Tell us about your role as Life Safety Code Specialist.
I’m responsible for ensuring our facilities remain compliant under regulatory requirements and aligned with accreditation organizations like Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Systems (CMS), The Joint Commission (TJC), etc. I conduct fire and life safety inspections of structures, occupancies, and protective features, reviewing the elements of life safety like egress throughout the hospital including their fire and smoke barriers. I’ll assess the sprinkler systems and fire extinguishers. I also evaluate hospitals’ life safety drawings, making sure they’re in compliance with corresponding TJC standards. These findings are shared in a report detailing any deficiencies, providing guidance and education for the best possible resolution.
Most weeks I’ll travel to a hospital to do these rounds. Our cadence is to conduct a post accreditation, also known as a life safety assessment, within one year of the last TJC survey. We’ll come in and tour the entire facility. I can cover a lot of ground, around 100,000 square feet a day. Typically, most facilities are completed in a couple of days, with larger hospitals within a week. A report is then prepared reviewing all the findings and shared with the facilities management and safety teams at the hospital. Floor plans with a pin for each finding are included, as well as an Excel document so the facilities teams can create work orders to resolve any findings. We aim for these recommendations to not only inform but educate. For example, we might note a blocked fire extinguisher or obstructed egress in a corridor. When the Medxcel team gets the report and sees a behavioral finding like that, they could also educate the hospital staff, including nurses and doctors, to avoid future issues.
What path did you take to arrive in your current role?
I began as an AutoCAD designer for a fire protection company. Engineers would assess VA hospitals, sharing information so I could update the AutoCAD and life safety drawings for these facilities. After a decade there, I felt like I’d reached the ceiling of advancement. I moved into a sprinkler design position at an industrial company and was there over a year. It didn’t feel like the best fit for me, so I looked for work elsewhere. That’s when a previous coworker and friend told me about Medxcel. As he went through the interview process himself, he was impressed with the organization. Knowing I wasn’t content with my current job, he encouraged me to apply for this Medxcel opportunity. I saw a lot of smiling and upbeat people as I walked into the corporate office for my interview, which was reassuring. Ultimately, I was hired as an AutoCAD designer for the life safety drawings team. After a year, I moved into the life safety specialist role where I am today.
What is the best part of your job?
We have a great team where everyone has their own niche brought from past experiences. Our team has a group chat where I’ll ask a question and receive several responses in minutes. In the beginning when something came up like fire door inspections, I didn’t have a lot of experience. Ahead of inspection, I researched and brushed up on information, then went out and knocked it out. No matter what I’m tasked with, I’ll always find a way to get it done. That’s really the philosophy of our whole team: Find a way.
How would you describe the Medxcel culture?
The culture here is upbeat and positive, and we believe in putting others first. I’ve worked in places where that wasn’t the case, so I truly see the difference here. The mission to serve people and keep them safe within our hospitals is what motivates me to do my best.
How does your work impact patient care?
Our findings include things that could be very hazardous if left unattended. Through these corrections, we ensure the people within our facilities are safe. I've seen family members in the hospital while I’ve been there doing a life safety assessment. It could be your own family in the facility that you’re helping to protect.
With our post assessment recommendations, we aim to not only fix issues but also to educate. For example, we might notice staff storing things within the corridor that blocks an exit and note these findings, like obstructed fire extinguishers or egress, in the report. When the Medxcel facilities team sees a behavioral finding like that, they will not only resolve it but also take that opportunity to educate hospital staff like nurses and doctors for the future.
What career development opportunities has Medxcel provided you?
When I started at Medxcel on the drawing team, I was expected to obtain Certified Life Safety Specialist (CLSS) certification which I did that first year. Securing National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) membership through Medxcel has allowed me to study online and take practice tests, preparing me to take the final exam and become certified.
How does Medxcel support your personal well-being?
Medxcel understands the importance of work-life balance. I feel supported by leadership and the company when I need to attend to family matters. When my daughter was born, I was given paternal leave so I could spend a couple weeks at home with her. That meant a lot to me.
How do you feel Medxcel impacts the communities we serve?
With my AutoCAD background, I had the opportunity to do volunteer work locally for Little Sisters of the Poor. They needed egress maps to post around the facility, guiding visitors and patients about how to access exits in case of emergency. My coworker and I met some awesome people while we gathered information to draft the maps. They were very thankful for our efforts, and it feels good to help in little ways like that.
Is there something interesting that happened to you on the job that you didn’t expect?
In my first week at Medxcel, I was asked to come into the corporate office. I was brand new to the company and the only person on my drawing team there that week. There was a town hall meeting that day, and I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Wanting to acknowledge new employees, we were asked to stand up from our seats and introduce ourselves. As I did so, I said that I work on the life safety drawing team, and “I think I’m with the compliance group”. Being so new, I was unsure how Medxcel referred to the group. Well, everyone in the room just started laughing, and it was a funny moment that broke the ice. After that, each person I bumped into was like, “Hey, you’re Darin. You think you’re with compliance, right?” It turned out to be a memorable experience.
What would you say to someone who asks you if you recommend working for Medxcel?
I’d absolutely recommend it. The work-life balance, benefits, and opportunities for advancement all make Medxcel a great place to work.