LENEXA, KS –REMEDI8®, the national leader in passive fire protection and a true partner in compliance needs, announces the availability of the REMEDI8 Total Compliance® program, a comprehensive proactive sustainable code compliance solution that helps healthcare facilities stay on top of compliance while producing significant long term savings. The action-oriented approach offers the ultimate life safety assurance program for healthcare facility fire safety needs that ensures facilities meet and exceed regulatory standards. Offering a one-stop-shop from inspection, to repair, to replacement, Total Compliance allows facility staff to focus their attention on creating and maintaining a healing environment for patients and visitors.
Through ongoing compliance services and operational efficiencies, REMEDI8 ensures seamless compliance, long-term savings, and a solid investment in a business’s growth and success. The multi-year Total Compliance program strategically spreads expenses over time, reducing both yearly costs and the upfront financial burden. With a fixed price over multiple years, facilities do not face price inflation risks and predictable costs over multiple years makes budgeting easier.
The Total Compliance program covers more than 20 components, including a focused life safety assessment; comprehensive life safety assessment; and life safety drawing updates, as well as enhanced door, damper, and barrier survey, inspection, and sampling. Users can select from among the areas of compliance to let REMEDI8 Total Compliance put their facility on the path of proactive code compliance. The program can also be completely tailored to facility-specific needs.
Designed to be proactive, Total Compliance helps catch deficiencies and enables staff to correct them before they are identified by regulatory surveyors. Capturing data over multiple years helps better understand the cause of deficiencies so REMEDI8 can create a customized mitigation plan.
About REMEDI8® REMEDI8® specializes in helping our customers navigate and maintain the complex world of safety and compliance. REMEDI8 has developed customized processes and procedures to successfully Inspect, Repair, Re-Label, and formally Report on key Life Safety issues around Fire Doors, Fire Dampers and Fire Barrier. Under the guidance of former CMS and Joint Commission Surveyors, REMEDI8 has developed specialized reporting that specifically addresses maintaining and reporting on Fire Door, Fire Damper, and Firestopping for Healthcare facilities. For more information, visit https://www.myremedi8.com/.
Securing Funding for Fire Safety in Healthcare Facilities
By Mickey Eberts, CEO of REMEDI8®
Ensuring fire safety in healthcare facilities is crucial to safeguarding the well-being of patients and staff and maintaining regulatory compliance. However, acquiring the necessary funding can present significant challenges. Balancing competing maintenance priorities and justifying investments in fire safety against revenue-generating healthcare services can be a formidable task for facilities directors. In light of these obstacles, what strategies have proven successful in securing the necessary funding for fire safety?
Difficulty of Securing Funding
The first step in addressing this challenge is understanding why securing funding for fire safety can be difficult. Healthcare facilities are often under significant financial strain, with rapid increases in expenses for labor, drugs, supplies, and equipment, as well as the impact of economy-wide inflation.
Key Challenges Hospital budgets under financial strainCompeting priorities, including pressure to invest in medical technology and revenue-generating initiativesFacilities directors may have limited experience and expertise in finance and/or fire safety
The American Hospital Association reported in 2023 that the growth in hospital expenses has been more than double the increases in Medicare reimbursement for hospital care. Over half of U.S. hospitals ended 2022 at a financial loss, according to Kaufman Hall’s Operating Margin Index.
What’s more, fire safety budget requests must compete with many other priorities, including the purchase of costly new technology – an MRI machine or a surgical robot – aimed at achieving strategic goals of expanding patient care capacity, increasing revenue, and keeping up with competitors.
Fire Safety is Crucial
Investing in fire safety may not be glamorous, but it remains crucial and indispensable. Of course, fire safety is absolutely critical for all types of buildings. However, when it comes to healthcare facilities, the stakes are even higher. These complex, busy facilities house vulnerable individuals, many of whom have limited mobility. Moreover, the staff-to-patient ratio may be inadequate for prompt evacuation during a fire, putting lives at risk. Additionally, there are hazardous chemicals and electrical devices present, further exacerbating the dangers.
Although hospital fires are rare, their consequences can be devastating. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there were an average of 1,210 hospital fires per year in the US between 2012 and 2023, resulting in an average of $14 million in annual direct property damage.
Despite these alarming statistics, fire safety is sometimes overlooked or underfunded in hospitals due to limited financial resources and competing priorities. In April, an incident vividly highlighted the urgency of life safety. A devastating fire broke out at Beijing Changfeng Hospital, the flagship facility of a publicly traded medical care group with branches across China. This tragic event claimed the lives of 29 individuals and left 42 others injured.
