DynaFire
DynaNet Network 100% Solvent
“We, as a company, are looking to have more control over fire alarm monitoring. When we signed up as an authorized AES account back in 2005, it was pre-Cellular in Florida, and it always bothered us that we were liable and responsible for the monitoring of fire systems to the panel but didn’t have any operational control. Using AES technology provides more control versus having to rely on a third party contractor for delivering alarm communications from the protected premises to the Central Station. This gives us the power and responsibility to control our clients’ experience from start to finish.”— Christopher Creamer, DynaNet Development Manager, DynaFire
Zero AES Subscriber Units Impacted by Hurricane
DynaFire serves thousands of customers with 3,900 units deployed and 36 IP Links covering the state of Florida.
The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active since 2005 including four major hurricanes: Harvey, Irma, Jose, and Maria. When Hurricane Irma was approaching the Sunshine State, a state of emergency was declared and every county was under evacuation. Many contractors were forced to close up operations. “It was agonizing watching the radar for days upon days to monitor the fluctuations of intensity and track the latest path,” stated Chris Creamer. With widespread power outages and fuel shortages, DynaFire’s greatest struggle was managing the large geographical spread of their client base. Coordinating service was a logistical nightmare. DynaFire’s corporate headquarters re-opened quickly and never lost power. Of the 6 satellite offices, 4 had no power for two days and 150 Clients went 6-7 days before power was restored. Viewing customer base stats on the AES Network Management System (NMS), data showed that half of 1,800 units suffered power loss and were immediately sent into the battery backup.
AES subscribers impacted by the hurricane
solvency for mesh radio network
Chris Creamer shared, “Zero AES Subscriber units were impacted by the hurricane, regarding being hit by the storm or damaged. Two dozen antennas and some brackets needed to be readjusted and redeployed after the storm to reposition. We lost no units due to water, wind, or storm damage including the IP Links. Our mesh radio network, DynaNet, was 100% solvent. We only had to replace 60-75 batteries mounted outside and in breezeways due to prolonged use during power outages. There were no actual equipment faults.” He added, “The AES Technical Support team reached out in advance to help us with preparation for the storm, we talked about worst case scenarios and what to do. Luckily, we didn’t have to go into any of those modes and fared well throughout the storm. The AES Support coverage across different regions gives contractors more flexibility and more avenues for support. The AES Maintenance Program service plan with our own dedicated support expert helps us protect our investment in AES technology.”
Kevin Smily, DynaNet RF Operations Specialist, commented on AES Training Academy regional sessions: “Worth it. Ask about the NMS; no network manager should be without this valuable tool.”
Christopher Creamer is DynaNet Development Manager at DynaFire and also President of the Automatic Fire Alarm Association (AFAA), Florida Chapter. He has over 15 years of experience in the life safety industry including roles as a Central Monitoring Station Supervisor, Fire Alarm System Draftsman, and Customer Service Manager. Mr. Creamer is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with Department of Homeland Security and Underwriters Laboratories certifications.
More Economical with Reduced Installation Time
Technology Developed for Real-World Applications
NMS Gives a Snapshot of Network and Key Metrics
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