Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from A-Gas Americas. As a Reminder We will be CLOSED for normal business on Thursday November 26th & Friday November 27th for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We are available for Emergency recharges! If you have an Emergency and need immediate assistance please contact Terri on the Emergency Recharge Hotline 419-466-6238! Thank you and have a safe and blessed holiday!

Clean Agents- when to use them

Interesting article on Clean agents.

http://www.csemag.com/single-article/know-when-where-to-specify-a-clean-agent-system/c6eab3f57a41e7a720b65a138ec7645c.html

Ozone layer, good news or bad news?

Interesting article. Click here for the original posting: http://www.dumb-out.net/antarctic-ozone-hole-good-news-bad-news/10598

The Antarctic Ozone Hole reached its largest extent for this year on September 11, according to data from both NASA and NOAA (the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency) at 9,300,00 square miles only slightly larger than last year’s peak.  The largest hole size was recorded in 2000 on September 9 and is part of a general decrease in the hole since then.

The size of the hole was slightly bigger than the land surface of North America.

Ozone is a variety of oxygen that cannot be used for respiration by any known living creature, and is in fact lethal in a high enough doze.  However it is good at blocking out the heat of the Sun.  Without the ozone layer the Earth would be too hot to live on.  It also shields against ultraviolet light, which in a too high dosage kills plants.

The Montreal Protocol was signed by the world’s nations in 1987 in response to the discovery of the hole and of the cause of the hole mainly chlorine-containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and bromine-containing halons, all produced during industrial activity.  Both CFCs and halons were very useful substances, in insulating fridges and putting out fires, and alternative have been used as much as possible since.  This is one clear way in showing that current global warming has been manmade.

So, surely a shrinking Antarctic Ozone Hole is good thing.  Well, perhaps.  It rather depends on the cause.  If this is due to the Montreal Protocol reducing CFC and halon use, then yes, it is.

But, then again it could be due to the effects of global warming from other sources or even local warming of Antarctica.

James Golinveaux becomes first Henry S. Parmelee Award recipient from Tyco

Tyco Senior Fellow wins fire suppression industry's top honor

James Golinveaux becomes first Henry S. Parmelee Award recipient from Tyco

Oct 24, 2014

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• The Parmelee Award was established by the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) in 1983
• The award is named for Henry Parmelee, recognized as the inventor of the first commercially successful closed fire sprinkler
• Golinveaux has more than 32 years of experience in the fire protection industry
• Golinveaux has spent the majority of his career serving on various industry boards and councils
• When his nomination for the award came to the ASFA Board of Directors, it was accepted unanimously

James Golinveaux.

LANSDALE, PA — James Golinveaux, senior fellow of water suppression products at Tyco Fire Protection Products (Tyco) has been named the 2014 Henry S. Parmelee Award recipient.

The Parmelee Award was established by the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) in 1983 to recognize an outstanding individual who has dedicated him/herself to the professional advancement of the fire sprinkler industry. The award is named for Henry Parmelee, who is recognized as the inventor of the first commercially successful closed fire sprinkler.

With more than 32 years of experience in the fire protection industry, Golinveaux becomes the first Tyco employee to receive the award. Throughout his years of service, Golinveaux has made multiple advances in the industry, and holds 21 U.S. and 29 foreign patents in automatic sprinkler technologies. Additionally, he currently has 38 pending applications for foreign and U.S. patents.

“I was always interested in fire. My father was a firefighter and chief, so there were always NFPA [National Fire Protection Association] handbooks sitting around the house growing up,” said Golinveaux. “It’s a true honor to receive the Parmelee Award. I’m proud to work in an industry that helps make a difference in people’s lives every day.”

Dedication to the Industry

Golinveaux has spent the majority of his career serving on various industry boards and councils around the world. He is a member on the board of trustees for the Fire Protection Research Foundation, as well as the Factory Mutual Advisory, AFSA Technical Advisory Council and Manufacturers/Suppliers Council, National Fire Sprinkler Association, International Fire Sprinkler Association and the Fire Sprinkler Association of Brazil. He also represents Tyco on the North American Advisory Council to FM Global.

