Hospitality Life Safety and Security System Installation

Located on 60 wooded acres, Grand Bear Resort at Starved Rock is Illinois’ newest, most exciting getaway. A 24,000 sq. ft. indoor water park is one of the grandest attractions. Grand Bear Resort includes multiple dining areas, a banquet room, guest room suites, and adjacent apartment villas. Thompson Electronics Company (TEC) provided the fire alarm system for the lodge, the water park, and the Enchanted Forest, an indoor amusement park.

TEC Solution

Grand Bear Resort chose the most advanced life safety technology on the market for fire protection. Edwards System Technology EST3 fire alarm detection system along with Signature Series detectors offer true multi-sensor technology and exquisite reliability that virtually does away with false alarms. They accomplish this by means of an onboard microprocessor that constantly monitors the state of its sensors. EST3 also allows for the expansion of the system to meet the needs of future facility growth.

The EST3 functions include:

• smoke sensing
• water flow and tamper monitoring
• kitchen hood monitoring
• manual pull station activation

TEC Solution

The goal for life safety is the protection of the people and property and has long been associated with fire detection systems. The EST3 system integration capabilities are made possible by the Synergy concept. Synergy is the name used to describe EST’s extended architecture of combining fire alarm, security, and access control functions into one seamless system. EST3 accomplished this using a single fully-listed network backbone. This platform meets all of the industry’s stringent regulations for maximum safety and is the first UL-listed fire platform ever engineered.

The EST3 system has the ability to control the door access via readers (proximity, barcode, biometric scan etc.) while monitoring door contacts and reporting breaches. Each fire panel has the capability of monitoring 2,500 points without adding a computer or additional panels. The system is networkable up to 64 panels (64 panels x 2500 points.)

TEC also installed the audio and surveillance systems for the complex. Audio systems include the banquet room in the main lodge and the water park. Multiple cameras for surveillance were installed inside and out of the facility to aid in property management and guest safety.