Ron Hicks is Sr.Vice President of Advanced Cabling Systems, a Little Rock, Ark., company and a System Sensor contractor. Advanced has grown from a three-man cabling company in 1995 to a multi-million dollar enterprise that specializes in building technology integration. In 2002, Hicks came on board to begin the fire alarm and security side of Advanced. Hicks is NICET certified in fire alarms systems, sprinkler system design, CCTV installation, special hazards and audio systems and has more than 30 years of experience in low-voltage solutions.
Can you tell us about your company?
Advanced Cabling Systems was founded as a structured cabling company in 1995. Now with more than 60 employees and two offices in Arkansas, we are recognized as the leader in low-voltage technologies in Arkansas. In addition to structured cabling, Advanced now offers fire alarms, mass notification, security, access control, school intercom, and nurse call. Advanced’s annual revenues were $1.5 million in 2002 and are expected to reach $10 million this year.
Why are you successful?
Through our System Sensor manufacturer representative, Mark Gilmore, and National Training Manager, Rick Swift, we have developed not only a close relationship, but have become known in Arkansas as a leader in training and implementation of System Sensor products to engineers and fire marshals. We run very successful twice-a-year, one-day product code and regulation seminars.
For example, as to state and local fire safety regulations, we invite responsible government employees to the System Sensor seminars to make them more knowledgeable about codes, device placement, testing and inspections.
We also have a bidding department that keeps up with the bid process through Dodge and CMD. We are most successful in the design build and negotiated markets. We offer a full line of products and consider ourselves a one-stop shop for our customers’ needs…one place to buy, one place to warranty and one place to call if concerns arise.
We believe strongly in customer service, we automatically notify our customers when their detection devices need updating or scheduled maintenance is required. We have a dedicated sales and service department just for testing and inspections. This helps our clients to maintain a fully working system for emergencies.
What are the benefits of System Sensor products?
System Sensor offers a full line of life safety products that are on the cutting edge in development, are easy to install, are clearly superior in sound quality, and are well known. System Sensor also offers a full line of horns, strobes, horn strobes, speakers, speaker strobes, and both wall- and ceiling-mount devices. System Sensor products are all competitive in pricing.
What suggestions do you have for installers?
Read your instructions and take advantage of the ease of installation, especially of System Sensor products. Wiring and testing of your circuits is much easier with System Sensor products like SpectrAlert® Advance. You no longer have to wait until the walls are completed to test.
How do you approach “green”?
We are a leader in green or LEED® certified projects and installations. Some of our more notable LEED installations in Arkansas are Heifer International Headquarters and Winrock International which are both nonprofit organizations; Pulaski Heights Methodist Church; Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality; Caldwell Toyota; and Hewlett-Packard’s new call center in Conway, Ark. (a large System Sensor project).
Do you have System Sensor in your offices?
Yes, although code did not require our office to have a fire alarm system, we chose to install a full system showcasing the System Sensor product line and others we install.
Do you know of any time a System Sensor product was actually used in an emergency?
Recently the new First Security Center, a multi-use facility in Little Rock, put its NetSOLO 7100 fire panel system with System Sensor products to the test. A condo resident attempted to light a gas fireplace. Failing to properly ventilate the area before bleeding the volatile gas line, the tenant lit the fireplace, causing an explosion. Fortunately, it wasn’t too serious — there wasn’t a huge wall-blowing explosion — but it “popped” pretty well.
The fire system responded instantly, detecting the heat (as there was not a great deal of fire or smoke) and sending the whole system into full alarm mode. The system detected that this was more than just a smoke detector sensing a little dust or smoke particle. It made the occupants aware by setting off the full alarm and emptying the building. It really worked exactly like it was supposed to, preventing further damage and injury.
Due to the addressable features of the fire panel system, building management was able to determine which device activated first, as well as the succession in which the other devices activated. A System Sensor heat detector was the initial activator, followed by the fire pump running the sprinkler water flow, a System Sensor smoke detector and finally a carbon monoxide detector. The fire department responded within eight minutes of the alarm.
Any concluding comments?
In all aspects of our business, especially life safety, we must take the life of our customers and their families as being the most important thing we think about. You never know whose life you may save and, on the other hand, whose life may not be saved if you do it the wrong way. This is especially true when designing a fire alarm system. Notification is at the top of importance. If everyone is not aware of an emergency, a life could be lost or someone hurt.
Tags: Q&A
Posted in Q & A : Ask the Expert, Summer 2010
To receive more information about the content within this issue, fill out this Online Response Card.