Academy Fire Protection - News, Articles and Press Releases

The American Burn Association recorded that about 45,000 people need to be hospitalized for suffering burns that covered 14 percent of their bodies. Academy Fire Protection is glad to support the charity work done by Burn Advocates Network Ltd for burn survivors and burn camps.

For more information go to http://www.burnadvocatesnetwork.org

Get Fired Up...To Code - How to eliminate costly code compliance issues.

PRSM Magazine, May 2005 issue

Brian Cohen, Regional Sales Manager for Academy Fire Protection

The cost of doing business for a retail operation is, of course, very involved. Inventory, salaries, utilities and infrastructure are all factored in. But what about the little things? 

Time is money and the smart use of time can inflate or deflate operational budgets accordingly. In many instances, best practice might be to spend some money to reflect a better bottom line in the long run. One way to accomplish this is to subscribe to a course of preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance will eliminate downtime, keep store personnel productive at the point of sale and maintain the aesthetic appeal of the store locations. 

The fire protection functions required in stores lend themselves well to a plan of preventive maintenance. With mandated inspections and local jurisdictions involved, it is best for companies to hand over this “unglamorous” — but necessary — service to experienced professionals who can provide and schedule timely inspections so stores are kept within code and equipment remains operational.

Take fire extinguishers, for example. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes mandate annual inspections, yet there are many companies who are not proactive. As one facility manager of a financial company told me directly, “I only deal with fire extinguisher issues as they come up.” To which I asked if he realized that code requires annual inspections and he said, “Yes.” This was not a small chain but a company with more than 800 locations! I can’t even imagine how it will impact the company if a fire marshal cracked down on his locations, loaded them up with fines and the company had to pay higher service call rates. I can imagine how it will impact this particular facility manager, though. Should the same company have had a preventive maintenance (PM) contract for extinguisher service, annual service would be scheduled, the units would be inspected and tagged, confirming everything is compliant, and next year’s appointment would be scheduled. This would significantly reduce costs because a technician would not need to rush in off the street to do the job. By scheduling 60 days in advance, a provider’s operation is streamlined, thereby reducing the cost of doing business, which is then passed on to the customer.

While fire extinguishers are relatively easy, other forms of fire protection become a bit more involved, labor intensive and mechanically complicated. Sprinkler, backflow, alarms and lighting are all part of fire protection. Each of these areas is unique and requires a higher level of expertise. Each should also have its own plan of preventive maintenance. In some parts of the country, sprinkler systems need to be inspected once a year, in other areas quarterly and still in other areas the inspections must be accompanied by a monthly visual preformed by a certified technician.  It can become an organizational nightmare trying to remember which locations need to be serviced when and by whom. One slip off this regimen and what might happen can be similar to what happened to a chain store in New Jersey: $80,000 in fines!  Yet, with the proper PM plan, the information will be input and acted upon in a timely manner, thus, avoiding code violations. 

Additionally, it has been proven time and again that a proper preventive maintenance plan keeps the equipment functioning at an optimal level, reducing the possibility of mechanical breakdowns such as flooding or having a sprinkler head “pop” and showering your customers. A proper PM plan administrator will also have copies of all paperwork and reports
on file, should it become necessary to produce this information at a moment’s notice. 

Fire alarms present an entirely different set of issues. With the addition of phone line hookups and central station monitoring, alarm systems need to be working properly all the time. Regular inspections of alarm panels will decrease the chances of a trouble signal being sent or, even worse, the alarm being tripped. Three a.m. wakeup calls to store managers can be held to a minimum if the system is looked at, cleaned, tested and certified on a regular basis. The local fire departments also will be happy to avoid that 3 a.m. call as well. 

Of course, preventive maintenance will not eliminate service and emergency calls, but in many cases the total cost of fire protection will be reduced; there will be fewer service calls and, as a PM contracted service, the costs will be reduced. More importantly, though, you will be providing a safe environment for your customers and your employees and that is the best service money can buy. 

Cost is one part of the productivity equation; the other is time. Time, in the end, does reflect in costs. A provider of fire protection service can manage the entire fire protection function of retail store chains, from scheduling, dispatching, monitoring and servicing all areas of fire protection.  A one-stop shop approach will free facility managers to attend to other areas of maintenance and store operations. A single point of contact makes the customer comfortable with the service provider and the service provider knowledgeable about the customer’s business, which in the end will provide a smooth operation of service.

Click Here to download the full article in PDF format (700kb)

The Fire Within -  Owner and CEO Michael Rose credits his hardworking staff for the success and growth of Academy Fire Protection

PRSM Magazine, April 2005 issue

At 5:10 p.m. on one of those rare, spring-like Fridays in March, three people are busy at their desks in Academy Fire Protection’s Teaneck, New Jersey, office. Five more are scurrying around, making certain all is in order. No one’s rushing to the door or even looking at the clock. Academy Fire Protection’s owner and CEO, Michael Rose, Jr., expects future employees — and there should be many within the rapidly expanding company — will do no less. 

“They stay. They’re getting the job done and working hand in hand with our corporate office in Maspeth, New York,” says Rose. “If taught right and nurtured the right way, people go beyond expectations to get their jobs done. Academy couldn’t do it without them.”

By “it,” Rose is referring to the services offered by Academy Fire Protection (AFP), which include national fire protection and life safety services to more than 300 chain stores. The 50-year-old company provides the installation, maintenance and service of fire alarm systems, fire sprinklers systems, portable fire extinguishers, restaurant suppression systems (also known as “Ansul”) and backflow testing nationwide.

