Tall Building Fire Safety

Following a decision of its Board, Euralarm has welcomed its newest member, Vanderbilt. The company will join the Security Section of Euralarm. The Security Section represents the intrusion, access and video sector and is key stakeholder in organizations such as CertAlarm, CEN-CENELEC, IEC and the European Commission. Euralarm’s Security Section Together with a diverse number of stakeholders in Europe, the Security Section collaborates on finding solutions to meet present and future challenges for security in a digitised world. The section meetings gather experts presenting on actual topics such as the standardization landscape on video surveillance. The Security Section liaises towards key standardization groups in the security field and closely follows technological developments to guide regulation and standardization. Concerning standards, the section continues informing members of changes and advocacy activities at both national and EU level. Access to wide network of associations and companies Vanderbilt will have access to the extended network of national associations and major companies Being a member of Euralarm, Vanderbilt will benefit from Euralarm’s representation towards European institutions and standardization organizations. This includes the monitoring of legislative and standardization issues relevant to the industry. Vanderbilt will have access to the extended network of national associations and major companies in the electronic fire safety and security sectors, which form Euralarm’s members. The new membership will create opportunities for both sides, as it also strengthens the association. Advocate of open platforms and integrations Vanderbilt is a global provider of high-performance security systems across access control and intrusion detection. It is recognized for its future-proof, innovative, and easy-to-use portfolio that contains award-winning products such as access control solutions, ACT365 and ACT Enterprise, along with intrusion detection solutions, SPC and SPC Connect. An advocate of open platforms and integrations, Vanderbilt understands the issues customers face and provides multiple solutions that are designed to meet these needs. Vanderbilt is an ACRE brand. Expertise on European markets Companies joining Euralarm get a unique insight into what is happening in European markets and the opportunities that they might offer. They not only tap into the political expertise and understanding of the EU policy but can also make personal connections with technical and political experts and potential business partners. Being a member of Euralarm enables companies and associations to gain expertise on standardization. Members have their voice heard in Brussels and can support and direct standardization and legislative processes.

MSA Safety Incorporated, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have teamed up again to help volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear through MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. 2020 Globe Gear Giveaway This annual program began in 2012 and has provided 507 sets of turnout gear to 108 departments to date. In 2020, another 13 departments will each receive four new sets of turnout gear and four new helmets to help enhance the safety of their firefighters. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA. The first two recipients of MSA’s and DuPont’s 2020 Globe Gear Giveaway are the Haynesville (ME) Volunteer Fire Department and Washington Borough (NJ) Fire Department. Haynesville Volunteer Fire Department The Haynesville Volunteer Fire Department (HVFD) protects 41 square miles in rural northern Maine The Haynesville Volunteer Fire Department (HVFD) protects 41 square miles in rural northern Maine. Even though they have eight active members, seven sets of their turnout gear are more than 10 years old. All of HFVD’s existing gear is secondhand, and they are unable to purchase new gear due to budget constraints, as their annual expenditures outpace the small amount of funding the town provides. Despite these challenges, the members of the HFVD are committed to protecting their community and continually strive to improve their operations, such as by taking additional training classes to further their skills. “I cannot put into words how much this means to our department,” said Assistant Chief Thomas Farr, adding “This is going to make a big difference for those of us that are interior certified.” Washington Borough Fire Department The Washington Borough Fire Department (WBFD) is a rural, all-volunteer department that relies on tax revenue from the town as well as fundraising from the community they serve to support their operations. WBFD has been trying to slowly replace their outdated turnout gear, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have had to cancel several planned fundraisers. Support they receive from the town will also likely be impacted due to a decrease in tax revenue. Turnout gear for firefighters WBFD has 30 active members, yet they only have five sets of turnout gear that are less than 10 years old. Despite this, they continue to serve their town of 6,500 residents and respond to an average of 300 calls per year. “Being awarded gear through [MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway] will allow us to keep our members as safe as possible in the harsh environments we are exposed to,” said Assistant Chief Josh DeVoe.

Smart Shooter, a globally renowned designer, developer, and manufacturer of innovative fire control systems that significantly increase the accuracy and lethality of small arms, launches SMASH HOPPER: a new Light Remote-Controlled Weapon Station (LRCWS) that provides a “One Shot – One Hit” capability while controlled by an operator from a safe distance. Compact, lightweight, and rapidly deployable, SMASH HOPPER extends the maximum effective range of the host weapon system to its ballistic limits. Introduced by the company for the first time, Smart Shooter’s SMASH HOPPER has been optimized to increase the survivability of tactical units through the provision of enhanced and clandestine surveillance, accuracy, and lethality. standalone deployable tripod SMASH HOPPER can be mounted utilizing a standalone deployable tripod, a stationary fixed mast or a lightweight vehicle Measuring approximately 15 Kg, SMASH HOPPER can be integrated into an existing Command-and-Control system (C2), providing operators with the ability to hand-off or receive targets across existing communications networks. Featuring a safe trigger mechanism, a mounting solution, and a ruggedized Remote-Control Unit (RCU), SMASH HOPPER provides a pan–and–tilt capability for the weapon system and can be controlled via cable or wireless connectivity. Offering day and night capability with automatic scanning and target detection, SMASH HOPPER is ideal for multiple mission areas including force protection, border security, anti-drone, remote ambush, and offensive action operations at complex environments. It can be mounted utilizing a standalone deployable tripod, a stationary fixed mast or a lightweight vehicle. portable LRCWS solution Michal Mor, Smart Shooter CEO: “We are honored to present SMASH HOPPER, an innovative portable LRCWS solution that offers precise fire capability against ground, aerial, static, or moving targets. The unique “One shot – One hit” SMASH capability finds its way into the world of RCWS in a soldier friendly truly light configuration. Designed as a modular and rapidly deployable solution, SMASH HOPPER dramatically increases accuracy, lethality, and survivability of small arms.”

