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4 Main Components of a Fire Alarm Life Safety System
Fire Alarm Life Safety System Components to be Aware Of
During the Industrial Revolution, we began to put large numbers of people together with open flames, open machinery, dust, exhaust, and flammable materials; unfortunately, sometimes this resulted in tragedy. With a moral conscience, always try to learn from our mistakes and avoid repeating them whenever possible.
For these reasons, we began to implement general life and fire safety programs and customized them for each industrial, commercial, and residential setting we encountered. So far, the collective track record has been quite impressive.
Life and fire safety guidelines have become codified in building regulations and mandatory compliance measures. The complexity of these regulations depends upon the complexity, size, and occupancy of individual facilities. Some of those measures include:
Fire Alarm Life Safety System Component: Fire Alarm Systems
These customized networks of hardware, software, and personnel directives are solely aimed at alerting people and saving lives.
- Alarm Systems often begin with smoke or heat detection equipment. Sensors constantly monitor air quality and when a (small) threshold of airborne particles is reached, the alarm sounds. Hand pulls also allow occupants to report any fire they observe.
- Fire detection may be accompanied by loud noises, flashing strobes, and sometimes voice commands.
- Corridors may be lit with battery-powered lamps, since the building’s electrical grid may be compromised by the fire. Every exit will be identified with a lighted Exit sign.
- Evacuation routes have been mandated and communicated to emergency personnel. Safety protocols might mandate regular drills for residents or occupants.
- Depending upon the size and nature of the facility, the Fire Alarm System may also include internal and/or external communication with local first responders.
Fire Alarm Life Safety System Component: Fire Sprinkler Systems
In addition to saving lives, fire sprinklers are also designed to extinguish fires at the source and prevent a fire from spreading.
- A network of pipes covers a facility and sprinkler heads are positioned to spray water over the entire floorplan.
- The trigger mechanism is a thin glass bulb, containing liquid and a small bubble of gas. Heat causes the gas/liquid to expand, releasing the water from the sprinkler system. The sprinkler head disperses the water broadly.
- Some sprinkler systems are designed to douse a flame and others cover potential fuels with water to prevent the spread of fire.
- Sprinklers are extremely effective at stopping a fire before it has a chance to grow.
- Sprinklers are also designed to function outdoors or in refrigerated spaces. An inert gas fills the pipe into a warm, conditioned space. When the trigger is tripped, water pushes the gas out of the pipe, and the water extinguishes the fire.
Fire Alarm Life Safety System Component: Fire Suppression Systems
Not every fire should be extinguished by water. For these fires, alternative chemicals are employed for various reasons.
- Some facilities house materials that are destroyed by water: archives that house irreplaceable documents and server rooms with sensitive electronics are examples. In these settings, an inert gas replaces the oxygen in the room, extinguishing the fire.
- Some fires would only be spread by water; oils and fats produced in the food industry are carried on top of the water. A soapy foam is used to smother the flame and extinguish the fire.
- These systems are customized for individual settings and may also use powders or liquids besides water.
Fire Alarm Life Safety System Component: Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are much smaller, hand-held fire suppression devices, customized for potential fires in specific settings. There are six main types of fire extinguishers, which use water, foam, CO2, powder, water mist, and wet chemicals. Each of the different types of fire extinguisher is suitable for different fire classes.
These and other system components make up life and fire safety systems that are unique to each facility, and maintaining these system components requires specific training.
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