In addition, Academy Fire takes care of all types of exit and emergency lighting, exit doors and panic alarms for its clients, which consist of both national chains and local businesses.

“My grandfather started this company and no matter how big we get, I won’t forget that this was once a local small business. Never forget your roots,” Rose says of the business where he started at the bottom sweeping floors, and then worked his way up to technician, to branch manager and now to CEO.

Academy Fire Protection has been acquiring its vendor database and within the last several months has purchased six fire protection businesses throughout the U.S. More than 21 acquisitions have been slated for Academy Fire Protection over the next 18 months. And, within the next 5 years, Rose hopes to have 132 offices in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

“[The expansion] helps Academy Fire Protection offer better services for our clients, and it is cost-efficient for both them and us,” Rose says. “It gives us more control in making certain our standards are maintained.”

When Rose first looks at an acquisition target, he evaluates personnel, policies and procedures they have in place, ensuring that this potential partner can run with the ball and follow direction. “We perform a due diligence check that would blow your mind,” he says.

Rose says the new acquisitions or Strategic Business Units (SBUs) are so well run that he is learning more about the business from them. “We look hard at the procedure and are able to manipulate our system so that we can take the best from the best and offer it to the client. We already get it right 97% of the time, but no one’s perfect — although we’re getting closer,” he says jokingly.

Prior to the new acquisitions, Academy Fire has had more than 500,000 calls handled by the management teams in New York and New Jersey, all of whom have been with the company for more than 7 years. Each of the employees — who come from all over the world from different backgrounds and heritages — is responsible for profits, losses and the well-being of its clients.

“They all work as a team; it’s what exhilarates me day in and day out,” Rose says.

“My management team helps drive us every day,” Rose explains. “This is absolutely an employee-driven company. The merit system works well. People need to know when they’re doing something right.”

And, according to Rose, that’s one important way through which Academy Fire Protection stays ahead of the competition.

“Our broad array of products and services can help retailers reduce their liability and more cost-effectively manage this important life-safety investment,” says Rose, noting that the equipment runs the gamut of price points and that Academy offers up-front, flat rate, customized pricing.

“It makes it easier for retailers to forecast costs and provides a tight control on services,” he says. “We give retailers the ability to budget accurately. They pay one price. There are no hidden costs.”

AFP’s fire protection designs for new construction and retrofits are engineered by experts in code compliance. These are the same engineers who, when necessary, can offer code-compliance consultation as well.

Academy pays for continuing education, certification classes and training classes with manufacturers for employee associates, as well as compliance classes for technicians. Because compliances vary from city to city and change often, the professionals at AFP keep on top of governmental updates.

Like the fire department, Academy Fire Protection offers 24/7 customer support, services and troubleshooting via a toll-free telephone number as well as through the Internet and Net Serve. Clients also have direct access to Rose, via his cell and, in many cases, his home phone.

Academy Fire Protection offers a single point of contact for all store corporate offices and locations, making it easier to immediately dispatch a technician to the site. Emergencies, such as a faulty alarm system or dripping sprinklers, are usually tended to within 60 minutes or less. No matter what a visit incurs, follow- up calls from Academy Fire ensure that the customer is satisfied.

AFP also offers 24-hour station monitoring, as well as tracking of equipment inventories, equipment standardization and pre-scheduled maintenance calls (PMs). The calls AFP receives are about fire extinguishers, which need yearly certification, as well as a countless number of calls relating to sprinklers and alarm systems. When an annual sprinkler inspection flow test is initiated, the folks at Academy Fire make certain that everyone is alerted prior to the test, including the fire department, store managers and corporate headquarters.

Rose insists that all employees are hard-driving and always communicating with clients. “I tell them, if you can’t meet a deadline, tell the client,” he says. “And if you’re able to exceed their expectations, don’t let them know it until it’s done.”

We like to be heroes for our clients,” he explains, noting that facilities departments are sometimes cost centers, not profit centers. “We like to get the job done and perform within budget and on time. That’s why I think our clients use us.”

It is not unusual for Rose to be on the scene as well. “I’ve been known to jump on a truck to see the right job is being done,” he says. “Being on the front lines keeps me informed as to the client issues and helps me see what we can do better. It also shows the technicians that I understand their job. I wouldn’t ask my people in the field to do something that I wouldn’t do myself.”

Aside from the latest acquisition of companies under the Academy Fire Protection umbrella, AFP has a tried and true vendor base, which has been around for a long time and is the leading source of the acquisitions. Maintaining this base is one of the responsibilities of AFP’s vendor relation department.

Rose believes honest pricing, excellent communications and skilled experts set AFP apart from the competition, as does the feeling that AFP, although growing, performs like a family business. Most clients become part of that family, a tightly knit group of people working together.

“We’re a good, honest company with fast, reliable service,” Rose says. “We offer a good honest price. We get our work done.”

Click Here to download the full article in PDF format (235kb)

Academy Fire Protection buys sprinkler system firm...

Wednesday, June 02, 2004

Academy Fire Protection, a national life safety firm based in New York City, has acquired 5 Alarm Fire Protection.  5 Alarm Fire Protection installs and repairs sprinkler systems in the commercial, industrial, and institutional markets in northeastern United States.  The acquisition strengthens Academy Fire Protection’s position in the Northeast.  Academy Fire Protection provides preventive maintenance and emergency service program for retailers, developers, restaurants, hotels and banks.  Academy Fire Protection is also in the process of acquiring three other fire protection companies on the West Coast and in the Southeast.