The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Gem Sensors Inc., announced a voluntary recall of the Gems 3100 Pressure Detectors/Transducers. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

It has been found that the transducer can fail to accurately detect water pressure in a fire suppression sprinkler system. This could cause the sprinkler system to fail to activate and pump water to the sprinklers in the event of a fire. The Gems 3100 Pressure Transducer is used to detect pressure in a range of applications, including the detection of water pressure as part of a fire pump controller in a fire suppression sprinkler system. The transducer has “Gems Sensors & Controls,” as well as the 18- digit part number, printed on a label affixed to the center of the transducer. Part numbers beginning with “3100″ are included in this recall.

Gems sold the recalled 3100 Pressure Transducers directly to end-users and through distributors from January 2006 through February 2012 for about $250.

Recalled transducer

Eagle Fire can contact Gems on your behalf and you will receive enhanced twice monthly inspection instructions and information about a free replacement transducer, when warranted. End-users who use the 3100 Pressure Transducer in other applications in which water pressure is measured should contact Gems to determine if their units are affected.

For additional information, call the company toll-free at (855) 877-9666, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at http://www.gemssensors.com

Eagle Fire, along with the American Fire Sprinkler Association, is again hosting the Burn Survivor’s Golf Tournament to benefit the Central Virginia Burn Camp and the Old Dominion Professional Firefighters Burn Foundation. The event will be held on Wednesday, September 19th, at Hunting Hawk Golf Club in Glen Allen, VA. Eagle Fire CEO, Harry Hoffon, is chairman of the event.
Last year the tournament raised $50,000 for the two charities.

The Central Virginia Burn Camp provides children who have been hospitalized with burn injuries the opportunity to play, heal and connect with other young burn victims and caring adults. Not only do the children have physical reminders of their burns, many of them also have emotional scars. The chance to connect with caring adults, healthcare professionals and other kids who have similar physical and emotional wounds goes a long way toward helping these kids develop confidence, self- esteem and regain a sense of trust.

The Old Dominion Professional Firefighters Burn Foundation is a partnership between professional firefighters associations and the Evan-Haynes Burn Center at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. The Foundation’s activities include: Supporting Richmond Metro firefighters and their families who have been hospitalized for burn injuries; Helping burn victims and families receiving treatment at the Evans-Haynes Burn Center; Funding medical and physical therapy equipment purchases and burn research; Offering burn education and prevention programs; and Supporting the Central Virginia Burn Camp.

Please call Tiffany at Eagle Fire, 1-800-628-FIRE (3473)  for information on how to participate.

Eagle Fire hosted its 25th anniversary and Buford Carter Memorial Award Celebration on March 10th. In attendance were Eagle Fire Team Members, the Carter family, business associates, and many customers who have been with the company since the early days. Many memories from the past 25 years were shared, starting with the days of only three employees – Harry Hoffon, Tom Herman and Laurie Michel – in a 800 sq foot office space with only desks, phones, one filing cabinet and no customers. Eagle Fire still serves 16 of the first 23 customers, many of whom were able to join in the celebration.

Also part of the celebration was the presentation of The Buford Carter Award. This award was presented to two team members who have shown commitment, integrity and loyalty to the Eagle Fire vision, as well as traits exhibited by Buford Carter. Nominees are chosen by fellow team members and the recipient is selected by the family of Buford Carter.

Eagle Fire founders Harry Hoffon and Tom Herman with the family of Buford Carter.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) produces over 200 standards that are referenced by building and fire codes worldwide. Eagle Fire team members study and learn the standards that are applicable to their line of work, whether it be water-based sprinkler systems, chemical suppression systems, alarm and detection systems, fire pumps, standpipes, etc.

The building codes typically specify what ratings are required for various building materials and the interior finishes that are placed on floors, walls and ceilings of finished spaces in commercial buildings. The NFPA standards deal with the testing procedures of “Fire Rated” or “Fire Retardant” materials. Testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) actually perform the tests in accordance with the applicable NFPA Standard. The technical data sheet for the product should always be consulted.

* If the products are advertised as tested and listed for use in assemblies rated in hours, they were tested for resistance to a test fire according to the procedure in NFPA 251, “Methods of Tests of Fire Resistance of Building Construction and Materials”. This test rates how well and for how long an assembly of materials like studs, drywall, insulation, and fasteners will resist the effects of the test fire in a laboratory.

