Q: Hi Ryan, thanks for taking the time to talk about your fire protection services. Tell us a bit about your business and what you do.
The Garvan Institute is a medical research facility. Research at Garvan is focused upon understanding the role of genes and molecular and cellular processes in health and disease as the basis for developing future preventions, treatments and cures. For over 50 years, significant breakthroughs have been achieved by Garvan scientists in the understanding and treatment of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and obesity, neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, hearing loss, mental illnesses and eating disorders, osteoporosis, immunological diseases such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Sjogren’s syndrome. Garvan’s ultimate goal is prevention, treatment or cure of these major diseases.
Q: Your other site is The Kinghorn Cancer Centre.
Yes, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre is part clinical (cancer consultation and cancer treatment) and part cancer research, located next door to the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. The Kinghorn Cancer Centre is placed as a major center in Australia, focused on the translation of research breakthroughs into novel diagnostic, prognostic, treatment and prevention options for a number of key National Health Priority cancers including breast, prostate, GI (pancreas and colorectal) and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The Kinghorn Cancer Centre builds on its unique strengths to deliver targeted, cost-effective, personalised therapies, suitable for integration into larger nationwide cancer treatment services. Bringing together researchers and clinicians onto a single site, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre fosters laboratory research directly driven by clinical challenges, a bedside-to-bench model, and enables research findings to be rapidly translated into clinical application for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer, with the prospect of improving cancer outcomes for all Australians. My role, as engineering manager at GIMR and TKCC, includes day-to-day facility manager duties, managing the in-house engineering team, building-related projects, planned and building maintenance, reactive building repairs, building compliance, WHS compliance, contractor management, contract management and security management.
Form1 service technicians are knowledgeable, personable, communicate well and are always well presented. – Ryan Kolster, Engineering Manager, GIMR/ TKCC
Q: When did you first come into contact with Form1?
Form1 was the fire service provider when I started with GIMR/ TKCC five years ago.
Q: Can you tell us about the type of work Form1 has carried out for you?
Form1 carries out our fire protection services including monthly and annual inspections of GIMR and TKCC, wet and dry fire systems. They provide service callouts when the fire system goes into fault, diagnosis and repair of fault and project work. Form1 are our preferred fire system contractor when we carry out project work.
Q: Can you talk us through some specific projects?
The Garvan building is 20 years old. Some engineering plant is nearing end of life and we’ve engaged Form1 to replace our EWIS and FIP panel. Other projects include a recent full-level laboratory fitout in The Kinghorn Building.
Q: Why do you trust Form1 with your fire protection services?
Trust is built from consistently delivering what you have promised you’re going to deliver. As a Facility Manager I don’t need service technicians coming into my office, handing a job back, saying they couldn’t work out the issue. I’ve never had this problem with Form1.
Q: How would you describe working with Form1?
Very positive. I’ve had a few critical, out-of-hour callouts that have been resolved on the same night. I need to know when all hell breaks loose in one of my facilities I can rely on Form1 answering my phone call. A gauge of a good fire protection service provider is how they react when things go wrong.
Q: Would you recommend Form1 to others?
Yes, I would. They’re a professional service provider.
Q: How valuable is the service Form1 provides for your business?
Building fire systems are critical. Fire protection services, and safety of building users and building assets, are a priority. With Form1, I trust our fire system will activate if required.
Q: Why has Form1 been a good fit for your business and your industry?
Both GIMR and TKCC are extremely sensitive work environments, both work performed within the buildings and building users. Form1 service technicians are knowledgeable, personable, communicate well and are always well presented.
Q: What matters most to you when dealing with different professionals and fire protection service providers?
That requested work is completed to relevant standards and codes.
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