The South St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) recently completed a project designed to enhance fire safety for two high-rise apartment buildings. The improvements were made possible by a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant of nearly $530,000, awarded to the organization in June 2011 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In 2010, approximately $780,000 in Fire Prevention an...
The South St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) recently completed a project designed to enhance fire safety for two high-rise apartment buildings. The improvements were made possible by a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant of nearly $530,000, awarded to the organization in June 2011 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In 2010, approximately $780,000 in Fire Prevention and Safety Grants were awarded to Minnesota organizations.
The South St. Paul HRA provides safe and affordable housing, and other ancillary services to more than 300 residents. Fifty percent of South St. Paul HRA residents are seniors aged 62 and older, and 30 percent of its residents require mobility assistance.
The South St. Paul HRA enlisted Johnson Controls, a global leader in delivering solutions that increase energy efficiency in buildings, to help obtain the FEMA grant by providing auditing services, grant-writing expertise, and management tools. In 2002, Johnson Controls helped implement an energy-savings program at the housing facilities, which is expected to save more than $1.25 million over a 15-year period.
Funded by the FEMA grant, smoke detectors designed for the vision- and hearing-impaired, and new cooking systems were installed to help prevent fires in the buildings. Fire-safety seminars are also being provided to residents by the South Metro Fire Department.
Innovative technologies are behind the fire-safety enhancements at the South St. Paul HRA. Smoke detectors with flashing strobe lights have a visual-signal. When smoke is detected, a bright 100-candela strobe light and 90-decibel alarm will signal. Innovative cooking systems greatly reduce the risk of kitchen fires. The cooking systems are electronically-controlled solid cover plates that are installed on stovetop burners.