The fire erupted when a spark ignited flammable construction materials during a renovation project. An investigation by China’s State Council concluded that the fire compartments failed to effectively contain the spread of the fire allowing the fire and smoke to rapidly engulf the premises.
Barrier Management
Strategies for Securing Funding Gain a comprehensive understanding of the budgeting process at your hospitalCultivate a strong working relationship with the CFOCollaborate with a strategic partnerExperienced in unique challenges of performing fire safety barrier construction, repair, and remediation in healthcare facilitiesExpert at navigating compliance and hospital budgeting challengesDevelop compelling, well-documented fire safety budget proposalsSeek Capital FundsSubmit budget requests early and often
The fire compartments that failed in Changfeng play a critical role in hospitals’ life safety strategy. Unlike office buildings and residential housing, which are designed for swift evacuation during fires, hospitals employ a defend-in-place approach, because of limited patient mobility. This involves isolating different sections of the building to safeguard occupants until they can be rescued by first responders or until active fire suppression methods, such as sprinklers, can eliminate the danger.
To ensure the effectiveness of the defend-in-place approach, it is crucial to consistently implement barrier management, specifically by utilizing passive fire protection and fire stopping. These measures confine the spread of heat, flame, smoke, and harmful gasses. It is of utmost importance to remain vigilant and promptly address any issues. Effective compartmentation consists of three essential components — fire doors, smoke dampers, and wall integrity.
Fire door compliance is challenging because doors and hardware are subjected to constant use and need continual attention to correct misalignment, dents, holes, and deficiencies. Healthcare facilities require comprehensive surveying, labeling, and repair for all fire-rated doors to avoid compliance gaps and safety risks.
Fire damper compliance is a less visible, but crucial component of life safety that is too often overlooked. Dampers are the first line of defense against flame, smoke, and heat during a fire. While inspections are only required every six years for hospitals (one year after installation), and every four years for nursing homes and long-term care facilities, just one faulty damper can have catastrophic consequences.
Fire barrier compliance requires vigilance. With regular building maintenance and upgrades, facilities may be left with non-compliant holes and barrier penetration that compromise fire safety. Improperly maintained penetrations of floor assemblies facilitate the rapid vertical spread of smoke and fire within a building.
Proven Strategies to Secure Funding
In addition to the challenges mentioned earlier — constrained hospital financial resources and competing priorities — facilities directors often face another hurdle: limited experience with corporate budgeting processes.
Moreover, hospital facilities directors typically ascend from one of the building trades, such as HVAC or electrical, and therefore may lack expertise in fire barrier management practices and compliance requirements.
For these reasons, healthcare facility directors often develop long-term relationships with strategic partners specializing in healthcare facility fire safety. These partners provide essential services for life safety system inspection, installation, and maintenance, as well as planning and reporting required for compliance and budgeting.
Facilities managers can effectively secure funding for life safety by implementing these six proven strategies.
1. Understand the Budgeting Process:
Gain a deep understanding of your hospital or hospital network’s budgeting process. Familiarize yourself with the financial objectives, strategies, challenges, and both short-term and long-term goals. Learn the budget cycle, the decision-making process, and policies for allocating capital and operating funds.
2. Build a Strong Relationship with the CFO:
Develop a strong working relationship with your hospital’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Familiarize yourself with the CFO’s priorities, preferred approach, and information requirements.
3. Collaborate with a Strategic Partner:
Work with a strategic partner who specializes in healthcare facility fire safety. Select a partner who not only has skilled inspectors and technicians, but importantly, a partner who also shares your goals and can assist you in navigating the complexities of hospital budgeting processes.
Budget requests need to be based on a comprehensive understanding of your facility’s fire barrier systems and their current state of compliance. This includes identifying any deficiencies, evaluating the age and condition of existing systems, and determining necessary repairs or upgrades. Highlight the safety risks and financial consequences of deficiencies and non-compliance.
5. Seek Capital Funds:
Strategically structure budget proposals to maximize opportunities to secure capital funding. By proactively addressing fire safety measures with comprehensive capital-funded projects, hospitals can ensure the well-being of their patients, staff, and infrastructure. Investing in a proactive, comprehensive fire safety program is more efficient than dealing with problems reactively after a failed compliance inspection, avoiding costly emergency situations and piecemeal corrections.
Additionally, CapEx provides a financial benefit to the hospital by allowing for more funds to be raised and depreciated over extended periods of time. This funding strategy can help alleviate the strain on the hospital’s budget and provide long-term financial stability.
