The Project
The Kenai Peninsula Borough record center in Soldotna, Alaska had all of their vital municipal records on microfilm and magnetic media, but they lacked the proper storage facilities. They needed a data rated record vault that was economical to climate control and could be located in the warehouse space adjacent to their paper record storage area. As a growing population center, they also wanted the ability to expand their vault as the volume of their record holdings increased.
The Solution
FIRELOCK® designed, manufactured, and installed a 12′ x 30′ x 12′ Class 125-Two-Hour Data Vault for their record center.
The data rated FIRELOCK® Vault is built to meet or exceed all National Fire Protection Association standards, which require data vaults to maintain interior temperatures below 125°F (the temperature at which magnetic media is damaged) for a two hour period with temperatures up to 2,000°F outside the vault.
The heat insulating capabilities also yield an R-33 insulation rating, which makes maintaining long term storage temperatures (65-68°F) very economical. The optimum humidity level (30-40% R.H.) is also easily regulated due to the dry ceramic insulating material within all FIRELOCK® panels and the vapor barrier built into each panel.
FIRELOCK® Vaults are stand-alone, self-supporting structures (in compliance with NFPA guidelines) that can be constructed on any typical floor. The Kenai vault was in a slab on grade location, but FIRELOCK® Vaults can also be located on upper floors without any structural reinforcement. This is due to the lightweight nature of the FIRELOCK® ceramic panel system, which is about l/l0th the weight of a conventional construction vault.
The modular design also allows future expansion of the vault as the volume of their records increases. The vault can even be relocated if Kenai Peninsula Borough moves their record center.
In conclusion, the FIRELOCK® Class 125-Two-Hour Data Vault was the solution to the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s record storage problem.