Consolidating Fire and Life Safety Services | Value of A Single Fire Safety Vendor

Managing and scheduling a diverse group of vendors to ensure code compliance and regular maintenance of critical fire and life safety systems can be a laborious task for even the most seasoned building chiefs and facility managers.

Given what is at stake if these systems are compromised, it makes sense to have a reliable and cost-effective means of assessing and resolving fire and life safety deficiencies under one roof.

With a single point of management, you won’t have to worry about calling multiple businesses, scheduling service calls, or dealing with subcontractors — the same vendor becomes your one-stop shop for all fire and life safety services.

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Benefits of using a single vendor for all fire and life safety services

Facility managers that are happy with their current list of fire and safety service contractors may be reluctant to consolidate under a single vendor for fear that the switch will be disruptive.

However, using one company to handle all of your fire and life safety services will actually make your life a whole lot simpler. Here are some of the immediate benefits:

1. One contact for everything — Whether you need to install a new system, inspect your current system, repair your sprinklers, or monitor your building, you only need to call one number.
2. Save time and reduce costs — Having to pay multiple vendors can often result in a significant amount of extra fees and expenses. Plus you’ll have to spend time cutting numerous checks to ensure everyone gets paid. Why spend extra time managing several vendors when you can work with just one?
3. Simplified billing/paperwork — All invoices and paperwork come from the same company, making it easier to keep a detailed record of billing information.
4. In-depth management and comprehension of your systems — A single company managing all your business’ fire and safety systems will have a better understanding of the building’s needs and weaknesses and will be able to provide more responsive support.
5. Ensure code compliance — Rules and codes can change, making it difficult to stay up to date. When you consolidate services with one vendor, you can feel more confident that required inspection, maintenance, and testing requirements are met.
6. Establish a trusted, long-lasting relationship —  From the initial plan creation to training employees to dealing with the aftermath of an incident, having a trusted partner means you can ensure that your building, tenants, and employees will be safe.

New technologies and developments in the fire and life safety industry have made the need for hiring multiple vendors a thing of the past. Building chiefs and facility managers that are worried about fire code compliance, system costs, and prevention and response measures, are urged to make the switch to a one-stop fire and life safety services vendor.

Types of fire and life safety services

Many hospitals, educational facilities, IT firms, and other businesses use different vendors for inspections, fire protection, repairs, observing, and safety equipment installations.

Generally, this involves tracking down and calling different companies for a range of services, including:

• Test and inspection — To protect employees and comply with fire protection standards, you need a vendor that provides comprehensive fire testing and inspection services for fire alarm systems, fire sprinkler systems, backflow preventers, fire pumps, fire extinguishers, hood suppression systems, special hazard systems, and emergency lights.
• Service and repair — Fire and life safety systems require regular maintenance and repairs to ensure they function when necessary and remain in compliance with state and federal regulations. Depending on the specific system/equipment, service and repairs may be needed weekly, monthly, semi-annually, or annually. Service and repairs will also be needed whenever a deficiency is detected.
• Monitoring — National Fire Protection Association standards require that your building have 24-hour alarm monitoring. Ideally, you want a vendor that provides solutions for a wide range of technologies including AES Mesh-Radio, Cellular IP, and Dial-Up / POTS.
• System design — Your fire and life safety protections are only as good as your system. Only NICET certified engineers should design and install new equipment.

For many companies, each of the above-listed services requires its own individual contact and contract. Unfortunately, juggling multiple vendors can result in subpar quality service and unnecessary budget expenditure. This methodology of hiring different vendors is disorganized and can result in a non-compliant, or worse yet, non-functioning, fire and safety system.

Instead, building chiefs and facility managers should consider hiring a single vendor that can bundle and manage these services together.

Contact Performance Systems Integration for a free fire and life safety code compliance analysis

Since 2002, Performance Systems Integration (PSI), has provided a “single-point-of-management” for schools, property management, hotels, hospitals, and other businesses.

Our team is comprised of NICET certified technicians that are dedicated to keeping your systems up and running.

Our clients choose us over other vendors because we provide better scheduling, faster inspections, better reporting, and more responsive service.

Whether you are looking for a thorough audit of your existing fire protection system, or need help installing new equipment, you can trust our highly trained engineers to get the job done.

To schedule a free fire and life safety code compliance analysis today, call today at 503.641.2222 or contact us online.