Coney Island Renovation Project

In Coney Island, New York, Ramtech technology was selected to protect a major healthcare redevelopment programme funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The project represented a $922 million investment and was delivered over multiple years, and completed in 2021, to strengthen the hospital’s resilience and modernise its infrastructure.

The redevelopment programme focused on improving the hospital’s ability to withstand severe weather events while expanding and modernising clinical facilities. Key elements of the project included:

Because the construction programme was delivered in phases, different areas of the hospital were taken offline and returned to service at various stages. This created a dynamic safety environment where fire protection requirements changed continually as the project progressed.

Phased hospital construction often requires parts of the permanent fire alarm system to be temporarily isolated or removed. During these periods, maintaining full fire detection and evacuation capability is essential to ensure the safety of patients, staff, contractors, and visitors. On this project, sections of the hospital’s fixed fire alarm infrastructure were periodically unavailable while upgrades were completed. At the same time, construction teams were working across multiple zones, each with different operational requirements and safety risks.

As a result, the site required a temporary fire and evacuation system capable of maintaining continuous fire detection and evacuation coverage while adapting to changing construction zones. The solution also needed to support strict healthcare safety regulations and integrate seamlessly with evolving emergency procedures as different areas of the hospital were taken offline and brought back into service.

To address these challenges, the project team implemented a wireless fire safety solution combining the WES Wireless Evacuation System and REACT Emergency Communication System from Ramtech. The system provided a fully temporary yet highly reliable fire detection and evacuation network that operated independently of the hospital’s permanent fire alarm system.

The deployment of Ramtech’s wireless fire safety technology enabled the project team to maintain a high level of protection throughout the multi-year redevelopment programme. Continuous fire detection and evacuation capability was maintained during construction, while the flexibility of the system allowed safety coverage to adapt as the phased project progressed. Equipment could be relocated efficiently as works moved from zone to zone, ensuring that protection remained in place wherever construction activity was taking place. The solution also supported compliance with healthcare safety standards throughout the project.

Elvis Karlic, the Senior Project Superintendent, explained: “To protect the safety of property and personnel on site. The wireless system allows for freedom to relocate devices as needed and as finishes get installed to maintain an emergency evacuation system for everyone on-site.” The system was strongly endorsed by site leadership, who highlighted its reliability, ease of deployment, and operational flexibility as key factors in maintaining safety across the active hospital campus.

This project demonstrates the proven performance of wireless fire safety solutions on large-scale hospital campuses. It highlights the ability of temporary systems to provide critical protection when permanent infrastructure is undergoing modification or replacement. The success of the deployment also reinforces the suitability of the technology for highly regulated healthcare environments, where safety, reliability, and compliance are essential.

“Our experience so far with WES has been phenomenal – Karlic concludes – I’ve been recommending this system to others ever since we implemented it on site a couple of years ago.” As healthcare providers continue to invest in modernisation and resilience, flexible wireless solutions offer a practical way to maintain protection throughout every phase of redevelopment. For healthcare systems operating under strict regulatory frameworks, such as those found across Europe, including France, this approach provides a valuable model for managing safety during complex infrastructure upgrades.