“James has been one of our premier individuals at Tyco for more than 23 years, and we’re thrilled that he has been recognized by the industry and his peers for his contributions in fire protection,” said Colleen Repplier, president of Tyco Fire Protection Products. “The past three decades of the fire suppression industry have been shaped by his influence. He is very deserving of the award.”

Golinveaux has been a member of NFPA and NFPA 13 Technical Committee for more than 20 years. He also serves as a technical committee member for NFPA 88a, Standard for Parking Structures; NFPA 101, Life Safety Code^®; and NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code^®. Golinveaux has also chaired the Storage Task Group for the last 15 years. Additionally, he is a subject matter expert contributing to the past two editions of NFPA Fire Protection Handbook and NFPA 13 Handbook, and sits on the NFPA Standards Council.

When his nomination for the award came to the ASFA Board of Directors, it was accepted unanimously.

For more information regarding James, his work and Tyco Fire Protection Products, visitwww.Tyco-Fire.com.

Original article: http://contractormag.com/fire-sprinklers/tyco-senior-fellow-wins-fire-suppression-industrys-top-honor

Largest Novec System in the country

Project profile: Installing a large clean agent system in a complex environment

A government data center opted for a clean agent suppression system to protect its mission critical facility.

Corey Wallace

08/07/2014

Southland Industries recently designed and installed one of the largest clean agent fire suppression systems in the nation. The stakes were high as the goal of the project was to protect sensitive data stored on hundreds of servers within a large government facility. The project was particularly complex not only due to its large size and stringent standards for security, but also because it needed to seamlessly integrate with a double interlock pre-action system and an energy-efficient containment method of air cooling.

The immediate challenge facing the design team centered on accommodating the agency’s requirement that the building have continuity of operations. The agency needed to be able to perform system maintenance and upgrades without losing power to the system or any of its functionality. Any kind of system disruption—even one consisting of only a few minutes—was simply not acceptable.

Designing and installing this clean agent system required not only meticulous planning, but also creative thinking that led to a set of innovative and smart solutions for the building owner. It served as a reminder that regardless of any apparent incompatibilities among systems performing different functions, there are ways to design and structure them so they operate as a cohesive whole.

To ensure continuity of operations, project engineers designed a double interlock pre-action system to reduce the chance of accidental water discharge in the event of a fire. This would assure that water would only be discharged as a last resort in the 66,000-sq-ft data center space. As a first line of defense, a clean agent system using 3M NOVEC gas would be used.

Installing a clean agent system in such a massive area required a creative approach by the team. Regulations required that clean agent “storage containers shall be located as close as possible to or within the hazards they protect” (NFPA 2001, Section 4.1.3.2). But the configuration of the building was not conducive to situating the clean agent system close to these protected areas. The server room and mechanical gallery are located in the center of the second floor over a 3-ft raised floor. The ceiling height of the server room is approximately 12 ft, and the space above the ceiling to the deck is approximately 4 ft. The electrical power supply via switchgear equipment is located directly below the server room space. All of this made it impractical to place the clean agent tanks on the same floor as the servers.

Given these constraints, the team determined that the best solution would be to locate the clean agent primary and secondary supply tanks on the ground floor, even though the protected hazard—the servers and mechanical gallery—are located on the second floor, 20 ft above and several hundred pipe lengths away.

This complicated matters even further, requiring the team to ensure the clean agent system’s fire-extinguishing gases could just as efficiently reach the protected areas as they would if they were located closer to them. This meant making sure that the system was equipped with the appropriate amount of gas and was forceful enough to pump that gas into the areas.

None of the clean agent systems certified at that time were right for the job. The project required a newer system that had a higher discharge pressure. After thorough evaluation and analysis of needs, the team eventually settled on the 500 psi NOVEC 1230. The system was so new that it was still going through its final approval process by UL, a third-party listing agency, as it was being installed. A few months before the project was turned over to the owner, the system gained official UL approval.

