Fire Alarms for Minneapolis Businesses

Every Minneapolis business should have a fire protection plan in place, and this means more than just having a Minneapolis fire alarms company install a system. As one article noted:

In fact, whether it is taking fire protection measures in Minnesota at your office or practicing fire prevention at home, just be sure to that you are ready, in the event of the worst.

How do you make sure you're ready? Have an exit route and emergency action plan in place. Also have a fire prevention plan put together. Taking these important steps will help to save lives in the event of an emergency.

Read the entire article: "A Fire Protection Plan for Your Business." 

Maximizing Your Fire Protection

Fire protection is an important thing for any business to have. As one article noted:

In fact, studies show that for the U.S. alone 6,000 workplace fires occur annually.

 If you're thinking of upgrading your Minneapolis fire alarms, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Pay attention to basic security measures like keeping windows and doors locked after business hours. 
• Keep combustible materials and dumpsters away from smoking areas. 
• Use extension cords that are only in good condition. 
• Have a fire protection plan. 

Read the entire article: "Fire Protection and You." 

Fire Suppression: Choosing an Effective System

When it comes to Brooklyn Park fire protection systems, it's important to choose one that helps to protect those assets that can't be replaced, like your family, friends, co-workers, employees, etc. As one article noted:

An effective fire suppression system is one of the most valuable investments one can make. They serve a two-fold security purpose: They can prevent fires from starting and spreading, and they also provide a sense of comfort to the owner, who knows his or her structure is equipped to deal with a blaze.

So, how do you about choosing the perfect system? You'll need to determine your budget, find possible installers, contact potential companies and finally narrow down the list to the final selection. The more time you're willing to invest in the research, the better off your final selection will be.

Read the entire article: "Choosing an effective fire suppression system."

Your Fire Protection System Needs Your Attention

Is your fire protection system really protecting you? How long has it been since your system was installed? How often, if at all, do you have your fire protection system inspected? Have you really given this any thought? It's easy to neglect such things when you are running a business.

Just the normal everyday routine tasks of running your business demand much of your attention, and when business activities don’t go according to plan, your attention is naturally diverted even further from such mundane issues as facilities maintenance. But you should set aside some time to review the status of your fire protection and monitoring systems.

You have a large investment in your building and its contents. What would happen if you had a fire and your automatic fire protection system didn't function as expected? Do you have important documents or expensive equipment, such as computers or production machines that could be damaged? Could they be replaced, at what cost, and how quickly? Could you afford to have production halted for a few days, weeks or months? Proper inspection and maintenance of your fire protection and monitoring systems is essential.

Your fire protection system is just like any other mechanical or electrical system that can fail to perform if it sits dormant for extended periods of time. Anything can fail, but systems that are maintained and tested regularly, are more likely to perform properly when needed. You should have regular inspections and maintenance performed by someone that is trained and qualified to work on such systems.

If it's been a long time since your fire protection system was installed, a review is in order to ensure that it is up to date with local codes. You should also check to see if your original alarm system only provides local warning, or is it connected to the appropriate monitoring service. It may be only local because it was not practical for remote monitoring at the time of installation. But now it is a simple and necessary procedure to set up remote monitoring.

You will also want to review the type of fire protection that you have installed. At one time, water fire sprinkler systems were the norm. Today there are reliable, waterless systems that might be more appropriate if you have irreplaceable documents or expensive equipment that could be damaged by water sprinklers.

You need to arrange for an inspection and a regular maintenance program. You can find a qualified Minneapolis fire protection system company by searching online.

Fire Safety on a Budget

You and your family's safety is nothing to take lightly, but there may be some circumstances where you can't spend a lot of money on top-of-the-line fire alarm and fire suppression systems. Don't worry -- there are still ways to keep your family protected in these situations, and you can do so without taking as big a hit to your wallet.

Smoke alarms are simple devices that offer big protection, at least in the warning stage. When a smoke detector catches a whiff of smoke, it emits a sound that is meant to get the attention of anyone who might be in your home. Some models will even flash a bright light to let those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing know that they should try to escape immediately.

Fire extinguishers are also very important tools to keep around. Should a fire start and should you be around while it's still in the beginning stages of formation, you can use a fire extinguisher to keep that small fire from becoming a large one. It's important to know which type of extinguisher is the best to use for which type of fire, however, as there are different types of extinguishers that can help suppress fires depending on their source type (paper, flammable liquids, electrical wiring, etc).

One of the best things you can do is develop a fire escape plan and practice it on a regular basis. The preparation will undoubtedly help in the event of a real emergency.

Ready to help protect your home or business from the dangers of a potential fire? Call Brother's Fire today for Iowa fire protection services at (763) 441-2290.

Sustainable Fire Protection

With many cities and municipalities experiencing financial crunches, innovative ways to keep costs low while still maintaining the services taxpayers are used to seems to be a priority. One of the highest-cost items for local governments is the cost of keeping a fire company. Firefighter pay sits just below a police force in terms of cost for these governments. Some fire departments, squeezed by budget cuts, are looking to a unique solution: student firefighters.

