Fire safety (from previous page)


detection significantly faster than competing point or beam smoke detectors it brings important time benefits, enabling a quicker response to the first sign of smoke. He says that this performance is possible due to the cumulative effect of multiple sampling holes in a room, each taking in small samples of smoke as it moves through the protected area.


Building connections “With voice it is


not just the sound level but whether it is actually intelligible"


When it comes to the integration of fire detection with other types of Building Management System (BMS), Eva Kosanovic of Apollo Fire Detectors, is enthusiastic about the potential benefits. Eva contends that despite building regulations appearing to discourage fire system integration, in practical terms, closer interaction between the various building management systems is not only welcome but necessary if safety-critical procedures are to be as effective as possible: “For instance the ability for a fire signal to tell a security system to release certain access doors for use as escape routes is highly desirable.” While some interfaces and complex bespoke integration may have allowed a certain level of fire detection integration, Kosanovic says that the need to add more physical devices is overly restrictive.


Sound advice


Considering fire signalling solutions, Clym Brown of Klaxon Signals emphasises that a fire alarm system is not just about detection but communication and it is here that the latest audible and visual signalling equipment play a pivotal role.


Focusing on electronic sounders, Brown says that


today's models are delivering enhanced capabilities such as multiple tones: “This means that there is the flexibility for the same unit to be programmed to deliver different types of sound from testing through to alarm.” In public areas, where people are less likely to have


been given specific training before hearing a warning, Brown feels that voice sounders, with pre-programmed messages, have a real advantage. Whereas for system set-up electronic sounders can be more manageable: “You either have a minimum sound level across a building or you do not. With voice it is not just the sound level but whether it is actually intelligible." Of course when there is a fire it is imperative to have a


solution in place that can readily evacuate mobility impaired individuals. One approach is a chair-based evacuation device requiring only one user and no heavy lifting or manual handling. According to Paul Colder at Evac+Chair International comparative tests conducted at a hospital in Belgium, where individuals had to be taken from a specific location, down multiple floors, to a refuge area showed that, out of all the potential solutions, the evacuation chair was the fastest.


Effective solutions


So the message is that with advances in technology, and an understanding of the best practice procedures, the potential is out there to greatly enhance the speed and effectiveness of detection and evacuation in buildings of all sizes. With the right measures in place, hopefully, should the worst happen, the risk of injury and business interruption can be kept to an absolute minimum.


VIMPEX Shaping Alarm Technology


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