In addition to the many challenges already identified, the team needed to address the issue of arranging the various fire life safety systems and MEP trades and equipment in a limited amount of space. The fire suppression piping, along with the other trades, required detailed coordination to prevent interference and a lack of constructability. To prevent potential conflicts, the piping was designed, planned, and coordinated in 3D to reduce field changes. This allowed for the inclusion of bracing in the clean agent piping (similar to seismic bracing) to hold the pipes in place against the force of pressure that is exerted when the clean agent gas is discharged. By strategically locating the pipe, any potential interference with the other trades was prevented.

Another focus of concern was the need to prevent pipe corrosion. It was important to make space for a nitrogen system to prevent corrosion of the pipes of the double interlocked pre-action system, which employs schedule 40 black steel pipe. Concern about future corrosion prompted the pre-action system to be supervised by an inert gas such as nitrogen in lieu of standard air. However, space was not made available on the second floor to accommodate the infrastructure needs of the nitrogen system. As a result, the nitrogen generator and storage tank had to be located on the first floor in the clean agent storage tank room. From there, the supervisory nitrogen is piped up from the first floor to the pre-action valves on the second floor. The pre-action valve is required to automatically revert to a non-interlock configuration in the event of a power loss. Upon the return of power, the pre-action valve returns to its standard release method.

Finally, the project also needed to meet the requirements of and be certified to U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold, version 3.0. It would be registered through the Green Building Certification Institute, with performance goals based on a “high-performance green building” as defined by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

To reach LEED certification in a building with many servers, the agency employed the containment method using barriers to trap and direct airflow to control cooling. The challenge with this method, however, is that the structure created obstructions that would make it difficult for the clean agent gas to reach it. The hot aisle containment areas are large enough to walk in and therefore require sprinkler protection as well as clean agent protection. The aisle utilized ceiling grids down the center for lights and fire protection devices but had 2-ft-wide open areas along the length of the enclosure. To address this, the project team altered the clean agent nozzle locations so that they entered into each of the containment areas.

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Corey Wallace is an associate principal engineer with Southland Industries. He holds a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Mississippi and a master’s of engineering management from Christian Brothers University.

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Related News:

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 Project profile: Retail chain data center  - 19.08.2014 14:52

 Project profile: Data center campus  - 07.08.2014 15:51

Click HERE for the original source: http://www.csemag.com/single-article/project-profile-installing-a-large-clean-agent-system-in-a-complex-environment/222568fe33906cd5680ff42a00c85ade.html

Fire Suppression Saves Restaurant

Fire Suppression System at a New Jersey Pizza Hut saved the building.

Fire Suppression System Saves Toms River Pizza Hut

Restaurant now back open after fire damage contained to one deep fryer

Posted by Daniel Nee (Editor) , June 26, 2014 at 07:07 PM

Fire officials in Toms River say the township's Pizza Hut restaurant was protected by a fire suppression system installed last year when the restaurant had a new deep fat fryer installed in its kitchen.

Click here for the full story: http://tomsriver.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/fire-suppression-system-saves-toms-river-pizza-hut

Clean Agent Fire Suppression System

Thanks to The ARA GROUP in Australia for this great Video. Check out more info about their company here: http://www.aragroup.com.au/

NFPA Conference & EXPO 2014

Halon still doing it's job!

(Photo: JESSIE FORAND/FREE PRESS STAFF )

Firefighters respond to incident at Fletcher Allen

JESSIE FORAND11:03 a.m. EDT May 2, 2014

An overheated capacitor in a room with high voltage electrical equipment brought fire and rescue vehicles to Fletcher Allen Health Care's McClure Building on Colchester Avenue Friday morning.

The call came in around 9:07 a.m. and fire officials were on scene at 9:09, according to Burlington Fire Department Battalion Chief Aaron Collette.

Something likely became too hot in the affected room, which then caused a smoke condition and set off detectors, Collette said. The incident was isolated to a small area, he said.

Thanks to a specialized fire prevention system, extinguishers discharged the gaseous flooding agent Halon 1301 in the room and left no residue. This feature is designed to protect the hospital equipment, Collette said. Responders donned breathing apparatus and went into the room to find the problem.

