TRL Systems Delivers for a Major University

Situation

On short notice, TRL Systems was chosen by a major university for huge job in size and scope—all within a short timeline with no room for error. The university needed outdated fire alarm equipment demolished and new equipment installed in dorms, apartments and towers—several were occupied.

TRL had just two weeks to form a crew of nearly 20 guys and it had to make choices based on two major concerns. Putting together the right team for the university and, just as importantly, keeping the other teams intact to continue to provide the TRL level of service to existing customers..

“You can’t pull that many crew members out of our territory which encompasses all of Southern California and not expect to put a tremendous amount of stress on the rest of the group,” says Jeff Purdy, TRL Systems COO. “The effort put forth by the university team was monumental but it required another heroic effort by the rest of the installation team to make it all look seamless to the hundreds of other crucial TRL Clients.”

The TRL installation team was energized by the challenge of getting the project done right and done on time. The key to its success was communication and working together as a coordinated team. Not only the team onsite but Estimating, Engineering, everybody at the office as well. And, of course the dedication of the guys on the job who literally worked round the clock to complete the project.

TRL Systems Scorecard

Challenge 1:
Demo old equipment and install new life safety systems in several occupied and unoccupied university dwellings in 12 weeks.

The Numbers:
Facilities

  • 22 dorm buildings (6 four-bedroom apartments per dorm)

  • 3 apartment Complexes (111 units)

  • 6 towers (150 units)

Equipment

  • 25 fire alarm control panels

  • 21 annunciator panels

  • 1,439 smoke detectors

  • 203 pull stations

  • 264 heat detectors

  • 831 strobes/horn-strobes

  • 3 tamper and water flow locations

The Result: All work completed in 10 weeks - 2 weeks ahead of schedule.

“ Our install leaders, field crews and office support did a great job on this project,” says Jeff Purdy, TRL Systems COO. “It was quite a feat to pull together a big team on short notice and keep everyone organized and efficient, keep parts flowing and keep the client happy. I’m very proud of our team and I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

TRL Systems performed so well with the first challenge that the University hired the company to continue to upgrade and integrate key life safety and security systems. Both new projects required tight timelines so the work could be completed during months with the least amount of students and staff on campus.

Challenge 2: Integrated Fire System

TRL Systems designed and implemented an integrated fiber network using existing fiber and adding new fiber to interconnect multiple buildings for viewing from a centralized monitoring station.

The Numbers:

  • 53 EST fire panels in 53 different buildings

  • 2500 feet of new fiber optic cable

  • Altering existing fiber network through fusion splicing in several locations

The Result: Centralized online map that allows the campus Department of Public Safety to pinpoint the real-time status of all detectors — delivered in the agreed upon timing of 60 days.

Challenge 3: Integrated Security System

TRL Systems designed and implemented a security fiber network interconnecting several buildings on campus. It added switches for CCTV networks, installed new cameras and integrated existing ones into an integrated system. The company also moved the camera head-end into a new security closet that required installing new equipment and integrating it with existing equipment into one functioning system.

The Numbers:

  • 8 buildings

  • 28 multi-megapixel cameras

  • 5 additional switched installed for future camera growth

The Result: Centralized monitoring of key points on campus as well as vehicle entrance and exit points completed in under 45 days.

Derek Purdy