With the Grenfell Tower fire exposing serious flaws ‘across the whole system of building and managing high-rise homes’. Resultantly, the government asked Dame Judith Hackitt to ‘carry out an independent review of building regulations and fire safety to understand the causes of the fire’. The report found that ‘the whole system needed major reform and that residents’ safety needed to be a greater priority through the entire life cycle of a building – from design and construction, through to when people are living in their homes.’ This report has been accepted by the government and drafted this Building Safety Bill which alongside the Fire Safety Bill and fire safety consultation will provide improvements to building safety in nearly 40 years. This draft Bill has been published to enable consultation and scrutiny before the Bill is introduced to Parliament. Below are the impacts the Bill will have. Residents’ impact The draft Bill will ensure that there will always be someone responsible for keeping residents safe in high rise buildings The draft Bill will ensure that there will always be someone responsible for keeping residents safe in high rise buildings – those 18 meters and above. They will also have to listen and respond to residents’ concerns and ensure their voices are heard – they will be called the ‘Accountable Person’. Residents and leaseholders will have access to vital safety information about their building and new complaints handling requirements will be introduced to make sure effective action is taken where concerns are raised. To oversee all this and make sure that Accountable Persons are carrying out their duties properly, there will also be a new national regulator for building safety, within the Health and Safety Executive. It will ensure that high-rise buildings and the people who live in them are being kept safe and will have new powers to raise and enforce higher standards of safety and performance across all buildings. The regulator will appoint a panel of residents who will have a voice in the development of its work. Powers to limit the costs A new ‘building safety charge’ will make it easy for leaseholders to see and know what they are being charged for Committing to making sure that leaseholders won’t pay unaffordable costs for historic repairs to their buildings. Will continue to engage with stakeholders, including leaseholders, on this issue while the draft Bill is being scrutinized. Will be speeding up work with the finance and insurance industries, to protect leaseholders from unaffordable costs of fixing historic defects, but without relying on taxpayers’ money. A new ‘building safety charge’ will make it easy for leaseholders to see and know what they are being charged for when it comes to keeping their building safe. But, to make sure that these costs are affordable, deliberately included powers to limit the costs that can be re-charged to leaseholders. Right to complain For the first time, new build homebuyers will have their right to complain to a New Homes Ombudsman, protected in legislation, and developers will be required to be a member of the scheme. The New Homes Ombudsman will hold developers to account, including the ability to require developers to pay compensation. The New Homes Ombudsman will hold developers to account, including the ability to require developers to pay compensation Together, measures in the draft Building Safety Bill, Fire Safety Bill, and Fire Safety Order consultation will improve safety standards for residents of all blocks of flats of all heights, with even more stringent approaches and oversight for buildings in scope. A new ‘building safety charge’ will make it easy for leaseholders to see and know what they are being charged for Impact on the industry The draft Bill will make sure that those responsible for the safety of residents are accountable for any mistakes and must put them right. Fully establish the regulator that will enforce new rules and take strong actions against those who break them It will fully establish the regulator that will enforce new rules and take strong actions against those who break them. The regulator will have three main functions: to oversee the safety and standard of all buildings, directly assure the safety of higher-risk buildings; and improve the competence of people responsible for managing and overseeing building work. Stringent rules for high-rise residential buildings It will operate a new, more stringent set of rules for high-rise residential buildings. The new set of rules, contained in the draft Bill, will apply when buildings are designed, constructed and then later occupied. It will be clear who is responsible for managing risks at each stage. Building inspectors who are responsible for signing buildings off as safe for people to live in will also have to follow the new rules and must register with the regulator.

FireArrest has announced that it has official launched a new passive fire protection software application. This new innovative passive fire protection app, available to download on Android and iPhone devices, is set to take the fire safety industry by storm. FireArrest App Not only is this passive fire protection app intuitive, but it’s modern design and competitive price point make it the perfect solution for anyone looking to ensure that their premises are compliant with all fire safety measures and regulations. The FireArrest App allows site managers, surveyors and onsite teams to communicate across multiple fire safety projects. The app has been designed alongside fire stopping professionals, specifically for use in the fire protection sector, with the aim of offering a solution that is modern, easy-to-use, intuitive, wide-ranging and all at a competitive price. Modern, intuitive and easy-to-use application The full array of features allows fire professionals to work simultaneously on a project effectively and collaboratively The full array of features allows fire professionals to work simultaneously on a project effectively and collaboratively, while also providing a complete audit trail of any work that has been completed to ensure compliance every step of the way. Managing Director at FireArrest, Mark Shaw, said, “I’m delighted we have been able to roll this technology out. We’ve worked incredibly hard to create a product that is simple, affordable and effective.” Covering the entire passive fire protection project He continues, “We are able to cover every stage of your passive fire protection project, from the first survey to completion. The app is full of tools and features which give users the opportunity to report and complete work efficiently.” To coincide with the launch, FireArrest has also unveiled a brand-new website. Mark said, “We’ve opted for a modern and sleek design, to correspond with our brand values, and we’re really pleased with the results.” To mark the app launch, FireArrest is offering an exceptional launch price, with the first six-months at half price for anyone who signs up.

Fire detection and alarm systems are increasingly complex and sophisticated, benefiting from cutting-edge digital technology. As a fire alarm engineer installing, servicing and/or commissioning such technology, it can be hard to keep on top of your electrical skills and the latest regulations / local installation standards, let alone the many different panels’ features. Any given day could see the typical fire engineer conducting a wide range of differing tasks – from diagnosing and remedying open/short circuits, earth or intermittent faults, to commissioning a new networked system in line with standards and project specification. Standard logging versus trace-logging At a site, one of the first things to do to troubleshoot the problem is refer to the fire panel’s log Despite many fire engineers being highly trained, skilled and experienced, without the right tools at their disposal the process of undertaking these routine tasks can be challenging and time-consuming. Thankfully, the features of recent fire panels offer tangible benefits to engineers and end users alike, by delivering versatility, ease of use and time-saving capabilities that were previously unavailable. Upon arriving at a site with a suspected system fault, one of the first things to do to troubleshoot the problem is refer to the fire panel’s log. In this state, a high-quality system can quickly flag any system faults – within seconds in some cases. Although useful, standard logging gives only one part of the picture and provides minimal help in cases where the cause of the problem is not straightforward. modern fire panels Trace-logging mode is a feature of some modern fire panels that lets users see a more complete log of a fire system’s events covering the standard fire, faults, alarms and pre alarms as well as more advanced diagnostic reports on corrupt data and device interrupts. This more detailed view of all the faults on a system can radically reduce the time it takes to establish the true cause of the problem, allowing one to implement a quick, effective remedy. Another important factor to consider is how easy the panel’s menus are to navigate – and some interfaces prove easier to use than others. Advanced’s trace-logging mode has been developed with the engineer in mind. The need to navigate and decipher options from complicated menu structures has been removed. In addition, the data is delivered in easy-to-understand format to help minimise the risk of misinterpreting information and enabling one to diagnose problems with greater accuracy. fire alarm control panel Some fire systems can give the ability to transfer the panel’s event log to a PC where one can then use software The process of fault-finding can be significantly more difficult when working with a fire alarm control panel that doesn’t feature a diagnostic logging mode. These panels may register a number of intermittent faults coming and going, but not necessarily offer any further traceability to these events. Commonly where a fire panel has a limited ability to trace a fault, issues within a system can go un-remedied for long periods of time, placing the safety of occupants within a building or a site at risk. Some fire systems can give the ability to transfer the panel’s event log to a PC where one can then use software, such as the Service Tool on Advanced’s MxPro panels, to drill down into specific events and information. Integrated software allows one to easily identify particular devices that are returning corrupt messages, and even lets them predict when faults are likely to occur. Once a problematic device or area has been identified, one can then able to investigate. installation And commissioning An oscilloscope is a vital tool when commonly dealing with the installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire systems. A scope reading can help diagnose faults by identifying the areas of a site where problems are coming from. In cases where the work is done across large sites – such as university campuses, tall buildings or hospital settings – identifying disturbances on a loop can prove labour-intensive and time-consuming. Carrying additional equipment through multiple departments, floors or wings of a development in order to set up at a different panel each time, makes the job of pinpointing faults more taxing. An oscilloscope, built in to the fire alarm control panel, will not only relieve the user of having to carry around additional equipment, but also provides a graphical representation of the signaling voltages/currents and waveforms on the display. efficiently access information The oscilloscope feature also lets one easily use trigger-addresses from the loop to identify issues and investigate In this way, they get a detailed view of the loop operational conditions which can’t be seen using multimeters or volt meters.  As the only intelligent addressable fire alarm control panel in the world to offer an onboard oscilloscope, Advanced’s MxPro 5 provides readings from any loop at the panel, making it easy to identify forms of noise that may be causing faults. The oscilloscope feature also lets one easily use trigger-addresses from the loop to identify issues and investigate – a particularly useful feature on large sites with multiple panel networks. A high-performance fire panel will provide one with powerful tools that enable them to quickly and efficiently access information in order to make key decisions. A multimeter is an instrument designed to take precise measurements of electric current, voltage and usually resistance across the system. fire alarm system On a well-designed system, all devices have the optimum voltage in order to be able to communicate back to the panel. However, if that voltage drops below a certain level, devices can drop off the system or report intermittent faults. Uniquely, Advanced’s MxPro 5 fire alarm control panels come with an in-built multimeter designed to measure all voltages and currents across the fire alarm system. For engineers, a multimeter within the fire panel makes it easy to identify voltage/current levels in real time without needing to set up a portable multimeter or probing circuits, which speeds up the commissioning process. In large-scale sites, a network of fire panels is the most effective means of protecting life and property. Where a networked system is installed, the most common installation problems are open/short circuit conditions, reversals in wiring or poor termination.  Network diagnostics This knowledge in turn helps to ensure the long-term safety of occupants within a building An effective network diagnostics tool, such as that within Advanced’s MxPro control panels allows one to view all CIE node status and access levels in real time. In levels 1 and 2 the CIE will be operating in normal condition, whereas in level 3 the CIE will be in commissioning. In this level the control panel will be isolated while work takes place, preventing fires and faults from being transmitted across the network. In addition, the network diagnostic tool has been developed to identify reverse ring faults in systems that consist of one or more fiber optic links, something that is increasingly common across installations. What next for diagnostics? Understanding the tools and built-in features of the fire panel that effectively help fire engineers to install, commission, diagnose faults and repair a system can save significant time and money. cloud communications This knowledge in turn helps to ensure the long-term safety of occupants within a building. As technology evolves, and the fire panel continues to develop, Advanced predicts that the company will continue to see a trend towards more digitally-driven products and remote services. These will provide commissioning engineers and system integrators with a more global view of the systems they’re responsible for servicing and maintaining. As the fire industry moves increasingly towards cloud communications and data analytics, the automatic generation of service reports, the remote control of panels and the ability to put zones in and out of test from a web / mobile app will likely become commonplace. These developments will see systems becoming smarter than they have ever seen before.

