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Responsive fire safety solution prevents theatre disruption
When an electrical fault threatened to prevent the multi-million-dollar reopening of the Sacramento Arts Center, a temporary fire safety solution was required to ensure the venue could open as planned.
With just one week to go, wireless technology solution provider Ramtech and local site security partners Mobile Video Guard came to the rescue to deliver an outcome that prevented both financial and logistical disaster.
The SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center is a newly refurbished 2,442-seater theatre in Sacramento. A staple part of the community, the $120 million renovation to the theatre was originally meant to coincide with a fall 2020 opening, however COVID-19 disruption meant plans were put on hold until the following year.
Following improvements to acoustics and accessibility, alongside added seating, the venue was set to reopen with a buzz amidst the debut of smash hit musical Hamilton. However, a week prior to opening an electrical fault damaged the permanent fire alarm system, and without a working system this meant that the Center could not safely open as planned unless a solution was found.
Under pressure with the opening night just one week away, the Center needed to either fix the permanent system, or source a temporary solution to be able to meet fire safety regulations.
With such a short time frame to work within, it would not have been possible to fix the permanent wired system in time. To prevent delaying opening night, which would have led to costly ticket refunds and a complex show rescheduling, the Center reached out to Mobile Video Guard who recommended the Ramtech WES3 wireless fire evacuation solution.
By identifying the WES3 system as a temporary measure that could quickly be set up without the need for an electrician, protection would be able to be installed in a matter of hours. Additionally, the move would allow the local fire department to approve a limited temporary certificate of occupancy, while the Center then had crucial time to arrange for the repair of the permanent fire alarm system.
The WES3 solution is the only completely wireless fire evacuation system on the market today. Both practical and efficient, the unit delivers full 4G connectivity, enabling fast, offsite 24/7 communications in case of emergency. We were pleased alongside our partner, Mobile Video Guard, to be able to meet the needs of this fantastic Arts Theatre in an efficient manner, helping the venue operators to deliver a safe and secure multi-million-dollar reopening.
JOHN TYRER SALES DIRECTOR - NORTH AMERICA
Meeting the one-week timeframe, the system was designed to cover 40 emergency call points, with an interconnecting 4G control unit installed. For a seamless handover, Ramtech and Mobile Video Guard worked with the company providing the fire watch patrols at the Center to quickly train them on how to use WES3 evacuation system. Because of the quick decision to use a temporary fire evacuation solution, the scheduled start of the play Hamilton happened as planned and with no delays.
Sabrina Tefft, development project manager, City of Sacramento, said: “In an effort to come up with a solution to allow a major show to move-in to our Performing Arts Center, prior to the completion of the fire alarm, the WES3 system was a perfect temporary solution. It allowed the fire department to approve a limited temporary certificate of occupancy, while we worked on completing our permanent fire alarm system. The system allowed us the additional ten days we needed, prior to the general public occupying the building. The system proved to be a creative solution for a very challenging situation.”
