Texas Announces Funding to TEA to Improve Safety

Is your school fully prepared for unexpected scenarios such as intruder, fire, or other emergency situations?

On October 27, 2022, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) was granted an additional $400 million to assist schools with replacing and upgrading safety measures. Funds from the 2022-2025 School Safety Standards Formula Grant are to allow local education agencies “to implement the new safety standards application to Chapter 61, Sub-chapter CC, 61.1031 of Commissioner’s Rules.”

TAC Chapter 61, Sub-chapter 61.1031 states all exterior master key boxes and the keys they contain must function properly. It also articulates that two-way radio systems must operate effectively within the instructional facility, and they must effectively communicate with response services.

Texas School Safety Grants and Resources

School Safety Grant Programs: https://tea.texas.gov/finance-and-grants/grants/grants-administration/school-safety-related-grant-programs

School Safety Grant Opportunities: https://tea4avalonzo.tea.state.tx.us/GrantOpportunities/forms/GrantProgramSearch.aspx

For more information, reach out to your nearest Koetter Fire Protection location and speak to a representative today. Disclaimer: Each location is independently owned and managed. Services and products may differ.

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Benefits of fire systems service contracts.

Routine inspections of your fire protection systems either by you or a licensed professional are necessary and usually required by code. It’s important to know your fire protection systems will be inspected, tested, and repaired quickly and efficiently.

Here are 5 benefits of having a service contract with Koetter Fire Protection:

• Emergency services and monitoring.
• Building and code compliance.
• Single provider for all life safety systems.
• Readily available building reports.
• Keep your people and equipment safe.

1. Emergency Services

All Koetter Fire Protection locations offer 24-hour emergency services, even during holidays, and we will send a technician to the site without delay. While we respond to all calls, having a contract with us means we’re already familiar with your building and its life safety systems. This makes fixing the problem easier and quicker, and it reduces your overall costs.

2. Know You’re Complying with Codes and Standards

Our technicians are all trained and certified on NFPA codes and standards as well as local laws and regulations. Service plans can be customized and updated when needed to remain compliant with these requirements. This includes annual, semi-annual, quarterly, and even monthly inspections when needed. We also submit all documents necessary to the local AHJ through Compliance Engine when required.

3. One Provider for All Life Safety Systems

We are licensed and certified fire protection professionals that can do it all. From alarm systems, sprinklers systems, suppression systems, to extinguishers and monitoring, Koetter Fire Protection can be your single provider. This eliminates the need to call multiple providers when you can work with a primary company that knows the ins and outs of all your fire protection systems.

4. Building Reports Always Available

We keep detailed records of all services performed on your facility. They can be easily accessed online in a single location for your convenience. Our ServiceLinks are cloud-based and always accessible. Here you will find appointments, reports, pictures, comments, invoices, and inspection reports.

5. Keep Everyone and Everything Safe

The most important thing to consider is the safety of people and assets. A service contract with Koetter Fire Protection is the first step towards reassuring yourself and others that your life safety systems are performing the way they were intended.

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Why Winterization Preparation is Important

Certain types of buildings and occupancies are more susceptible to extremely wintry weather, and when they do experience a freeze, the damage can be greater than in other types of buildings. Some buildings are designed to make use of heat generated by human occupants. When vacant for extended periods during extreme cold, the temperature can drop below freezing.

Fire protection equipment is especially vulnerable when freezing temperatures affect a building. If pipes freeze, a business or school could be forced to close temporarily because life safety cannot be assured. Failure or disruption of these important fire protection systems can also be expensive to repair.

Winterization Checklist

1. Open doors or rooms to allow ambient heat to warm the pipes.
2. Insulate pipes that are exposed to outside air.
3. Drain drum drips and be aware of temperature shifts that cause condensation.
4. Be aware of and correct and pitch/angels that do not allow proper drainage.
5. An antifreeze sprinkler system should have the proper mix of listed antifreeze.
6. Be prepared for “Fire Watch” in the event your sprinkler system is inoperable.
7. Address any power issues in your building, including adding backup options.

Get Inspected

If you are not sure you are prepared for the winter freeze, contact one of our offices today. A professional will look for many things that could lead to costly damage and the reduction of a life safety system’s reliability.

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Reimagine Life Safety with Koetter Fire and Notifier

Earlier this week, members from each Koetter location had the opportunity to attend a conference hosted by Notifier. These individuals spent three days immersed in leadership lessons, new products, industry standards, and developing new skills to implement into the Koetter business.

