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IDEX Fire & Safety Shares Lake Ozark Fire Protection District Leading The Way In Fire Service Innovation With SAM

The Lake Ozark Fire Protection District in Missouri is joining fire departments across the US and Canada by including SAM on its latest truck order. They are part of ‘Generation SAM’ by having an excellent strategic vision with a strong focus on the citizens they serve. By including SAM’s state-of-the-art technology on their newest apparatus, they are leaders in a new and better way to fight fires. About SAM SAM system replaces the pressure governor and takes care of opening and closing valves based on operator settings SAM is an integrated total water control system that manages the fire truck’s pump, tank, intakes, and discharges. It is essentially like having an extra crew on hand. The SAM system replaces the pressure governor and takes care of opening and closing valves based on operator settings. Instead of a complex fire truck pump panel, all pump controls operate from a 10″ touch-screen display. Jason Cerrano, a former firefighter and the inventor of SAM, sat down with some members of the Lake Ozark Fire Protection District’s truck committee to talk about their decision to include SAM on their new truck. First impression of SAM When asked about his first impression of SAM, Chief Mark Amsinger stated that he was initially 100% against it. Chief Amsinger’s many questions about the SAM system led him to the Pattonville Fire District in Missouri for a close look at their SAM-equipped truck and did a little more research. That research ended up changing his mind. Jason asked Aron Gish, Firefighter EMT, how he first heard about SAM? Aron replied that some of the other firefighters had brought it to his attention. He tried to keep an open mind about the whole thing when he traveled to Pattonville to see SAM in action. He was very impressed as to the ease of operation and the capabilities of the entire system and what it would allow them to do. Educational Experience As for Chief Amsinger, he didn’t completely understand SAM. His concerns centered on what would happen if something breaks down in the system; how do you get around that issue compared to a manual system truck? His concerns were alleviated when he saw for himself that every valve in the system has a manual override that can open and close the valves if ever needed. Seeing the SAM demo truck was an educational experience. Chief Ansinger stated, “Demos in the fire service are important because you physically put your hands on SAM to see that it is doing exactly what it is supposed to be versus just watching someone else do it. Seeing the actual product, training on it, and understanding the true works of the equipment made a difference.”  “If you’re one of those who may say no to SAM without ever looking at it,” Chief Amsinger says, “you cannot make that decision until you look at a demo or see one of the units in service somewhere.” Impression of SAM David was also impressed that by the video of the SAM system pulling a draft out of the porta tank Firefighter Medic David Martin had advice for people who don’t take the time even to evaluate SAM. “I researched it on the internet, and it looked very, very nice. But it was the explanation of the SAM system of how it consists primarily of technology that has been around for more than ten years…SAM brought different pieces together to communicate with each other and make those decisions. Really getting your hands on it and seeing what it can do is a necessity.” David was also impressed that by the video of the SAM system pulling a draft out of the porta tank. It was pretty impressive to watch that the operator was pretty much hands-off.”  Aron explained that “the biggest thing is to keep an open mind. You can’t always discredit new technology. Look at the evolution of what fire apparatus has been from horse-drawn buggies to up to what we have today. There is always a learning curve with any new product that comes out. You have to monitor it and be open-minded.” Chief Amsinger added that with new trucks being built, “the technology is there. It’s not completely different and off the wall. You’re just taking these components and tying them together to make it more efficient, to make it safer for the scene and the guys on the scene.” Feedback Aron credits the overall safety factor as a whole, “It’s not just one safety thing, it’s going to help with ease of operation and give them capabilities that they didn’t have prior.”  When posed with the question of, “What is the one thing that made you think, ‘this is why we need this,’ Chief Amsinger said he liked having the ability to have controls on either side of the truck. “So no matter where you go, what type of call, the engineer can be with the set-up, be on the same side. On the scene, the engineer can be on the inside and protected with the ability to run the truck from either side.”  Jason Cerrano is a former firefighter and the inventor of SAM. Jason is now a strategic account manager at IDEX Fire & Safety.

WeMaintain Hires Fire Division Head

WeMaintain has hired a UK Fire Division Head, signaling PropTech’s further move into the fire alarm and suppression market.  The hire follows WeMaintain’s acquisition of the fire systems maintenance company Shokly in a stunning year for the start-up, marked by $36m in Series B funding, contracts to supply elevator and escalator solutions to KeolisAmyDocklands (DLR), Workspace and British Land, and praise from French President Emmanuel Macron.    Integrating IoT into fire safety systems The new Head of Fire Division, Dave Martin, joins WeMaintain after a Royal Navy career working in weapons engineering, electronics, and hydraulic and pneumatic systems. In his post, Dave Martin will integrate WeMaintain’s proprietary IoT technology in fire safety systems in the UK, helping WeMaintain’s growing team implement smart building solutions.   WeMaintain enables end-to-end monitoring and maintenance solutions for asset owners WeMaintain enables end-to-end monitoring and maintenance solutions for commercial and residential asset owners and building managers, giving them a real-time understanding of a building’s use and operation, supporting smart maintenance, and a superior customer experience.    Commenting on the hire, WeMaintain’s UK Managing Director Tom Harmsworth said, “With the acquisition of Shokly we have excellent technology benefiting our customers for the live monitoring of their fire alarm systems. Dave has the industry knowledge and network to maximize these benefits in the UK.” Smart building space Dave Martin said, “I’m delighted to help establish WeMaintain as a frontrunner in the UK’s smart building space whilst maintaining our quality engineering focus as the centerpiece of our service offer for all building operations.” In a 20-year career as an electronics specialist, Dave Martin founded a fire and security installation company for the design, maintenance, installation, and commission of all fire security and life safety systems implementing large and small installations, notably in Dubai for the local government. Mr. Martin added, “In the United Arab Emirates, I enjoyed working with different cultures, helping them to achieve common goals. This experience will be vital when liaising with WeMaintain’s international offices and diverse team.” Since its launch in 2017, WeMaintain now has offices in the UK and Singapore has 100 employees and is eyeing the US market.

