News Category: News

This summer, Code Red welcomes six interns to our team; Jake Smith (B.S. Environmental Engineering and ’21, M.S. Fire Protection Engineering – FPE), Anna Correia (B.S. Architectural Engineering and ’22, M.S. FPE), Rebekah Vernon (B.S. Civil Engineering and ’22, M.S. FPE), Sullivan Boyd (B.S. Mechanical Engineering and ’22 M.S. FPE), Matthew Nicastro (’22, B.S. Mechanical Engineering and ’23 M.S. FPE) and Matthew Penkala (’21, B.S. Mechanical Engineering and ’23 M.S. FPE). Anna and Jake both returned for a second year. We are hopeful that this commitment will afford these young professionals the opportunity to thrive in a growing organization. To ensure a meaningful experience, each intern is paired with various members of our team, with whom they work directly in select markets and services. Throughout the summer months, these engineers are exposed to a variety of tasks ranging from on-site visits, involvement in code reports, reviews of architectural and engineering plans, attendance at client meetings, to proposal creation. By means of an internal training program, they are exposed to various service/market Teams, include Healthcare, Science & Technology, Rail, Residential, Fire Sprinkler and Fire Alarm Design, Fire Stopping and Smoke Control Special Inspections, Construction Fire Safety, and System Commission. Whether completing office/field tasks with our consultants, attending client meetings, or attending internal events, the interns are fully immersed in our culture and actively gaining real industry experience.

As recently highlighted by Jake Smith and Anna Correia when asked about their intern experience, “The intern program has been an informative and exciting process. I have had the privilege of visiting over a dozen different construction sites for firestopping inspections and NFPA 241 walks. I have also surveyed existing buildings for accessibility compliance. In addition, I have gained knowledge in all aspects of fire protection in which CRC is involved through the CRC Academy. This information has been of great help as I complete my FPE course work at WPI while also providing a greater appreciation for the field as a whole.” Jake Smith, 2nd year intern.

“Before coming to Code Red last summer, I had no idea which part of fire protection I enjoyed and certainly didn’t know much about code consulting. During my first internship at Code Red, I was provided with a wide range of experiences, challenges, and support that confirmed my passion for fire protection engineering. I was able to get involved in residential and accessibility consulting that I found very rewarding. Separately, attending the CRC Academy for the interns allowed me to learn about all the different types of work that Code Red does. Returning for a second internship this summer, I have been able to dive in quickly and easily such that I feel quite independent while working on projects and helping the team. Code Red has provided me with the flexibility to work outside of just summers, learn a little bit about everything to decide what I like and don’t like, and to find a rewarding work-life balance. I am thankful to have been given these wonderful experiences and I am excited to continue with the program!” Anna Correia, 2nd year intern.

Code Red Consultants is excited to announce the addition of five new staff to our growing practice: Rachel Arruda, Connie Martino, Joe Ostrowski, Jason Cardinal, P.E. and Ben Seeto. With the continued growth of our team, adding resources to best streamline and drive the efficiency and quality of our deliverables for our clients continues to be a top priority for our company. These new team members help both our administrative depth and our technical knowledge, by adding project experience, and business leadership to best serve our valued clients.

Rachel brings more than 15 years of executive assistant experience, as well as a “can do, will try” attitude in her new role as office administrator.  The varying experiences in her previous roles allows her to confidently tackle anything that she is presented, whether it is managing changing priorities, learning new software, or attempting to troubleshoot a technical problem.   She has a passion for learning and will ask questions or provide improvement suggestions to streamline processes that best serve the team. Rachel provides administrative support to all Code Red staff. She is involved with many aspects of the business from general administrative responsibilities, project management, accounting, vendor relations, coordination of staff technical blogs and presentations, social media, and updating the company website. Rachel holds a degree in Marketing from the University of Southern New Hampshire. She is also the proud Mom of two boys who are in the Army. This pride and respect of our military and our veterans shines through in her volunteerism. Rachel has baked, decorated, and delivered 1,000 cupcakes to the local homeless Veteran’s shelters each Thanksgiving for the past 15 years (and counting) on top of other ways she finds to donate her time to our veterans.