Notifier reinforced how they are dedicated to driving better outcomes for people, property, and first responders. This allows Team Koetter to continue providing the best products and services to valued customers.

The following locations were awarded:

Koetter Fire Protection – Multi-Million Dollar Award

Koetter Fire Protection of Austin, LLC – Million Dollar Award

Koetter Fire Protection of San Antonio, LLC – Diamond Distributor Award of Excellence

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Clean Room Fire Safety for Semiconductor Facilities in Austin, Tx

Koetter Fire Protection of Austin, LLC is a historical leader of clean room fire safety in the “high tech semiconductor market.”

Being actively involved in life safety means taking the precautions to prevent the endangerment of people jeopardized by emergency incidents associated with a location’s management. In a semiconductor setting where hundreds to thousands of employees may work in a single plant, adequate preparation is key to their protection.

The semiconductor industry requires many expensive equipment to function. With all high technology devices there is the concern of electrical fires, smoke, gaseous releases, and more. It’s critical that fabrication plants are equipped with the necessary life safety systems to prevent loss of life but to also protect assets.

Koetter Fire Protection of Austin, LLC has over 32 years of experience in advanced detection, suppression, and notification in the high-tech semiconductor industry of Central Texas. With the influx of businesses moving to Texas there is now a higher demand for high quality life safety systems and even higher quality work.

Clean room fire safety with VESDA by Xtralis for semiconductor facilities.

For smoke detection in these facilities, our experts recommend VESDA by Xtralis. VESDA, short for Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus, these smoke detectors are used for early warning applications where emergency responses to a fire are critical. They buy time to investigate alarms and commence the appropriate responses to prevent injuries, property damage, and business disruptions. They also have the detection industry’s widest sensitivity range and multi-level alarms, so even minute levels of smoke can be detected before a fire has time to grow.

For more information on model types, requirements, what your facility needs, and more, contact us at (512) 251-7888 and speak to an expert today.

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Notifier BDA Learning Session

There was a great turn out for the BDA learning session yesterday here in Pflugerville. Special thanks to NOTIFIER for providing valuable information and lunch.

Thank you to those that made an appearance and learned more about BDAs with us!

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NOTIFIER Announces: Spring Partner Open House

NOTIFIER is pleased to announce the First Annual Open House coming to you in May 2022. We will be highlighting our entire product portfolio in an “expo- come & go” format. You are invited to come visit with our expert Product Owners to learn more about each of our breakthrough initiatives and product offerings.

Please invite your local engineers, AHJs, and architects to stop by and view the latest and greatest of the NOTIFIER offering.

There will be a formal BDA presentation on Wednesday, May 18th from 12:00 pm- 1:00 pm for those that are interested in the latest code updates, etc. Lunch will be provided by Honeywell.

When: Wednesday, May 18th from 9:00 – 3:00 pm. Please come and go at your convenience, this event will function as an open expo and will be open all day.

• Open Happy Hour at Hotel from 3:00-5:00 pm – Customer Appreciation! Come have a drink on NOTIFIER.

Where: Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Dr, Houston, TX. 77042

What: We will be highlighting Fiplex BDA, INSPIRE, Hyperspike, Zenitel, Self-Test, CLSS, VESDA (test and inspection), and Lion-Tamer.

Who: ESDs are ALL welcome to come by and spend time with individual product owners & see product demos. This is a great opportunity to come spend some “in-person time” with Honeywell product experts and the leadership team.

• Please let us know if you will be attending by sending an email confirmation to: Veronica.Vidal@Honeywell.com

KEY Audience: The intention for this event is to also invite AHJs/ engineers/end-users to come by and view NOTIFIER latest and greatest product offerings as well as learn more about code mandating/driving these initiatives.

The Ask: Please reach out to ALL your local partners/AHJs/engineers to spread the word about the event. We want to ensure everyone has a chance to stop by to learn more.

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NOTIFIER Presents: AHJ & Engineer BDA Learning Session 2022

NOTIFIER by Honeywell is pleased to announce a “BDA Learning Session” coming to you on May 19th in Pflugerville, Texas. This learning session is open to all AHJs, Code Inspectors, City Radio Managers, and Engineers in the Greater Austin area. Lunch will be provided by NOTIFIER by Honeywell.

