A fire alarm system is the first line of defense in your building against a fire threat. It’s designed to detect a fire, alert occupants, manage risk and notify the fire department.
Each commercial fire alarm system is unique to the building or business it protects. However, they share standard features that are based on fire safety codes.
Detecting Fires
Detecting and alerting fires is crucial to preventing the loss of life and property. Moreover, a good detection and alarm system can help reduce the time it takes for first responders to arrive at the scene of a fire.
In addition, fire alarm system companies have various components that must work harmoniously to achieve this goal. They include sensors, detectors, and control panels.
Today’s fire alarm systems come in a wide variety. They range from local alarms that send signals to the fire department to systems that send data to a central monitoring station.
The type of system that is installed will depend on the building and its occupants. All workplaces must have arrangements for detecting and warning of a fire.
In smaller premises and places where the risk of fire cutting off escape routes is low, a manually operated electric fire alarm with call points is likely the minimum required. If the risk of a fire developing to a level that affects escape routes is higher, an automatic fire detection system will be needed.
Notifying Occupants
Fire alarm systems not only warn building occupants of a fire, but they also alert first responders to the fire location. This can reduce response time and help preserve property and human life.
A fire detection and alarm system is not only a critical element of any commercial or industrial facility; it’s a must.
In that case, you likely need a fire alarm system to protect your customers and employees.
In addition to the fire detectors, the system needs various other components to function correctly. These include notification appliances (horns, strobes, speakers), a control panel, and power supply units. In addition, all of these must be inspected and tested regularly by a fire alarm company to ensure the proper functioning of your system.
Detecting Smoke
A fire alarm system must detect smoke early enough that occupants can evacuate the building safely. The earliest a fire is detected, the less damage it can cause and the less time it takes for first responders to arrive at the scene.
Smoke detectors are a common component of a fire alarm system and work by sensing the presence of smoke particles in the air. These detectors are primarily used in areas where early detection and warning of a fire is critical to preserving life and property.
The type of smoke detector used depends on the location and size of the room. Spot smoke detectors, which utilize photoelectric sensors that detect smoke particles as they cross beams of light, are ideal for small spaces where placing more giant smoke detectors would be inconvenient.
Notifying First Responders
Fire alarm systems are designed to be highly sensitive in detecting fires and smoke. They can also notify first responders, including fire trucks and other emergency vehicles when an incident occurs.
Fire alarm evacuation signals use pulsing incandescent lights, flashing strobe lights, electromechanical horns, sirens, electronic horns, chimes, bells, speakers, or a combination of these devices to alert proximate persons that a fire or other life safety emergency has occurred.
In addition to detecting fires and smoke, a fire alarm system should also provide alerting appliances for other emergencies, such as school lesson changes, the start of morning or lunch breaks, and the end of the day.
