Winter Fire Protection From Argus Fire

With the cooler climate now taking full effect, the extra blankets are coming out, waterproof jackets are being worn, and heaters are getting cranked to their highest temperatures. The increased usage of heating equipment this season makes it important to reconsider our stance on fire safety. Ill-maintained heating units and gas heating appliances can be dangerous to loved ones trying to stay warm at home this winter.

It is advisable to have any heating equipment installed by a qualified tradesperson, and any maintenance for heating equipment conducted by a qualified tradesperson. It is also important to have gas heating appliances checked by a qualified gas fitter, and flues and chimneys should be maintained by a professional yearly. Winter is also an important time to re-evaluate and check any fire detection devices and fire safety equipment, such as smoke alarms and fire extinguishers.

Argus Fire Protection offers an extensive range of fire alarm systems ranging from simple manual fire alarm systems through to complex and integrated systems, employing the latest technology for larger buildings. Their design team are able to tailor a solution to meet their clients’ specific needs.

There are two generic types of fire alarm system in use; these are the traditional conventional alarm systems and the newer more advanced analogue addressable alarm systems. Conventional systems are essentially simple switches that are either ‘on’ or ‘off’. They cannot distinguish between a real fire and the various non-fire phenomena that can trigger an alarm such as tobacco smoke, dust and steam. With conventional systems the control panel is only able to indicate the zone or circuit that an activated (or faulty) detector is on, they cannot identify the individual device.

Analogue addressable systems have constant two-way communication between the control panel and the detectors in the field. Each detection device on an analogue addressable system has its own unique address within the system and the control panel is able to identify each device individually in the case of a fire or a fault.

The increased intelligence associated with analogue addressable systems allows for them to have greater sensitivity to fire with greater immunity to false alarms. The key components of the fire alarm system are the control panel, detectors and alerting devices.

For more information on Argus Fire and their products and services, please visit the website at http://www.argusfire.co.nz .