October 5, 2009

KISTLER O’BRIEN RECOGNIZED BY UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES INC. AS CERTIFICATED CONTRACTOR

 

Bethlehem, Pa., – (October 5, 2009) –Kistler O’Brien Fire Protection has been named a UL Certificated Contractor for Fire Alarm Systems by Underwriters Laboratories Inc., (UL), an independent product safety certification organization considered the primary source worldwide for testing products and services against industry safety standards.

            To achieve UL Certificated Contractor status, Kistler O’Brien underwent a series of inspections against the National Fire Alarm Code which is used by UL as the basis to audit the processes, procedures and policies Kistler follows to validate that they are repeatable and that the quality of the product and service of Kistler O’Brien is consistent.  The UL Certificated Contractor status alerts architects, general contractors, manufacturers, building owners and others, including authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ’s), that Kistler O’Brien is a contractor that complies with the contractor program requirements under the UL system, considered the “gold seal” for best practices in the industry.

“Consumers look for the UL mark to be assured that an organization other than the company offering the service or product has investigated them and found them to be reputable,” said Steven Vaccaro, installation division manager for Kistler O’Brien Fire Protection.  “The UL mark prevents fraud and keeps inexperienced suppliers or contractors from making untrue claims while also assuring consumers that they are dealing with a dependable contractor concerned about the quality and safety of the product and service they provide.”

            “For more than 100 years, UL has been the standard for safety,” said Eric F. Blasser, president of Kistler O’Brien Fire Protection. “This distinction is difficult to get and to hold onto, but we value the UL Certificated Contractor designation and intend to continue offering superior services and follow the guidelines scrupulously to ensure we maintain the distinction and to ensure added safety for our customers.”
 

  As a UL Certificated Contractor, Kistler O’Brien is eligible to issue, service or cancel UL Certified fire alarm systems and set up new service centers in territories as needed. Under the provisions of the certification, Kistler is categorized as Fire Alarm Service-Local Company designating that it is a company that provides installation, testing and maintenance for a protected area with its own personnel, and which subcontracts the monitoring, retransmission, and associated record keeping and reporting to a central station. UL Certified fire alarm systems must be serviced by a UL Certificated Contractor in compliance with the requirements of a UL Certified fire alarm system.