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PETROLEUM DIRECTORY: Engineered Fire and Safety Total Team Protection for your safety, detection and suppression needs Susan Braund Petroleum Directory Contributing Writer
The new Kidde on the block — Engineered Fire and Safety — already has plenty of clout. In fact, it’s part of the Kidde Total Protection Team.
Kidde PLC, a global leader in safety products and fire detection and protection systems and services, acquired Engineered Fire and Safety in 2000, making the Alaska company part of an organization that “aims to make the world a safer place.” New Name, new logo, new commitment Operating as Engineered Fire Systems Inc. since 1986, the company changed its name to Engineered Fire and Safety Inc. in 2000 and renewed its commitment to provide quality, innovation and expertise in detection and suppression systems and service.
“We are part of Kidde’s Total Protection Team, providing not just fire protection, but also safety products and security,” says Don Maupin, Engineered Fire and Safety general manager.
In today’s social and political climate, Kidde’s mission of making the world a safer place has never been more relevant. The worldwide company serves aerospace, defense, industrial, commercial and consumer markets. Fire focus Engineered Fire and Safety focuses equally on detection and suppression systems. Detection services and products range from simple fire alarm systems to complicated and integrated fire and gas systems for industrial application, mostly oil and gas and petrochemical. Suppression systems and services include simple portable extinguishers and intricate fixed systems that cater to telecom and data centers and oil/gas and petrochemical clients and restaurants.Safety products Engineered Fire and Safety has rapid availability of safety products from the proverbial A to Z — aprons to Zone-comfort Tyvek safety clothing.
“We’ve launched our safety product lines, but we’ve been so busy focusing on our core business that we haven’t spent a lot of time promoting them yet,” says Sales Manager Dale Shirley. “The personal protection equipment we offer goes hand in hand with the facility systems. It’s convenient, one-stop shopping for our customers. In-stock catalog orders are guaranteed to ship the same day the order is placed.” Security systems Within healthcare organizations, Engineered Fire and Safety cares for an individual’s security from cradle to old age. The in-hospital HUGS and KISSES system tags and matches moms and babies. To prevent infant abduction, exit doors are programmed to lock if anyone attempts an unauthorized departure with an infant, ensuring baby’s safety and mom’s peace of mind.
Another system, The Watchmate, a k a the patient wandering system, also uses a bracelet ID system for Alzheimer’s patients in group homes and institutions. It’s often a difficult enough decision to move a beloved relative to a nursing home or live-in facility without having to worry that they will wander away when unattended. With this system, families can rest easy that their elderly relatives are safe and secure.
For the commercial and industrial market, the company also offers a variety of closed circuit TV systems, card access systems and intrusion detection systems. Sophisticated synergy “It used to be that fire and gas detection and fire suppression were separate, but today, just like with computers, everything is more integrated and the buildings are smarter.
“Alarms tell you exactly where to go, and all systems controls are located together: lighting, heating, smoke, fire and gas detection,” reports Shirley. “If a device tells you that you have gas, it also tells you how much and even has logic equations that tell you what to do, from fan to shut down and suppression.”
During the last five years, according to Shirley, “work on BP’s GC1 has brought a lot of changes and ground-breaking integration between gas and fire detection.” Design, engineering and assembly Engineered Fire and Safety has a full complement of experienced application engineers and technical staff to address the full spectrum of fire and gas protection needs. Employees are registered with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies as Level II, III and IV in special hazards, fire alarm and sprinkler systems.
“We have one of the most knowledgeable staffs in the fire protection industry,” says Maupin. “They are experienced in designing, servicing, and managing scores of fire protections systems in the mission critical, industrial and commercial segments.”
Engineered Fire and Safety builds system cabinets at its Anchorage Commercial Drive facility and fabricates the systems in-house. Although there are exceptions, the company frequently follows its systems from inception to commission, advising on issues during the course of work, and finally training clients in system use and maintenance. Customized special service packages Services include fire extinguisher inspection, gas detection calibration, SCBA inspection and service, fire suppression system design and installation and a host of other services.
“Our customized service packages provide our customers with essential documentation for local, state and federal authorities, and at the same time provide cost savings,” says Maupin. Projects Recent Engineered Fire and Safety projects include Forest Oil’s Kustatan and Osprey facilities and the upgrade of BP Exploration (Alaska)’s main construction camp facility.
“At Kustatan, we provided an integrated fire and gas detection system, and for suppression, the largest water mist system in the world, with 450 pump-driven heads,” says Maupin. “The project included a foam system for the tank farm, a sprinkler deluge system throughout, portable fire extinguishers, first aid equipment and air packs. The contract went from conception in August 2002 to completion and turnover in February 2003. We provided the engineering, equipment, material and onsite supervision of installation to commissioning.”
The company also completed upgrading the fire alarm system at BP’s Prudhoe Bay main construction camp and is in the final planning phases for the fire and gas detection upgrade at BP’s Gathering Center 1. Engineered Fire and Safety is also bidding the Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. fire protection upgrade at all 12 pipeline pump stations; The contract is due to be awarded in March and completed in December 2005. Maupin is hopeful because the company has demonstrated that it can meet the timeframe, has local licensing and certifications and has a well-established relationship with state and local fire marshals — all a plus to the customer. Benefits of being a Kidde company “Kidde owns most of the manufacturers that deal in the fire and gas systems, so we can turn around and do projects for much less,” says Maupin. “The advantages of being a Kidde company are efficiency, specialization and speed. Kidde products and services set the benchmark for fire safety detection, prevention and protection.”
Engineered Fire and Safety is part of Kidde’s national distribution organization. The other branches are in Seattle and New York. In addition to the depth of other companies contained within Kidde, like Kidde, Fenwal, National Foam, Chemetron, Autronica Fire and Security, Detector Electronics, Fenwal Safety, Powhatan/Automatic Sprinkler, Flexline, Angus and Kidde Fire Fighting, Kidde offers a full line of other manufacturers products such as Siemens and Spectrex.
“We’ve really been given a lot more resources for engineering, design and products. And, if we need capital to build infrastructure for a project it’s now available,” says Shirley. “No project is too large for us.”
Editor’s note: Susan Braund owns Firestar Media Services in Anchorage, Alaska.
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