Novi, Michigan – October 05, 2026 -- WZC Networking, an RF engineering firm that designs and tests in-building radio systems for first responders, is marking its 20th anniversary after resolving two emergency communication failures at Michigan healthcare and senior living facilities. Founded in 2006 by RF engineer John Wierzgac, the company has become a benchmark provider of Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement Systems (ERCES) and Public Safety Distributed Antenna Systems under NFPA 1225 and IFC Section 510 code requirements.

A Senior Living Tower Passed Only 51 Percent of Required Signal Coverage

At Clawson Manor Co-op, a 15-story senior living complex, a WZC survey found that only 51 percent of the property met required public safety radio thresholds, with coverage dropping to just 34 percent in egress corridors critical during an evacuation. Energy-efficient glazing and heavy exterior cladding were blocking signals in a building housing hundreds of elderly residents who cannot evacuate quickly. WZC engineered and installed a signal booster and distributed antenna system sized for the building's envelope, and a re-test showed the property passed in 100 percent of tested grid areas.

Clawson Fire Department Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal John Ruthenbeck said the city was "more than satisfied with the design and installation of the system by WZC Networking and the professional service provided to both the residents of the Clawson Manor and the Clawson Fire/Police and EMS Agencies."

A Healthcare Clinic Risked Missing Its Opening Date Over a Failed Radio Test

Days before the Corewell Health Endoscopy Center was scheduled to open, acceptance testing identified insufficient in-building radio coverage, putting the fire marshal's sign-off and the facility's certificate of occupancy in jeopardy. General contractor The Christman Group brought in WZC Networking, which designed a compliant solution, expedited equipment procurement, and produced documented test results accepted by the fire marshal. The facility received a temporary certificate of occupancy and opened on schedule while the permanent system was completed.

Code Requires Ongoing Testing, Not a One-Time Pass at Commissioning

NFPA 1225 mandates continuing inspection and testing of ERCES systems covering donor signal, amplifier gain, alarm reporting, and battery backup performance, with building owners responsible for maintaining compliance over time. WZC noted that a system passed at turnover and left untouched for four years cannot be vouched for, and the company now runs ongoing ERCES inspection and documentation programs so owners hold current, authority-ready records rather than discovering a lapse during an incident.

Founder Says Coverage Must Reach Every Floor, Not Just the Lobby

"Twenty years in, it still comes down to the same thing," said founder John Wierzgac. "A radio has to work on every floor and in every stairwell, not just in the lobby. If it doesn't, the system isn't finished, whether or not anyone is inspecting it that day."

Chief Operating Officer Nate Wierzgac said most buildings the company enters were never designed with radio coverage in mind. "Nobody asks the question early, so it surfaces at the end, when it is expensive to fix," he said, adding that WZC prefers to be involved during design rather than after a failed test.