Don't forget the role people play in fire protection. Make sure occupants are trained and aware. Remember, it takes people to protect property. In the end, keeping a business safe takes more than technology. The best protection systems fail if management fails to control the acts of people and keep the systems well maintained.
Training is essential to raise awareness of hazards and to build emergency response skills.
Anything less is risking total loss. Fred Palmer, vice president and manager of engineering staff operations at Factory Mutual in Norwood, Mass., develops engineering requirements for field operations as well as engineering audit functions. Over his 27-year career, he has served in a variety of positions beginning as a loss prevention field engineer. E-mail comments and questions. Hose streams may not reach high stories or cover all areas.