6. Submit Budget Requests Early and Often:
Timing is crucial. Ensure that you submit requests in a timely manner, as required by the budgeting process, typically around six months prior to the start of the fiscal year. Familiarize yourself with the capital committee’s meeting schedule and align your submission accordingly. Additionally, it is worth noting that funds often become available throughout the year, particularly toward the end of the fiscal year. Therefore, it is advisable to regularly update and resubmit your requests.
These strategies have proven effective in ensuring that fire safety remains a priority, despite the many challenges facing hospitals today. By proactively managing your budget and effectively advocating for necessary funds, you can help maintain long-term financial stability for your organization while also promoting the safety of patients, staff, and visitors.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Kristin Nugent McNeil, Gray & Rice Inc. 617-367-0100 ext. 148 kristin.nugent@mgr1.com
REMEDI8® Provides Comprehensive Fire Door Services for a Variety of Industry Verticals
LENEXA, KS – REMEDI8®, the national leader in passive fire protection and a true partner in compliance needs, provides comprehensive and streamlined fire door inspections to make compliance easy. In accordance with NFPA 80 standards, fire doors must be inspected annually. To make this process as painless as possible, companies across healthcare, education, correctional facilities, commercial and hospitality, entertainment, government, and industrial sectors can partner with REMEDI8 for a seamless 13 point inspection and repair process.
Organizations often face a range of deficiencies in their fire doors. These can include holes or openings in the fire-rated door assembly, latching hardware failure, missing gasketing or silencers, clearance issues and a variety of other defects. To quickly identify and remediate these defects, REMEDI8 provides a 13 point inspection with steps ranging from ensuring that no holes or breaks exist in surfaces to ensuring that the signage affixed to a door meets requirements. REMEDI8 also provides updated life safety drawings noting each door location for The Joint Commission surveys in healthcare and offers fire door and frame, and fire exit device labeling/relabeling services. On top of this, REMEDI8 also provides targeted repair services to ensure only the parts needed to meet compliance are replaced, cutting costs for companies.
By partnering with REMEDI8, companies can ensure that fire doors always operate as needed and can provide crucial protection inside a building during a fire emergency. Functioning fire doors keep escape routes, such as corridors, clear from fire, giving occupants of the building a longer period to escape in the event of an emergency and better access for fire emergency personnel. Fire doors also protect the remainder of the building from further damage during a fire.
Fire door inspections are more than a compliance measure, they are a way of building robust safety and communicating to clients, customers, and employees that a company puts people’s welfare first. Personnel from facility directors and managers to compliance officers and plant operations directors make the right choice for their organization and its people when they partner with REMEDI8 for fire door services.
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About REMEDI8®
REMEDI8® specializes in helping our customers navigate and maintain the complex world of safety and compliance. REMEDI8 has developed customized processes and procedures to successfully Inspect, Repair, Re-Label, and formally Report on key Life Safety issues around Fire Doors, Fire Dampers and Fire Barrier. Under the guidance of former CMS and Joint Commission Surveyors, REMEDI8 has developed specialized reporting that specifically addresses maintaining and reporting on Fire Door, Fire Damper, and Firestopping for Healthcare facilities.
REMEDI8 Highlights Mobile Containment Unit for Infection Control in the Healthcare Industry
HEPA-10X mitigates the spread of infection in high-risk healthcare environments
LENEXA, KS – REMEDI8®, the national leader of fire protection and health and safety systems, highlights its HEPA-10X for infection control in high-risk healthcare settings. The HEPA-10X has been expertly designed for effective control and maximum efficiency. Its interior and exterior powder coating not only enables easy cleaning and maintenance but also maximizes the system’s durability, ensuring longevity. Plus, the unit comes pre-assembled and ready for immediate use, minimizing installation costs and other startup barriers.
The HEPA-10X extends to 10 feet in height with a 6-foot fully extendable ladder capability, making it ideal for tall ceilings. Its 2-speed power switch and HEPA filtration system offers a fully-integrated HEPA filter with a variable power switch. Additionally, its One-Step Lift and Lock mechanism makes it easy for one person to move the unit within a facility and set it up again in less than 30 seconds. These features are designed to make the HEPA-10X a seamless integration into healthcare environments—offering users flexibility and adaptability without much downtime.
The unit also comes with a 25-foot retractable power cord and built-in electrical outlets, making for easier storage and enabling easy maintenance with plug-in capabilities for technician tools. With over 300 expert technicians serving all 50 states, REMEDI8® provides complete compliance coverage to customers nationwide.
