Fire

Each year fire is responsible for millions of pounds of loss and damage within the UK and billions worldwide, not to mention the often sad loss of life which can have devastating effects on families and businesses.

Naturally, therefore, many properties are required by legislation to install and maintain appropriate fire alarm systems and equipment. European Community directives suggest that, in the near future, such legislation will be increased with even those properties not currently required to have a full fire alarm system to BS 5839 standards, required to provide basic detection systems. Other countries have or are bringing in similar requirements.

Whatever your particular requirement, be it a simple conventional system or a complex analogue addressable system, it is important to choose a company who understands the requirements and has the technical ability and resources to undertake the project. The company must have the support service to ensure compliance with requirements both during installation and for ongoing maintenance. Westminster is such a company.

When a fire alarm installation is required the customer or organisation is often faced with a bewildering array of decisions. For example, is compliance with British Standards necessary? If so, is it B.S.5839 Part 1 or Part 6? Is B.S.6266 or B.S. 7273 relevant? What category of system is called for? M,P or L? Type 1, 2 or 3? What grade of system is required? A - F? Is compliance to LPS 1014 required? Is the system to alert the fire brigade and if so by what method? Westminster can assist with all of these questions and many others, as well as liaising with the local fire officer and insurers as necessary.

Of course the early detection of a fire is just part of a fire risk reduction strategy - once a fire has been detected occupants will need to be alerted and if necessary, evacuated whilst simultaneously the fire should be suppressed and extinguished.

Occupants can be alerted by a number of different methods such as traditional fire bells and sounders together with visual indicators such as 'fire strobes' in areas of high ambient noise. Consideration should also be given to the hearing impaired and Westminster can advise on and supply a number of systems especially designed to warn the hearing impaired and deaf persons of any fire alert and of the need to evacuate the building. In addition Westminster can supply PA/VA voice evacuation systems and emergency lighting systems to assist with the safe evacuation of any building or complex.

Westminster can also supply a wide range of gas extinguishing systems to suit almost any risk as well as the revolutionary OxyReduct® system which is not an extinguishing system but a total fire prevention system ensuring an area is constantly protected and a fire cannot even start - ideal for sensitive or risk environments such as computer centres, IT rooms, telecommunication centres, bank vaults and even vulnerable warehouses.

Heat and smoke detection, flame detectors, smoke beams, air sampling and wire free systems, automatic door and ventilation operations, intrinsically safe systems, controls, mimics, audio and visual warnings, gas extinguishing and OxyReduct® inert fire suppression, together with remote monitoring and fire brigade signalling systems - whatever the requirement Westminster have the experience and the answer.

Services include:

• Analogue Addressable Systems

Analogue Addressable Fire Alarm Systems differ from conventional systems
in a number of ways and certainly add more flexibility, intelligence,
speed of identification and scope of control. For this reason Analogue
Addressable Fire Alarm Systems are the natural choice for larger premises
and more complex system requirements.
 
• Conventional Systems

'Conventional' Fire Alarm Systems, in their various forms, have been around
for many years and have changed little in that time in terms of technology
although design and reliability have improved significantly. However,
Conventional Systems are a well-proven technology protecting many hundreds
of thousands of properties worldwide.
 
• Smoke Detection

There are principally 3 types of smoke detection device :-
• Ionisation Smoke Detectors
• Photoelectric Smoke Detectors
• Infra Red Smoke Detectors

All of which are available in either conventional or addressable formats.
 
• Heat Detection

Heat Detectors generally fall in to two categories - Fixed Temperature
Heat Detectors and more commonly, Rate of Rise Heat Detectors.
 
• Flame Detection

Flame detectors are ineffective for slow smouldering fires where traditional
smoke detectors would be more suitable however flame detectors will generally
respond far quicker to rapidly developing fires such as combustible gases
and liquids etc.
 
• Gas Extinguishing

Combustion takes place when fuel, oxygen and heat are present in sufficient
quantities. For a fire extinguishing system to be effective one of these
elements needs to be removed.
 
• OxyReduct^® - Overview

All current forms of fire detection and extinguishing rely on one simple
fact - a fire must have already started. No matter how good the fire protection
is, some damage will occur. The ultimate form of fire protection is thus to
prevent fires from happening in the first place, which is how OxyReduct^®
differs from all other traditional systems.
 
• OxyReduct^® - Total Fire Protection

Installing OxyReduct^® means the area is protected by the most effective
fire prevention system available because a fire simply cannot occur - period!
 
• Duct Detectors

It is sometimes necessary to monitor ventilation ducting etc. for the presence
of smoke in order to prevent the spread of fire from one area to another by
early detection.
 
• Beam Detectors

Beam detection has become commonplace within large open warehouses. The
product is cost effective when compared with using point detection and
suitable for heights way above the operating limits of conventional smoke
detection.
 
• Wire Free Systems

Westminster's extensive product range provides wire-free solutions for all
types of installations including fully integrated networked systems. Wire-free
products include Fire Detection, Security, Voice Evacuation, Personal & Asset
Protection, CCTV, BMS, Temporary Protection and Personnel Zone Location - the
most extensive wire-free product range available today.
 
• Air Sampling

ClassiFireT is the most comprehensive intelligence found in a smoke detection
system to date. Not only does it determine the maximum reliable sensitivity
for the environment, but is also controls the dust separator monitoring for
maximum efficiency.
 
• Intrinically Safe Systems

In a world of ever-increasing industrial complexities, control of potentially
explosive atmospheres has become vital, not least in terms of Fire Detection.
There is little purpose in having a Fire Warning & Evacuation System if that
very equipment itself causes an explosion to take place.
 
• Remote Monitoring

It is always an important element of any fire, safety and security system
that once the system has detected any situation a prompt and appropriate
response is achieved.
 

Supply and Commission

Westminster are also able to offer contractors and clients a technical support service together with equipment supply, project management and commissioning, if required.

For more information - please click here to contact us.