Letter from La Crosse  County Sheriff's Office: (Text only)
333 Vine Street. Room 1500
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601-3296
Administrative Calls - (608)785-9629
Non-emergency Dispatch - (608)784-2668
Fax - (608)785-5640

June 25, 1998

Dear Mr. Tiede,

At the time we constructed our new jail, we installed a type of air grille that proved not only inefficient, but deadly.  Within a month of opening, we had a suicide and two close calls.  At the time we started our construction project, your product was not yet on the market.

La Crosse County made a pro-active decision to retrofit the trouble air grilles with your s-vent air grilles.  This we performed in two stages.  Stage one involved the purchase and installation of 73 air grilles, complete with plennum boxes, within our receiving and medical cells.  Stage two involved the purchase and installation of 182 air grilles within all cells of our main jail.

Before retrofitting, there was a concern whether or not enough air flow would enter the cell from your s-vents.  We conducted a test using a certified heating and air conditioning company after we installed your vent.  We are more than happy to report that not only is there fully as much air flow, but in some areas, even more, than with the problem air grilles.

The last issue I wish to address is the professional manner in which your company representatives have assisted us with making our facility safer and state of the art.  We have received response from your company to all inquiries, problems and concerns.

We recommend that any institution that is currently having problems with existing air grilles, correct it by installing your s-vent grilles.  Also, any organization planning a new facility, seriously consider installing your state of the art products right from the start.

One lawsuit due to poorly engineered air grilles being used by inmates to commit suicide will be much more costly than installing your safety s-vent grilles from the very start.

Sincerely,
Karl W. Halverson
Sheriff

John F. Schmidt
Project Coordinator

Letter from County of Santa Cruz, Sheriff's Office: (text only)
701 Ocean St., Rm. 340
Santa Cruz,, California 95060
Phone (408)454-2985
Fax (408)454-2353

March 23, 1998

Dear Mr. Tiede:

This letter is to tell you how satisfied we are with the security vents and plumbing protection devices we have recently purchased from your company.  Over the last several years, we have had several inmates hang themselves on the ventilation grates in our housing cells because they could tie material to the grates and then around their necks.  Additionally, the Health Department cited us on several occasions because we did not clean the dust and debris from behind the grates.

In early 1997, your representative, Mark Huss, provided us information regarding your newly engineered S-VENT II prison security vents.  We first ordered and installed 100 of your vents, then another 100, and we are now awaiting the delivery of our third order.  The air passages in your vents are engineered making it impossible to loop material through the holes, but at the same time, they allow for adequate air flow.

The vents are screwed to plenum boxes (metal frames) which are permanently mounted to the wall.  This allows us to unscrew the vents, from time to time, and clean ventilation passages, as necessary.  Additionally, we have purchased and are very happy with the devices you distribute.  They have prevented inmates from flushing clothing and other items down the toilet in order to block the plumbing.

We are particularly pleased with the service and support offered by your representative, Mark Huss.

Sincerely,
Jim Bonar, Sheriff's Chief Deputy
Detention Bureau

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