University of Portland Saves Money and Improves Safety with Standardization

Zero False Alarms Reported
Of the thousands of points within this life safety system, campus public safety personnel can now respond to the specific room on campus where the event has occurred, as opposed to a general building alarm with an unknown location. As a result, UP has seen a 100-percent improvement in response times since the installation of the new workstation.

In addition, the UP now boasts a zero false alarm rate. Burnt popcorn nuisance alarms are a thing of the past.
“Because we can respond to ‘popcorn alarms’ internally, we only call the local fire department when absolutely necessary,” says Rook. “The fire crew knows that if we call, there is a real emergency on campus, which in turn speeds up their response.”

Voice Evac Added to Fire Alarm System
The school still uses the same Gamewell-FCI 7200 Series fire alarm control panels it purchased more than two decades ago, so they have seen its proven reliability firsthand.

“The 7200 panel is a real workhorse, having run 24 hours a day, seven days a week for well over 20 years,” states Rook. “Compared to PCs, which need to be upgraded every two or three years, the Gamewell-FCI systems have been a reliable and wise investment for us.”

To stay ahead of technology, Rook decided to upgrade to the E3 Series for the added voice evacuation capabilities and interface that simplifies use. With so many buildings to monitor, public safety personnel count on their 20 years of Gamewell-FCI experience to manage the more advanced E3 Series.

Upgraded System Results in Cost Savings
By standardizing on Gamewell-FCI systems and partnering with Advanced Alarm Systems, the university has achieved a strong cost-performance balance.

“Our current systems cost the same as our system did ten years ago, but now we are monitoring twice as many buildings,” claims Rook. “The combined solution has delivered tremendous value.”

The institution has also benefited from being able to gradually upgrade to the E3 Series as time and budget allows. And with just one vendor, the university saves time, money and the hassle of having to deal with multiple sources to get parts.

“With a consolidated fire and life safety system, future design and deployment is also simplified because we already know what we are dealing with,” he adds.

The goal of UP is to have an emergency response system with the ability to provide real time notification throughout the campus.

“We want our officers to have the best solutions in place to respond to a crisis with as much information and as quickly as possible,” concludes Rook, who is confident that by investing in the fire and life safety system, UP is doing all it can to keep students safe.

Beth Welch is the manager of public relations and social engagement for Honeywell Fire Systems, Americas.