Onward and Upward

SDM Magazine Features Protex Central and Technician Travis Brandt

shawnpci — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:57:19 +0000

Protex Central and its Des Moines based technician, Travis Brandt, are featured in the December 2011 issue of Security Distribution and Marketing.

Protex technician Travis Brandt tests a customer's fire alarm and sprinkler monitoring system.

“Fire Sprinkler Monitoring: Know the Code” is an article by Linda Pohle highlighting the opportunities to monitoring fire sprinkler systems in buildings.

The article features several comments from Protex Central’s President and Chief Energy Officer, Shawn Mullen, as well as a photograph of Travis Brandt, a Protex Central technician based in its Des Moines, Iowa office.

Click here.

FSSA Presents Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Challenges at SFPE

shawnpci — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:38:21 +0000

Members of FSSA’s technical committee recently prepared and presented a review of emerging fire protection issues in data centers that employ hot aisle/cold aisle containment techniques.

In response to requests from FSSA installer members, the technical committee set about to itemize the numerous fire protection challenges posed by various methods of containing hot and cold air in a data facility.

Technical committee members Steve Carter, Jeffery Kidd, John Spalding and Paul Rivers developed and presented a review of their findings at the resent Society of Fire Protection Engineers annual meeting held in Portland, Oregon this past October.

Their presentation highlighted five main challenges that hot asile/cold aisle containment system pose to fire protection systems:

Obstructions
Inadequate automatic obstruction removal
Multiple areas of containment
High temperatures
High airflow velocities

Additional information and details about FSSA’s continuing awareness on this issue will be presented at FSSA’s upcoming 30th annual meeting in Rancho Mirage, California on February 25 – 28, 2012. For more information visit www.fssa.net.

Click on link to view a copy of the SFPE slide deck presentation: Emerging Fire Protection Challenges With Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Containment In Data Center.

Iowa Alarm Assn Meeting Is Nov 17th

shawnpci — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:31:32 +0000

The Iowa Alarm Association’s next meeting will take place on November 17, 2011 at Smokey D’s BBQ Restaurant just north of I-80/35 off of 2nd Ave. in Des Moines beginning at 6:00 p.m.

President Ron Heldt has announced the following topics to be covered at the meeting:

1. Details on the Cedar Rapids tradeshow scheduled for February 2012
2. IAA election of officers for 2012

Persons and companies involved with security, life safety and low-voltage systems are encouraged and welcome to attend. If possible, please RSVP to Ron Heldt at ADT Security Systems.

FESCAB Meeting Postponed Until Dec. 21, 2011

shawnpci — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:09:27 +0000

The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office has postponed the regularly scheduled November meeting of the Fire Extinguishing Systems Contractors Advisory Board until December 21, 2011.

For more information, please contact the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office at 515-725-6156.

FESCAB Meeting Postponed Until Nov 16, 2011

shawnpci — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:45:54 +0000

The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office has postponed the regularly scheduled October meeting of the Fire Extinguishing Systems Contractors Advisory Board until November 16, 2011. The October date conflicts with the Hawkeye State Fire Safety Association’s annual meeting in Ankeny.

For more information, please contact the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office at 515-725-6156.

September 22 Is Next Iowa Alarm Assn Meeting

shawnpci — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:04:51 +0000

The Iowa Alarm Association’s next meeting will take place on September 22, 2011 at Smokey D’s BBQ Restaurant in just north of I-80/35 off of 2nd Ave. in Des Moines beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Captain Dave Murrilow of the Des Moines Police Department will provide a special presentation.

Other topics to be discussed at the meeting include:

1.    Details on the Cedar Rapids tradeshow scheduled for early 2012
2.    ISFM Alarm Contractor’s Advisory Board Update
3.   Much more…

Persons and companies involved with security, life safety and low-voltage systems are encouraged and welcome to attend. If possible, please RSVP to Ron Heldt at ADT Security Systems.

NFPA 750 and Water Mist Focus of Seminar

shawnpci — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:57:50 +0000

Protex Central and Victaulic will present New Trends in NFPA 750 Water Mist Fire Protection Systems on September 13, 2011 at the new FFA Enrichment Center on the campus of Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa.

