Leveraging Technology
Technology integration is another key measure that Texas Children's employs. By interfacing the building management system (BMS) with the life safety system, the hospital has more control over fire response.
For example, the facility must abide by a state mandate to have smoke removal systems in all operating rooms, says Kaczmarek. Operators can use the software to open and close fire and smoke dampers or start exhaust fans. The same capability applies to all security doors, which can be strategically unlocked based on their proximity to the fire.
FireTron also barcoded all device heads, strobes, panels, and other interfaces. Every test, replacement, and alert on each device can be compiled into a report. Maintenance and efficiency reporting is made more efficient. says Rinehart, and offers a greater depth of detail to facility managers and the authorities having jurisdiction alike.
Beyond the advances in the Pavilion for Women, the entirety of the Texas Children's campus is monitored from a central command station. Fire, security, and medical gas monitoring are just a few of the building systems closely supervised.
These fire safety measures are useful no matter what kind of facility you have. All it takes is an FM who's willing to make fire safety a priority.