Connie provides support to the Principals & Chief Operating Officer as an office administrator. In this capacity, she manages schedules, document updating, new hire onboarding, IT maintenance, and she delivers general assistance to the greater administrative team. Along with a sunny disposition, Connie brings decades of administrative experience, a strong desire to learn new skills, and an appreciation for the big picture. She enjoys working alongside the executive staff as it allows her to be in the room where decisions are made. Here, she can best realize how to apply her talents to meet company goals. With a background in Entertainment, Connie also loves to be in front of a crowd and jumps at every opportunity to chat with a client on the phone, a coworker in the cafe, or present to a group of interns. She likes connecting with people and surrounding herself with intelligent, thoughtful, results driven individuals. Connie holds a Bachelor of Music Performance in Business from UMass Lowell. Outside of work, her passion is music! She is a classically trained singer who has performed at notable venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City and Symphony Hall in Boston.

Joe is a very driven fire protection consultant who is responsible for developing code compliance strategies and delivering high-quality design solutions for both new and existing structures. His evaluations address the needs of all stakeholders involved in a project. With an academic background in both chemical engineering and fire protection, Joe looks to apply his professional experience and technical knowledge relating to hazardous materials, chemical analyses, and industrial fire protection to engineer solutions. Joe has a Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. One of his favorite hobbies is photography, especially night sky and deep-space photography through a telescope.

Jay has a unique and diverse background with 20 years in the design and construction industry that allows him to excel with a wide range of clients and project types. He takes a hands-on approach to understanding building systems and working through complex issues. By appreciating the interests and viewpoints of all stakeholders, he focuses on partnering and problem solving to achieve efficient and effective results. In addition to his technical prowess, Jay’s operations and project management background allow him to provide an immediate positive impact to Code Red’s growing team. Prior to joining the firm, Jay was an Associate Principal / Senior Project Manager at WB Engineers+Consultants in Boston, MA. He is licensed as a Fire Protection Engineer and LEED AP accredited. Jay holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering from WPI.

Ben is a new fire protection and life safety consultant who thrives in a collaborative environment. He enjoys applying his problem-solving skills to reach creative solutions that meet the needs of the clients. Ben is involved with numerous services such as building and life safety code consulting, smoke control special inspections, and inspection of fire stop and fire-resistant joint systems. Fascinated by the fire protection and life safety industry, he is excited to grow his knowledge and experience in the services offered at Code Red Consultants by delivering the highest quality service to all stakeholders. Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering for WPI. He is currently pursuing his Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering.

Please join us in welcoming them aboard!

Brian Kuhn, P.E. shared the firm’s expertise in the area of mid-rise wood-over-podium construction, providing training via a webinar hosted by WoodWorks on June 3, 2020.

Podium construction—also known as pedestal or platform construction—typically includes multiple stories of wood framing over another construction style. To leverage wood’s cost efficiency, these types of buildings often maximize allowable building size limits with four or five stories of wood framing over one to three stories of steel or concrete. This webinar focused on how to achieve maximum value with podium construction and identified building code compliance and assembly detail issues commonly encountered.

The webinar recording is available for viewing here and presentation slides are posted here. WoodWorks constantly offers free webinars with an opportunity to earn CEU’s. Click here to see more of what WoodWorks has to offer!

For more information on this topic please contact Brian at BKuhn@crcfire.com

 

On April 7th, 2020, the AIA released a new tool designed to assist non-healthcare design professionals with identifying alternative sites suitable for patient care (Click here for the full media release). The tool was developed by the AIA Task Force, which Christopher Lynch. P.E. of Code Red Consultants, participated as a contributor regarding life safety considerations.  The tool provides a checklist highlighting  important areas for design professionals to consider as they evaluate potential alternative sites for acute COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 patients. The alternatives sites considered focus on residential (i.e. dorms and apartments) or large assembly occupancies (i.e. conference and convention centers).  Use the following links to access the tool at the AIA’s website.

Access Preparedness Tool here

Code Red Consultants is excited to announce the addition of three new staff to our growing practice. Kyle Opiekuhn, Tyler Rausch and Nick Williams, P.E. help increase our technical knowledge, experience, business leadership and ability to service our valued clients.

