Mission Critical Fire Protection Podcast powered by ORR Protection

Episode 20 -Discussing water mist systems in New York with Larry Lussier

June 08, 2021 ORR Protection Season 1 Episode 20
Mission Critical Fire Protection Podcast powered by ORR Protection
Episode 20 -Discussing water mist systems in New York with Larry Lussier
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

In Episode 20 of The Mission Critical Fire Protection Podcast, Lee Kaiser sits down with Larry Lussier ORR's North East region account manager. Larry discusses his transition into ORR, his tenure in the fire suppression industry, and talks about mission-critical fire protection with Lee.

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Thanks for joining us. To learn more about mission-critical fire protection, visit MCFPexperts.com.

INTRO (00:07):

Welcome to MCFP meet the experts where ORR Protections, VP of engineering, Lee Kaiser interviews, industry insiders on all things Mission-critical fire protection.

Lee Kaiser (00:20):

Larry Lussier today. Uh, Larry's an account manager for ORR Protection and the Northeast part of the United States and New Jersey and New York and specifically New York City. Larry, we're really happy to sit down with you today and ask you a few questions about fire protection. So I know you've been in the business for a number of years. Tell me your story. How did you get into the fire protection business?

Larry Lussier (00:42):

Actually drafted and had to join the Navy back in 1972, the last draft-call United States history.

Lee Kaiser (00:49):

Wow.

Larry Lussier (00:49):

And that's where I got a Navy for three years. I got out and tried to do some job hunting. Didn't find a job and actually started to work for Simplex Time Recorder. My next door neighbor's father was a branch manager for simplex and I in 1975. I started Simplex Time Recorder for Gibson New York.

Lee Kaiser (01:07):

Oh wow. Oh, wow. So then from there, you know, how long did you work for Simplex?

Speaker 3 (01:12):

Till 1981- I started 75-81 then I worked for fire suppression company. There's also the security industry and I got into Halon. I sold a $4 million job in New York city for American Express Smith Barney, which is 50,000 pounds of Halon.

Lee Kaiser (01:28):

Oh, wow. That big job.

Larry Lussier (01:30):

Back In 1984. So it was one of the largest Halon jobs in United States.

Lee Kaiser (01:35):

Oh yeah.

Larry Lussier (01:36):

So that's how I got into New York city marketplace, which is rather interesting and neat place to work.

Lee Kaiser (01:41):

So then what's your into Halon you kind of just stay in that gaseous and special hazards industry and stick with those types of products I bet.

Larry Lussier (01:49):

Correct.

Lee Kaiser (01:50):

What's some of the favorite projects that you've worked on.

Larry Lussier (01:53):

Interestingly enough, I'm now involved in a big project in New York city, which is a Hugh Carey tunnel fire suppression water mist system, which is a long time coming and a lot of, uh, design entertainment and, uh, working with people that get the bid into the proper perspective, the proper pricing, and that was awarded that project.

Lee Kaiser (02:12):

Are there other water mist systems and tunnels in New York city?

Larry Lussier (02:16):

This the first one in New York city, this is by the TBTA and is a prototype for maybe all the other tunnels in New York.

Speaker 2 (02:23):

Oh, wow. That's pretty significant.

Larry Lussier (02:25):

Yes.

Lee Kaiser (02:25):

Let's hope that's not a one-off project for them, but are there any other experiences that kind of got you to the table to be able to do water mist and that transportation application?

Larry Lussier (02:36):

I was lucky to be awarded two other project with MTA for the 72nd street and 80th street, stations for second Avenue subway. I was awarded, there was two stations where I did water mist system for under the carriage water mist and also the entire facility on a water mist system rather than the sprinkler system.

Lee Kaiser (02:54):

So water mist is really a good background for you. So it kind of leads into my next question. What, um, you know, if you're doing this big project right now, kind of a dream project where, you know, the dream projects, any other things that you'd like to work on in your career?

Larry Lussier (03:09):

Well, I'm actually going to be working on a, hopefully a water mist system for rare books library at university of Delaware, which I've got designed and laid out and we're negotiating a contract right now for next year.

Lee Kaiser (03:20):

Oh, that's great. So why water mist in, you know, rare books? Why is that a fit?

Larry Lussier (03:27):

Well, any type of water, sprinkler systems going to destroy the books who could have saturate the books, ruined the print, the whole nine yards. So it's something that we're looking at. We've convinced them that the water mist systems, the best application, they do have Halon in the building right now in that room, but they're afraid of the concentration levels in certain areas and the distribution and availability of Halon. So they're looking at the water mist system as a prime way. It's listed FM approved and the FM approval is very critical for the university.

Lee Kaiser (03:57):

That'd be a great project. Yes. So, um, technologies that you're, uh, you know, you feel you're expert in, I'm sure that, you know, you consider yourself a water mist expert just off the stories you've told. Is there anything about the water mist there's other types of, I mean, there's multiple types of water mist systems, so, um, is there high pressure, low pressure? What's kind of, uh, what do you know the best?

Larry Lussier (04:21):

I've done high pressure systems at 33 Thomas street for, At&T I've done the high pressure systems for the two subway stations. I've done some high pressure systems for a couple of generators. And I just feel that the technology for the high pressure water mist suits the needs of my area, my, and the people I work with.

Lee Kaiser (04:41):

Why is that? Is it because of better firefighting performance or lower water consumption?

Speaker 3 (04:46):

Yes.

Lee Kaiser (04:48):

Both. Great.

Larry Lussier (04:49):

A lot of people moving away from the suppression clean agent gases, because they're afraid of it being either banned by the some type of local code or national code and, uh, the use of a water mist system. You have water available everywhere. Yeah. And it seems to be a technology is up and coming and people are starting to buy into it.

Lee Kaiser (05:08):

So, you know, we've now in our chat so far here, we've talked about Simplex Time Recorder and old name and the industry Halon, water mist, you know, a lot of technological changes there. So in the next, you know, 5 to 10 years, how do you predict things will change in fire protection?

Larry Lussier (05:24):

I think there's any, any type of possible clean agent substitute that would, there's an inerting agents right now that are being looked at very closely. The FM 200s and the, uh, Caro's of the world may be replaced by something else or new technology. We're not quite sure, but I think that the water mist water-based technologies are something that will not go away. They've been proven. They work and their water is available in either pressure or the application to design may cost it out of a possible project, do the intense cost of the installation side.

Lee Kaiser (05:58):

Well, Larry, thanks for spending a little time with us today. Again, Larry Lussier, um, account manager for ORR Protection in the New York city, New Jersey, New York area. Thanks a lot.

Larry Lussier (06:07):

Thanks, Lee.

OUTRO (06:08):

Thanks for joining us to learn more about mission critical fire protection visit MCFP experts.com.

 

Introduction
Interview
Outro