Fire prevention in prime time

NEW HAVEN, Conn.--Dominic Prete, owner of Reliable Detection, has seen a trend toward more homeowners wanting monitored fire systems in their homes lately, so it should be no surprise when he and his crew are featured in an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, set to air late this month or early October. Prete donated the fire, security and video equipment and installation labor for a new home built, in one week at the end of July, in Bridgeport, Conn. for the Brown family. But it was "fire safety [that] was a big concern for [homeowner Gloria Brown] to feel safe because her house had burned down when some neighbors were lighting off fireworks," Prete explained, saying Brown is not alone in her concern about fire safety in her home. "We put in a full state-of-the-art smoke detector system manufactured by System Sensor. We did it per code; there are detectors in every room and hallway and it will be monitored," Prete said. "We also did the full security with motion detectors and worked with the installation of audio and video security." In addition, Prete installed carbon monoxide detectors, one on each of the home's three floors. In business for 20 years, Reliable Detection has 12 employees and does fire, security, access control and CCTV across the state. Prete and his crew worked with "hundreds of other guys" to get the house built within 106 hours. "There were electricians, sheetrockers, painters, and alarm installers all working inches from each other," he said, noting his crew "helped out whereever help was needed. I shoveled gravel one day." Prete called the Extreme Makeover experience a "neat opportunity and great experience to see the community come together to make the dream house happen for the Brown family."