FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS:
Fire alarms are intended to warn people when smoke, fire, carbon monoxide or other fire-related emergencies are detected. These alarms may be activated automatically from smoke detectors and heat detectors or may also be activated via manual fire alarm activation devices such as manual call points or pull stations.
There are three main types of fire alarms namely Conventional Fire Alarms, Addressable Fire Alarms and Wireless Fire Alarms.
Conventional Fire Alarms
These fire detection systems divide your premises into zones. In the event of an alert – perhaps triggered automatically by a smoke detector or manually by a ‘break glass’ alarm – wiring linked to an LED control panel will identify the zone. But it won’t indicate the precise area.
Addressable Fire Alarms
Here, each individual device, such as a smoke or heat detector, has its own unique electronic address. If one activates, the fire alarm system control panel tells you precisely where the problem lies.
Wireless Fire Alarms
A fire detection system which uses a secure wireless link between the sensor and the control panel. Most will offer sounders, beacons and call points. These are a great option if you don’t want lots of cable on your premises.
Components of Fire Alarm System
A fire alarm system consists of many components, including:
- Fire Alarm Control Panel – The fire alarm control panel, commonly abbreviated as FACU, is the system’s “brain.” It receives messages from the initiating devices, also known as inputs, and performs the following functions.
- Pull Stations – A pull station is probably the fire alarm system component you’re most familiar with. It’s a manually operated device that initiates an alarm signal when someone pulls its handle. While smoke may take a few minutes to reach a smoke detector, you can activate a pull station within just a few seconds of a fire or other emergency, which allows for a quicker evacuation and faster reaction times by the fire department. Pull stations are available in various sizes and shapes and can come with protective covers upon request.
- Smoke Detectors – A smoke detector is a device that initiates an alarm signal when it senses smoke. There are two classifications of these devices, depending on the type of sensor they use to detect smoke particles.
- Ionization Detectors: These detectors contain tiny traces of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates. Ions flow between these two charged plates, but smoke particles disrupt this. If this happens, the smoke detector goes off.
- Photoelectric Detectors: Photoelectric detectors emit LED light beams in their detection chamber. When smoke particles come into this chamber, they scatter the beam of light, deflecting part of it on the detector’s photoelectric sensor. When the sensor detects this light, the alarm goes off.
- Duct Detectors – Duct detectors are smoke detectors installed in air conditioning and heating ducts. They shut air handling units down, preventing smoke from traveling all over the building via the air ducts.
- Heat Detectors – Heat detectors are fire detection devices equipped with sensors that respond to heat. Two main kinds of heat detectors are available.
- Rate-of-Rise Heat Detectors: This type of heat detector will respond if the temperature increases at a rate that exceeds a specified value.
- Fixed Temperature Heat Detectors: Fixed temperature heat detectors will respond when their operating elements reach or exceed a predetermined temperature. There are two types of fixed temperature detectors: linear detectors, which monitor the temperature throughout an area, and spot detectors, which monitor the temperature in one specific location.
- Beam Detectors – This kind of smoke detector projects a beam of light across the area it’s protecting. If smoke crosses the path of the beam, the detector will respond.
- Sounders – Audible devices including sirens, bells and horns.
- Strobes – Strobes send notifications by flashing a light.
- Sounder/ Strobes – These devices send notifications by flashing a light and blaring a siren to alert people to respond.
- Dialers/ Communicators – Some fire alarm systems have internal or external dialers used to contact monitoring centres or alarm receiving stations. Communicators can use radio signals, phone lines or an internet connection to maintain contact. Panels may have built-in dialers or communicators.
- Fire Cable (FP-200) – Fire resistant cable is coated with a protective sheath which is designed to prevent the spread of flames while limiting the amount of smoke and toxic fumes given off in the event of combustion.