Historic buildings demand a higher level of protection. The facilities director, vicar, sexton and other staff members at the Old North Church in Boston’s North End know a thing or two about the power of fire. It was in this church’s steeple where, on Apr. 18, 1775, Sexton Robert Newman hung two lanterns to announce to Paul Revere that the British had arrived by sea and the War for Independence was on. The people who now work at this Episcopalian church understand that, just as two lantern flames ignited a revolution, fire could also have a disastrous effect on this treasured facility, with its history, architectural beauty, an active congregation of 150 members, along with hundreds of tourists visiting on a daily basis from all over the world.
Built in 1723, the Old North Church relied for too long on antiquated fire safety equipment. In fact, up until recently, the four buildings that comprise the church campus used one outdated master box to connect the church to the local fire department. Bob Modica, sales consultant for Congress Alarm, a Massachusetts-based systems integrator, says “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.