Kyle is a highly motivated, young fire protection and life safety consultant that provides solutions that meet client goals and exceed expectations. He is eager to learn about the fire protection field and enjoys the fast-paced and experienced environment that Code Red Consultants provides. Kyle is involved a variety of Code Red Consultant’s professional service offerings, including fire suppression and alarm system design, smoke control special inspections, construction fire safety, and hazardous materials consulting. Kyle recently completed his M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) after receiving his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering a year earlier.

Tyler is a new fire protection consultant who excels at combining his education, firefighting experience, and on-the-job training to reach unique solutions to life safety challenges. Tyler’s goal is always meet the needs of the client without compromising public safety. His professional interests include fire protection system design/review and fire stop system inspection. He takes pride in his work and is eager to use his skills and knowledge to provide project solutions that achieve overall life safety for all stakeholders. Tyler also recently completed his completed his M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) after receiving his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering a year prior.

As the Chief Operating Officer, Nick brings almost 20 years of fire protection & life safety, facility design, project management and business leadership experience to Code Red Consultants. Nick focuses on the daily operations of the firm, including recruiting, talent management, human resources, business development, and project execution. Additionally, he is responsible for human capital management, quality assurance, and strategic plan implementation.

Nick’s extensive technical and business leadership background allow him to provide a positive impact to Code Red’s growing team. Nick is known for his ability to foster an inclusive work environment that inspires creative thought, which affords continuous personal/team improvement and instills a passion for producing high quality work products. Prior to Code Red Consultants, Nick was the Vice President of the Facilities Engineering & Construction at C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. He is licensed as a Fire Protection Engineer in Massachusetts and Illinois. Nick has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering from WPI.

Please join us in welcoming them aboard!

Code Red Consultants is excited to announce the addition of three new staff to our growing practice. Dan Picciano, JP Ramos, and Austin joined CRC over the past 4 months, increasing our technical knowledge, experience, and ability to service our valued clients.

Dan specializes in building and fire code consulting, fire protection system design and testing, smoke control Special Inspections and integrated testing, as well as developing compliance strategies for both prescriptive and alternative solutions in new and existing buildings. In his 14+ years of experience, he has worked in a wide variety of market sectors and building types including high-rise construction, mixed-use commercial, large assembly, factory / industrial, higher-education, transportation, and healthcare. Prior to Code Red Consultants, Dan was the Director of the Boston Office of JENSEN HUGHES. He is licensed as a Fire Protection Engineer in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota, and certified as a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) with the NFPA. Dan has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

JP recently completed his M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). He collaborates with our dynamic team in order to meet the needs of clients by incorporating best engineering practices. JP has eagerly begun his role by assisting with the design of fire protection systems, developing code evaluations, and creating construction fire safety plans.

Austin has one and a half years of experience in the fire protection industry. He has experience as a consultant for nuclear power plants from his previous employment and as a code consultant. Austin has been developing life safety plans, code evaluations, drawing reviews, construction fire safety plans, and applying performance based design for different projects. Performance based design work has included fire/egress modeling and train station assessments. Additionally, he has performed various testing of fire protection/life safety systems including sprinkler systems and smoke control systems. Austin has his M.S. in Fire Protection Engineering and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from WPI.

Please join us in welcoming them aboard!

Code Red Consultants set out in 2013 to offer a novel engineering consulting experience; one where we exceed our clients’ expectations over the course of project involvement. We offer practical and innovative solutions to complex code and fire engineering challenges that are communicated to our clients using simple terms with one goal in mind, drive results. As we have grown rapidly from 3 engineers to 33 team members, our clients are recognizing that Code Red Consultants has quickly become a preeminent fire protection consultancy in the New England area. Sample projects include the Encore Casino, Millennium Tower Boston, and Logan International Airport to name a few.

