Boston's Old North Church becomes a beacon of fire safety
Built in 1723, the Old North Church had relied for too long on antiquated fire safety equipment. In fact, until recently, the four buildings that comprise the church "campus" used one outdated master box to connect the church to the local fire department. Said Bob Modica, a sales consultant for Congress Alarm, "I'd be surprised if the black master box they had in their lobby even sounded an alarm." With the need to protect two row houses, three floors each, housing the church office and foundation organization, another building that is home to a gift shop, plus the church itself, this facility needed a system that could determine the exact location of a fire.
"An addressable panel costs a bit more than a conventional panel," Modica explained, "but I felt it was a wise investment for the Old North Church since there are so many different rooms and the facility was difficult to zone by area. With an addressable panel, you can provide the fire department with more accurate information, pinpointing the exact location of the problem."