Last year saw a 14 per cent increase in fires in England, according to UK Home Office statistics. And while around three million fire doors are installed in the UK every year, a lack of understanding during operation, maintenance and management of fire doors is still apparent. In this article, David Hindle, Head of Door Closer Sales at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, will address this issue. Importance of fire doors Fire doors are often the first line of defense in a fire, yet even after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, fire door hardware remains a significant area of concern. In May 2018, an Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, led by dame Judith Hackitt, have been published. The review highlighted a range of issues, but the message stood clear, the UK’s current approach to fire safety in buildings is not functioning as intended and a new, holistic approach to fire safety is required. Review of fire inspections In all fire inspections, there is a responsibility from the building owner to include checks on the fire doors In all fire inspections, there is a responsibility from the building owner to include checks on the fire doors. However, there is no legal requirement for them to complete any recommended upgrades or repairs, or to prove that they have done so. This represents a major problem, as doors that do not perform to the required standard could compromise a building’s safety and put occupants at risk. Ultimately, this could lead to liability being assigned back to the building owner or facilities manager. Need to maintain fire safety standards Fire safety is only properly maintained if standards and checks are carried out throughout the lifecycle of the product and building. This is best addressed through regular inspection, maintenance and the replacement of products when required. A review by the Fire Door Inspection Scheme revealed the most common fire door faults, ranging from missing fire or smoke seals, to unsuitable hinges and damage to the door leaf itself. Any one of these issues can render a fire door useless and can seriously impede a door’s capability to protect people from harm. Door leaf and frame maintenance Fire door hardware is often not afforded the attention it requires and is left mismanaged throughout its service life. So what needs to be done to ensure fire door hardware is working as expected? Naturally, the door leaf should not be damaged, warped or twisted, and it is vital to ensure the fire door closes correctly around all parts of the frame, with no distortion between the stiles, top and frame. Gaps between the door and leaf must not be greater than those specified in the manufacturer’s installation instructions or fire certificate data sheet, typically around 3 to 4mm all the way round. Importance of door closers A door closer ensures a fire door returns to its fully closed position and the door seals correctly in the door frame A door closer ensures a fire door always returns to its fully closed position and makes sure that the door seals correctly in the door frame, when not in use. There are three steps to ensuring these components are working correctly. First, open the door fully and check that it closes without dragging across the floor. Next, open it to approximately 5-10 degrees and again check that it fully closes, engaging any latch or seal. Finally, check the door closing speed is approximately five seconds from a 90 degree angle, ensuring the door does not slam shut. Intumescent fire and smoke seals Fire and smoke seals should be in good condition, fit the full length of the door and be secure in the groove. If seals are badly fitted, damaged or painted, then they must be replaced with exactly the same size and intumescent material that was originally specified. If the smoke seals have to be replaced, then they should be fitted in one continuous length, if possible. To ensure hinges are in good condition, check for visible wear, dark marks or stains around the hinge knuckle that could indicate wear and impending failure. Hinges must be strong enough to carry the door mass, plus robust enough to work efficiently no matter the level of usage. The hinges should be firmly screwed into the door and frame, ensuring that the seals at the top and sides of the door are not damaged or missing at any time. Intumescent pads should also be used with hinges, as these are required for the door to get its appropriate fire rating. Locks and lever handles To measure a handle’s condition, one needs to ensure the lock lever fully returns to a horizontal position after use Wiping any metal dust deposits off the handles will help ensure that the latch-bolt is engaging smoothly and completely into the keep during use. To measure a handle’s condition, one needs to ensure the lock lever fully returns to a horizontal position after use. If it does not, the lever may, at best, need adjusting or lubricating. At worst, it may need replacing, as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Again, ensure the lock case is protected by intumescent material. Maintaining record of fire door inspection No matter the component, a record of inspection and maintenance should be kept for all door hardware. Furthermore, those responsible for ensuring the fire safety of a site should encourage others to report any issues with any of the door components. Faults should be fixed as soon as possible, using the correct and fire-rated components. To check the compatibility of components, always consult the fire certificate data sheet or contact the manufacturer.

