NEWS RELEASE

Date: February 21, 2013
Contact: Sharon Holbrook-Ryan, PR Assistant
Phone: 518-954-3265
Email: ryans@libertyarc.org



Liberty Enterprises and International Fire-Shield, Inc. recently began a strategic partnership to manufacture and apply Inspecta-Shield textile coatings for the healthcare sector.

Fire kills and maims thousands of people every year in the U.S. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that fire departments respond to an average of 371,700 residential fires annually, resulting in an estimated 15,500 deaths or injuries. The outcome of a fire can be even more catastrophic in healthcare settings because patients and consumers are unable to evacuate. The healthcare sector includes organizations serving people with disabilities, nursing homes, senior living centers and organizations for the blind.

Added evacuation time provided by good fire resistant coatings is essential in saving lives. “The problem in the past was there were no monitoring programs and no certification methods to prove that household textiles were treated,” said Liberty Enterprises Facilities Director Dennis Yacobucci. “We had no state guidelines and no way of knowing or proving over time, which textile items had been treated, which items had not and which items met NFPA standards.”

Too many fires at residential homes for people with disabilities have highlighted the need for a comprehensive program that uses certified applicators and has a complete program to evaluate, apply, monitor and certify that an item has been treated.

International Fire-Shield, an upstate New York based company, founded in 1984, has solved these problems and developed a revolutionary Inspection Tracing Process. The process provides facilities and inspectors with the means to track and verify the treatment of the items that need to have their Class “A” flame spread rating maintained as per state, federal, and local fire codes. International Fire-Shield and Liberty’s certified technicians are dispatched to perform facility evaluations and inspections of items that can be treated to reduce the amount of fuel available and buy valuable time in the event of a fire starting. This full circle approach with the use of certified technicians allows International Fire-Shield & Liberty to keep a continuous and thorough update on the maintenance of the commercial facilities flammable decorative items.

“There are many agencies out there like our own that need this type of program,” said Dawn Jacksland, Director of Marketing and Sales for Liberty Enterprises. “We feel we have found a solution in Fire-Shield that we can share with other agencies and create jobs for the people we serve. The tragic deaths at the Mt. Kisco and Wells area residential homes for people with disabilities have reinforced our resolve to make a difference in our own fire safety practices as well as help other agencies with a solution.”

“International Fire-Shield, Inc. has an exciting history. Now they’ve chosen an excellent partner in Liberty Enterprises ARC in an area of great need,” said New York State Senator Kemp Hannon.

Liberty and Fire-Shield are currently working with state and national agencies to help set the standard for fire resistant coatings and methods of certification maintenance.

For more information please contact Dawn Jacksland at Liberty Enterprises, dawnj@libertyarc.org,
(518) 954.3357 or Patrick Bumpus at International Fire-Shield, Inc. nyfsinc@nyfs.com.

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