What's next for Special Hazards Fire Protection? Insights from the Dope & Tape Show
January 31, 2025
1
min read
The latest episode of the Dope & Tape Show provided an engaging dive into the world of fire protection, featuring spirited discussions on cutting-edge innovations, industry challenges, and the camaraderie shared by fire safety professionals.
What's Next for Special Hazards Fire Protection?
In its own words, the Dope & Tape Show aims to "spark" conversations between fire protection professionals and tradespeople.
Scott, our Director for North America, recently had the chance to appear on a live show dedicated to special hazards—a subject close to his heart as a former Fire Alarm and Special Hazards Inspector.
He joined Todd Stevens, Operations Manager at Industrial Fire Protection, along with regular hosts Bobby and Brian, for a wide-ranging discussion on special hazards. They covered everything from how they got started in fire protection to the latest trends and technology.
The episode offered plenty of takeaways, whether you're a seasoned contractor, an inspector, or simply curious about the field. Let’s dive in.
Innovations in Special Hazards Protection
The foursome explored advancements in special hazards fire protection, particularly in systems like clean agents, water mist, and hybrid solutions. Todd highlighted how visual flame detection, powered by AI algorithms, is evolving to identify fire risks with unprecedented accuracy. While AI is still in its early stages in fire protection, its potential to reshape the industry is immense.
Their conversation also touched on water mist systems being used for data centers, industrial applications, and even tunnels. Todd shared insights about hybrid water mist systems that combine water and nitrogen, offering effective fire suppression without damaging sensitive equipment.
“It’s all about tailoring the solution to the specific hazard,” he noted, emphasizing the adaptability of special hazards systems.
Community and Generational Knowledge
Hosts Bobby and Brian—representing second- and third-generation fire protection professionals—discussed their passion for the industry and the importance of building a community.
The Dope & Tape Show itself emerged from their shared goal to connect professionals, foster meaningful conversations, and share expertise.
Brian’s personal story underscored the value of learning on the job: “My dad was hard on me, but it’s why I’m where I am today. That hands-on experience made all the difference.”
Such generational knowledge, combined with fresh new ideas and energy, is shaping the future of fire safety.
A Glimpse into the Future of Fire Protection
The discussion also touched on lithium-ion battery fires and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, highlighting the evolving challenges in fire protection caused by technological progress. The hosts stressed the importance of staying ahead of industry trends—whether through advanced suppression systems or by embracing modern technologies.
Special Hazards and Fire Inspection Software
One of the focal points of the episode was the role of fire inspection software in revolutionizing workflows. Scott shared how modern software is bridging gaps in efficiency and accuracy. Despite the prevalence of outdated methods like manual time cards and paper inspection forms, software like Uptick is helping companies transition to digital platforms, saving time and reducing errors.
“The efficiencies add up quickly," he observed. "Five minutes saved per inspection, multiplied across thousands of inspections, makes a huge impact on operations.” By adopting these powerful tools, fire protection professionals are not just streamlining their processes but also enhancing the overall customer experience.
Final Thoughts
The Dope & Tape Show continues to serve as an invaluable platform for fire protection professionals to share knowledge and experiences. Whether discussing the nuances of special hazards or the benefits of modern fire inspection software, the episode captured the unique blend of tradition and innovation driving the industry forward.
As Bobby aptly put it, “We’re building a community here, and it’s all about supporting each other.” With this ethos at its core, the show is not just a conversation—it’s a movement for progress in fire protection.
Catch new episodes of the Dope & Tape Show on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and give the guys a follow on LinkedIn.
What is fire inspection software?
Fire inspection software is a digital tool that helps fire protection businesses complete, record, and manage inspections more efficiently. Instead of relying on paper checklists, technicians can use a mobile app to document assets, capture photos, log defects and generate professional reports on the spot.
How does fire inspection software work?
Fire inspection software programs such as Uptick allow technicians to complete inspections on-site using a tablet or phone, capture photos, log defects and generate instant reports. In the office, teams can schedule jobs, send quotes, track maintenance tasks and access real-time visibility across every building and asset. Fire inspection software systems bring your entire workflow together so nothing falls through the cracks.
Who uses fire inspection software?
Mainly fire inspection companies use fire safety software to coordinate inspections and maintain life-safety assets.
How does fire safety inspection software improve compliance?
Uptick ensures technicians follow the correct steps every time, reducing human error and creating consistent records aligned with standards. With asset-based inspections, automated reminders,a full audit history, and in-built compliance reporting, Uptick’s fire safety management software makes compliance easier for you and more transparent for your customers.
Can fire inspection software replace manual checklists?
Absolutely. Digital checklists, mobile inspection forms and automated workflows mean you no longer need printed paperwork. Using fire protection inspection software helps you avoid missing fields, lost forms and manual retyping, saving hours of manual work each week.
Can I customise inspection forms?
Yes. Uptick lets you customise forms to match your local standards, business processes and customer needs. With configurable templates and digital form builders, you can design exactly what your technicians need
How do I choose the best fire inspector software for my business?
Look for a platform built specifically for fire protection. Check ease of use, mobile performance, offline mode, compliance features, integration options and customer support. The best fire inspection software gives you room to grow, not just tools to get by.
How much does fire inspection software cost?
Our pricing model is based on a monthly pay-per-user fee. Customer and sub-contractor licenses are unlimited and free.
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What else do you
need to know?
How long does it take to get started with Uptick?
The biggest factors determining the length of the onboarding process are:
- The size of your team and their training requirements
- The quality and ease of export of your data
Most companies can get up and running within 2 months.
What platforms and devices does Uptick work on?
Uptick lives in the cloud. That means Uptick is available for your desk/office users on any device (Mac, PC or Linux) via your browser with no additional software downloads.
For your field licenses, on-site staff can use either Apple or Android devices. Our fire safety management app is available in the App store on Apple devices, and the Google Play store on Android devices.
How does Uptick compare to other products?
Uptick is the only modern cloud-based solution that is purposely built for the fire protection industry.
Many alternative solutions are either generic job management platforms that you will need to tailor to your business and/or do not have the same modern cloud-based capabilities.
How does Uptick protect and secure my data?
Uptick takes data security seriously. Our customers include some of the largest companies in the industry. As we work directly with government and banking clients we have have successfully passed through rigorous security auditing and penetration testing.
In addition to being secure, we work hard to provide a reliable service. Customers on Uptick can expect an uptime of 99.95% (including scheduled maintenance). This translates to an average of less than 5 minutes of business-hour downtime per month for office users and no downtime for technicians. If you're a large enterprise and want monetary guarantees around reliability, we offer dedicated hosting and Uptick Support SLAs.
How does Uptick pricing work?
Uptick charges a simple per-user monthly fee for each of your desk and field users. Customer and sub-contractor licenses are unlimited and free.
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