During these challenging times, it is more important than ever to protect the supply chain of food, including supermarkets and convenience stores in cities around the world. On average 3,740 fires occur in food and groceries stores in the US annually, including supermarkets and convenience stores, according to a report published by the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association). Structure fires in mercantile properties were responsible for the loss of 12 lives and more than $600 million indirect property damages, and this doesn’t account for the cost of business interruption and the effect on the reputation of the store. Many stores haven’t been able to recover after a fire. The report estimates that a single fire may cost $46,000 on average, which in hindsight is considerably higher than investing in a fire detection system. The most common causes of fire in supermarkets It’s important to look at the data from two different perspectives. The first is the number of fires by cause, and the other is to quantify the property loss by cause. The report estimates that a single fire may cost $46,000 on average Fires caused by cooking equipment , including stores with kitchens and warming and portable equipment, account for 21% of incidences, but only for just 7% of total property damage and four civilian deaths (firefighter and first responder deaths are registered on a different report). On the other hand, electrical distribution and lighting equipment malfunctions and defective wiring account for 15% of the total of fires in a given year, but caused $165 million in property loss, or 27% of the total recorded on the report. It is also important to mention that intentional fires are the third cause reported, accounting for 11% of the total fire incidences and 20% of the property loss highlighted in the report. Occupation, materials and risks The kind of store poses a significant variety of risks associated to the type of occupation, the number of occupants and the materials stored and available in the shopping areas. It’s possible to find combustible materials of diverse nature and propagation speed. Cardboard and paper wrapping can be found in all store areas, including book and magazine stands. Cleaning products, oils and fatty products might have a high propagation speed. All of this, surrounded by different kind of plastics, immensely increase the level of risk. Overall, combustible liquids caused 41% of the civilian deaths recorded during the report In my firefighting years I’ve responded to several fires in food supermarkets and distribution centers, and saw tuna cans (canned with oil) exploding and spreading flames to the surrounding areas. Regarding occupation, it is known that supermarkets and groceries stores are places with high levels of occupation, especially during working hours. But one interesting fact that the report found is that fires occurring between 9pm and 5am can cause, on average, $73,800 in property damage. The NFPA estimates that 21% of human life losses happened between 12am and 3am. This highlights the importance of installing and maintaining an automatic fire detection system. Installing fire detection And Protecting Your Store With the variety of materials and the risk level that can be found in this kind of environment, it’s necessary to take a holistic approach. Fire protection should be designed while considering several angles, from passive protection in all interior and exterior structures and cladding to active protection with sprinkler and clean agent systems, proper ventilation and smoke control and automatic fire detection and evacuation systems. On average 3,740 fires occur in food and groceries stores in the US annually Several detection technologies need to work in parallel, depending on the type of products stored, the environment and the expected level of occupation on the protected area. Store height and ventilation need to be taken into consideration and also the kind of lighting in some cases. Depending on the ceiling height, the shopping floor could be protected with beam smoke detectors. If the ceiling is below six meters, or the store shelves obstruct the beam, it’s possible to use spot type smoke detectors. The same approach can be taken for warehousing and storage areas, but here I would recommend multi-criteria detectors, with heat and smoke detection combined. localized protection As I’ve mentioned before, cooking areas have an increased level of risk, which calls for localized protection. Here, I would recommend multi-criteria (smoke/heat) detectors for areas where food is heated and served, and smoke/heat/Carbon monoxide detectors on cooking areas to avoid nuisance alarms caused by cooking smoke and steam. It’s important to mention that until this year it was possible to install heat detection in cooking areas, but the UL 268 7th edition that comes into effect in 2021 will require cooking areas to be protected with smoke detection, and smoke detectors have to be able to reject nuisance alarms caused by cooking smoke and steam. Smaller supermarkets and convenience stores usually have vertical freezers or horizontal open freezers. Here, electrical and mechanical failures can ignite fires, which is why it is important to protect the rear side of the freezers. I would recommend point-type smoke detectors, as photoelectric smoke detectors tend to perform better on smoldering fires. The report mentions that air conditioning equipment and electrical equipment can be sources of ignition as well. To protect A/C rooms and electrical rooms I would recommend combined smoke/heat detectors, or maybe even smoke/heat/CO to assure better detection and avoid unwanted alarms in these business critical areas. There is a type of photoelectric smoke detector that uses two different LED sources inside the smoke chamber. This technology, called Dual-Ray, allows the smoke detector to identify the particles inside the chamber by size. The detector knows if it is sensing dust or steam, and can even differentiate between cooking or cigarette smoke from actual smoke from a smoldering fire. Bosch Building Technologies first introduced dual Ray technology in 2015. protecting the food supply chain During these challenging times, it’s more important than ever to protect the food supply chain and avoid the social and economic impact of fires in food stores, especially in impoverished areas. Supermarkets and convenience stores present a variety of challenges regarding fire protection, which calls for a holistic approach where passive and active protection are equally important. To achieve this target, one key element is automatic fire detection. Smoke and heat sensing technologies must be combined, and one size-fits-all approach is not enough. Detection and effective evacuation are critical to protect lives and minimize property loss.

The long-awaited announcement by the government to ensure sprinkler systems are mandatory in all new high-rise blocks over 11 meters tall has been welcomed by all. However, what happens next - and how quickly - is crucial for all concerned. The UK government recently announced an amendment to the statutory guidance to building safety regulations, known as Approved Document B, reducing the requirement for sprinkler systems from the current 30 meters to 11 meters in high-rise buildings. New laws and measures The Fire Safety Bill, which was introduced to Parliament in April, will also empower fire and rescue services to take enforcement action and hold building owners to account if they do not comply with the law. The new measures are welcomed in the construction industry and related supply chains who have been waiting for clarity to improve the increased fire protection so badly needed. This will help to save lives and property In essence, this will help to save lives and property. In the event of a real fire, the need for sprinklers to help suppress the fire is crucial. Moreover, the requirement for consistent supply of power to these systems is equally important. Seeing the detail behind it Many buildings such as tower blocks, hospitals, schools, shopping malls, airports and those areas with large numbers of people moving rely on electrical systems which will continue to operate in a real fire and provide power, providing crucial intelligence to the fire and rescue services. There can be no compromise in the specification of cabling which provides that power, offering fire protection of up to 120 minutes. The sooner the practical guidance can be rolled out, the sooner they can be applied and the sprinkler systems being specified now can be installed in the knowledge that all best practice has been followed in the interests of safety for all concerned. The Institution of Fire Prevention Officers (IFPO) supports AEI Cables in the call to ensure that reliable continuous power is provided for sprinkler systems with the installation of only approved cabling for these purposes. The tried and tested generation of AEI Cables’ fire performance cabling ensure critical fire-safety circuits can continue to operate in the event of a fire from 30 minutes up to 120 minutes and often support systems which provide vital information. The Firetec Total Fire Solutions range from AEI Cables offers enhanced fire performance cabling, accessories and technical support from one source. Danger ‘significantly reduced’ AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling is the only cable to be independently approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B) Category 3 Control for firefighting systems including sprinkler pumps, fire suppression water mist systems, water spray systems, wet riser pumps, wet riser valve and equipment monitoring under the Code of Practice. We also welcome the Government’s move on regulation, with the decision to appoint a new organization to be known as The Building Safety Regulator, to be established under the umbrella of the HSE, responsible for enforcing a more stringent regulatory regime covering buildings over 30 metres tall or of 10 storeys or more in height. It will be responsible for completing a register of buildings in scope and for oversight of their fire safety. The new Buildings Regulator will need to liaise with existing regulatory bodies and fire safety organizations to ensure that it has the most appropriate and up-to-date construction and fire-related knowledge. Call for retrofitting of sprinklers The danger to life, injuries and damage to buildings is “significantly reduced” when sprinkler systems are fitted In addition, a new Construction Products Standards Committee will work on the development of technical standards for construction products and will advise the Government whether voluntary industrial standards should become UK regulatory standards, a role currently undertaken by the European Commission. Again, this is sorely needed to ensure specification of approved products, installed using best practice, brings further reassurance of safety for the public. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) previously made a call for the installation of sprinklers to become mandatory in all residential buildings, hotels, hospitals, schools and care homes taller than 11 metres. The same organizations have also called for sprinklers to be retrofitted where possible. Latest national research carried out by the National Fire Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Sprinkler Network reveals that the danger to life, injuries and damage to buildings is “significantly reduced” when sprinkler systems are fitted. That speaks volumes. At AEI Cables, we work secure in the knowledge that all of our products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC and LPCB. We hold approvals from organizations including Lloyds, the MoD, Network Rail and LUL and work to international standards around the world. We look forward to seeing further detail on how we can work together in the supply chains to apply the highest standards going forward for everyone’s sake.