Members of the Burlington Electric Department responded to the scene, something that happens regularly when fire calls come in, according to BED Communications Coordinator Mary Sullivan.

The hospital at large was not at risk, as the building is designed to help prevent fire from spreading, Collette said.

Click here for the original story: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2014/05/02/fletcher-allen-fire-call-burlington/8606079/

HAZCOM Standard adoption...FSSA Town Hall

At the February 2014 Installers Division Meeting during the Town Hall the topic of HAZCOM Standard adoption by OSHA was discussed.  FSSA would like to provide you with the following preliminary information that may be useful to you since it is time sensitive.  FSSA will continue to provide more information regarding this topic in the coming months. 
There are new hazardous shipping standards that OSHA is adopting to align their HAZCOM standard with the UN Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Standards.  These standard update new labeling elements, as well as a standardized format for Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) .  By December 1, 2013, employers are expected to have completed training their workers on the new label elements and safety data sheet format required under the revised Hazard Communication standard (HCS).
For more information, please view the following article on J.J. Keller & Associates Inc.’s website.
To view a presentation “HAZCOM What You Need to Know” submitted to FSSA by Roger Bourgeois, please click here. 
As an additional resource, please view the free OSHA training tutorial here.

If you have information or documents you are using in your business that you think could benefit your fellow FSSA members, please send to Vince Mullhausen at FSSA Headquarters.

Grow with us!

UL Extends withdrawal date.

Tyco Acquires Westfire..

Tyco Acquires Westfire, Will Fold It Into SimplexGrinnell

2

November 14, 2013 | Comments (0) | Post a comment

Tyco announced today it has acquired Westfire Inc., a provider of fire protection services with operations in the United States, Chile and Peru. Westfire, which specializes in hazard analysis as well as system design, installation, testing, inspection and maintenance, will become part of Tyco SimplexGrinnell.

The acquisition will strengthen SimplexGrinnell’s ability to meet the special hazards fire protection needs of customers in the mining, telecommunications, energy and data storage industries, according to a press release.

"Westfire is a powerful addition to Tyco's capabilities. It expands our service footprint and recurring revenue base along with adding a highly-skilled and experienced team of engineers and technicians. In addition, we are adding vertical market expertise in special hazard detection and suppression applications," says Brian McDonald, Tyco's COO for Installations & Services.

Westfire’s U.S. operations are concentrated in the Western United States, with offices located in Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Seattle. SimplexGrinnell has more than 100 company-owned and operated offices in the U.S., including offices serving the territories covered by Westfire. The company is expected to generate approximately $80 million in annualized revenues in fiscal year 2014, according to Tyco.

“Westfire’s engineering, installation and service expertise, combined with Tyco SimplexGrinnell’s comprehensive special hazards capabilities, creates an exceptional combination of solutions to help customers throughout North America,” says Bob Chauvin, president of SimplexGrinnell. “In addition, this acquisition expands Tyco’s service capabilities for the mining industry in Chile and provides an entry into the Peruvian market, both of which are important growth markets for Tyco.”

The transaction closed on Nov. 8. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

 

To view the original article click here: http://www.securitysales.com/channel/fire-life-safety/news/2013/11/14/tyco-acquires-westfire-will-fold-it-into-simplexgrinnell.aspx

FSSA NEWS

DOT vs NFPA REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING OF SYSTEM CYLINDERS Do DOT Regulations or NFPA Standards require fire system cylinders containing gaseous fire extinguishing agents to be periodically removed from service, emptied and hydrostatically tested? Please click here to download the White Paper* from the Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA) to help you answer that question. *This document provides general guidelines and is not intended to provide all information necessary to determine test requirements for all cylinders. Always refer to the most current equipment manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations, DOT regulations, NFPA Standards, along with other codes and regulations that may apply.*

FSSA HAS NAMED NEW VICE CHAIR OF MANUFACTURERS DIVISION The recently vacated Vice Chair of the Manufacturers Division  has been filled.  A vote was conducted by the principle Manufacturers and the results are in. The FSSA would like to congratulate and welcome Kevin Murray of Siemens Industry to the Board of Directors.

