Franklin Lakes February 18, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Firm earns contract for lightning detection system by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Council has passed a resolution that awards a $25,320 contract to Commercial Recreation Specialists in Verona, Wisconsin to install a lightning detection and warning system with wireless remote sirens and strobe lights at the borough’s athletic fields. The contract also includes the installation of lightning detection sirens at the athletic fields at the district’s three elementary schools: Colonial Road School, High Mountain Road School, and Woodside Avenue School. John Ciurciu, the borough’s recreation and parks director, advised that the strobe lights would be installed at the three school fields at a later date when the school district can provide funding for them. The school fields were included in the contract because, according to Ciurciu, the borough uses the board of education fields and the Franklin Avenue Middle School uses the borough’s Pulis Avenue Recreation Center field. The system is expected to provide sirens and strobe lights at the Pulis Avenue Recreation Center on Vichiconti Way, the athletic fields behind the municipal building on DeKorte Drive, the Tommy John Field behind the �� ����� ���������� library, and McBride Field on Franklin Lake Road. The sound of the siren at the Pulis Field is expected to extend to the Franklin Avenue Middle School field, according to Ciurciu, and the sound of the siren at McBride Field should also extend to the fields at the Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Ciurciu said the sirens for the system would be tested in the near future to ensure their locations are correct. He said if their sound extends far enough, it may be possible to eliminate the siren at the municipal fields and just put a strobe light there in order to reduce the cost of the system. Originally, the system was expected to cost $30,000, including the school fields, but the local board of education did not feel it could absorb its portion of the cost at this time due to budgetary constraints. Ciurciu explained that is why the strobe lights at the school fields were eliminated from the system for the time being. The lightning detection and warning system will consist of a lightning sensor, a lightning data receiver, fiberoptic cable, a tripod with mounting hardware, and software for the system. The wireless siren system will consist of a key operated wireless transmitter, an antenna with coaxial ���� ������� ������������ cable, a power supply with battery back-up and mounting hardware, an interface from transmitter to receiver, and a timer device to control the hours of strobe light operation. Strike Guard is the manufacturer of the lightning detection system and it recommends servicing the components of the system every three years or as required but the borough will be responsible for the routine maintenance of the system. Strike Guard claims its product employs state-of-theart technology to address even the most demanding lightning safety and equipment protection applications. The company says its lightning warning system is designed for critical applications and it monitors cloud and cloud-toground lightning, and provides signaling at user-set lightning activity thresholds. The company also claims that its patented optical signal processing and proprietary opticalcoincidence technology prevent false alarms. The lightning warning is communicated via lightningproof fiber-optic cable to an independent lightning data receiver and it delivers fully automatic alarm triggering with user-set range categories, a 20 mile detection radius, no-false-alarm patented technology, and a sensor and communication self-test. ��������������������� ������������������������������������� Dr. Heather Sculthorpe is proud to present Tracy Collins, a 2006 winner of the Hygienist of the Year from RDH Magazine. Now Accepting Patients �������������������������������������������� GET A FRESH START ����������� STOP ���������������� �������� ���������� ���������� ������������������������ �������������� ��������������������� Tracy Collins, RDH and Heather Sculthorpe, DMD ��������� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������� CHILDREN’S DENTAL SPECIALIST 841 Franklin Ave, Suite 2 FRANKLIN LAKES • 201-891-0096 hsculthorpedmd@yahoo.com Specialty Permit #5582 BRAND NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART OFFICE • Specially Trained Staff • Digital X-rays • Latex-Free • TVs • Video Games • Toys • Prizes SATURDAY HOURS AVAILABLE Winter specials available now for a limited time only. Call Robin at 973-636-7000