Volunteer fire departments are ineligible to obtain funds from the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program because of their dependence on bingo games and raffles for fundraising. With the COVID-19 crisis destroying the ability of volunteer departments to raise funds, access to the EIDL program could provide needed assistance during a time of economic crisis. Under current rules, the assistance is unavailable. Economic Injury Disaster Loans program As the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) implements the EIDL program to support private entities reeling from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government agency has deemed that entities (such as volunteer fire departments) are ineligible for assistance if they receive more than one-third of their revenue from legal gaming, which the Internal Revenue Service interprets to include bingo games and raffles. “While this determination may not have been intended to preclude volunteer fire departments from receiving this critical assistance, many of the most acutely impacted private non-profit fire departments are unable to request the assistance that they desperately need,” according to the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). Financial funding for private non-profit fire departments In a letter, the IAFC has urged the SBA to adjust the EIDL assistance program in order to provide greater financial assistance to private non-profit fire departments. In effect, the association of fire chiefs is asking the agency to exempt volunteer fire departments, recognized under Section 501(C) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), from the limit on legal gaming revenue. “The unprecedented economic downturn and stay-at-home orders have decimated the ability of these agencies to meet their fundraising needs,” said the letter, adding “The IAFC urges the [SBA] to waive this requirement and support private nonprofit fire departments in their work to answer calls for emergency service.” Over-reliance on volunteer personnel According to the USFA, 70% of U.S. fire departments rely solely on volunteer personnel to respond to emergencies According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), 70% of U.S. fire departments rely solely on volunteer personnel to respond to emergencies. Located in rural communities with limited tax bases, these agencies rely upon community support to sustain their operations. The EIDL program is a mechanism to support private entities staggering from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In late April 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) published an interim rule to waive the cap on legal gaming revenues for public entities seeking assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program. However, this change does not impact fire departments that utilize volunteers and own their property outright. Economic Injury Disaster Loan facility “The IAFC fears that these private non-profit fire departments may be unable to maintain their emergency response operations if a similar exemption is not also made for the EIDL program,” the letter further adds. In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners and organizations in all U.S. States, Washington D.C., and overseas US territories are able to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to US$ 10,000. This advance is designed to provide economic relief to organizations that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. This loan advance will not have to be repaid.

Protests and riots spread throughout the United States in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis policeman. Firefighters are on the front lines as rioters set fires and even attack firefighters seeking to do their jobs. In Richmond, Virginia, rioters blocked a fire truck from responding to a burning home. Protesters had intentionally set the fire at the home, and there was a child inside. In Philadelphia during a 24-hour period, the fire department responded to dozens of fires, including a two-alarm fire in North Philly after a weekend of looting. crowd control In Sacramento, California, crews battled a fire that spread through the back of a business; while fighting the 5-alarm fire, 200 personnel worked to keep the flames away from small propane tanks and dozens of cars. When Grand Rapids, Michigan, firefighters arrived to put out a dumpster fire, someone threw a large firecracker or other explosive toward a firefighter as he jumped out of a truck. The explosive knocked him to the ground, and he clutched at his ears. In Minneapolis, firefighters raced from one blaze to the next, often with police along for crowd control. One night during the protests, the Minneapolis Fire Department responded to 30 fire events including at least 16 structure fires. Department vehicles were damaged from thrown rocks and other projectiles. The level of the unrest prompted the International Association of Fire Fighters to issue a statement. interrupted by violence Throwing rocks, fireworks and directing violence toward fire fighters, paramedics and EMTs is never acceptable" “Peaceful protests by our neighbors exercising their First Amendment rights across America are being interrupted by violence and unrest,” said Harold A. Schaitberger, IAFF General President. “In the middle of the challenges and turmoil, I am proud of our IAFF fire fighters, paramedics and EMTs who are once again proving their dedication to keeping their communities safe when they are needed most.” “Throwing rocks, fireworks and directing violence toward firefighters, paramedics and EMTs is never acceptable,” he added. “As always, the safety of our members Is our top priority. So, it was with disappointment and outrage that I witness our members – who are integral to keeping everyone, including protesters, safe – attacked over the weekend.” keeping People safe Schaitberger citied incidents in Atlanta, Austin, Cleveland, Minneapolis and St. Paul in which members were subjected to having bricks and large fireworks hurled their way, simply for doing their jobs. “This is inexcusable,” said Schaitberger. “Firefighters will continue to respond when needed; it is their job and their calling,” said Schaitberger, who offered a plea on behalf of the 320,000 IAFF members: “Please allow your fire fighters on the frontlines to do that job, keeping everyone safe, without violence or incident.” He added: “To our members, stay safe and know that this IAFF has your back.”

