API SYSTEMS GROUP RETROFITS U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DISTRIBUTION CENTER

APi Systems Group was chosen to retrofit the entire U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Dallas Texas with a Gamewell-FCI E3 Series Fire System. This facility is part of a national network of mechanized bulk mail centers that process first class letters and parcels. This 439,959 square foot facility sorts and routes an average of 4.3 million pieces of mail each day from Dallas out to the entire world.

Approximately 2,000 individuals are employed at this facility, which operates three shifts per day around the clock, seven days a week. Given the importance of its federally protected contents and large number of occupants, the Postal Service decided it was necessary to upgrade this center's fire alarm system. Built on 37 acres and considered one of the largest Postal Service processing and distribution centers in terms of volume, this facility accommodates more than just letters and packages. The Center also houses an automotive repair shop for postal vehicle maintenance, in addition to a fuel and oil dispensing area. The presence of such highly combustible materials greatly reduced the choices of competent fire alarm systems.

In total, APi Systems Group's installed one E3 Series FACP (fire alarm control panel) with four loops containing 40 duct detectors, 54 pull stations and 450 hornlstrobes provided the Center with the enhanced level of protection it required. Style 6 (class A) wiring was used.

With so many employees located throughout the building at one time, facility management needed a way to perform ongoing fire alarm tests with little to no disruption to production.

"We employed pushbutton controls that would enable and disable all AN (audio visual) circuits. This convenience allowed the customer to minimize any disruptions during testing," said Roddy Bieber, branch manager for APi. "We also provided them a graphic map indicating the different groups of ANs so they could concentrate testing to one particular area at a time."

The Postal Service reportedly tests this system on a monthly basis. According to the Postal Service, pushbutton controls were also utilized for manual shutdown of all air handling units. Automatic fan shutdown is provided via the system's duct detectors.

Mounted to the front of the Gamewell-FCI E3 Series FACP is an LCD keypad controller used as a system interface for operations personnel. Equipped with a 2-line, 80 character LCD display, a full keypad and LED indicators, the controller's best quality is the immediate alarm information it displays for first responders and building managers. The same style LCD keypad controller is also installed in a remote cabinet offering an even tighter level of monitoring and control.

Facility management and first responders can now review system status, address fire alarm issues, enter specific text messages and more, via either LCD keypad controller location. A networked printer has also been included to provide hardcopy details of various incidents, of which the system's history log can store up to 4,100 events.

"It was easy to accomplish all that was required of this fire alarm's upgrade with the E3 Series," commented Bieber. "In fact, since the project was completed, APi has been awarded a fire system upgrade for another postal center nearby. I think the ease of the Dallas Postal Service installation and the E3's flexibility proves just how capable this whole system is."

APi Systems Groupis proud to be an important part of the worldwide fire protection industry. We take life safety, fire protection and our role in it very seriously.

The dedication and experience of our people is what makes APi Systems Group one of the premier fire protection companies in the United States since 1968. From our office in Dallas, Texas, we have the resources and flexibility to perform projects of any size in our market. We are currently licensed in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

Specializing in fire alarm, clean agent fire suppression, mass evacuation and gas detection systems, we have the products and people to provide our customers with a total fire protection solution. Data centers, power plants, commercial buildings and industrial sites are our specialty, and service is a critical part of our business.

We inspect, test and service thousands of customers throughout Texas and Louisiana, from explosion protection systems in a cement plant in Midlothian to a sprinkler monitoring system in Frisco and from a remodeled data center in New Orleans to over a dozen power plants scattered throughout the region. We offer 24/7 service to all our customers. One of our largest service customers, with more than 200 sites, has renewed with APi for more than 20 years.

APi Systems Group employees are some of the most experienced in the industry. We offer NICET certified planners, factory-trained technicians and a full-time in-house design department.

We are proud to be a Platinum Level distributor for the Gamewell/FCI Fire Systems line, and authorized distributors for Fenwal, Ansul and ProtectoWire.

APi Systems Group is fortunate enough to work with some of the most impressive companies in the U.S.

We look forward to expanding our portfolio by continuing to provide unequalled service and dedication to our customers and employees.