This project demonstrated the ability of Poole Fire Protection to rapidly respond as the Qualified Fire Protection Engineer (QFPE) for the time-critical retrofit of the Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Poole ensured this Alternate Care Facility, renovated in response to the Presidential National Emergency Declaration concerning the COVID-19 outbreak, included sufficient fire protection and life safety elements.

In order to combat the global spread of COVID-19, Kalispell Regional Medical Center was renovated to utilize multiple areas of the Medical center as an Alternate Care Facility for the care of non-acute COVID-19 patients. The end goal of this project was to provide, in a time-sensitive window, approximately 290 beds for the care of these patients in a facility that was suitably safe from, among other considerations, a life safety and fire protection perspective.

Poole Fire Protection was hired to provide design input and support for the time-sensitive construction of a fire-safe facility. Services provided included expert consultation, fire protection design support, and credible witness of acceptance testing.

Poole Fire Protection provided design services for active and passive fire protection and life safety systems within the building, including the fire sprinkler system, fire alarm system, fire detection system, hazardous area separation, and exit remoteness.