Ensuring hospital's fire barrier integrity

Parkland Fire Marshal Michael Rader is responsible for seeing that the Parkland Hospital in Dallas is in compliance with the life safety code. Part of the job is choosing a fire barrier system, according to an article on the Fire Engineering website.

"Firestopping is the last line of defense for patients within a hospital," Rader said in the article. "Should something happen in one area, the firestopping system and smoke-tight seals of your barriers are your last line of defense."

Rader rationale for choosing a system was the accountability of the entire program, not just a software component. The program must digitally manage the process of creating, sealing, mapping and subsequently accessing all penetrations in the facility.

The program should also track, house and manage the data. Tracking is a huge issue and a big responsibility for whoever is doing the work and whoever is doing the inspections, the article said.

Read the article.