Shaw Computer Systems Inc. recently completed installation of Status Solutions’ Situational Awareness and Response Assistant (SARA) at the St. Peter’s location of Kawartha Participation Projects (KPP) in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Last week, the technology alerted KPP staff to a smoke alarm, helping prevent a fire within one of the building’s apartments.

Upon investigation, the fire department discovered a vacant but smoke-filled apartment where a pot had been left on an active stove burner. Without SARA’s integration to the building’s fire panel, KPP staff and residents would have been unaware of a potential fire until it escalated.

“Not only did SARA help alert us to a potential fire, it also acted as a failsafe,” explains Carol Gordon, KPP’s CEO. “We decided to implement SARA to improve safety and services.

Needless to say, we’re pleased that the fire panel integration was completed, enabling us to avoid a larger fire incident and possible injuries, loss of life and other damages.”

SARA is a universal alerting engine that integrates stand-alone alarm and communication systems for centralized monitoring, alerting and reporting. SARA converts random alarms into detailed alerts for delivery to key individuals, select groups or entire populations via the designated devices. Alerts include data about the unfolding situation, approximate location and instructions based on an organization’s predefined emergency protocols.

KPP learned about SARA from its IT services provider, Shaw Computer Systems Inc., and decided to deploy the solution to enhance life safety at its St. Peter’s location. KPP provides self-directed support, complex care and affordable housing for people with various disabilities to enable them to live independently in their own homes. St. Peter’s is one of KPP’s larger projects, with approximately 30 resident-clients living throughout the three-story building (along with other tenants).

Before SARA’s implementation, KPP staff were alerted by audible alarms only and would have had to run to the fire panel to determine the location of a smoke or fire alarm. With SARA, the appropriate alert containing the apartment number and client’s name automatically goes to on-duty staff for investigation. Had SARA processed an actual fire alarm, alerts would have gone to staff and residents so they could evacuate, as well as to the fire department.

“Situational awareness saves critical time, as demonstrated by this incident,” says Carlye Boruta, CEO for Shaw Computers. “Because KPP’s staff received a direct alert [from SARA], they were able to quickly investigate the alarm at its source and prevent escalation to  potentially dangerous situation. KPP is an important and long-time customer providing valuable services to our community, so we’re pleased we were able to provide the SARA solution to help them improve client and staff safety.”

Along with the fire panel integration, SARA provides KPP with other capabilities to enhance client care.