The inside scoop on the people and projects that support UNLV

In this issue:

• Department Highlight: Facilities Management's Fire Safety Shop
• Spotlight on Service
• Risk Management & Safety Training Offerings
• May Employee Appreciation Recipients
• New Website Provides Parking Availability for Campus Garages
• Farewell Reception Honoring Jean Vock
• Upgrading Your Digital Literacy
• New Hires
• Promotions
• Anniversaries
• Dates to Remember

Department Highlight: Facilities Management's Fire Safety Shop

Facilities Management’s Fire Safety Shop (FSS) motto is: don’t wait for an emergency to act. The FSS team springs into action daily to ensure life safety systems are in compliance with state codes by testing and replacing fire alarms, fire sprinklers, extinguishers, and hydrants. They are always on call as any campus fire alarm sends the team an app notification to their phones. Team members rotate standby overnight and weekend shifts in case of after-hours emergencies, ensuring the campus is always covered.

The team of five includes Fabian Mendez, Jeremy Malone, Miguel Ayala, Ricardo Vigil, and Sergio Gamez. “We complete many important jobs behind the scenes. Where safety is concerned, we are like unknown heroes,” says Ricardo, fire safety shop supervisor. They collaborate with Risk Management & Safety (RMS) to bring safety equipment identified as potentially unsafe up to code. Recently, they upgraded the fire sprinkler system at the Tonopah Residence Complex, an older student residence hall on the Maryland campus. The four-building complex needed 106 fire sprinkler heads replaced. The process required the team to run daily tests on the new system as each portion was installed. The team also enrolls newly acquired buildings in its program to ensure its fire safety equipment is in compliance and scheduled for future testing and/or maintenance.

The following numbers put the Fire Safety Shop’s reach into perspective: 

• 1,800 fire extinguishers tested per year
• 105 fire hydrants tested per year
• 8,337 fire alarm points tested per year
• 1,448 fire sprinkler points tested every three months (5,972 total tests)
• 12 fire pumps inspected monthly and annually 

Keeping UNLV’s fire safety equipment functioning properly is paramount to protecting the campus. While FSS handles serious situations on a regular basis, the team cultivates a relaxed, family-oriented environment. “Fires can be very dangerous, but we encourage everyone to look at the work we do in a positive light,” says Jeremy, fire safety lead.

Spotlight on Service

Risk Management & Safety (RMS) and Planning and Construction (P&C) recently installed fire sprinkler systems in the Chemistry Building (CHE) and the Carlson Education Building (CEB). 

The original buildings were constructed during previous versions of the fire code, where sprinklers were not needed. RMS and P&C identified these two buildings as top priorities. This project will help increase safety and reduce the risk of damage if a fire occurs. 

Special thank you to the following team members who collaborated on this project:

• Risk Management & Safety
• Paul Garcia, RMS executive director
• Lewis Austin, fire and life safety manager
• Planning and Construction
• David Frommer, associate vice president of planning, construction, and real estate for assistance with planning
• P&C project management and delivery leadership team members, including John Treston and Mike Wolfe
• Project managers Billy Williamson and Nestor Romo
• Kaytie Hackett, associate director of business and administrative services
• Admin Services Project Management Office (PMO)
• Daina Mwangi, project coordinator
• Regina Bailey, project manager
• Rebecca Paulson, director

Risk Management & Safety Training Offerings

Risk Management & Safety (RMS) is committed to cultivating a culture of safety on campus. From working with departments to strategize logistics for events to partnering with community organizations to expand UNLV’s representation within the Las Vegas community, RMS is dedicated to refining campus safety initiatives through protocols and training.

Each month, RMS offers in-person training opportunities on various safety topics. Their calendar is updated regularly with courses that are open to the UNLV community, allowing participants to earn a variety of certifications and equipping attendees with life-saving skills. 

Check out their August course offerings to register for an RMS safety course today!

May Employee Appreciation Recipients

Gary Gray

Facilities Management

Gary was nominated for going above and beyond in his role as an HVAC technician. This summer, he completed a number of large projects including replacing compressors, repairing rooftop leaks, and fixing issues with heating/cooling systems. His diligence and expertise has saved the university over $10,000 in parts and materials from these projects alone. Thank you, Gary, for all you do!

Laura Schneider

Quality Assurance & Financial Compliance

Laura was nominated for leading an institution-wide tracking process of dollars, contracts, and information from foreign sources to UNLV. This high-risk, high-profile project helped UNLV work toward correcting our compliance status with the Department of Education. Laura oversaw the remediation process and developed training materials for key campus stakeholders, ensuring a roadmap to compliance for years to come. Thank you, Laura, for all you do!

New Website Provides Parking Availability for Campus Garages

Parking & Transportation Services has launched UNLV Park & Go, an interactive website that displays real-time occupancy percentages for campus parking garages. This allows drivers to see parking availability in the garages before coming to campus. 

The platform is free for students, faculty, staff, and visitors and is accessible from a smartphone or desktop.

Visit the UNLV Park & Go website for more information.

Farewell Reception Honoring Jean Vock

Please note: The time for Jean Vock’s farewell reception on August 16 has been changed. It will now take place from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. at the Tam Alumni Center Grand Hall. All faculty and staff are invited to attend.

Upgrading Your Digital Literacy

Google Meet now includes Q&A moderation, which allows hosts to review and approve questions before they’re shared with meeting attendees. Question moderation can be used for meetings and in-domain live streams, on web and mobile devices. This update will help ensure questions are appropriate and on topic before they’re shared broadly with meeting participants. 

To learn more about these recent changes, visit the Google Workspace Blog.

New Hires

• Dena Insheiwat, Delivery Services
• Michael Schmidt, Risk Management & Safety
• Pedro Cruz, Telecommunications Services
• Renae Sandoval, Telecommunications Services
• Roberto Laboy, Facilities Management
• Samuel Powers, Facilities Management
• Sara Gudiel, Parking & Transportation Services
• Tyler Bergstrom, Facilities Management

Promotions

• Ana Lopez, Financial Services
• Diego Sotelo, Facilities Management
• Edwin Cardona Cortez, Facilities Management
• Ella Wiley, Planning and Construction
• Mari Soto-Valdez, Financial Planning, Budget & Analysis
• Wanda Porter, Facilities Management

Anniversaries

Congratulations to the Business Affairs employees celebrating work anniversaries in August! Years of service have been determined using the UNLV hire date - first employment date without any breaks in service here at UNLV regardless of job type or full-time status.

If you notice an error in your listing, contact Heather Ortiz.

Dates to Remember

• August 28: Fall semester begins