Safer Buildings Coalition Member Spotlight: GLD Group, Inc.

Posted on November 22, 2019
This month, we put the spotlight on GLD Group, Inc.

About GLD Group:
GLD Group, Inc is a Design, Engineering and Distribution firm headquartered in Sterling Heights, MI, with branches in Wisconsin, Georgia, and Florida. GLD Group’s services team offers complete infrastructure design, data center designs, A/V design, Wi-Fi designs/optimization and surveying, third party testing, distributed antenna system testing, design and commissioning.  

Why GLD Group Joined Safer Buildings Coalition:
GLD Group joined the Safer Buildings Coalition because we believe in their mission. Working to make sure all buildings have proper communications is a goal we both share. One of our employees is a Reserve Police Officer in Michigan. He often states that if your prep radio is not working to contact Dispatch or your fellow officers, that is a huge problem.  We stand with the SBC in helping to educate and to be a leader in the industry to make sure buildings are safe for First Responders.  

From the Chief’s Corner: Close, But No Cigar...

Posted on November 22, 2019

I’m sure many of you have heard the expression “Close, But No Cigar.” Some of you may even use it from time to time. But have you ever thought about its origin? Research shows that this popular idiom dates back to the late 19th century and most likely originated at popular fairgrounds.  

Fairgoers would test their accuracy, strength and other skills at booth games set up at the fairgrounds – hoping to win a prize.  Every now and then a participant would indeed win, which would keep others interested in taking their turn. During that time period, the winning prize would be a, yes, a cigar!  And so, game operators would often say to those who didn’t win: “Close, But No Cigar...” Since then, the phrase has been used in connection with narrow losses related to sporting events, political races, etc.

So, here’s the question you often ask when reading one of my articles: What do these anecdotes – in this case the origin of “Close, But No Cigar” – have to do with in-building communication?

2019 Campus Fire Forum Interview: CCFS President Justin Daniels

Posted on November 22, 2019

The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS), a valued member of the Safer Buildings Coalition, last week hosted its annual Campus Fire Forum in Atlanta. The Forum kicked off with a special 3-hour presentation by SBC Executive Director Chief Alan Perdue and followed up with an extensive list of engaging and educational presentations that addressed issues important to fire safety on the nation’s college campuses. In addition to Chief Perdue’s presentation, the Safer Buildings Coalition participated in the Campus Fire Forum as both a sponsor and exhibitor. 

We had a chance to catch up with CCFS President and University of Oklahoma Fire Marshall Justin Daniels for a chat about the Campus Fire Forum and how the CCFS works to make campuses safer. 

Exciting News: Safer Buildings Coalition Download Page Is Live!

Posted on October 21, 2019
Download and Share Proprietary Code Reference Card and Other SBC Content According to License Agreement

The Safer Buildings Coalition is very happy to announce that we created a content download page on our website. On this page, our Members ONLY will have the opportunity to download proprietary SBC content, including our popular Code Reference Card. 

Safer Buildings Coalition Annual Members Meeting & Dinner at IWCE 2020 – It’s Going to Be Bigger & Better!

Posted on October 21, 2019
Clear your calendars for Monday March 30th

The Safer Buildings Coalition will be back in Las Vegas for IWCE 2020, and we're bringing our "A" game. We'll have a cool new exhibit, cannot-miss presentations and educational programs, and our entire team will be on-site – ready to spend quality time with current and prospective members.

And yes: We are once again having our Annual Members Meeting and Dinner at the beginning of the conference.

Special SBC Member Discounts Available for the CCFS Campus Fire Forum

Posted on October 21, 2019
Event takes place in Atlanta, Nov. 11-15 

The 2019 Edition of the Center For Campus Fire Safety's Campus Fire Forum will take place in Atlanta, GA Nov. 11-15, and the Safer Buildings Coalition and CCFS have partnered to bring special member pricing for this important event.

Campus Fire Forum is the only national conference that focuses exclusively on campus fire and life safety issues and continues to offer you the opportunity to learn from the experts and interact with campus fire safety professionals. 

Senate Introduces the School Safety Clearinghouse Act

Posted on October 21, 2019.
Bi-Partisan bill focuses on best practices for school safety design

U.S. Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Doug Jones (D-AL) in September introduced the School Safety Clearinghouse Act a -- bi-partisan bill that focuses on best practices for school safety design and allocates a funding source to put those plans into motion.

SBC In Attendance at the ICC Fire Code Action Committee

Posted on October 21, 2019
Chief Perdue in Chicago to represent the interests of the Coalition’s members

On October 1-2, the Safer Buildings Coalition’s Executive Director, Chief Alan Perdue, attended the International Code Councils Fire Code Action Committee (FCAC) meeting in Chicago. The committee met to discuss certain code proposals in the current code cycle that are being evaluated by the Existing Buildings Code Action Committee. Additionally, the committee began high-level discussions on potential code changes related to the 2024 edition of the International Fire Code.

Code Update From Chief Perdue: NFPA 1061& NFPA 1221 to Be Combined to Form a New Standard: NFPA 1225

Posted on October 21, 2019
NFPA 1225 is open for public input

I know that most of you reading this are familiar with NFPA 1221: The Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems. The 2016 ​and 2019 editions of that standard contain the requirements for public safety in-building communications enhancement systems.

Well, an important change is taking place in the future that will make NFPA 1221 as you know it to no longer be in existence. 

As part of the consolidation plan at NFPA, Standards NFPA 1061 and NFPA 1221 will be combined to form a new standard known as NFPA 1225. 

Dead Zones Persist in Las Vegas Strip Buildings Two Years After Mandalay Bay Massacre

Posted on October 21, 2019
Local media turn to the Safer Buildings Coalition for insight

Two years after the mass casualty incident at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, the wireless dead zones that hampered first responders on the scene still plague many of the buildings on the Strip. 

On the night of the massacre, several Las Vegas Police Department officers reported problems with radio communication once they entered the casino. Indeed, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department later cited Mandalay Bay’s limited radio coverage as the department’s “biggest challenge” that night. If you attended IWCE in March, you may recall that the Clarkson Brothers – of the LVPD – talked at length about these issues during their presentation.

As Las Vegas marked the second anniversary of those harrowing events, local news outlets turned to Safer Buildings Coalition Managing Director John Foley for expert comment on the situation in Vegas.