...Romance Author...

South Colony Place receives fire safety award

South Colony Place
The Saginaw Township Fire Department presented the fire prevention award to South Colony Place High-rise for their extensive sprinkler system expansion. (left to right) Tim Braun, Township Supervisor; Jim Peterson, Saginaw Township Fire Chief; Kevin O’Brien, Fire Inspector; Claudia Anderson, Associated Management Company Regional Supervisor; and Dennis Varian, Associated Management Company President.

 


The Saginaw Township Fire Department presented South Colony Place High-rise, 180 S. Colony Dr. (off Gratiot), with a fire prevention award Tuesday, July 12. The award is in recognition of the senior housing community’s efforts to expand their sprinkler system, after investing nearly $300,000 to extend the existing sprinkler system into all 200 apartments of the nine-story building.

“This is only the second time in five years the award has been given out,” said Kevin O’Brien, Fire Inspector for the Saginaw Township Fire Department. “It is mainly reserved for businesses that go above and beyond the normal requirements for fire safety.”

According to O’Brien, the award is only given to Saginaw Township businesses that are proactive in investing in their buildings to keep them safe from fire. South Colony Place was built in 1973 with codes from 1964. After working on the sprinkler expansion for 2 years, it is now a much safer place for its residents.

The new sprinkler system allows fire rescue personnel to determine which floor the fire is on, reducing the time involved in searching the building for the source. It will also activate the sprinklers only on the floor where the fire is located.

In the apartments, the sprinklers are heat-activated, releasing only in the area where the fire is located, rather than activating all the sprinklers in the entire apartment. Firestops have been installed under the stove range hoods that will release a chemical similar to that contained in a fire extinguisher in the case of a cooking fire.

In January of 2006, a fire at Lakeside Village required the rescue of over 180 residents. At the time of the fire, the building was unsprinkled. Since then, Lakeside has fully sprinkled their building.

“There have been no documented deaths recorded from fire in a building that has been fully sprinkled,” said O’Brien. “Usually, the fire starts in the apartment, making the sprinkler system in the hallways ineffectual in many cases. Extending the sprinkler system to the apartments greatly increases the occupant’s chances to escape.”

 

 

 

Website designed by ThimbleCity.com