Technologies to protect against fire are among the innovations being shown at CES 2020, the technology event, Jan. 7-10 in Las Vegas. The fire market is one of many served by the range of consumer and smart home technologies on display at CES 2020, from artificial intelligence (AI) to 5G, vehicle technology to AR/VR (augmented and virtual reality), robotics to home automation. For example, Longan Vision will display augmented reality systems for firefighters, helping them make good decisions during high-risk events while reducing the cognitive load of incident command personnel. Longan's "Fusion Vision System" provides firefighters with enhanced vision, communication and situational awareness. fire-related products Smart home could be about delivering home analytics through cloudless architectures and new door lock approaches" The smart home market is a major focus at CES. In the case of fire-related products, a smart home can also be a safer home. “For the smart home market at CES this year, we expect to see numerous announcements regarding home awareness,” says Blake Kozak, Senior Principal Analyst at IHS Markit. “This will include brands offering up additional analytics for consumer security cameras with a focus on edge-based solutions.” The show features more than 170,000 attendees, 4,500 exhibitors and 1,100 industry thought-leaders featured on the CES stage. “The impact of this [event] for the smart home could be about delivering home analytics and enhancing privacy through cloudless architectures and new electronic door lock approaches,” Kozak adds. integrated smart home experience An example of home analytics is the Resideo Home app, introduced in December, which will make whole-home monitoring possible for four critical networks of the home – water, air, energy and security. Resideo promises a “simplified and integrated smart home experience." Smart fire monitoring solution provider Rozetatech at CES 2020 offers an Internet of Things (IoT) fire detection solution that uses advanced digital sensors and their wireless capabilities and sends real-time information through mobile phones to 911 rescue centers and fire officers. First Alert has helped protect homes and families for 60 years. Their Onelink portfolio, on display at CES, expands to provide whole home safety and WiFi coverage solutions. Gentex Corp. provides commercial smoke detection and signaling devices for the fire protection industry (in addition to a portfolio of electro-optical products for the global automotive industry). smart home and IoT applications Their newly developed UART-interface alarms can be integrated with any client's wireless module for various smart home EVERDay Technology provides smoke/heat/CO/gas detectors for both commercial and residential applications. Their newly developed UART-interface alarms, such as smoke/heat combo alarms, smoke/CO combo alarms and gas alarms, can be integrated with any client's wireless module for various smart home and IoT applications. Siterwell Electronics includes sensor alarms such as smoke, carbon monoxide, gas, heat, and water level alarms among its range of security and protection products for residential and commercial applications. Siterwell exports to around 66 countries. Other products include a UL-listed commercial fire alarm system, IoT intelligent security and smart home networking products. smart water leak detectors AerNos nano gas sensors detect multiple gases simultaneously to parts-per-billion levels for indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring, hazardous gas detection and other "e-nose" applications. The tiny, accurate, affordable and low-power modules deliver results for plug-and-play integration with commercial product lines. Safera Oy is an international innovator in intelligent stove guard technology and preventive fire safety. The new Safera Sense product provides smart cooking notifications to help users reduce cooking fire risks, assist with cooking temperatures and times, and improve air quality while cooking. smart home devices WaryMe designs and develops a personal safety mobile application to improve a user’s security in public places, schools, transports and companies by addressing major risks such as terrorism attacks, intrusion, fire and even industrial accidents. An all-in-one mobile application integrates alerting, crisis management and mass notification features. “Market players are looking to expand beyond established smart home devices like smart thermostats and networked cameras to products like smart water leak detectors, smart pet feeders, and smart air purifiers,” says Elizabeth Parks, President, Parks Associates. “Familiarity with smart home devices lags behind familiarity with smart entertainment products; it even lags that of smart speakers, which are quite new in the market,” adds Parks. In 2020, we will see players working to advance the visibility and marketing around device integration and specifically focus on use case scenarios around safety, security, and convenience, which have always been the primary drivers of adoption of these types of products.”

Situated in the heart of Cleckheaton, Victoria Court has recently undergone a £2.5M transformation and is now home to two floors of offices and an array of retail and commercial outlets including Dominos Pizza and the Halifax Bank. With its cutting-edge control panels, detection and alarm devices, C-TEC’s new CAST XFP system provides the highest levels of fire protection at the multi-purpose site. Featuring all the top-notch qualities of C-TEC’s existing panels plus distributed intelligence, autonomous decision making, high speed data transmission and a powerful group activation command for the rapid deployment of alarm signals, CAST is designed for fast and easy install. In addition, its capacity for displaying detailed data on all system activity was also a key factor in its specification for this particular site. Fire alarm panel CAST XFP is easy-to-install, well manufactured and very reliable on all the current installation sites" Said Nathan Douglas-Smith of Centurion Fire and Security Ltd, the specialist fire company that completed the installation of the life-safety systems in just under five weeks: “Fire alarm panel feedback is crucial so engineers and end users can ascertain all site activity. CAST XFP provides the responsible person with vital information on system activity in complete contrast to the old fire alarm system it replaced. As a result, engineers and end users can see exactly what is happening on site.” “CAST XFP is a great product - it’s easy-to-install, well manufactured and very reliable on all the current installation sites. From a customer support point of view, C-TEC are very responsive to enquires, requests and the occasional technical support call. For example, at a late stage in the installation, the client decided they wanted the smoke detectors in a specific area to be black. We simply called C-TEC and they manufactured them to order.” feature-rich and intuitive Said David Armstrong, Centurion’s MD: “CAST is powerful, feature-rich and intuitive. We’ve installed ten systems to date and have many more projects in the pipeline. Going forwards, we can’t wait for it to be rolled out to C-TEC’s larger panels particularly the ZFP over the coming months.”

Amthal has worked closely with the management team and residents at Kenilworth Court to ensure fire and security upgrades on site occur without compromising on aesthetics of the Edwardian mansion blocks. Situated in Putney, Kenilworth Court consists of eight purpose-built Edwardian style blocks of flats, completed in 1904 – 1905. Featuring 150 portered flats, with a garden in the middle, it is now run by the controlling company, Kenilworth Court Co-ownership Housing Association Ltd. Security Gates and fire maintenance service The opportunity to upgrade door entry from audio to video capability saw the initial introduction of Amthal to the development. Amthal now additionally maintains security gates and all fire requirements on site at Kenilworth Court So successful in understanding the importance of keeping with original design features, working closely with the management team and residents, from initial specification through installation and project completion, Amthal now additionally maintains security gates and all fire requirements on site at Kenilworth Court. Video security system at Kenilworth Court Steve Logie, General Manager at Kenilworth Court Co-Ownership Housing Association Ltd, said “With the historic significance of our development, and the pride of notable residents who have lived here, any upgrades, however small, must be carefully considered with regards to how it will impact on the aesthetics of the overall premises.” Steve adds, “Amthal understood this and worked closely with us and our residents, carefully taking in feedback to create bespoke video door entry solutions that blend with the grand entrances. Installation was sympathetic, always ensuring wiring was discreet and ‘boxed in’ where necessary.” He further said, “So impressed with their customer service and technical ability, we now consider them our preferred supplier for all fire and security maintenance.” CAME BPT brass entrance panel installed Based on resident feedback, Amthal created and installed a bespoke CAME BPT brass entrance panel for Kenilworth Court, allowing all homeowners to benefit from stylish video door entry technology. Residents and staff also benefit from an upgraded Paxton Net2 access control system, with dedicated fobs distributed to ensure safe and secure block entry. Phil Bryant, Amthal Strategic Accounts Team Manager added, “The key to our success with Kenilworth Court was taking the time initially to create an installation works program with video door entry systems that could blend in visually without disrupting the architectural aesthetic of the development.” Enhanced fire safety The management team has peace of mind that fire and security requirements will be maintained to exceed standards" Phil adds, “We spoke with the management team and residents throughout the design process, bringing door entry styles and samples to ensure everyone was confident in the installed final solution.” He further said, “From this, our engineering team and customer service has built up a trusting relationship where residents understand our needs to operate internally, sometimes within apartments themselves and also through communal areas. And the management team has peace of mind that fire and security requirements will be maintained to exceed standards across the development.” Fire safety solutions expert Independently owned, Amthal Fire & Security is dedicated to satisfying end user needs for security safety and convenience offering design, installation, service and remote monitoring of advanced electronic fire & security solutions, including intruder, fire, access and CCTV systems. Amthal Fire & Security is accredited by the Security Systems and Alarm Inspection Board (SSAIB) United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS) and British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE).

