Fire alarm systems are an important part of fire and life safety of a building and its occupants. There are many functions that are served by fire alarm systems and it can all be a little confusing for someone new to fire alarms, so I decided to create a visual guide to fire alarm fundamentals. The purpose of this blog is to share that visual guide and to discuss some of the key components and functions of a fire alarm system.
How Do Fire Alarm Systems Work?
The main purpose of a fire alarm system is to
detect a fire and immediately notify both the occupants of the building and
emergency services from a centrally controlled and monitored location. These
systems also monitor themselves, identify the location and origin of alarms,
and detect problems with connections and wiring that may prevent the system
from working properly. Essentially, best firemonitoring system from Afantage has four primary functions.
Ø Search
Ø Warning
Ø Observation
Ø To control fire
These highly advanced systems use a network of
instruments, instruments and control panels to perform these four functions.
Types Of Fire Monitoring Systems
1. Smoke Detector
A smoke detector is a fundamental component of
any comprehensive fire alarm system. As their name suggests, their primary
function is to detect and alert the occupants of a building to the presence of
smoke in the air. EPS installs smoke detectors that use photoelectric sensors
to detect smoke particles when a beam of light passes through. With their relatively
small size and ease of placement, smoke detectors can be installed in
relatively confined spaces or in large rooms to provide maximum security.
2. CO detector
Carbon monoxide is released whenever fuel is
burned incompletely, which means that every business with a water heater is at
risk of CO poisoning. CO detectors use electrochemical sensors that send a
signal to a fire alarm control panel when carbon monoxide is detected.
3. Hand Pull Station
When most people think of a "fire alarm
system," it is the device they are most familiar with. As their name
suggests, hand pull stations are easily recognizable devices. In the case of a
fire or other life safety emergency, an occupant can pull down the handle on
the device to trigger an alarm signal to the fire panel, thus activating the
strobe and siren. Where it can take several minutes for smoke to reach the
smoke detector, a hand pull can be activated by a person within seconds of an
emergency, allowing for faster evacuation and response times by emergency services.
Hand pulls can come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are usually offered
with a back-box or cover if requested.
4. Voice Evacuation System
Horns and strobes can alert employees to
immediate fire hazards, but fire drills and the frequent occurrence of false
alarms can lead to "alarm fatigue", a reduced sense of urgency
usually associated with such incidents. Additionally, simply sounding the alarm
through a large facility can lead to a chaotic evacuation. The voice evacuation
system was created to overcome these problems. As an enhancement of a
traditional fire alarm system, a voice evacuation system continuously transmits
pre-recorded messages into a building to guide occupants out of the building
through the safest route using direction. The systems are extremely versatile,
as recording can be made for a variety of life safety situations, including
fire, severe weather, gas leaks, active shooters and more.
Benefits Of Fire Monitoring System
1. Abstain From Smoking
The most important reason is probably only what
you really need. This can save the life of anyone in the house at any time.
This is especially important at night. One who is sleeping does not wake up on
time when there is a fire. Sometimes people die due to smoke while trying to
escape. Having a system can give you peace of mind and security.
2. To Find Out Quickly
The sooner a fire is detected, the faster
firefighters will respond. This could mean saving the home from major damage
or, even worse, avoiding complete destruction.
3. Insurance Discount
This can save you money on your home insurance.
There are few policies which often give discounts to customers who have these
systems. This is because it may be possible to save the home rather than lose
it entirely. In addition, it shows the insurer that the homeowner is taking
responsibility and is prepared in case of any unfortunate event.
4. 24/7 monitoring
A home fire alarm system provides security to
the homeowner 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Your home will be
monitored when you are away, and when you are sleeping through the night. You
and your family can feel safe knowing that this surveillance never stops.
5. Easy And Economical
The cost of having a system is very reasonable.
Even if you have insurance that can replace any lost items, many of them are
irreparable. This would include photo albums, gifts from family members or
items passed down from one generation to the next. Staying somewhere else, at
least for a while, will also put you in serious trouble.
