T h e H a l o n H e r a l d
|
|
|
|
|
|
| From the Editor's Desk |
Welcome to the December issue of The Halon Herald! The holidays are upon us and one thing that many people do at this time of year is to come up with a New Year's Resolution. That resolution usually includes change, for the better. So whether it is getting rid of a bad habit or improving something in your life, I hope that you find something that works for you and makes 2011 just a little bit better for you!
This month, our newsletter includes some of the latest industry news, the latest news from Cal Safe, holiday wishes from PAFED, and environmental news.
We are again including our newest feature, Best of the Web, that includes a discussion regarding clean agent versus water.
As always, please feel free to direct to me any questions, comments or suggestions as they are always welcome!
- Kari
|
|
|
|
Feature Article:
A Personal Message of Hope from Clayton Norrad, President NAFED
|  Clayton Norred is serving as NAFED's president for 2010-2012. He is managing partner of Norred Fire Systems in West Monroe, Louisiana.He wrote a story called "Better to Give" in the December 2010 issue of FireWatch. The story begins: The old '58 Ford pick-up truck rumbled and slid to a stop on the side of the gravel road. The dust from a summer's hot, dry road filled the cab of the truck and swirled past the stranger standing alongside.
Click here to read the rest of the story..
|
The Air Up There:
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause
|  By John Demeter
In the spirit of the season, we bring you, without commercial interruption, a letter written by eight year old Virginia O'Hanlon to the New York Sun and the response to that letter printed in an editorial on September 21, 1987. The work of newsmen Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial. We hope you find in it, as we did, a bit of comfort and inspiration.
"Dear Editor:
I am eight years old.
Some of my friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, "if you see it in The Sun it's so.
Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon, 115 West Ninety-Fifth Street"
Read more...
|
Industry News
| Breaking News from 2009 - Should Industry have foreseen the FM200 Shortage?
Most refrigerant related discussions over the past few years have been related to the phase-out of R22 and the increased demand for its replacement, R410A. But since the middle of summer 2009, the unexpected shortage of another fluorocarbon - R125 - has been rattling the refrigerant demand chain.
R125 (HFC-125) is a fluorocarbon essential in generating new refrigerants for the non-ozone-depleting HFC refrigerants R410A, 402A, 402B, 404A, 407A, 407C, 408A, and 507.
Click here to read the entire article..
 US Army Looks to Develop Dry Chemical Aviation Hand Held Fire Extinguisher
ATC is seeking manufacturers with extensive background and experience in the design and manufacture of aviation onboard handheld fire extinguishers. The extinguishers currently under development will utilize an ultra fine nanometer sodium bicarbonate powder as a critical agent.
Manufacturers experience must include the ongoing manufacturing and supplying of handheld fire extinguishers currently mounted in commercial commuter aircraft and must include US military aircraft applications. Manufacturers with significant prior government contract experience for the manufacture and supply of hand held aviation use extinguishers are desired.
For complete listings, click here and here.
|
Association Corner
|
Cal Safe - AB 660 Update; President's Message by Randy Dysart
By now, you may or may not know, AB660 was kept in Suspense and therefore it died for this year. There is no reason not to expect, and every reason to expect, that it will come back next year under a new bill number and it is very likely it will contain the same wording.
To learn more about this, click here.
PAFED - President's message by Mike Kint
President's Column
By Mike Kint, PAFED President
As I write this article, I am being reminded that yet again the holiday season is upon us and we will be drawing 2010 to an end.
It has been a most joyful year in PaFED. We have had two very successful conferences, that were operated in a new format.
To read the whole message, click here.
NAFED - Nafed Announces 2011 Conference line up
NAFED 2011 Sectional Conference
March 3-4, 2011
Las Vegas, NV
To see the complete line up, click here.
FSSA - FSSA Announces 2011 Annual Meeting
February 25 - March 1, 2011
Gran Melia Golf Resort
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
For more information on this meeting, click here.
|
Environmental News |
PG&E Purchases Carbon Offsets from Destruction of ODS
PG&E's ClimateSmart program will purchase carbon offsets generated by the destruction of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), according to PG&E. Through a new contract, Environmental Credit Corp. will collaborate with Appliance Recycling Centers of America Inc. (ARCI) to collect and destroy more than 38,000 pounds of ODS from California sources including disposed refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and bulk chillers.
Click here to read the entire article..
