Commercial Fire Blog

If a fire broke out right now, would you know where the closest fire extinguisher is? Even though most people will never use a fire extinguisher, it’s a critical lifesaving tool that you HAVE to know how to operate. According to NFPA 10, there are two key requirements to ensure that an extinguisher will perform in the event of a fire.

Designed for occupant use, in the event of fire, fire hose stations offer occupants a manual means of putting water on fires at their initial stages in an attempt to either extinguish them or to allow occupants of a building to escape them safely. These stations are comprised of a hose valve, rack and reel fire hose, hose nozzle, and a storage device—pin rack, hose reel, or hose hanger. They are connected to a building’s standpipe system and generally located in corridors and/or in stairwells. They may or may not be housed in a cabinet. Fire Hose Stations are an important part of any building’s fire protection plan, but they do not take the place of a building’s automatic extinguishing systems, like fire sprinklers or pre-engineered suppression systems. Regardless, these stations are an invaluable link in the life-saving “chain of survival” that protects people and property from the ravages of fire in buildings.

NFPA standards mandate pre-engineered fire suppression systems for special hazards. These hazards involve flammable/combustible materials, liquids, and gases found in commercial kitchens, paint spray operations, data centers, electrical storage rooms, refueling areas, chemical plants, and more. That’s why a complete fire protection plan is necessary to protect your buildings, occupants, and employees.

Never underestimate the amount of time you have to extinguish or retreat from fire. In a building, fire can spread at an alarming rate—in just thirty seconds it can become unmanageable, threatening life, limb, and property. As a matter of fact, fire can emit toxic smoke in just one minute, reach 600° within three minutes, and engulf an entire floor or building in about five minutes (depending on the size of the building or floor).¹

At Commercial Fire, our goal is simple, we want to help our customers keep their facilities safe and compliant in the most efficient way. We've done this for the past 30 years. Because of that track record, we are thrilled to announce Commercial Fire was named "2021 Top Facility Management Company" in the service category by Healthcare Tech Outlook. We ask our EVP, Mark Murray, what this award and cover-story feature meant to him. Here is what he had to say.

Many buildings in the United States rely on an automatic fire sprinkler system as their primary source for overall fire protection. Because of the emphasis placed on these systems for protecting both life and property, there are stringent rules and regulations governing their upkeep—two of which (testing and inspection), are critical to maintaining fire sprinkler system effectiveness in the event of a fire.

Key to Fast Pay

It’s all in the paperwork, or the amount thereof. Of course, timely submittal of all paperwork, has a lot to do with how fast an affiliate gets their invoice paid, that’s never a sticking point at Commercial Fire. All we need from you is a signed work order (by your onsite representative), the asset data page on the type of equipment at that location, a service ticket with details of work performed, an inspection document (if the service type requires one), and a line item invoice for customer billing purposes. Once all of that’s received, getting paid is fast and efficient, especially if you use an online dashboard, like Commercial Fire’s, to submit your paperwork. Using this electronic option can result in getting your money much quicker—even on a weekly basis!

One of the most overlooked parts of contracting out service for fire and life safety equipment is the Request for Pricing (RFP). As the old adage goes, “you get out what you put in,” which couldn’t be truer, when it comes to preparing an RFP. As a Facility or Sourcing Manager, the only thing paramount to saving your company money, is protecting their people and property. And with a better understanding of what makes up a good RFP, you can accomplish both.

One of the most important goals a Facility Manager can have is providing effective fire and life safety equipment and systems across all of your locations. Unfortunately, it can be a lot like trying to untangle a huge plate of pasta. There are tons of codes and regulations to follow, current and projected expenses to consider, and an accounting of what fire and life safety equipment and systems are present or missing here, there, everywhere! And in terms of cost, what’s your exposure? While the initial responsibility for meeting fire and life safety codes and regulations originated with the builders, that became your responsibility, as the Facility Manger, as soon as ownership changed hands. And that responsibility involves some sobering issues—protection of lives and property and avoidance of fines while keeping maintenance, repair, and replacement costs down.

As a Facility Manager, understanding the various aspects of fire and life safety for your building(s) or space(s) is not only paramount to avoiding fines, but critical to protecting your employees and patrons. This is no easy task, as you are probably responsible for numerous locations locally, regionally, and/or locations that are scattered around the country. On top of that, there is the fire and life safety equipment itself as well as the numerous codes, regulations, and laws that govern over it, requiring installation of this or service of that. It can be overwhelming trying to get your arms around all of it or, moreover, even knowing what equipment or systems you have or who’s responsible for maintaining it.