equipment, fire and safety needs, first aid supplies, life safety training, lifesafety, wireless fire alarm monitoring, wireless fire alarms, wireless fire alarms for business | Comments Off on Announcing….Our New Wireless Fire Alarm Monitoring Page!
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February 21, 2014 by Total Fire and Safety
 Recently, the Bloomingdale Fire Protection District No. 1 made legal changes to the District’s Fire Alarm Monitoring Ordinances. The new ordinance requires businesses to maintain monitoring with a licensed fire alarm company for the transmission of wireless alarm signals to the District’s dispatch center. Although the district has assigned its monitoring agreements to a certain vendor, Bloomingdale businesses now have a choice of fire alarm monitoring service vendors.
Total Fire & Safety responded with a personal invitation to the businesses asking them to choose Total. We offered an introductory package that included installation, connection and maintenance of a high-quality, 4G wireless monitoring system that is fully compatible with the new ordinance. The offer is available now through February 28, 2014.
More and more fire districts are beginning to require wireless fire alarm monitoring over central monitoring systems, which receive signals from fire alarm panels via a phone line. The reasons are many:
–Wireless monitoring creates a reliable, direct connection with the dispatch center, without the opportunity for problems such as grounding failures from copper lines
–Wireless monitoring is less expensive than phone lines
–Wireless monitoring is faster, while delays can occur with signals reaching the central monitoring system.
The consistent, more affordable and reliable system is available now at a discount rate from Total Fire. If you are a business in Bloomingdale, IL needing a vendor to fulfill the new ordinance, we have the equipment and superior customer service you need. If you know of a business in need of a new wireless alarm monitoring service, please have them contact us at info@totalfireandsafety.com.
Category: Fire Alarm Monitoring, Uncategorized Tags: wireless fire alarm monitoring, wireless fire alarms, wireless fire alarms for business | Comments (1)
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