Fire companies that are stationed near colleges provide students with free housing and hourly pay in exchange for firefighting duties when the need arises. UA Fairbanks runs such a fire department, and when the students graduate or leave, they're replaced with incoming students. Costs are kept low, since students are paid a less-expensive hourly wage than professional firefighters, and because these students also don't accrue pensions, costs are also kept down going into the future.

This idea, of course, does not have to take place near a college campus, but having this be the case helps in the recruitment of younger adults. It's an innovative way to keep troubled fire departments afloat in times of economic strife.

Want to learn more about Brother's Fire and our Iowa fire protection services? Call us today at (800) 607-2767.

Fire Protection Technology from 3M used by NASCAR Drivers

Chemicals company 3M has long been a source of innovation, and for years, one of the areas they've done a lot of good work in has been the race car fire protection industry. Here, they've provided NASCAR drivers with the fire protection technology used in race cars, like its Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid. 

This fluid is now becoming more and more common in Iowa fire protection systems. When the need for fire protection is there but water or dry chemical suppression agents will damage important electrical systems, this can be used to help stop the spread of a fire, providing more time for those in a building to escape and protecting more property by the time the fire is extinguished.

Ready to learn more about Iowa fire protection company Brothers Fire? Call today at (800) 607-2767.

How Fire Protection Systems Work

The modern-day fire protection system is a far cry from the one that was available to Iowa businesses a few decades back. In the past, fire protection consisted of a fire alarm system and a suppression system that merely tried to control a fire long enough for firefighters to arrive and finish the job. Today's fire protection system also couples an alarm and suppression system, but nowadays, a suppression system has the potential to completely knock out a fire on its own.

The most common system used for suppression is the sprinkler system. This often utilizes water, though other types of suppression agents (such as foam or gas) can also be used. When a fire is detected, usually by the presence of smoke in the air, the fire alarm portion of the protection system is activated, and the suppression system attempts to control and extinguish the fire as quickly as possible.

Brothers Fire has been helping Iowa businesses with their fire protection needs for the past decade. Interested in learning more about how we can help? Get in touch today by visiting our website.

Fire Protection Tip: Smoke Alarm Locations

Smoke alarms are inexpensive, but effective, tools that can help alert you to smoke that could be coming from a fire. In order for a smoke detector to do its job properly, however, it's important that it is placed in a location that both gives it the opportunity to detect smoke and alert someone to the potential danger of a fire. There are a few locations where smoke alarms are best placed.

• At least one on each floor of your home.
• One outside the door of every bedroom.

Be sure to change a smoke detector's battery at least twice per year. The recommended time to do so is during Daylight Savings time changes in the Fall and Spring. If you're changing your clock, also remember to change the battery on your smoke detector so that it's fully functional should you need it to do its job in an emergency.

Stay tuned to this blog for more fire protection industry news and tips, and be sure to contact Brothers Fire for your Minneapolis residential and commercial fire protection needs.

Fire Safety for Your Business

Workplace safety should be high on the list of any employer, and fire safety is a big piece of the puzzle. There are a few steps you should take to make sure that your business is properly prepared for a fire, and that the necessary fire protection instruments are in place.

First, it's crucial that you have a risk assessment done to locate potential trouble spots or risks. Any potentially dangerous items noted in the risk assessment should be fixed as soon as possible.

Next, an evacuation plan should be developed that takes into account where someone is sitting and where the nearest exits are. One evacuation route is not one-size-fits-all in a large office. Back-up plans should also be developed in the event that the original plan isn't able to be followed during an emergency.

Finally, train your employees on the proper usage of fire extinguishing tools, and appoint a few people to lead an evacuation should one be necessary. And take fire safety and prevention very seriously; prevention is always less expensive than the damage you'll likely have to repair.

Address your fire protection and fire safety concerns for your Minneapolis business today. Call Brothers Fire at (800) 607-2767.

NFPA Poster Focuses on Fire Safety for Seniors

A brand new poster released by the National Fire Protection Association encourages seniors to develop an escape plan should a fire ever start in their place of residence. The poster, which measures at 8 and a half by 11 inches, would ideally be placed on bulletin boards of senior centers, churches, grocery stores, and other areas.

The posters can be downloaded for free from the NFPA website.

Learn more about how Brothers Fire Protection can help you keep your Minneapolis home or business safe in the event of a fire. Call us today at (800) 607-2767.

Increasing Fire Code Access

The National Fire Protection Association has a great post over on its blog about how the Association views consumers who use the information it puts out -- code consumers, they're called. In the past, there used to be one way to view the information that NFPA put out, and that was by reading it in a book. Today, however, there are many more channels for information to travel through, and the NFPA has made an attempt to move more toward digital information:

"We’re meeting some of the market demand with electronic formats of our titles in PDF form. The common thread is that almost all of these variant formats replicate the printed book experience."

