Crew members like Gregg Pascullo are well trained to perform fire alarm tests and inspections to back up Absolute Protective Systems, Inc.’s commitment to customers.

A major fire sprinkler and fire alarm system installation brings together Absolute Protective Systems, Inc. team members (from left to right) Senior Project Manager Michael Dellabella, Sales Engineer Dan Clark, Service Coordinator Taahira Parks and Heather Reedy of the Sales team.

Duty, security, protection, safety, integrity, service. These qualities are demanded by today’s customers, and they are qualities Absolute Protective Systems, Inc. (Absolute) wears like a soldier’s full-dress uniform.

Absolute, based in Piscataway, New Jersey, is a leading provider of advanced fire protection and integrated security systems. The company engineers, designs, installs, repairs and inspects these systems for commercial, industrial, government, engineering and construction clients throughout New Jersey. For four decades, clients have received the company’s absolute focus in protecting people, property, operations and technology.

The company’s focused commitment to customers doesn’t come by chance. Paul Smoley, Founder and President, knows through experience that military values are ideal for any business or organization—especially one like Absolute that specializes in security and fire protection.

Smoley, a veteran of the Vietnam War, has for years hired military veterans. He has guided company leaders, prioritized training for all employees and ensured those values of service are achieved. Smoley has steered Absolute to become a trusted choice for clients.

“Our customers can be sure their investment will be engineered, installed and maintained to industry code standard by our factory-certified technicians,” Smoley says. “Our expertise is second to none, allowing our customers to feel confident that their life safety and security systems are operational and provide the needed security they expect.”

Absolute is a single-source provider. The company, started in 1978, has partnerships with various leading fire protection and security market manufacturers. Absolute’s work means that kitchens have fire suppression systems, government and military facilities have state-of-the-art security and surveillance technology, unoccupied storage facilities stay secure and multifamily residences have audio/video intercom systems and systems to avoid security breaches or fires.

Just as valuable as the initial installation is Absolute’s dedication to the customer and the installed system months and years later. Absolute augments the product sale with testing and inspection services, preventative maintenance services and repair services if needed.

Resolute Decision-Making

Making good choices and good decisions has always been Smoley’s talent. Having served nine years as a U.S. Marine, he proved himself an excellent soldier by finding effective balance between structure and creativity to do the task before him. After serving his country, Smoley applied the same skills to the emerging security and fire protection field. He committed to getting ready to serve by studying long and hard to pass the required exams and get the necessary credentials.

As the industry began to improve its standards on fire prevention and security, Smoley kept Absolute in step, learning and adopting new technologies and solutions. He was there when internet protocols came online, greatly improving the response time for fire departments when fire alarms sounded, and he added new technologies in fire sprinklers, both water-based and those that use a special fire retardant material.

Absolute has continued its quest to bring new and better technologies to the market. Customers can now choose from offerings in a new line of fire alarm equipment from Edwards fire safety products, sophisticated Internet Protocol (IP) cameras that perform motion analytics and Victaulic brand vortex dual agent fire extinguishing systems.

Smoley’s entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to veterans and determination to stay on the forefront of changes in the industry have made a positive impact on the company.

Recently, Smoley has been firming up the leadership of Absolute. He named Glenn Pascullo to Vice President of Operations and the Sprinkler Division and named Frank Benna as Vice President of Marketing and the Fire Alarm Division. Both Pascullo and Benna join Dorota Wolejko, Vice President of Finance and Administration, to round out the senior management team.

The company has a solid management team and a committed crew of technicians. “We make certain our technicians are factory trained and certified so we can offer our customers exacting installations and exemplary service,” Smoley says.

Esprit de Corps

Beneath workplace relationships is a feeling of family and caring for each other’s well-being and work success.

“We really try to create a family atmosphere by supporting people, avoiding layoffs and giving our employees what they want and need to succeed,” Pascullo says. “Our philosophy is that if we take care of our employees, they’ll take care of our customers.”

This way of “paying it forward” even plays out in Absolute’s commitment to providing same-day or next-day service.

“This type of service offering is very difficult to find in this business,” Benna says. “If you call us before noon, we’re there by that afternoon—or certainly by the next day.”

Serving Proudly

While not all customers are government or military-related, Absolute is often called on to provide military-level security to various facilities in the area. Absolute provides services to several buildings at the joint U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy base of McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Additionally, Absolute provides maintenance and repair services for all of the armories for the New Jersey Army National Guard and the region’s U.S. Department of Homeland Security sites.

Recently, Mercer County Courthouse in Trenton, New Jersey, called on Absolute for help with a particular security concern. The government structure was vulnerable because only about half its facility was under camera surveillance. Absolute designed and installed both cameras and access control systems. The resulting 300-plus-unit camera system provides surveillance of the county’s entire two buildings (a total of 365,000 square feet indoors, as well as outdoor space). Furthermore, the new access control system covers all external entrances.

Quick, dedicated, safe service is a central part of Absolute’s reputation, according to Smoley. While Smoley has many customer success stories, the gift Absolute made to a local hospital stands out as one of his favorite stories.

Through a few employee spouses who work at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in nearby Livingston, New Jersey, company leaders learned that terminally ill patients could no longer visit with their loved ones in person. These family members could not visit in the same room due to the communicable nature of the coronavirus.

In response, Absolute donated digital tablets to the hospital so that the terminally ill patients could see and chat with their loved ones through audio/video applications.

The good deed is typical of Absolute’s character, according to Wolejko. “Everything we do to maximize security and fire protection safeguards is guided by a mission to help people,” she says. “That’s how we achieve success at Absolute.”