9 Questions to Ask Your Range Ventilation System Provider

As demand for commercial indoor shooting venues grows, more players are rushing in to get a piece of the range ventilation business. General HVAC contractors who know little about range ventilation are touting their services, sometimes in deceptive ways. One-man outfits and start-up companies are struggling to look bigger than they are in order to enter the market for range ventilation. Carey's Small Arms Range Ventilation realizes you have a choice, and we encourage you to thoroughly research your options before selecting a Range Ventilation System provider. In making your decision, be sure to ask these questions. Make sure the provider you select can answer each question to your satisfaction. Psst … We’re confident that Carey’s can provide the answers you’re looking for... 1. Can you give me your personal guarantee that EPA, OSHA, and NIOSH standards will be met based on rigorous testing under actual operating conditions? Only Carey’s offers our personal guarantee of full compliance with the most stringent industry standards set by EPA, NIOSH & OSHA, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Navy Unified Force Criteria (UFC), and Engineering Technical Letter (ETL):

• System is designed and built to be fully capable of providing 75 fpm (feet per minute) ventilation, evenly distributed throughout the controlled space.

• System is balanced and tested in order to confirm consistent delivery of 75 fpm ventilation in laminar air flow under actual operating conditions. A few HVAC contractors will provide systems that are capable of providing compliant ventilation. However, these contractors fail to test and balance as required to guarantee compliance under actual operation. A Carey’s system will be tested fully for air flow velocity and ambient air quality throughout the shooter’s breathing zone as well as other occupied areas within and surrounding the shooting range. If any variance is detected, we will adjust and balance the system, and retest, until full compliance is achieved 2. Will you design ventilation for my range to the same rigorous air flow and pressure differential standards that are required in military installations? Carey's has completed hundreds of indoor range ventilation projects at facilities that have met and exceeded military and law enforcement standards, including projects for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marshals, and many municipal police departments. Each range has met the commissioning requirements of an average air flow of 75 feet per minute with no readings less than 50 feet per minute. Each range has also maintained a negative condition of .05” of static pressure in the range. Carey’s current customer list includes over 50 military installations. 3. Have range ventilation systems that you provide been further validated through independent third-party testing? Here are results from among numerous Carey’s shooting ranges that have been tested and confirmed by independent Certified Industrial Hygienists – • Carolina Sporting Arms firing range, in Charlotte, NC, was assessed by Apex Environmental Management in January, 2014. Apex collected personal samples among three employees who performed daily range cleaning, range safety and other activities and found no detectable exposure to airborne lead. In addition, Apex assessed ventilation and found that both firing ranges met American Conference of Industrial Hygienists’ recommendations for adequate air flow. • Bedford Park Police Department indoor firing range, in Bedford Park, IL, was evaluated by Oneida Total Integrated Enterprises in July, 2013. Sampling was conducted during live weapons firing in the personal breathing zones of 6 police officers and at 4 other points throughout the range. 7 out of the 10 samples yielded results below the lower limit of detection for airborne lead dust and fumes, and the remaining 3 showed lead concentrations from 15 to 16 μg/mg3, all well below the OSHA Action Limit of 30 μg/mg3. • Carey’s has installed Range Ventilation Systems for multiple United States Navy ranges, all of which have been tested by an independent Industrial Hygienist. Test results at all locations show less than detectable levels of lead in the respiratory zone. The ranges have further proven to all have the correct negative pressure that prevents the spread of contaminants. Detailed reports on these tests are available on request. 4. Will you install air diffusers and plenums that are designed specifically for shooting range ventilation? Carey’s proprietary radial air diffusers and plenums are custom built to provide laminar air flow at the firing line. The benefit to you is complete elimination of any turbulence or reverse airflow in the shooting range. Radial air diffusers are typically not available from a standard HVAC supplier. 5. Will you be able to monitor my system from your site and help me quickly with 24/7/365 remote diagnosis and troubleshooting? Direct Digital Control (DDC) is behind every Carey’s system. We use 100% digital technology, providing the benefits of 24/7/365 offsite diagnostics and monitoring that we provide through our response center. DDC programming is done by experienced experts who have worked on all types of shooting ranges and understand how to translate specifications into effective ventilation control. 6. Will my range be on the cutting edge of innovative technology? Over the years, Carey's has provided strong thought leadership. We worked with the United States Navy to develop the current range ventilation standards as described in the Unified Force Criteria; wrote the range ventilation standards for the U.S. General Services Administration; edited the standards for the U.S. Air Force as published in the Engineer Technical Letters, and have been a consultant for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (Department of Homeland Security) and FBI. Carey’s has invested more than $250,000 to design the next generation of range ventilation, as we collaborate with leading software engineers to use artificial intelligence and adaptive learning for a smarter Ventilation Control software solution. Carey’s has a Ph.D. engineer who is dedicated fulltime to this effort, and who is supported by Carey’s in-house research and testing lab. 7. Will you assign a team of professionals to our project that includes qualified designers, installation experts, project managers and programming technicians rather than relying on just one individual to perform all of these functions? Carey’s projects are completed through our team of highly trained professionals who work together to deliver on-time, on-budget results. Each Carey’s staff member has strong back-up available as needed to keep the project on schedule and resolve issues as they occur. 8. Are you financially qualified to guarantee our project? You’re in it for the long haul and, rest assured, so are we. Carey’s is a well-established, financial strong company with a 24-year track record of success. For your protection, Carey’s will provide –

• A surety bond that guarantees satisfactory completion of your installation project.

• Insurance against Environmental Pollution.

• Insurance against Errors and Omissions.

9. Do you have a proven track record of superior customer satisfaction?

Over the past three years, Carey’s has interviewed each one of our commercial customers upon completion of the range ventilation project. We also talk to our field installers and technical staff involved in the job to get their perspective. Since the time we began this discovery process we have achieved a consistent upward trend in customer satisfaction ratings. Today, Carey’s is consistently rated “9” or “10” on a scale of 1 to 10 by customers. We hope you find this to be helpful guidance in selecting the right solution for your indoor shooting range. To learn more, visit www.CareysCentral.com or call Carey’s today at 708-532-2449 for a free consultation.