Here at Jensen Security and Fire Systems we are often contacted by business owners who are unsure of the fire alarms and security needed to protect their building and those within it. One of the most common questions we are asked is what fire alarm devices are needed for their building. However, as we explain in this blog post, there is no ‘set answer’ to how many fire alarm devices are needed for a building.
Fire alarm systems are incredibly complex and sophisticated. There are also national and local codes for fire alarm systems. These are always changing. This means that if you are not a fire safety expert or fire alarm specialists, it can be hard to keep on top of how they work and how to maintain them.
However, the fire alarm devices needed for a building change from one building to the next. It will depend heavily on the occupancy of the building. Also what the fire alarm systems need to protect.
To understand the fire alarm devices needed for a building we need to know if the building is just a storage facility. We need to know if there are any hazardous or flammable materials or processes in the building.
If people are inside the building, we need to know how many, how often and for how long. Of course, we will also need to know how big the building is. Also how many exits the building has. This will help us understand how many people need to evacuate the building. Also how soon they need to be alerted and how much time they need to evacuate the building in case of a fire.
Once our fire safety experts know the answers to these questions, they can determine the specific devices and fire safety requirements needed for your building. This could be a simple flow switch which alerts the authorities of a fire. However, it could also be a more complex need for smoke alarms and pull stations that give occupants enough time to evacuate the building in an emergency situation.
If you would like to understand what fire alarm devices you need for your building, call our team now.