Seminar explores NFPA 750 and associated technologies

The two hour seminar will focus on NFPA’s standard on water mist fire protection systems (NFPA 750) as well as different water mist technologies including Vicatulic’s hybrid system: VORTEX.

VORTEX is a unique fire suppression system that provides a homogenous mixture of nitrogen and water to create a highly effective suppression capability. VORTEX systems feature several important factors including:

environmental sustainability
near zero wetting
no clean-up or downtime
safe for occupied spaces

Common applications for VORTEX technology include: industrial applications; electrical generator enclosures even data centers.

A complimentary box lunch will be served beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Reserve a seat by contacting Shari Mullen at (515) 252-9932 or via e-mail at: shari.mullen@protexcentral.net.

PROTEX CENTRAL RECOGNIZED IN 2011′s TOP 100 SYSTEMS INTEGRATORS LIST

shawnpci — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:01:34 +0000

SDM Magazine has announced Protex Central, Inc. as one of the top 100 systems integrators in the county. The recognition is revealed in SDM Magazine’s July 2011 edition of the 16^th Annual Systems Integrators Report. Protex Central ranks #76th in the current listing.

According to SDM “this exclusive report ranks, by revenue exclusive of reoccurring monthly revenue, the largest firms that contract electronic security projects for commercial, industrial, institutional, government, and other non-residential markets.”

Shawn Mullen, President and Chief Energy Officer of Protex Central, Inc. stated “we’re delighted to be considered as one of the country’s top 100 systems integrators. As this is our third consecutive year in the Top 100, our continued presence in the rankings is recognition of our commitment to our core values of ethics, professionalism, and excellence. Our customers are the real winners as they’re the ones who have entrusted their safety and security needs to us. In so doing they’ve allowed us to grow and expand.”

Mullen continued, “This recognition continues to bolster our envisioned future of becoming the premiere systems integrator in our market area. This is something that we’re committed to at Protex Central because we know our core value is to strengthen our business by protecting yours.”

Protex Central, Inc. is a family-owned systems integrator specializing in fire and security related systems and services. With offices in Urbandale, Iowa and Nebraska locations in Omaha, Hastings and Scottsbluff, Protex Central provides layout, installation, testing and maintenance services throughout upper Midwest.

Cooper Demonstrates Mobile Speaker Array with Protex Central

shawnpci — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:13:59 +0000

Protex Central recently completed certification as an authorized Cooper Mass Notification Systems (MNS) Layered Solutions provider.

Full-scale live demonstrations on the campus of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and Protex’s offices in Urbandale, Iowa featured Cooper’s Mobile Speaker Array (MSA) unit.

While at Creighton the Mobile Speaker Array was connected to Cooper’s WAVES Base Station via digital, Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology @2.4GHz. The distance between the Base Station and the MSA was approximately one-half mile. The Urbandale demo included a set-up and live announcement demonstration test from the MSA’s on-board control station.

Both demonstrations featured crisp and clear voice instructions with little if any distortion or reverberation from surrounding buildings.

Cooper’s Mass Notification Systems Layered Solutions are flexible and modular for any number of applications including temporary events. Outdoor speaker arrays are just one part of an overall mass notification system. One good term that is used is “A system of systems.” There are consideration for interior MNS as well as alerting via text messages, cell phones, e-mail and even satellite radio.

This entire area is just in its infancy. It will be interesting to see the changing dynamics of people’s expectations as to how they want and expect to be notified of emergency and critical situations.

Presentation Holds Attention of 140 Character Conference

shawnpci — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:28:26 +0000

A recent presentation at the Des Moines 140 Character Conference featuring NOVEC 1230 Fire Protection Fluid held the attention of roughly 150 persons in attendance. The conference was held this past May at the Stoner Theater in the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. It was simultaneously broadcast over the internet. This is a clip of my presentation entitled: It Sucks To Be Left Behind.

The 140 Character Conferences seek to highlight the use of social media in a variety of ways. I took the wild chance of submitting an application about how I’m trying to position myself (and my company, Protex Central) as the “go-to” solutions provider. I’ve had several inquiries on the agent and much disbelief that it’s not water. It’s not magic – it’s just technology at it’s best.