Moran Inc. appreciates chance for good works

CHAMPAGNE, Ill.--Jim Heinold, president of F.E. Moran Inc. Fire Protection, looked at his donation of the labor to install fire sprinklers in six Habitat for Humanity houses as a charitable and educational opportunity. "We were interested in getting out in front of people to tell them about sprinklers and in doing a good thing for the new homeowners at the same time," he said. Illinois is several giant steps ahead of most states in terms of understanding and acceptance of fire sprinkler technology. Thirty municipalities require the installation of fire sprinklers in single-family homes. Yet, these municipalities are all grouped around the Chicago area. "Once you get south of Chicago, there is less understanding of the technology," he said. F.E. Moran, a $20 million-per-year company with 110 employees, has been in business since 1972. It has an office in Northbrook, Ill., and it opened a second office here in 2001. F.E. Moran does mostly industrial, business and multi-family residential buildings. In its Northbrook location, it also does a lot of single-family dwellings. "We think this project will bring some recognition to us, here, downstate," Heinhold said. An October open house at one of the Habitat homes drew curious officials from nearby cities as well as builders, he said. Some local municipalities may be considering sprinkler mandates in the future and interested parties don't always have a chance to see sprinkler systems in homes. "They were curious to see what the systems cost, how they look in a house," he said.