Insights & Opinions from thought leaders at WeMaintain

IoT’s Role In Fire Suppression

Technological advances in recent decades have considerably improved fire alert systems. Fire sprinkler systems are now installed at a rate of 40 million units per year and now, 96% of buildings covered by sprinkler systems are potentially able to control fires without additional aid. The next step is predictive fire alarm maintenance, better fire detection, and more effective fire fighting. These capabilities rely on assessing massive amounts of data in realtime to enable predictive maintenance of fire safety equipment, faster fire detection, better operational decisions and better risk assessments. The Internet of Things will be critical for these capabilities. Designing smart buildings The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT), sometimes called edge-computing, describes the connection of physical objects to the internet. It also describes the communication between regular, everyday objects online. Advances in cloud technology, data storage and transmission speed have made it viable to link up devices embedded with sensors to track how and when physical assets are used, and how the environment around these objects is interacting with them.   5G will make IoT even more commonplace as we design smart buildings and upgrade infrastructure IoT applications are becoming more widespread, spanning our roads, hospitals, car parks, high rise office buildings and residential flats. 5G will make IoT even more commonplace as we design smart buildings and upgrade existing infrastructure.   Aggravating environmental factors The clearest application of this technology is in maintenance. Currently, building owners and engineers estimate how often their buildings or devices need servicing based on rudimentary predetermined schedules, random checks, or when breakages occur. By contrast, IoT driven data analysis enables predictive maintenance, in which individual devices can be measured on a case by case basis, based on their real time usage, condition and aggravating environmental factors. This can form part of an end-to-end solution connecting engineers, building owners and ultimately, firefighting teams with sophisticated data analytics for more effective fire suppression. IoT can be used for a range of purposes, from fire safety equipment monitoring and repair to fire detection and firefighting itself. IoT sensors can continuously monitor electrical systems and identify smokeless, invisible heat sources. IoT temperature sensors Sensors can also integrate with devices such as alarms, personal safety devices and fire suits Once an increase in temperature is detected, safety and inspection teams can be alerted immediately. IoT temperature sensors can be an important addition to traditional smoke detectors by detecting fires faster. IoT sensors and devices can not only monitor buildings to detect fires, they can also provide fire stations with enhanced computer-aided dispatch and improved situational awareness for firefighters and activate sprinklers. Sensors can also integrate with devices such as alarms, personal safety devices and fire suits. They can be used to track firefighters and help incident commanders coordinate individual firefighters in the field. Radio-frequency identification trackers, potentially embedded into firefighting suits, could reveal firefighters’ locations in real time. Wirelessly connected sensors can also provide information to emergency command centers and incident commanders, for better information sharing during a crisis. Offering preventative solutions IoT can also offer preventative solutions, delivering systems that record when a fire extinguisher is spent or missing, or a system that records when a fire door is left open. Updated in real time, these solutions have the power to warn of inadequate safety measures as they emerge. Fire suppression relies on quality, tracked maintenance. Enhanced, automated information sharing will be critical in dynamic or unpredictable situations Firefighting relies on responding quickly to changing circumstances. Enhanced, automated information sharing will be critical in dynamic or unpredictable situations, and this is what IoT ultimately enables. Yet the interpretation of data is as important as the sensors collecting it, as is the ability to translate complex information from different sources, to give engineers and firefighters the right information when they need it. Working the other way, a properly integrated system that allows building, maintenance and fire brigades to communicate, will help flag issues as they come up and get them resolved quickly. System installation costs Where we have implemented IoT solutions for elevators and escalators, engineers have cut the number of emergency repairs by a factor of three within a six month period, making maintenance less costly. Intelligent fire systems are expected to save their owners 30% of costs on maintenance, remedying false alarm call outs argued to cost in the region of £1bn. Furthermore, IoT installation need not be too expensive, certainly in the case of fire safety. Reduced system installation costs, with Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology, network cables capable of carrying electrical power and data within a single line, can make installation easier. And remote monitoring through the Internet and the ability to transmit diagnostic information over the same lines can ensure that when service is needed, the technician will arrive with all the necessary equipment and data so that the repair can be completed more efficiently. Early warning systems Fire prevention must improve, and we must utilize the latest technology to do it The case for more affordable firefighting is overwhelming, particularly given the likelihood of more heatwaves. According to the National Fire Protection Association, local fire departments in the US responded to 1,338,500 fires last year. These fires resulted in $21.9 billion in property damage. Fire prevention must improve, and we must utilize the latest technology to do it. Already, IoT solutions are used in sewers to predict floods. They are also used in early warning systems to predict earthquakes, and they are used in climatology to predict storms. Better information has allowed a degree of mastery over the elements. As we take our next step, the role of IoT technology in preventing and suppressing fires is inevitable.

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