Installing a fire protection system makes perfect business sense when it comes to protecting both lives and business assets. Now in their second year of business, Freedom Fire is steadily fulfilling this demand with the boom of commercial property development in Winnipeg and the southeast Manitoba region.
“We offer three areas of service: sprinklers, alarms, and extinguishers. We are the only fire protection company in Manitoba that has been able to package these services together with in-house expertise,” explains Emile Jolicoeur, the company’s President of Operations. “We also have a federally inspected mobile recharging unit that drives around and recharges commercial fire extinguishers onsite, saving our clients time and money.”
Jolicoeur has been working in the industry for 25 years with extensive training in fire protection. He started as a technician recharging fire extinguishers, and then moved into sales, management, and eventually the founding of Freedom Fire.
“You fall into things,” he says. “My friend’s dad owned a fire extinguisher recharging shop in Winnipeg and I started working there part-time when I was 18 years old.”
Over time he was able to build relationships with customers and vendors until he was ready to open Freedom Fire as a home business outside of Île-des-Chênes. His home business aspirations were quickly dashed as the business grew and he hired employees. In September 2017, they leased an office in Île-des-Chênes, which includes a front office as well as shops in the back. Jolicoeur anticipates needing more space as the business continues to grow.
Jolicoeur and managing partners Trevor Bush (Sprinkler Division) and Kevin Lawrence (Fire Alarm Division) have managed to keep their cool as the fire business heats up. The bulk of their business comes from southeast Manitoba, but the company also serves commercial clients as far as Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba.
Some of Freedom Fire’s clients include the southern campus of Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology as well as St. Vital Centre. They are also working on the brand new high school in Niverville.
“We’ll be doing all the fire extinguisher cabinets as well as the design and engineering for the sprinkling systems,” says Jolicoeur. “It’s exciting to be working on a local project that keeps kids safe.”
Freedom Fire appreciates working with any size of commercial client, whether it’s a company that has just one fire extinguisher, or a new build that requires an overall fire protection system including alarms, sprinklers, and extinguishers.
Although the company doesn’t offer formal residential services, Jolicoeur welcomes local residents to stop by their office in Île-des-Chênes to have their fire extinguishers tested.
“We can test them, recharge them, or recommend a replacement. We can also answer any questions they have about the quantity, size, and types of extinguishers they need for their home. For example, a kitchen requires something different than a mechanical shop.”
Freedom Fire also keeps commercial-grade fire extinguishers in stock that can be purchased for anywhere between $35 and $100 depending on the size of canister, a better deal than is available for store-bought extinguishers.
“We offer commercial-grade quality extinguishers for roughly the same price as consumer models,” Jolicoeur explains.
As for the future, Jolicoeur is optimistic.
“The business climate is exciting. We’re capturing a good percentage of jobs we bid on and commercial lots continue to open up all over southeast Manitoba.”
As your business or workspace continues to grow, is it time to revisit fire protection systems? It may be better to play it safe and get advice from the experts.