BRIDGING THE SAFETY GAP WITH TEMPORARY FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS

29 Mar 2022

When a permanent fire safety alarm system fails, a temporary solution must be sourced quickly to prevent a gap in protection while it is being fixed or replaced.

Challenging scenarios are becoming more common for building owners. Whether that is damage to a permanent fire alarm system that leaves it in need of repair, or unexpected malfunctions that mean a replacement is necessary.

A temporary system is a quick solution that will afford building owners precious time and peace of mind while any issues are being resolved with the permanent system. This is important as repairs or replacements are not always immediate due to time, financial, or other logistical constraints.

Here, we take a deeper look at some of the scenarios a wireless fire alarm can add value as a temporary solution.

Damage controlRepairing or replacing a damaged permanent wired fire alarm system can be a lengthy process. The good news is that a wireless system does not require the same sort of installation. In fact, wireless solutions can be set up in minutes and in some instances can be rented out at short notice. For example, Ramtech was able to successfully install a WES wireless fire alarm system to enable a school in Bonn, Germany, to quickly reopen after flooding damaged the existing fire alarm.

The show must go onFor time sensitive events, a temporary fire alarm system can make all the difference if the permanent system fails at short notice. In fact, the safety net offered by a temporary solution allowed the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center to avoid cancelling its highly anticipated opening night, when a week before an electrical fault damaged the permanent fire alarm system. Waiting to rewire the permanent system would have thrown the entire show scheduling out of sync and cause a logistical nightmare as performances and tickets would have to be rebooked or refunded. By opting for the WES temporary fire alarm system this meant that the performances could go on as originally planned, while the permanent system was fixed.

The ability to reopenTo avoid closing a building due to safety concerns, a temporary wireless system is an ideal solution. For example, an auditorium within a famous theme park in Florida had issues with its fire system, which meant that the attraction was not protected and therefore could not be opened to the public for safety reasons. Within just 72 hours a temporary WES system was able to be installed to protect the area while repairs were made to the permanent system. The alternative would have been to close the attraction for a lengthy period, which needed to be avoided to ensure that park patrons could continue to enjoy the attraction.

Planning aheadNot all wireless fire alarm systems need to be specified in an emergency, in fact a temporary wireless fire alarm system can, and should be, factored into the planning for use during periods of building and construction works.

Making sure that a temporary fire alarm system is used on-site while the construction phase of a project is happening, and the permanent solution is waiting to be installed, is essential. Fires during construction, whether accidental or via intentional arson, must be monitored at all times to protect the lives of workers and safeguard the building investment. During construction, wireless systems can be placed anywhere on the site and moved if required. The WES3, for example, can be mounted onto temporary surfaces or onto trolleys that can be provided.

All current WES systems are fully EN54-25 compliant wireless fire, evacuation, and emergency alarm system engineered to meet the unique fire safety challenges associated with construction sites and other industry sectors.

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