CARB Approves Nation's Biggest Cap and Trade Plan
California regulators voted yesterday to approve the most comprehensive U.S. cap yet on greenhouse gases and create the biggest carbon market in the country, the New York Times reports.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted 9-1 to approve the state's cap-and-trade plan, the keystone of its effort to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 under A.B. 32 and the nation's first economy-wide, market-based greenhouse gas scheme in the absence of federal action. California has the world's eighth-largest economy and the highest gross state product in the United States, at $1.7 trillion in 2009.
Click here to read the entire article..
Boeing's VP Armstrong Discusses Sustainability, Corporate Strategy
At NAEM's 2010 conference, Boeing's Mary Armstrong, VP of EHS, discussed the connection between sustainability and corporate strategy. To view the video, click here.
|
Best of the Web
| 
As Discussed On a Linkedin Forum:
Topic: Clean Agent vs. Water?
It makes sense to me why a clean agent system would be used for certain applications such as data center, museum etc.... but from the end user side there tends to be an argument for using a sprinkler system? Being new to clean agents and sprinkler systems, I am trying to get an industry perspective.
Response #1: Never mind the customers, the industry is split over gas (clean agents) and water because they are usually in different departments or companies. It is unusual to see sprinkler companies who actually do work on gas systems and vice versa. The cross over seems to be water mist but that is another story.
The choice of fire suppression agent is down to what is being protected. There is no one product that can protect everything and I come across alot of people who just accept the clients request for a fire suppression agent.
Sprinklers are great in many situations and do a great job of protecting large areas as well as small but has a bit of an issue with clean up. Gas agents overcome the clean up issue and will detect a fire at a much earlier stage. Each has its place and it's important that installing companies explain all the facts to clients and provide them a solution, not just the facts that sell their product.
As ever assume nothing.
Response #2: A simple rule of thumb for gas verses sprinkler, if down time is critical to the operation, (and when isn't it these days) then a gaseous agent should be the first choice with sprinkler as the backup system. Most insurance companies will consider the sprinkler system the primary anyway, they want to save the building not necessarily the contents.
The above poster is certainly right about few houses doing both, never met a sprinkler contractor that didn't think water first regardless of the application. In an effort at full disclosure, we design and install gaseous fire suppression systems.
Response #3: Clean agents are a better choice for a number of reasons. Primarily the ability to penetrate cabinets to extinguish fires where water cannot reach. This ability to quickly extinguish a fire helps to reduce the overall impact a fire can have on the company's ability to get back up and running after a fires, as well as the financial impact caused by failed equipment and down time. An evaluation of the protected area should be made to determine if the client would benefit from adding an air sampling detection systems in addition to spot detectors. This added cost is well worth the investment. It provides you with the earliest possible warning that something is going on, allowing you time to investigate the problem before it develops into a large scale fire resulting in activation of the clean agent gas. This helps to avoid the financial impact caused by fires, as well as, reduce cleanup, and higher insurance costs' in some cases.
Obviously clean up can be very costly following activation of a sprinkler system, whereas, with a clean agent system, you simply replace the damaged equipment, reload the system with your backed up data and you're back in business. No wiping, shopvacs, drying, or replacing of equipment damaged by water.
When it comes to museums, I would certainly consider an air sampling detection systems. The methods of fire suppression/protection varies depending on the artifacts being protected and each application should be carefully evaluated. |
Did You Know?
|
Kidde (now a UTC Fire and Security Company) was in the construction business long before they were in the fire protection business. As Walter Kidde Constructors, Inc., they were responsible for, among other projects in Central New Jersey, the construction of the Edison Tower. The Tower, a 131-foot memorial, is on the site of Thomas Edison's original Menlo Park laboratory. Commemorating the perfection of the incandescent lamp is the huge lamp surmounting the Tower. A previous memorial tower, built in 1929 and made of steel, was damaged by a severe storm and was replaced by the present structure made of Portland Cement, one of Edison's patents. The museum adjacent to the Tower houses many artifacts from Edison's prolific period at Menlo Park (1876-1884). Edison State Park, on Route 27 across from Evergreen Road, encompasses most of the sites associated with Edison's Menlo Park laboratories and workshops. |
|
If you have any questions, comments, would like to be featured in a future Halon Herald, or would like to be added to our mailing list for this newsletter, please contact Kari Buser at kbuser@ushalonbank.com. WESCO
1.800.433.1751
www.ushalonbank.com OUR BLOG   |
To view our most recent as well as past advertising, please click here.
|
|
|
|
|
