Pavion is entrusted with securing some of the most prestigious and important buildings in the world.
It is a responsibility that Ralph DioGuardi, Division President of the Fire Business Unit at Pavion describes as both an honor and privilege.
However, Pavion’s focus extends far beyond large enterprise buildings, arenas and tall buildings.
As Ralph tells Assistant Editor, Isabelle Crow, every customer- regardless of size- is treated with the same level of dedication to ensure the security and safety of their buildings.
In their conversation, he highlights the critical role fire alarm systems play in a building’s infrastructure and emphasizes that Pavion’s relationship with its customers continues well beyond installation, ensuring every piece of equipment is regularly inspected and tested to maintain optimal performance and protection.
Fire alarm systems are a vital part of facility infrastructure- not only for detecting and preventing fire-related damage, but also as a foundation for mass notification and life safety communication.
As workplace threats such as active shooter incidents have increased, integrated notification has become essential.
Ralph DioGuardi
Pavion’s mass notification systems interface seamlessly with fire alarm and public address systems through multi-zone audio networks, enabling clear, targeted announcements to specific areas or entire facilities- from a single speaker to every PA endpoint.
A centralized network infrastructure connects all notification components, allowing teams to monitor, manage and distribute alerts across all buildings in real time.
This integration ensures a coordinated, efficient and reliable response when seconds matter most.
We’ve seen a significant increase in requests for mass notification and shooter detection systems and the need for urgent response is higher than ever.
Ralph DioGuardi
Our Customer Council members have shared that it’s a top concern. Violent crimes are not just limited to the big cities; we have been inundated with calls and requests from a variety of locations and spaces.
If we asked our customers a year ago what mattered most, they would answer reliability, efficiency in testing and inspection and ensuring that their systems remain online offering consistent protection from a fire and life safety perspective.
Today, their top priority has shifted, the number questions we hear is simple and urgent: “How do I keep my employees and workplace safe, period?”
We are among the world’s first central station monitoring platform providers, with roots dating back to 1873.
Our AFA Protective Systems business was founded shortly after the Great Chicago Fire, with a mission to help ensure such a tragedy would never occur in the city of New York.
For nearly 150 years, our in-house monitoring service has been a cornerstone of that mission- giving us a great level of satisfaction knowing that not only can we install and service every system, but we also monitor them to ensure they’re always operating as intended.
Our monitoring service is state-of-art, available 24/7 and 365 days a year, offering complete peace of mind to the customers we protect.
Our PX Mobile Inspection process brings real-time visibility to fire system testing.
As our inspectors move through a facility, each device is tested live and customers can watch the progress in real time.
Ralph DioGuardi
It’s complete transparency and it provides peace of mind knowing that every detector and alarm is being properly verified.
Regular inspections often uncover long-overlooked issues.
We’ve walked into buildings and found smoke detectors that hadn’t been tested in 10 years or more. With PX, nothing gets missed- every device gets tested and every customer gets the confidence they deserve.
We also offer cloud-based reporting and analytics to our customers 24/7, so when the AHJ asks when your last inspection was the building supervisor can pull down these reports and show the information in real time.
The wonderful thing about fire alarms is that they are under the jurisdiction of the AHJ and the NFPA, so everything we do is always above board.
We ensure we maintain the standard set forth by the NFPA and the AHJ and our systems are UL certified, so we abide by every single rule and regulation.
There is nothing that is more important to us than the safety of our customers and this is a principle that we abide by to ensure the integrity of the systems.
Ralph DioGuardi
Some of our Pavion employees are members of some of the NFPA committees.
This means that not only are we able to interpret NFPA codes and AHJ requirements in our final fire alarm system designs and submissions, but we also play a role in the teams and committees that develop the codes.
I’m incredibly proud of our employees in the fire business, as they have high levels of credentials, stemming from the highest levels of NICET to professional engineers.
We do everything in-house at Pavion and so our systems are designed, engineered, inspected and filed by in-house employees.
This is something that we really value and I know that our customers find this invaluable too.
We work in a code driven environment, so it is extra beneficial that we are not only being educated by the NFPA but that we are assisting the NFPA with some of our employees sitting on the committees that create change.
A fire alarm system is far more than a “one time” installation.
We have customers that have evolved with us over decades and decades.
Our role is to ensure their systems continue to function properly, receive regular inspections and provide the reliable life safety protection we have delivered for so many years.
Ralph DioGuardi
The inspections after the installation and during the life of the fire alarm system are just as important as the actual installation.
To maintain the integrity of the fire alarm system, it must always be fully operational- protecting people, property and giving customers peace of mind.
Our infrastructure is robust, allowing us to service our customers quickly and efficiently. Every system is supported by a team of certified technicians who work in accordance with factory standards.
This ensures consistent, high-quality service across all installations and maintenance.
What sets us apart is that we are large enough to provide fire alarms solutions to large enterprise customers, while remaining small enough to maintain highly personalized relationships with our customers.
Ralph DioGuardi
Customers can reach us directly through a local number and speak with our team. When we sell a fire alarm, we are committed to that customer for the life of the fire alarm.
We’ve been in the business for an extraordinary amount of time and we’ve built a reputation for excellence for consistently connecting and protecting buildings and personnel for our customers.