Rajant and Dejero’s Technology Springs into Action in the Battle Against a 420-Acre Wildfire on the Santa Barbara County Coast. A wind-driven brush fire triggered evacuations after breaking out along the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County, California. On a sunny afternoon in mid-October 2019, the heat from the sun combined with winds gusting up to 40 mph through the quiet foothills of El Capitán Canyon, sparking a wind-whipped, vegetation brush fire in the overly dry desert hills. The blaze, dubbed the ‘Real Fire,’ quickly charred 420 acres while threatening more than 100 structures that sat along the Gaviota Coast before firefighters and emergency crews were aware of the fire and able to gain an upper hand on the wild blaze. Wind-Driven bush fire Coincidentally, Rajant and Dejero had just arrived in Santa Barbara for a demonstration with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Shortly after the fire broke out, word reached the emergency services and crews from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service, and other agencies who immediately dispatched their teams to contain the blaze before it spread further. The climate in the canyon at the time of the blaze was considered ‘critical fire weather’ with its dangerously dry grass and wind gusts. These conditions only encouraged the wind-driven bush fire to spread swiftly through the foothills on the north side of Highway 101 near El Capitán State Beach, California and east over the ridge. A good stretch of the 101 Freeway had to be shut down immediately—in both directions—and Amtrak routes through the area were canceled. Total communications solution At the peak of the fire, helicopters and fixed-wing aircrafts attacked the flames from the air with retardant and water drops Visitors at nearby ranches, campgrounds, beaches, and resorts were evacuated, and a warning was given to residents living in the nearby Dos Pueblos, Refugio, and Winchester Canyons. At the peak of the fire, helicopters and fixed-wing aircrafts attacked the flames from the air with retardant and water drops, while dozens of engines, along with bulldozers and hand-crews, fought it from the ground. At about that same time the fire broke out, teams from Rajant and Dejero, along with subject matter expert Bruce Arvizu from the Department Homeland Security, had arrived in Santa Barbara. Together, they were prepared to deliver a live safety demo to the Santa Barbara County fire chief on how the companies can together provide the total communications solution. Improved spectrum efficiency The planned public safety demo was also to show how the blending of Rajant’s technology with Dejero Smart Blending Technology (SBT) eliminates drops and gaps—a solution comprised of mesh radio communications, blended cellular, and satellite technologies to bridge the communication gap in remote locations where signals are often weak or lost. While LTE networks provide high bandwidth, lower latency, and improved spectrum efficiency, LTE can also become spotty and drop signals in remote locations and other areas. Dejero’s Smart Blending Technology (SBT) fills in these gaps in the Wide Area Network by seamlessly blending any available LTE with SAT comms to guarantee a connection for the responding teams. Signal continuity becomes even more challenging in valleys, around mountains, and along coastlines, which becomes mission critical when emergency services are responding. Continuous and reliable connection More than 200 firefighters were on site fighting the fire with reinforcing containment lines of helicopters Rajant’s mesh radio technology bridges the gaps in these local areas. When the three technologies are used together, a continuous and reliable connection is provided, ensuring that communications between the responding agencies and their teams in the field are not lost. Meanwhile at the El Capitán canyon, more than 200 firefighters were on site fighting the fire with reinforcing containment lines of helicopters and drones in the air and 30-ton bulldozers on the ground cutting out ‘catlines’ and uprooting vegetation, thus eliminating the fire’s fuel. By plowing through the flames, brush, and trees with the dozers, the emergency crews saved valuable manpower and shortened the fire’s reach and life. When fighting fires with bulldozers, it is critical for the commander in control to receive data from each dozer to manage fighting the fire collectively as a team and to track each dozer individually. Critical local data Rajant and Dejero quickly proposed to the fire chief the benefits of their combined technology at a time of crisis and asked to allow Rajant and Dejero to modify their presentation from a demo to a real life exercise. “Our county firefighters are willing to do whatever it takes to get that job done. When we do our after-action review, the successes and failures always come out. And we like to capitalize on our successes.” said Daniel Bertucelli, County Fire Captain Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Rajant BreadCrumbs® can be mounted to the bulldozers so the critical local data could be transmitted while other situational data and mapping could be revived in the field. Dejero SBT would power the Microsoft Tactical Truck and provide the bridge from the field to the command post over cellular and SAT networks, during this actual emergency situation. Combined firefighting attacks More than 400 acres had burned with no structures damaged and no reported injuries Notably, the SAT comms on the vehicle was to be powered by Kymeta’s flat-panel dish technology, enabling true ‘comms on the move’ to best leverage Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh®. The updated mission was green lighted. On Friday morning, Rajant and Dejero meet with the fire squad at the command control center. Rajant BreadCrumbs and camera systems were mounted to dozers while the Microsoft mobile comms truck, with the Dejero GateWay on-board, maintained a close, but safe, proximity to the dozers to provide LTE. The firefighters manning the bulldozers were able to communicate in the valley when normally they could not. Data was sent from the bulldozers to the van to the internet where the command control center could receive the video feed. The real-life demo was a success. The combined firefighting attacks on the blaze gained the upper hand and went from a 20-percent containment on Thursday evening to 50-percent by Friday afternoon. By Monday, the Real Fire was 100% contained. More than 400 acres had burned with no structures damaged and no reported injuries. Evacuations were lifted for all areas.

A bespoke fire and security solution specified and installed by Evolution, a renowned integrated fire and security systems business, is helping to protect new tenants and staff at One Embassy Gardens, a new riverside development project on the South Bank of London. Looking across the River Thames to Chelsea and Kensington, the gardens combine green spaces, shops, restaurants and office space for residents and guests. The area is also the new home for both the Dutch and US embassies. One Embassy Gardens was constructed and is owned by international property development company, Ballymore. Ballymore appointed Briggs & Forrester, one of the UK’s leading building services and engineering companies, to tender for the fire and security system, and Ballymore in turn appointed Evolution to manage the bespoke system’s design and installation. complete fire detection Evolution’s solution comprises a complete fire detection and alarm system including networked fire panels (that allow the system to be expanded as required), and air aspirating systems are utilized to detect the first signs of a potential fire for early intervention. The ‘Open Protocol’ system also includes bespoke voice sounders that have been developed for both the ‘evacuation’ process, which utilizes a phased evacuation process, and the ‘invacuation’ process, which involves moving occupants to a safe location within the building. installation and commissioning We have delivered a compliant fire and security solution tailored to meet the specific needs of the client" The security system is similarly bespoke comprising access control, CCTV and an innovative International Communications (InterComms) system, which includes live communications during an ‘invacuation’, allowing direct interactions between security staff and the occupants of the building. Nigel Hyson, Fire Sales Manager at Evolution, says One Embassy Gardens is a prime example of Evolution’s capabilities to deliver integrated systems, no matter what the size or complexities involved: “One Embassy Gardens is in a prestigious location and we had to be mindful of a wide range of potential risks associated with the surrounding buildings. From the initial design phase, right through to the installation and commissioning of the new systems, we are very proud to have been involved in this project." compliant fire and security solution "We have delivered a complete and fully compliant fire and security solution tailored to meet the specific needs of the client and this complex development.” The 12-storey, 215,000 sq. ft building is currently being sublet by two global publishing houses, with two floors still empty and available, and is being managed by CBRE.