When: Thursday, May 19th from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.

Where: Pflugerville Hall, 203 E Pecan St, Pflugerville, Texas 78660

What: This 2-hour learning session will be a deep dive into all things BDA. We will provide PDH credits for all in attendance. (Make sure you sign in!) During our time together we will highlight:

• Code Updates, where are with BDA code today? Where to locate, etc.
• System Components, Breakdown of BDA system.
• BDA Pre-installation, Installation, and Post Installation (“BDA Life Cycle”)
• Review of Fire Marshall Final BDA Inspection Checklist
• Open Format Q&A with Honeywell

Who: All AHJs, Engineers, Architects, Building-Owners, and End-users are welcome! Feel free to extend this invite to any in the area in need of more information on the latest BDA requirements.

The Ask: Please confirm you will be attending by emailing Veronica.Vidal@Honeywell.com. Thank you!

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Koetter Fire Protection of Austin invites you into a journey through the future!

Here we will explore the new generation in our business environment and how it is driven by digital devices and web-based platforms. These advancements give our team the ability to collaborate and leverage real time information to better serve you. Join us as we discuss the exciting new software and processes implemented at Koetter Fire Protection of Austin.

Service Link

Service Link is your online after-service reporting where Koetter Fire Protection will confirm that we did what we said we would do. Here you will find photos, voice memos and comments documenting the service at your site. You will get complete transparency into services performed, issues found by technicians and what was done to resolve them. This feature also executes a seamless invoicing process.

Service Portal

The Service Portal is your online account where your service history is displayed 24/7/365. Here you will have the ability to request service and view upcoming appointments. This is your one stop shop for all your inspection reports and documentation.

Quotes and Automation

Through our web-based platform you will receive online quoting including photos and detailed descriptions of the service to be performed or the deficiency to be repaired. This process yields a more efficient quoting process, especially in the field, and our automated job booking gets the ball rolling. You are in control while you interactively approve services or request changes as we track the progress.

Scheduling and Dispatch

Our new web-based platform delivers swift reaction to inbound service calls as we answer your questions, schedule your service and update the entire team with a few clicks. Your records are found instantly while technicians are tracked and redirected so you get the fastest response time possible.

Inspection Reports and Compliance

We have now eliminated outdated, cumbersome paper inspection reports. With our unmatched, growing database of safety devices and code requirements, we deliver inspection solutions for NFPA that make building safety inspections easier and more accurate – which leads to greater compliance and lower cost.

Koetter Fire Protection of Austin strives to continue impeccable customer service and is extremely excited about sharing our new resources with all of our customers. We encourage you to contact us today to see our brand and culture in action. We look forward to securing your peace of mind, safety and providing hassle-free service for your business.

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Reliable Two-Way Emergency Radio Communication Enhancement

During an emergency, reliable communication is critical. Staying informed with clear radio transmissions between first responders inside a building and emergency personnel outside the building can help prevent further injuries and save more lives. Emergency Responders lose communications when in-building radio signals are weakened by structures such as concrete, windows and metal. To solve these communication challenges, look no further than Notifier and it’s distributor Koetter Fire Protection.

Notifier’s Bi-Directional Amplifier (BDA) System is a signal boosting solution designed to enhance in-building radio frequency (RF) signal coverage for public safety radio. They are high gain, high power band-selective signal boosters/bi-directional amplifiers that can integrate directly to a Notifier fire alarm control panel. Designed and customized to meet all public safety frequency band ranges, it is intended to provide reliable two-way radio and FirstNet signal coverage inside building, tunnels and other structures. The band selective design delivers reliable performance in even the most challenging RF environments. When combined with Notifier’s fire system, Notifier provides the reliability and quality expected from a life safety solution.

A BDA System is a Life Safety System. Similiar to fire alarm, BDA is a code driven requirement. The BDA system must be monitored by the building’s fire alarm system and annunciate the status of any signal booster(s). The monitoring panel shall provide visual and labeled indication of the following for each signal booster:

• Normal AC Power
• Signal booster trouble
• Loss of normal AC Power
• Failure of battery charger
• Low-battery capacity

Koetter Fire Protection of Austin, LLC strives to continue impeccable customer service and is extremely excited about sharing Notifier’s newest products with all of our customers. We encourage you to contact us today to see our brand and culture in action. We look forward to securing your peace of mind, safety and providing hassle-free service for your business.

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