In today’s fast-paced world, fire equipment services have drastically changed since their days of origin. The initial purpose of fire alarms was to ensure that everyone in a house or building understood the danger present by way of a fire. Now, there are additional features to alarms that include automatic fire detection as well as battery-operated smoke detectors.
Some do not see the need to invest in quality fire alarms. After all, the basis of a good alarm informs the occupants of a home or business that a fire has begun. Is it really necessary to have a detector that senses both fire and excessive exposure to carbon? Are combination smoke alarms good?
Fires in hotels and motels cause around 15 deaths and nearly $80 million in property losses annually. A significant number of these deaths and financial losses could have likely been avoided with the installation of quality fire alarms. An automatic smoke detector is essential, then, for safety in both commercial buildings and residential homes.
Just how has the fire alarm evolved with time, though? Read on to find out!
Every year, fires in hotels and motels cause approximately 15 deaths and 150 injuries and result in $76 million in property losses. Fire development is carried out in four stages: incipient, growth, fully developed, and decay. Commercial fire alarm systems with early warning detection can sense fires in the incipient stage and reduce injuries, loss of life, and property damage by 50%. Fire sprinkler systems have been updated to provide quick response to fire emergencies, releasing 8 to 24 gallons of water per minute to extinguish fires. This early response system has allowed for less water damage caused by the fire department?s hose that can affect the structural integrity of buildings that catch fire.
Fire protection systems have improved greatly over the past couple of decades. For example, warehouse property fires have decreased by 75% since 1980. Fire extinguisher presence and use in hospital fires has gone from 47% thirty years ago to 78% today, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. The evolution of fire protection service has extended from warehouses and hospitals to apartments, hotels, and offices, but there?s still needs to be training to ensure the safety of the people housed within those spaces at any given moment.
Out of 119 businesses surveyed, it was found that much less than half had an evacuation plan in place in the case of a fire. Hospital kitchens account for over half of the fires that take place in them across the country. About 44% of chemical system failures that resulted in fires were due to a lack of maintenance. These are all examples of the shortcomings of human error, and illustrate the need for a legitimate commercial fire alarm service that is regularly maintained and monitored for the safety of the people.
In addition to protecting office personnel, data and stored information also needs protection from fire?s destructive force. The NFPA has produced a series of codes and standards intended to set a standard for safety against fire damage. Codes 75 and 76 refer to the safety of telecommunication equipment and the data it contains from smoke, corrosion, heat, and water. It is believed that companies will spend an estimated $149 billion this year alone on proper fire alarm service to bolster security against fires to protect hardware and personal information.
Commercial fire sprinkler systems provided by a fire alarm service provider is regarded as a necessary expense by many businesses due to their accuracy and rapid response to fires. With the proper fire alarm installation in commercial buildings, employers can decrease the cost associated with the structural renovations and repairs that are sure to follow. According to the NFPA, completely sprinklered buildings with properly operating systems have never killed more than two people. That level of safety and protection is definitely something to count on.