Emerging Technologies in the Fire Safety Field
Anytime you say the word “technology,” you can assume that change is coming. That is certainly true in the field of fire safety, where new technologies are making an impact. While legislation and regulations can be slow moving, it’s clear that the industry is moving forward in its efforts to create environmentally friendly and intelligent technology solutions to save more lives. Here are three emerging technologies in the fire safety field.
Sustainability in water sprinkler systems
Today’s safety tech lets buildings stay true to their green footprint goals while still fighting fire with water sprinkler systems. These systems are designed to maximize fire response while also using less water more accurately than their predecessors. From an environmental perspective, the issue isn’t just the volume of water that’s overkill during a fire suppression incident but also the toxins produced from the fire, such as formaldehyde, benzene, lead, mercury, phenols, and more. Water used to suppress fires may run off into the aquifer, with large amounts of toxins in the runoff. The International Fire Chiefs Association (IFCA) reports, “In densely built areas, water quality and water supply is a problem that our water purveyors deal with every day.”
Current water suppression systems are part of an emerging movement to reduce the environmental impact of fires and the sprinklers themselves. Fire sprinkler systems can certainly help cut CO2 emissions from fires, but a properly designed suppression system uses only the number of sprinkler heads necessary to deactivate the fire. These systems are highly effective; the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says sprinklers are effective at controlling 96% of the fires in which they are used.
The NFPA points out that fire safety with sprinkler technology is a sustainable practice:
Properly aligned sprinkler systems can reduce the severity of fires and thus reduce waste and pollution.
Fire sprinklers can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 97.8%.
The amount of water used in a sprinklered building is 50% less than that used with fire hoses.
New technologies improve the efficiency of these systems. Today’s water mist fire suppression systems are an even more effective alternative to fire sprinkler systems. These tools use high pressure to disperse small water droplets that suppress fire but still conserve water.
Fire video detection systems
Some of the latest technology we’ve seen incorporates video surveillance as a smoke detection tool. Video image smoke and fire detection (VISD) uses digital video camera software to recognize smoke and fire. These tools not only capture images of a fire and alert facility managers to a problem, but they are also useful to reduce false alarms.
The latest in artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can detect changes in contrast, motion, or brightness, and the “smart” camera can then determine a response based on its programming parameters. In locations where detection of fire is problematic, these tools can help keep property and people safer.
VISD technology can help pinpoint the source of a fire in large sprawling architectures such as paper mills, warehouses, distribution centers, stadiums, refineries, power plants, and more. The latest upgrades to these systems include spotting problems even in low light conditions.
Integrated voice evacuation tools
Voice evacuation tools have been available for a decade, but the difference today is that these tools can integrate with your existing fire safety and life technologies. Voice evacuation technology was originally developed to notify building occupants of a threat and to encourage them to safely evacuate or shelter in place without encouraging panic. Installing one of these systems is critical to your fire safety strategies.
Mass notifications can alert to everything from severe weather to an active shooter, fire, or some other threat. Voice activation tools can integrate with your existing communication systems, providing you with an alternative to a blaring alarm and lights, which could cause a panic response in the occupants of your building. Voice evacuation tools can help tamp down the fear response by calmly providing information that will help guide building occupants to a safer location. These technologies can also cut down on the response from employees that a fire alarm is just another test.
The latest voice evacuation tools allow you to tailor your response to fit the crisis. You can provide direct instruction for all kinds of emergency scenarios. Since they’re compatible with most other types of security and communication platforms, you won’t have to replace all of your existing technology. These tools are also battery-backed and will continue to operate if the power is down.
TRL Systems has been a leader in the fire safety field for decades. We stay abreast of the latest technology innovations to help improve your response to the physical threats to your business. Contact us to discuss integration of your systems for a more efficient response to lessen your risk.