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FIRE & ELECTRICAL SAFETY


FALSE ALARMS: TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS


Charles Smith, Head of Product Management at Apollo Fire Detectors explains how technology can improve fire detection and help avoid nuisance alarms.


According to the National Office of Statistics, over 300,000 false alarms were raised in the UK during 2014/15. Overall, the number is slowly declining year-on-year, the exception being Scotland which has seen a slight increase for the first time in years. The FIA quotes the estimated cost of false alarms in the UK as being in excess of £1billion a year. In addition to the cost, nuisance alarms also take up the time and resources of the emergency services which may not be available to respond to a genuine distress signal at the same time.


The fire protection industry has been facing the challenge to improve the design of detectors so that they identify, and alert to real fires whilst minimising the risk of false alarms. As there are many possible causes of false alarm there cannot be a single solution to preventing them.


THE HUMAN FACTOR No technology is going to prevent false alarms being triggered with malicious intent. Technology has a role to play in tracing the perpetrators and in recording evidence to help bring them to justice. There are, however, also occasions when alarms are triggered by accident. Some of these incidents can be avoided by careful system design, signage and education.


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SYSTEM DESIGN In order to design a fire protection system that is effective but also minimises false alarms, the engineer has to both understand the causes of false alarms and be aware of the risks for each particular installation. This knowledge in combination with up- to-date information about the latest fire detection technology is crucial for successful installations. Reputable fire protection manufacturers and fire industry bodies offer a large number of workshops dedicated to increasing the understanding of the causes of false alarms and educating system designers and installers about the latest technology available.


TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS Developments in fire detection technology are making a massive contribution to reducing the incidents of false alarms. One aspect of the technology solution is multi- sensor detectors.


By definition, multi-sensor detectors house more than one type of sensor for example heat and optical sensors. They therefore have the ability to measure multiple fire phenomena and/or different aspects of the same one. Combined, the readings can help to discriminate between a genuine fire and a nuisance signal and then make the appropriate fail-safe decision.


Multi-sensor detectors are extremely efficient in detecting real fires and ignoring false alarms if the modes are set correctly. Reputable detector manufacturers work with system designers and installers to ensure they are aware of the settings and how to configure them correctly.


Even in detectors with more than one sensor, the decision on when to go to alarm is more often not just made by the hardware in the detector. Specially developed algorithms and communication protocols interconnect detectors and allow information and verification exchanges.


Detector modes and algorithms have to be matched carefully with the potential fire risk when the system is being designed. Extreme care has to be taken not to be overly concerned with avoiding false alarms at the risk of missing a genuine alarm. There are many fires that produce smoke but little heat (especially at ceiling height where the detector is most likely installed) or carbon monoxide.


Even though false alarms can be an expensive nuisance, it is imperative that the focus in fire detection technology remains firmly set on early alerts to fire for the protection of lives and property.


www.apollo-fire.co.uk 25


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