FSSA 2014 ANNUAL FORUM REGISTRATION IS OPEN The FSSA 32nd Annual Forum registration is now open.  Mark your calendar for February 22 - 25, 2014 in San Diego, CA. Click here to make your reservation now.  Sponsorship opportunities are still available. The forum agenda is currently being crafted by the Program Committee and may be viewed here.  Stay tuned for more updates!

PASSING OF CHARLES WILLMS Charles Fredrick Willms, 84, passed away September 14, 2013. Born in Hudson County, NJ, on June 28, 1929, he was the son of the late Sadie and Fredrick Willms. An award winning rifleman, Charles served in the US National Guard, and was honorably discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant. Charles attended NJ Institute of Technology where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. A registered professional engineer, he was a member of the Tau Beta Phi National Engineering Honor Society, Phi Tau Sigma, ASME, CGA, IAC, US TAG, and served as technical director of the FSSA, and chairman of the NFPA. Charles worked as Director of Engineering for Fire Protections Systems for Walter Kidde, in NC, and was then self-employed as a Product Liability Consultant for fire protection products. He enjoyed playing the drums and spending time with his family. Charles was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 58 years, Maryann E. Willms. He is survived by his loving daughter, Beverly, of Raleigh, NC; son, Roger, and his wife, Melinda, of Charlotte; grandchildren, Dean and Madolyn, of Charlotte; brother, Fred Willms, of NJ; and several nieces and nephews.

FSSA TRAINING PROGRAM The FSSA Training program is live!  If you reserved a spot at the forum invoices were emailed in May. For questions regarding the training program or to reserve your space, please contact Vince Mullhausen at FSSA HQ.   Information was received via email from the FSSA publication "Annunciator." To join the distribution list please visit http://fssa.net/

Thank YOU!

In the spirit of being thankful this season, A-Gas RemTec would like to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone that helped make all of our trade shows this year a success. Without our loyal customers and friends we would not be able to provide all of the services and products that we do!


Please keep in mind that we want to purchase any Halon 1301 you may have to get rid of before the end of the year! Let us boost your numbers and pad your wallets for the upcoming Holiday season!!! 

Bulk, Recharge, Refurbish!

GAFSED Scholarship Program- ENTER NOW!

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATION ENTRIES FOR THE GAFSED / RANDY CARLISLE MEMORIAL EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM YOU'RE A WINNER!!! Well you could be, if you have a child entering college or already a college student! Those of you in attendance at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Conference Center, for the September continuing education classes sponsored by GAFSED, have heard the announcement that the GAFSED / Randy Carlisle Memorial Scholarship   program has been rolled out! The GAFSED Board of Directors wants to make sure all of our members know about this awesome opportunity of winning a chance to help pay for your college education, or your child's education beyond high school. The average cost of college books per year is $800.00 and up; so $1,000.00 can sure help to ease the financial burden placed on college students and their families. It's just our way of giving back to you the membership and to say "Thank you" for all you do for our association and this industry. The winner of this $1,000.00 scholarship will be awarded in March of 2014.       The cut-off date for submitting an application AND essay is December 31st, 2013. Applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 25 AND be an employee, a child of an employee, or owner, of an Active GAFSED member in good standing. The application and details are on the GAFSED website,Find the "Scholarship" link and simply click to get started! Visit our web link  RC MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM In closing, as I picture Randy with a huge smile on his face ... full of enthusiasm, I can still hear him say, "...never let an opportunity to learn something pass you by." So, with those encouraging words we hope you will take advantage of this opportunity and make the most of it! Thanks again, and Good Luck! Your GAFSED Education Scholarship Committee DAWN BODEN,  ADMIN@GAFSED.COM

FSSA ANNUAL FORUM!

FSSA 2014 ANNUAL FORUM - SAN DIEGO

 

SAVE THE DATE!

 

The FSSA 32nd Annual Forum location is confirmed.  Mark your calendar for February 22 - 25, 2014.

 

Book your hotel reservations now at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort by calling 1-800-815-6397 and just mention the FSSA Room Block.  FSSA has a special group rate of $219/per night.

 

National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors Atlantic City