SimplexGrinnell to host fire and life-safety conference this week

October 21, 2004 WARWICK, R.I. - SimplexGrinnell is hosting a fire and life-safety conference this week that focuses on Rhode Island’s new fire-safety law and how it has affected the state’s restaurant and nightclub businesses. The Fire Safety Act of 2003, was developed as a result of the tragic nightclub fire at the Station Nightclub in West Warwick in February 2002, where 100 people were killed. The law went into effect one year later. Among its requirements is that establishments with capacities of more than 300 must have fire sprinklers by July 2005. Given the short timeline between passage and compliance, contractors and engineering firms have been in high demand, and in short supply. “Essentially, there’s a lot of scrambling going on to see if they (building owners) can conform,” said Wayne D. Moore, the keynote speaker at the one day event on Friday, at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. “The biggest issue is to meet the deadline imposed by the legislature.” Moore is a principal at Hughes Associates, a fire protection engineering and code-consulting firm. Moore, who is based out of the company’s Warwick office, is chairman of the National Fire Alarm Code Technical Correlating Committee. SimplexGrinnell, a unit of Tyco’s fire and security division that manufactures and distributes a line of fire-related products has hosted similar events throughout the country, but has tailored this event to the issues being faced. The event includes a panel discussion on the safety act. “Since the law is in effect, we want to bring a clearer understanding of what the requirements are to the engineering community and property owners,” said Bruce Fraser, director of industry relations at SimplexGrinnell.