* If a fire door and frame assembly has been rated for resistance to a test fire, it would be tested in accordance with NFPA 252, “Methods of Fire Tests of Door Assemblies”.

* If carpeting is fire rated, it has been tested according to NFPA 253, “Method of Test for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source”. This test includes ease of ignition, flame spread and smoke developed. It does NOT apply to carpet applied as a wall covering or as a surface material for cubicles, etc. since the flame spread will be more rapid when the material is in a vertical position.

* If the products are advertised as “Fire Rated” class A,B, or C, they were probably tested for flame spread and smoke developed according to the procedure in NFPA 255, “Standard Method of Test of Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials”. This test compares burning characteristics to two standard test materials, cement board = 0, and red oak = 100. This test affects how a surface material such as a paint or wall covering, or ceiling tiles may be used in exit passageways, stairwells and in other locations regulated by building or fire codes.

* If a window and frame assembly, or a glass block assembly, has been rated for resistance to a test fire, it would be tested in accordance with NFPA 257, “Fire Tests for Window and Glass Block Assemblies”.

Leesburg, Virginia: Townhome Fire Stopped by Sprinkler

Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Fire Sprinklers Save Chapel Hill Family’s Christmas

Cumberland, Maryland: Sprinklers Stop Spread of FEMA Fire in Maryland

Raleigh, North Carolina:  Thanksgiving meal possibly leads to fire

Clarke Fire Protection Products, Inc. is offering to replace a cooling system pressure cap with a new pressure cap and tank adapter to be fitted on the coolant tank of certain Clarke engine models.  With the old pressure caps, the engine cooling system hose could rupture and cause injury if operator starts the engine manually and does not ensure that water is allowed to flow through the cooling loop during engine operation.  The replacement cap is designed to alleviate extreme pressure buildup.

To determine if your Clarke engine is affected by this replacement program, please call Eagle Fire at 1-800-628-3473.

Photo of Existing Clarke Pressure Cap/Tank

Clarke Replacement Pressure Cap with Tank Adapter

The Chesterfield County Fire Department, the Office of the Virginia State Fire Marshal and the Virginia Chapter of the American Fire Sprinkler Association hosted a side-by-side burn demonstration to show the time it takes for an automatic fire sprinkler to activate and control a fire in a typical living room versus the time it takes for a fire to engulf a non-sprinklered room.

The room that did not have fire sprinklers was engulfed in a just a couple of minutes, well before the typical 4-6 minutes that it takes firefighters to respond.  In that time, the temperature reached 700-800 degrees.

The fire in the room that had a sprinkler installed was extinguished before virtually any damage could occur. Sprinklers are like having a built-in firefighter and are highly effective in protecting lives and property.

Room protected with fire sprinkler.

When the economy is weak, it is tempting to put off investing in large purchases or maintaining equipment.  However, maintaining life safety systems is something that cannot be neglected. There are mandated inspections and maintenance items that must be performed in order to ensure that the systems are fully operational at all times.

NFPA 72 is the standard published by the National Fire Protection Association that covers the application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing and maintenance of fire alarm systems. NFPA 25 establishes the minimum requirements for the periodic inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems.

By using these standards to schedule regular inspections and maintenance, property and building managers can avoid more costly repairs down the road, get a longer life out of their equipment and also ensure that life and property are fully protected in the event of a fire – making it a wise investment.

In Eagle Fire’s ongoing effort to innovate and provide our customers with fast and reliable service, we have implemented a vehicle tracking program. Eagle Fire has installed GPS-enabled devices to pinpoint the location of each vehicle 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on an interactive, Internet-based map. This can be used to route the closest team member to an emergency call. This will improve dispatching, provide the ability to estimate when a technician will arrive and, most importantly, improve response time. The ability to react quickly is one of the main reasons customers trust Eagle Fire for their fire protection needs.

Eagle Fire now has a permanent presence in Lynchburg, Virginia! We’ve found warehouse space that will allow Team Members working in the area to store material, instead of traveling to the Blacksburg Office frequently. This will improve service to our customers in the Lynchburg area.