Fire alarm detection options.

There are many fire alarm detection options to choose from, but while providing clear and unambiguous warning of a fire is a must, it is very important that those affected have the clearest possible indication of what they should do.

These instructions are usually stated within a Fire Action Plan and such notices are usually positioned in prominent positions.

While a fire alarm system with the appropriate fire detection and fire alarm devices have a vitally important role to play in achieving these objectives, so too does well design and maintained emergency lighting, clear exit route signage, and easily understood evacuation routes and procedures. Fire alarm maintenance, Staff training – and regular retraining – is also absolutely vital.

 

In terms of the fire detection and fire alarm technology, this has to be swift – false alarms need to be minimised if not eliminated, and the location of the outbreak should be clearly identified. So it is important for the right smoke detection, sounders and manual call points to be installed – and, of course, maintained – in the right locations. The appropriate British Standard is BS 5839; in particular Part 1 (Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for fire system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance) and Part 8 (Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of voice alarm systems).

In the past few years the fire market has experienced a number of improvements to smoke detection devices that have boosted their reliability and ability to distinguish between a real fire, environmental pollution, contamination and other conditions that might otherwise have initiated a false alarm. An example is Hochiki's flat response high performance chamber technology that is incorporated into all of its optical sensors and detectors. This provides the smoke detector with the optimum sensitivity to both smouldering and flaming fires. The incorporation of false alarm management tools, such as our ARM (Alarm Reduction Management), has also drastically enhanced immunity to false alarms. However, it is very important to take into account a number of factors that are specific to hotels and leisure buildings when deciding between one technology and another.

Fire Systems Ltd is an independent fire alarm company that supplies and installs fire alarm systems and therefore we make decisions that benefit our client not our supplier.