Please join us in welcoming Dan Picciano, P.E., CFPS, to our dynamic team at Code Red Consultants. With over 14 years in the fire protection industry and a background in chemical engineering, Dan brings a unique perspective and large portfolio of experience to our growing team. Licensed as a fire protection engineer in MA, PA, and MN, Dan consistently works with clients and authorities having jurisdiction to deliver integrated solutions to complex fire and life safety challenges.

Dan has worked in a wide variety of market sectors and building types including high-rise construction, mixed-use commercial, large assembly, factory / industrial, higher-education, transportation, and healthcare.  Dan specializes in building and fire code consulting, fire protection system design and testing, smoke control Special Inspections and integrated testing, as well as developing compliance strategies for both prescriptive and alternative solutions in new and existing buildings.  Some of his recent past projects in New England include The Hub on Causeway, Hale Building at Boston Children’s Hospital Boston Campus, Derby Line Land Port of Entry, Boston FBI Field Office, various MBTA Station Upgrades, and the 50-150 / 75-125 Binney Street Development.  Prior to Code Red Consultants, Dan was the Director of the Boston Office of JENSEN HUGHES and has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

Learn more about Code Red Consultants at coderedconsultants.com.

Code Red Consultants is excited to announce the addition of four new staff to our growing practice. Lea Dighello, Sandra Morrison, Janna Shapiro, and Jeremy Souza joined Code Red Consultants over the past six months, increasing our technical knowledge, experience, and ability to service our valued clients.

Lea has three years of experience within the fire protection industry. She has in-depth knowledge of healthcare facilities, as she began her career as a life safety engineer at a large healthcare institution. Her Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute lends to her work in reviewing and developing solutions for detailed fire alarm and detection system designs. Lea has been assisting our office in developing comprehensive code reports, performing architectural and engineering drawing reviews for conformance with the applicable codes and standards, and performing life safety assessments for many of our hospital clients. She also received a Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Sandra has more than 10 years of experience in corporate accounting, and her enthusiasm and organizational skills are key components to Code Red Consultants’ growing success. Prior to joining the firm, Sandra was a senior accountant at Lewa-Nikkiso, an international process technology firm in Holliston, Mass. Originally from Western Massachusetts, she now resides in Ashland with her husband and two college-aged sons. In her spare time, Sandra enjoys running, hiking, and exploring New England. Sandra is a graduate of Merrimack College holding a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.

Janna has four years of experience in fire protection and specializes in hazardous materials. Her background in chemistry and knowledge of hazardous materials-related codes and standards has enabled her to dive into several laboratory and industrial projects, assisting with chemical analyses and design approaches for chemical facilities. Prior to joining Code Red Consultants, Janna was a staff liaison at NFPA, primarily responsible for overseeing documents involving flammable and combustible liquids. She has a Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Virginia.

Jeremy served more than 24 years in the fire service, achieving the rank of Deputy Fire Chief at T.F. Green Airport Fire-Rescue in Warwick, Rhode Island. He brings extensive experience in fire prevention from the Authorities Having Jurisdiction side, including aviation fire protection, FAA regulatory compliance, and substantial expertise in the storage, distribution, and transportation of flammable liquids and hazardous materials. He has taught classes on flammable liquid firefighting and fuel systems across the northeastern U.S. for nearly a decade. He was also a principal member of two NFPA technical committees, including serving as the Chair of the Aircraft Fuel Servicing Technical Committee. Immediately prior to joining Code Red Consultants, he worked at NFPA as a staff liaison responsible for standards on fire service training and airport fire protection. Jeremy has a Bachelor of Science in Fire Science from the University of New Haven, and a Master in Public Administration from Bridgewater State University.

Please join us in welcoming them aboard!

We are excited to announce that Code Red Consultants has joined the International Firestop Council (IFC). Our firm’s multi-disciplinary background allows us to view a building’s design, construction, and post-occupancy phases through the eyes of architects, engineers, contractors and owners alike. Through our increased involvement with this organization, we hope to help shape the firestop installation and inspection processes to provide safe, constructible solutions while improving the quality of fire-resistance rated construction. With our own Corey Fisher becoming the firm’s seventh IFC Third-Party Firestop Inspector Premiere Certificate Holder, Code Red Consultants’ team of certified firestop inspectors continues to grow.