Eventually, the goal of the Association seems to be getting to a point where all fire code and building standards information is available no matter where you are and what device you're on. When that point is reached, you'll be able to customize it to fit your needs. It's definitely a step in the right direction, and we're looking forward to it!

Want to talk more about how Brothers Fire can assist you with your fire protection needs? Give us a call today at (800) 607-2767.

NFPA Conference & Expo Happening in June 2012

The National Fire Protection Association's annual Conference & Expo will be taking place on June 12, 2012, and it should be a great conference for those in the fire protection industry. New York City Firefighter Jay Jonas will be there, speaking about his time with Ladder 6 and his experience inside the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Jonas is now a deputy chief with the department, and will talk about the lessons taken away from that fateful day, as well as the improvements that have been made in the fire protection industry.

Here's a video of Jay Jonas speaking at the 9/11 memorial in New York.

The Expo will take place in Las Vegas, and registration is still open for those interested in attending.

If you're in need of fire protection services or products and you're located in Minnesota, we'd be more than happy to help. Give Brothers Fire a call today at (800) 607-2767, or visit our website at BrothersFire.com.

Fire Protection System Inspection and Service

Your fire protection system is a vital part of your space. It alerts those who work or live in that space to potential fire danger, and can also suppress some fires and keep the inhabitants of a building safe. For these reasons alone, it is extremely important to have your fire protection system inspected and serviced regularly.

Brothers Fire can help keep your fire suppression system, as well as your fire alarms, functioning properly should you ever need them. If you want to learn more about these services, please give us a call at (800) 607-2767.

2012 Annual Forum Announced by Fire Suppression Systems Association

The Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA), a not-for-profit organization consisting of manufacturers, suppliers and installers, has announced the dates for its Annual Forum. The event will be held from February 25 through February 28, 2012, and will take place in Rancho Mirage, California. You can learn more about the event by visiting the FSSA website at FSSA.net.

Interested in finding a qualified fire protection company the Upper Midwest? Look no further than Brothers Fire. You can learn more about the services and products we offer by calling (800) 607-2767.

Fire Protection Job Opening at Brothers Fire Protection of Minnesota

Want to work for the Upper Midwest’s leading fire protection company? Do you have experience in an office environment? You might be what we’re looking for at Brothers Fire Protection.

We’re looking to hire a service coordinator/inside sales assistant. The position's duties include customer service and relations/ proposal and quote reports preparation; scheduling; dispatching; and much more. For functions and requirements, please check out the Employment page at www.BrothersFire.com to find out more information.

We're looking for a service coordinator/inside sales assistant. Find more information on our blog. 

Fire Protection Job Opening at Brothers Fire Protection of Minnesota

Want to work for the leading Upper Midwest fire protection company? Do you have experience in designing or installing fire sprinklers and alarm systems? Then you might be what we're looking for at Brothers Fire Protection.

We are looking to hire a designer/project manager. The person hired would be responsible for the design of fire sprinklers and alarm systems; obtaining the proper permits and approvals from authorities; and coordinating the project.

Requirements for consideration include excellent verbal and written communication skills; four years in fire sprinklers and or alarm design; and related education and experience.

For functions and requirements, please check out the Employment page at www.BrothersFire.com.

Workplace Fire Prevention

Our commercial customers might be interested in sharing this video with the businesses residing inside a facility so it can be shared with employees. Fire prevention isn't just about having the proper fire safety equipment installed -- each person also must take the correct course of action to extinguish or escape from a fire should one occur in the workplace.

Safety for the Holidays

The National Fire Protection Association has put together two safety tip sheets dealing with fire protection and safety with the holidays approaching. One focuses on on the winter holiday season, while the other covers Christmas tree safety, specifically.

If you plan on decorating for the holidays, or if you plan on entertaining guests this month, print out these two tip sheets and hang them up on your refrigerator. They'll remind you to take the proper fire safety steps.

Time Change Means It’s Time to Check Fire Alarms

Many homeowners use the “fall back” and “spring forward” time changes to check their smoke alarms. It’s a good practice for business owners to follow when it comes to their fire alarms.

Most commercial spaces are required by law to be outfitted with fire alarms of some sort. Whether they’re basic or more complex, changing the clocks should mean having your system looked at. Having them examined and regular maintenance done can save you from future high repair costs. Here are some benefits of having your fire alarms regularly maintained:

• Fewer false alarms: Getting your equipment checked, cleaned and tested on a regular basis will help to ensure your alarm goes off only when a true danger is present.
• Increased protection: Not only will regular checkups keep your property safe, but will ensure the safety of those who often frequent the premises, including your employees and visitors.
• Reduced costs: With a system in fine condition, you’ll see a reduction in costs related to false alarms and emergency repairs, and can help you avoid having to buy new parts or equipment.

So, fall back in the right way and get your fire alarms checked out!

Brothers Fire Protection offers commercial fire suppression systems in Minnesota.