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Why You Need Smart Fire & Life Safety Systems for Your Home or Business

Why You Need Smart Fire & Life Safety Systems for Your Home or Business

Monday, 02 July 2018 15:42

People often think of fire alarms as simple mechanisms. You see a fire, you pull the trigger, the alarm sounds, and everyone evacuates, right? Yet this requires someone to see the fire in the first place. What if it's happening out of the way, in an area where no one's working at that moment? What kind of fire alert system or life safety system works more effectively?

Earlier Detection of Fires

Detectors have more capability than they've ever had before. They can provide much earlier warning with more accuracy and fewer false alarms. Basic smoke detectors are useful: they provides a solid baseline for detecting a fire. But it can be prone to faults and false alarms, especially in environments with dust and grit. They may alert you about a fire later in its progression, meaning it's already spread. They're good – but they can be improved upon.

More advanced systems can detect fire, smoke, and even carbon dioxide levels that fire produces. This makes them more well-rounded and flexible to fit a variety of environments. They can often detect fires more quickly, leading to better chance of containing and suppressing flames and avoiding a larger disaster.

Smoke detectors and fire alarms are localized, triggering the building alarm only through registering smoke or heat or when manually pulled.

More Information About Emergencies

Today's residential and commercial fire safety systems can collect and pass on information. For example, firefighters can locate where the fire is and what the best – and safest – approach to fighting it is via the system’s alerts. This is especially useful in locating survivors, stopping the fire from spreading, and saving valuable and even entire areas.

The more information firefighters have about the type of fire and how it's spread, the more quickly they can contain and extinguish it before it causes more injury or damage.

Technology now allows much quicker detection of fires. In areas where there might be flammable materials or open flames, such as storage spaces or kitchens, more advanced fire monitoring can be employed.

This early detection capability can provide more warning and evacuation time. It also allows emergency services to engage the fire earlier in its life, before it's had a chance to spread as far. This is especially useful for large homes, buildings with multiple residences, and commercial spaces.

Assisting Your Response

Fire alert systems can also tie into your mobile devices. You’ll be able to receive notifications if you're away from your home or place of business.

Certain types of mass notification can also be tied into this. A fire alarm can automatically request through mobile devices that all employees check in once they're safe, or it can send instructions to employees' phones about where the fire is and the best exits to use.

Reducing Liability Claims

One of the biggest advantages of a comprehensive commercial fire and life safety system is how much it protects you outside of just fires and medical emergencies. It also protects you from liability claims and decreases your insurance premiums.

Liability claims are more successful when a business hasn't taken adequate steps to prevent the situation. If your life safety coverage is only partial, your insurance coverage for that liability claim may also be partial.

Better Coverage, Reduced Premiums

As mentioned, a more complete fire and life safety system can reduce your insurance premiums. Insurance companies charge rates according to their risk. The fewer precautions you implement for emergencies such as a fire, the more risk they're taking on. Your rates will reflect that.

If you have a complete and proven system in place, not only are you protected in all these other ways, but your insurance rates will also be lower since the insurance company is taking less risk. You'll also be able to get better insurance coverage for the price. A better plan means if something does happen, the insurance company will be more likely to cover a higher percentage of any damages.

Unexpected events like a fire can be better guarded against with modern technology. Earlier detection means smaller fires that are more easily extinguished. What happens afterward can be better managed. If you're in a state of shock, you can use automation to ensure you still take the right steps to protect everyone.

From injury and damage-prevention to reduced financial burden, residential and commercial fire and life safety systems simply make sense.