In 2003, the blaze that traveled through a nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., where 100 people lost their lives may have a silver lining. Since that time, Rhode Island fire officials and lawmakers worked to tighten the state's fire protection laws.

Notable among Rhode Island's recent regulation changes is the elimination of the grandfather clause that permitted an existing facility to remain out of compliance with current laws, despite potentially serious code infractions. The aim of Rhode Island lawmakers and fire protection officials is a reduction in the likelihood of a repeat fire tragedy.

Among the many facilities across the state that had to bring their buildings up to code is the Rhode Island Statehouse, located in Providence. Constructed between 1895 and 1904, the Statehouse is listed with the National Register of Historic Places. The fire alarm system upgrade needed approval from the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission.

Installation challenges

In previous years, when network technology was prevalent in fire alarm systems, the physical impact of such a sizeable installation on an historic facility was enormous. Steve Cunha, senior division manager, Cintas Fire Protection of Pawtucket, R.I., said that the Statehouse's white marble walls and other architectural characteristics made wire installation difficult. The electricians' knowledge of the facility and networking capability of the E3 Series fire alarm system made it possible to turn what seemed a difficult installation into a success story-but the job was not without its challenges.

The E3 Series system supports up to 25,000 devices over 64 nodes. It's the first system of its kind to offer complete integration using a single twisted-pair or fiber-optic cable. Cunha said the E3 Series is attractive due to its two-wire data bus configuration, which offered a reduction in man-hours during installation.

Unlike the conventional systems of the past, the E3 Series does not require hundreds of large gauge conductors. Instead, the network-based technology, which distinguishes the Gamewell-FCI E3 Series, kept the number and size of conductors to a minimum. This aided installation of both horizontal and vertical riser cables throughout the structure.

"With most other systems you would have to run a larger riser for network controls, audio, and live paging," Cunha said. "With the E3 system you can run all of this across the same pair of wires, reducing both conduit size and the amount of copper wire used."