Blog | Fire Alarm Systems

The Importance of Fire Alarm Systems

The UK Fire and Rescue Service attend over 600,000 fires each year, resulting in over 800 deaths. Early fire and smoke detection is critical in mitigating the consequences of building fires and saving lives.


Across buildings of all sizes, the risk of fire must be considered and addressed. Check out our guide to find out why fire detection and alarm systems are important and to decide what type is most suited to your project’s needs.

What is a Fire Detection and Alarm System and How Does It Work?

Fire is the product of a chemical reaction resulting from the combination of oxygen, fuel and heat. Fire detection and alarm systems utilise smoke and heat detectors to identify the presence of smoke, fire or carbon monoxide. When a fire is detected, an alarm is sounded to alert those in the building that there is a fire and that they should evacuate the building. Advanced systems even incorporate remote signalling equipment to alert the fire services

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The main function of these systems is to provide warning to individuals and allow urgent decisions to be made and action to be taken as quickly as possible.


Prior to designing a fire detection and alarm system for your project, it is vital to consider what type of system best suits your building.

Types of Fire Alarm Systems

The two main types of fire detection systems are:

1. Conventional Systems

Within conventional systems, the components are wired to a control panel which allows for monitoring and managing their activation, deactivation and resetting. Since separate circuits are used for different ‘zones’ (for example, different floors), this allows for a general identification of where the situation has developed and thus enables the appropriate response to be taken.

 

This system is relatively inexpensive and performs particularly well within smaller buildings. However, this system does not enable exact identification of where issues have arisen.  

2. Addressable Systems

Addressable systems operate similarly to conventional systems but can directly identify where a fault has occurred, or exactly which detector was triggered. The circuit is wired in a loop, with numerous call points or detectors on each loop. The control panel can be programmed to display specific details or trigger specific responses from detectors.


These systems are most effective for large facilities and not only require reduced wiring, but also offer more accurate detection which proves crucial in time-sensitive scenarios.


Moreover, analogue addressable systems are particularly advanced, and detectors can determine whether there is a fire, a defect or a maintenance issue. This reduces the occurrence of false alarms.


It is vital that fire detection and alarm systems are regularly monitored and serviced with frequent fire drills to ensure they are operating smoothly. 

Why Are These Systems Necessary?

Most importantly, fire detection is concerned with protecting human lives. However, there are also regulations that a building must comply with regarding fire safety. These are updated regularly and dictate the expectations a building must meet regarding the early warning of fire, measures to prevent the spread of fire, etc.


Fire detectors provide early warning which is critical in subsiding the impact of a fire, allowing individuals to evacuate the premises in plenty of time and tackle the situation before it gets out of hand.


The number of detectors needed will vary dependent on each building. Nonetheless, higher numbers of detectors in place will result in improved safety and increase the chances of detecting fire as early as possible.

Summary

Fire alarm systems are vital for detecting fires early, allowing for action to be taken quickly to tackle the situation before it gets out of control. While conventional systems are highly effective for small facilities, addressable systems allow for the exact place where a fire has broken out or an alarm has been triggered to be pinpointed, saving time and protecting lives. 


DARe-me Consulting Engineers offer fire detection and alarm system design for a wide range of projects and buildings. Contact our experienced team today to find out more.

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