Western States Fire Protection - Kansas
The current Western States Fire Protection Kansas City, Kansas office servicing Kansas City and the surrounding areas is actually known as National Fire Suppression, a division of Western States Fire Protection Company. National Fire Suppression, which was founded in 1928, was purchased by WSFP in 1994. Joe DePriest is the Vice President and Area Manager. Approximately 20 percent of the staff, both office support and field personnel, are long-term employees, having been with the company when it was still National Fire Suppression.
National Fire Suppression (Western States Fire Protection) has an excellent service base of business, having been in their current location for many years. NFS (WSFP) is unique because of the diverse capabilities of the office and field staff, including sprinkler fitters, foremen, alarm and detection (A&D) technicians, inspectors and service technicians. National Fire Suppression (Western States Fire Protection) handles a wide range of industries and clients in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.
In Joe DePriest's view, the NFS (WSFP) number one goal is saving lives and property. Creating long-standing relationships with business and property owners and general contractors, working as partners with them to make a difference in all facets of fire protection systems and equipment. In many cases, advising contractors, property managers and owners about sprinkler systems and other fire equipment at no cost. National Fire Suppression (Western States Fire Protection) has continued to be successful by going above and beyond in terms of explaining fire safety and delivering exceptional customer service and quality work. NFS (WSFP) has an excellent reputation with the fire marshals and inspectors and building code officials throughout the Kansas City region. In addition, National Fire Suppression (Western States Fire Protection) have formed partnerships with many local authorities, on fire protection system testing, plan review, system acceptance, system deficiencies and repairs. Through these partnerships, NFS (WSFP) gets the call to come in and double check fire suppression systems and equipment, and is proud to offer an opinion and technical knowledge to keep communities safe.
The National Fire Suppression Division of Western States Fire Protection has been recognized by a large number of their clients for their outstanding work. Testimonials have been received from the University of Central Missouri, JE Dunn Construction Company, and the owner and general contractor for Nebraska Furniture Mart. Clients served include property managers, building owners, general contractors, universities, health care facilities, and commercial buildings, to name a few.
The National Fire Suppression Division of Western States Fire Protection Kansas City office and/or staff are members of the following professional organizations and associations:
- National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
- American Fire Sprinkler Association, Kansas City Chapter (Joe DePriest, President)
- Kansas City Codes Committee
- Local 314 Sprinkler Fitters Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Joe DePriest, member)
Additionally, the National Fire Suppression Division has donated fire suppression system equipment and the field personnel to install the systems in a Habitat for Humanity home and other local family homes.
Three areas that NFS (WSFP) concentrates on are quality, organization and expertise. In terms of quality, the National Fire Suppression Division, through the constant training and continued commitment to quality and quality control processes, help to differentiate NFS from the competition. Quality control processes include training and programs emphasizing post-installation walk-throughs, proper installation techniques, and even overall neatness on the job site. Organization involves utilizing the right processes to be as productive as possible on detail-oriented work, and eliminating mistakes. Expertise involves being certified on the various types of fire protection equipment that the National Fire Suppression Division sells and services, and investing in the staff to keep them current on the latest offering in the fire suppression and protection field.
When asked about future trends in the fire protection industry, Joe DePriest noted several areas. First, residential fire sprinklers are a growing trend, especially in single-family dwellings. The future of this fire protection sector depends on code adoption and enforcement. Another area Joe foresees is the future of other sectors requiring fire sprinkler systems. In addition, a trend to other types of fire suppression instead of sprinklers, such as gas suppression and water mist systems. The National Fire Suppression Division currently installs water mist suppression systems and gas suppression systems, and features fire equipment from Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Company, among others.