Nittan Europe, a UK-based renowned manufacturer of conventional and addressable fire detection products and systems, is proud to have its Evolution analog addressable fire detectors installed into the NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol. NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol Built in less than three weeks at the University of West of England Frenchay campus, NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol has the capacity to provide up to 300 intensive care beds for coronavirus patients, if local services need them.  The new facility is one of seven Nightingale hospitals to be set up around the country as part of a massive NHS effort to respond to the COVID-19 health emergency. Evolution analogue addressable fire detectors Nittan’s Evolution analog addressable fire detectors have been incorporated into Ramtech Electronics’ WES wireless firm alarm system, which is designed to provide a simple, fast and secure method of communicating fire and medical emergencies in the complex environmental conditions of construction sites. While WES has been designed to provide temporary protection on construction sites, its ease of use, reliability and quality made it ideal for use in the temporary Nightingale Hospital.  Wireless fire alarm systems Wireless fire alarm systems are ideal for temporary sites as they don’t require specialist trades to set up Wireless fire alarm systems are ideal for temporary sites as they don’t require specialist trades to set up, and any number of call points can be deployed in minutes and linked wirelessly to cover large or small sites. The signal passes through all commonly found materials including steel, concrete and stone. Evolution EVC-DP dual optical detectors Nittan Evolution EVC-DP dual optical detectors are incorporated into the WES system. These award-winning detectors feature dual optical technology to reduce false alarms caused by non-combustion products such as steam, dust and aerosols.  Unlike other conventional detectors on the market that claim to distinguish between smoke and non-combustion products, the EVC-DP effectively measures the actual particle size in the chamber via its combined IR and blue LED technology.  No false alarms As steam and dust are much larger particles than smoke, the detector won’t cause false alarms. This makes the EVC-DP detector ideally suited to use in hospitals, hotels and other areas of multiple occupancy which are prone to steam and dust. The WES wireless fire alarm system featuring the Nittan detectors has been installed into the communal and welfare areas of NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol.

The fire industry has experimented with touch screen technology for many years as ever sophisticated and human friendly solutions are sought to tackle fire situations which can be particularly problematic in cases involving large, complex sites and high-rise buildings. Advanced's Sales Manager for Southern Europe, Vladimir Zrnic, looks at some of the benefits to introducing touch screen technology. Protecting these buildings and often hundreds, if not thousands, of people from the danger and damage of fire requires ease of control and monitoring with touch screen technology providing this at the user’s fingertips. Quick identification and monitoring of fire In expansive buildings with complex designs, irreplaceable or valuable contents and large numbers of people to protect, the ability to quickly identify and monitor a potential fire can make a significant difference to avoiding life threatening situations. One of Bulgaria's large banking groups, DSK Bank, chose TouchControl for its high level of protection and reliability Touch screen technology provides ease of use allowing fires to be located down to both a zone within a site and individual devices facilitating speedy evacuations, if appropriate, and focused action to isolate and minimize the spread and potential damage of the fire. False alarm detection These intuitive systems are easily configured and can include dynamic graphics and maps allowing for a fast response which is essential in these emergency situations. Providing information about a possible fire at a glance, touch screen technologies also provide the benefit of ease of management and monitoring from one location saving valuable time and prompt preventative action. Not all situations are as a result of an actual fire. Avoiding large scale evacuations to minimize disruption is another benefit of installing touch screen technology with this innovation also identifying faults and disablement issues. Touch screen technology Large buildings can be monitored from one location with touch screen technology facilitating a fast response The innovative technology is particularly beneficial in settings such as hospitals for example, where evacuating patients requires care and time, with touch screen technology delivering the earliest possible warning and specific details of the location of the fire enabling the affected zones to be isolated. Large buildings can be monitored from one location with touch screen technology facilitating a fast response to the specific area in question, maximizing both time and efforts to tackle the problem before it escalates. Buildings in remote areas are also particularly vulnerable and can also benefit from installing touch screen technology where assistance with controlling and extinguishing a fire may not be as accessible as in less remote locations. Delivering immediate and specific warnings TouchControl is installed at London's 610,000 sq. ft. Leadenhall Building which comprises of 45 floors of office space Evacuations in these incidents, involving hundreds and possibly thousands of people, require speed, careful management and calm with fire systems that include touch screen technology delivering immediate and specific warnings that are paramount to the process to help avoid life threatening situations from escalating out of control. There are a number of factors to consider before choosing the right touch screen technology for a site. Large site coverage and east user interface Network to cover a large site without compromising reliability and performance. Some systems’ effectiveness can be significantly reduced if large areas need to be covered Ease of installation and configure to one’s specific requirements. The ability to easily install and configure the system to the individual specification of a site is key, improving performance and heightening protection of the building. Provision of an effective and easy user interface. Ease of use should be paramount as it may be some years from initial installation before a response to a potential fire is required. Providing sufficient detail allowing monitoring and control of each location and device. Ease of use and glove-friendly Independent terminal, saving significant costs. Touch screen technology on fire panels add significant cost, compromise performance and add complications. Providing high quality, dynamic and easy navigation maps and site plans providing at a glance information on the location of a potential problem. Detailed maps, the ability to zoom into high definition images and ease of navigation can significantly improve the response to a potential fire situation. Touch screen responsive to gloved hands enabling fire fighters to monitor and control the situation. This is an important factor as fire fighters need to be able to operate the touch screen technology in situations where it may not be safe nor time efficient, to take gloves off. TouchControl remote-control terminal Advanced TouchControl provider in fire systems technology, Advanced, manufacture one of the market’s touch screens, TouchControl, with a 10-inch screen providing more detailed at a glance information. One of the unique features of TouchControl is Active Maps which enable live zone status information Designed as a remote terminal rather than being part of a fire panel, the stand alone innovative technology means that users save on cost, complication and the independent network node means performance isn’t compromised. One of the unique features of TouchControl is Active Maps which enable live zone status information in high definition delivering incredible detail. Users can easily navigate a site/panel and network via Active Maps. Advertising use of panel when not in fire-use TouchControl is easy to install and is a fully functional Remote Control Panel, often installed in receptions, lobbies and public areas providing full fire panel and network control and reporting. When not in fire-use the touch screen repeater can be configured to display corporate, advertising or health and safety messages to the public. Designed with intuitive ease of use, quality, detailed reporting and monitoring, TouchControl has been the preferred touch screen technology for a number of buildings of all sizes within diverse sectors, chosen for its reliability and high performance. Examples of TouchControl installations Lidl - the popular European discount supermarket One of Bulgaria’s largest banking groups DSK Bank chose TouchControl for its high level of protection and reliability The world class chemical plant Victrex in Lancashire which delivers high performance polymer solutions to a range of sectors The 610,000 sq. ft. Leadenhall Building in London which comprises 45 floors of office space The Atlantic Islands Center on the 5.5 sq. mile Isle of Luing. Advanced products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control and fire paging systems.