You can learn about REMEDI8’s Mobile Containment Units here: https://www.myremedi8.com/product-containment-solution/
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About REMEDI8®
REMEDI8® specializes in helping our customers navigate and maintain the complex world of safety and compliance. REMEDI8 has developed customized processes and procedures to successfully Inspect, Repair, Re-Label, and formally Report on key Life Safety issues around Fire Doors, Fire Dampers and Fire Barrier. Under the guidance of former CMS and Joint Commission Surveyors, REMEDI8 has developed specialized reporting that specifically addresses maintaining and reporting on Fire Door, Fire Damper, and Firestopping for Healthcare facilities.
REMEDI8 Highlights Mobile Containment Unit for Dust Control
DUST-10C mitigates dust in construction and other debris-heavy environments
LENEXA, KS – REMEDI8®, the national leader of fire protection and fire protection and compliance solutions, highlights its DUST-10Cfor dust containment in a variety of settings. The DUST-10C has been expertly designed for effective control and maximum efficiency. Its interior and exterior powder coating not only enables easy cleaning and maintenance but also maximizes the system’s durability, ensuring longevity. Plus, the unit comes pre-assembled and ready for immediate use, minimizing installation costs and other startup barriers.
The DUST-10C extends to 10 feet in height with a 6-foot fully extendable ladder capability, making it ideal for tall ceilings while still offering easy access. Additionally, its One-Step Lift and Lock mechanism makes it easy for one person to move the unit within a building and set it up again in less than 30 seconds. These features are designed to make the DUST-10C a seamless integration into contracting and building environments—offering users flexibility and adaptability without much downtime. Plus, the DUST-10C Mobile Containment Unit offers convertibility for HEPA filtrations, giving contractors and other professionals the option to incorporate a HEPA air filtration system to a dust mitigation unit. The unit also comes with a pass-through power cord opening.
Its easy-to-clean design and flexibility make the DUST-10C unit ideal for general contractors and other professionals working in dust and debris-producing environments. With over 300 expert technicians serving all 50 states, REMEDI8® provides complete compliance coverage to customers nationwide.
You can learn about REMEDI8’s Mobile Containment Units here: https://www.myremedi8.com/product-containment-solution/
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About REMEDI8®
REMEDI8® specializes in helping our customers navigate and maintain the complex world of safety and compliance. REMEDI8 has developed customized processes and procedures to successfully Inspect, Repair, Re-Label, and formally Report on key Life Safety issues around Fire Doors, Fire Dampers and Fire Barrier. Under the guidance of former CMS and Joint Commission Surveyors, REMEDI8 has developed specialized reporting that specifically addresses maintaining and reporting on Fire Door, Fire Damper, and Firestopping for Healthcare facilities.
REMEDI8® Highlights Fire Barrier Management Survey and Remediation Services
Correct Costly Mistakes and Address Risks Before They Happen
LENEXA, KS – REMEDI8®, the national leader of fire protection and compliance solutions, is proud to highlight its comprehensive fire barrier management survey and remediation services for healthcare facilities. With ongoing building maintenance and renovations, healthcare facilities risk dangerous non-compliant barrier penetrations. REMEDI8® corrects these costly mistakes and addresses risk before they happen with tailored end-to-end surveys, remediation, and maintenance programs for firestopping systems.
REMEDI8® provides a comprehensive solution:
A thorough sweep of fire barriers for non-compliant penetrations, scab patching, and head-of-wall issues
Identification of missing J-box covers and cables on sprinkler lines
Labeling of each penetration with UL system, material type, date, and technician’s name
Physical and/or digital reports including plans noting location of work, and before and after photographic documentation of each penetration
Certified, factory and field trained technicians knowledgeable with all firestopping products (STI, HILTI, 3M)
From surveying to innovative reporting, maintenance, and repair, REMEDI8® provides complete compliance coverage with over 300 certified and highly skilled technicians serving healthcare facilities in all 50 states.
“At REMEDI8®, we are committed to helping our clients maintain a safe and compliant environment,” said Mark Pavlacka, EVP of Operations at REMEDI8®. “Our barrier management survey and remediation services address the unique needs of each client, ensuring their facilities meet the highest standards of fire protection.”
REMEDI8® specializes in helping our customers navigate and maintain the complex world of safety and compliance. REMEDI8 has developed customized processes and procedures to successfully Inspect, Repair, Re-Label, and formally Report on key Life Safety issues around Fire Doors, Fire Dampers and Fire Barrier. Under the guidance of former CMS and Joint Commission Surveyors, REMEDI8 has developed specialized reporting that specifically addresses maintaining and reporting on Fire Door, Fire Damper, and Firestopping for Healthcare facilities.
Barrier Companies Rebrands as REMEDI8 Four Fire and Life Safety Businesses Now Unified Under Single Brand
Lenexa, Kan. – January 23, 2023 – Barrier Companies, a nationwide fire and life safety services company that specializes in helping customers navigate and maintain the complex world of safety and compliance, has announced a strategic rebranding to REMEDI8. The new name unifies four businesses – Barrier Compliance Services, Prevent Life Safety Services, Fire Door Solutions and United Fire Doors – under one brand, which reflects the strength of the combined business’ mission to provide value to customers and assist with code compliance.
Barrier Companies acquired Prevent, a fire and life safety company serving customers primarily in healthcare settings throughout California, Texas and Arizona later that year. To further build out the company’s national service capability, Barrier Companies acquired two additional fire and safety compliance businesses in July 2022.
These were Fire Door Solutions, a local peer to Barrier Companies based in Stilwell, Kansas a leading provider of fire and life safety compliance services and solutions primarily for the healthcare facilities market nationwide, and Florida-based United Fire Door Inspection, a specialized provider of inspection services in the Southeast.
“As REMEDI8, we are a truly unified company with a simple goal: to save lives and protect property by helping our customers achieve 100% life safety compliance,” said Mickey Eberts, Chief Executive Officer of REMEDI8. “Our new identity incorporates the best attributes of each entity and speaks to our goal by emphasizing our comprehensive scope of services, our experienced technicians and our national footprint.”
REMEDI8 is also introducing a new visual brand identity to complement its name change. Taking design cues from the merged companies, it includes an updated logo and color palette that is indicative of the strategic direction of the company. Visit www.myREMEDI8.com to explore the new website and brand.
Barrier Companies’ remaining subsidiaries: Barrier Technologies, Barrier Compliance Services (construction division), Facilities Management Solutions and Pencon will continue to operate under their current brands.
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Media Contact: Sonya Witherow Marketing Manager switherow@myREMEDI8.com
About REMEDI8 REMEDI8 specializes in helping customers navigate and maintain the complex world of safety and compliance. REMEDI8 has developed customized processes and procedures to successfully Inspect, Repair, Re-Label, and formally Report on key Life Safety issues around Fire Doors, Fire Dampers and Fire Barrier. Under the guidance of former CMS and Joint Commission Surveyors, REMEDI8 has developed specialized reporting that specifically addresses maintaining and reporting on Fire Door, Fire Damper, and Firestopping for Healthcare facilities. For more information visit: https://www.myREMEDI8.com/
Unfortunately, a door that passes all other points of its inspection will still be marked as a failed door if labels are missing. According to the NFPA, “labels on fire doors, fire door frames, or other components of a fire door assembly, are the identifying mark that the door or component has been tested to the required first test standards and has passed the criteria required by those test standards.” Rated-labels include key information about its assembly such as a unique ID number, the hourly rating, and the manufacturer. Without the required labels, there is no clear indication of whether or not a fire-rated door and frame are in-fact a fire-rated door or frame.
The hourly rating on a rated-label is critical for creating sections of your fire barriers as doors are typically rated for three-fourths of the surrounding wall’s rating. According to SDI, “a 3-hour fire door is used in a 4-hour rated wall; a 1-1/2-hour fire door is used in a 2-hour rated wall, and a 3/4-hour door is used in a one-hour rated wall.” A notable exception to the three-fourths rule is for 1/3-hour rated doors which are also used in one-hour rated walls. Without rated labels indicating the hourly ratings for door assemblies, it would be exceptionally difficult to ensure that door assemblies are being maintained throughout a facility according to code requirements.
What can you do if a fire door’s label is missing?
While it’s not uncommon for a fire door to fail its inspection due to missing labels (especially for doors located in high-traffic areas), it is an easy fix to get the door compliant again. Assuming the fire-rated door assembly has passed all other points of its inspection, the door can be re-certified once a new label is created and applied to the door and/or frame.
Another common occurrence our technicians see within facilities is rated-door assemblies that have labels that are no longer legible or have been painted over. Labels on door assemblies in high-traffic areas will inevitably suffer from wear and tear and may become illegible over time. This is an easy fix as a new label can be generated for the door. Labels that have been painted over, however, will continue to be an issue if staff and 3rd parties responsible for painting are not educated on the facility’s requirements for fire door labels. It’s important to educate responsible parties when painting is being done to help ensure code compliance.
Whether you’re managing a healthcare facility, manufacturing facility, or multi-unit residential facility, maintaining your fire doors is critical to the success of your life safety and fire barrier management programs. Contact us today to begin planning your next fire-rated door inspection to ensure compliance and safety within your fac
