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Paul Pope, Group Business Development Director at Global Fire Equipment reveals the top considerations to take into account when protecting hotels with detection systems 

Fire protection in hospitality is an industry that requires several key factors to be taken into consideration when designing and implementing any new systems into hotels. As is common knowledge, each building comes with different risks, evacuation routes and needs when it comes to fire equipment. This is largely down to the difference in layout, number of people who are inside and the level of intricacy that is required to meet the needs of the hotel. 

Here, Paul Pope, Group Business Development Director at Global Fire Equipment (GFE), delves deep into the key considerations when designing fire detection and alarm systems for hotels. 

Has GFE been involved in the design of many fire detection and alarm systems (FDASs) for hotels?  

Yes, over the years we have designed, supplied and commissioned FDASs for a large number of hotels globally, including some of the world’s largest hotel chains such as Radisson Blu and Vila Galé. 

What makes designing FDASs for hotels particularly complex? 

Depending on their size, hotels can be occupied by hundreds if not thousands of people 24 hours a day if you take into account the staff, guests and other visitors. This sheer volume of traffic and occupancy is a challenge on its own, but added to this is the fact that hotels often span vast areas, can include high-rise buildings or incorporate different types of connected buildings such as spas, health clubs, meeting rooms, restaurants, bars and children’s clubs, etc. Add all these factors together and it is easy to see why designing FDASs for hotels presents a number of unique challenges.  

What is the most important consideration when designing FDASs for hotels?  

I would say that clarity of communication about every fire event across the entire system is perhaps the most important consideration given the sheer scale of the FDASs required for larger hotels. To ensure the safety of a hotel’s occupants and staff, the fire detection and alarm control panels must be capable of continually monitoring each individual device on the system and logging every event. In this way, those responsible for monitoring and managing the system can take immediate action and respond – whether there is a genuine fire event, a false/unwanted alarm or a fault condition. The overarching objective is to provide for timely alarm notifications and the safety of all occupants in accordance with an evacuation strategy which should be designed and tested to avoid panic and confusion in exit routes.  

How can the design of the FDAS help to reduce the likelihood of false or unwanted alarms in hotels?  

Although it is difficult to completely eradicate false or unwanted alarms, one of the best ways to reduce the problem is by developing a robust emergency and management strategy as this will guarantee minimum inconvenience in the event of an alarm. It may also be necessary to work alongside safety specialists and authorities to develop a Transmission Delay approach in order to execute a well-planned phased evacuation strategy, alongside a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP). Today, thanks to the latest advances in fire detection technology and premises management, we are seeing much lower incidences of false alarms across the board.  

Should different alarm devices be used in different areas of a hotel?  

Yes, a one size fits all approach simply does not work for hotels as each hotel will present its own issues that need specific management. Take, for example, the accommodation. One of the main objectives of hotel owners is, understandably, to create soundproof accommodation that allows guests a good night’s sleep. It is therefore essential that each room is assessed for the type of guests in occupancy and fitted with adequate audible/intelligible alarms, visual Alarm Devices and, where necessary, vibrating devices. Communal areas such as restaurants and bars, on the other hand, should have dedicated wide area audible/intelligible alarm and visual alarm devices.  

Do different areas of a hotel also have differing sensitivity requirements?  

Yes, FDASs have to be designed to cope with differing levels of compliant sensitivity requirements, depending on the hazard within each particular area of a hotel. Each area needs to be protected with the right type of fire sensor. During working hours, for example, a kitchen area should have heat detectors or multi-sensors configured for heat only.  

And is the position of the control and indicating equipment important?  

Definitely. In the event of a fire event, both the hotel’s emergency team and first responders must be able to access the event information in strategic locations throughout the premises. This information can be delivered in a number of ways, including via SMS pager messages or the strategic placement of additional control and indicating equipment (repeaters), etc.  

In the case of hotel bedrooms, one of the most common mistakes made is placing detectors in the room’s entry hall, close to or in front of the bathroom door as this can result in false alarms due to water vapour/steam ingress in the detector chamber. In standard hotel rooms (from 15 to 30sqm), the ideal placement of a smoke detector is in the centre of the sleeping area. 

Do hotels normally have to close during upgrade works to their FDASs?  

Not necessarily. We are often involved in upgrade projects where the installation work has to take place in a ‘live’ environment where the hotel remains open to guests throughout the installation and commissioning. To facilitate this, our installation partners work closely with the management team at the hotel to undertake work area by area, clearing each area of hotel guests while works are underway.   

How important is resilient networking when designing FDASs for hotels?  

It is really important that specifiers incorporate a system survivability performance specification within the scope of works. The design, installation and type of system products used should be compliant and verified against the system survivability time specified. With the requirement of distributed systems, GFE has manufactured highly resilient networked fire detection and alarm systems since the company’s inception in 1994, using very robust physical layers such as enhanced fire-resistant cabling. We insist on using fully redundant multi-master peer-to-peer network technology which can be further enhanced in a mesh topology to increase the systems survivability rating.  

In our current range of fire control panels, we can achieve distributed architectures with up to 128 loops and we can network 64 of those with our top layer of Building Management System (BMS) monitoring. The sophisticated networking capability and the cause-and-effect software of our panels analyses exactly what is going on across systems to help provide invaluable information for decision making. 

Can you give an example of a hotel project where multiple panels were used to connect different hotel buildings?  

Yes. Last year we were involved in a project to design, supply and commission a new fire alarm system for the Radisson Blu Fujairah, a 5-star resort in the northeast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The chosen 9-loop system for the hotel complex comprises two panels. The first panel has four loops, each of which connects to 110 devices which cover the main four-storey hotel building and two other connected four-storey buildings.

The second control panel has five loops, each of which connects to more than 100 devices which cover the third connected four-storey building, the external areas of the three-storey health club, the two-storey diving centre, a bar and the four three-storey villas. In total, the system comprises 780 smoke detectors, ten heat detectors, 40 manual call points (MCPs), 100 input output modules, 50 sounders, two network cards and ten amplifier modules.  

For further information on Global Fire Equipment, please visit www.globalfire-equipment.com. 

During the summer of 2021, not only were the teachers at two educational settings preparing for the start of the new school year, but both school sites were undergoing a major upgrade to their life safety systems, and Hochiki’s market leading fire detection devices were the brand of choice.

Based in the Northeast of England, Darlington is home to two highly popular schools; Rydal Academy a vibrant primary and nursery setting for 2–11-year-olds and Longfield Academy offering outstanding secondary and sixth form education.

Both schools required modernisation in their life safety systems which would change the system from closed protocol to open protocol, allowing any qualified fire safety engineer to work on the system and devices rather than being fixed to one brand. For educational settings this can make the long-term use and ongoing maintenance of the system far more flexible and far more cost effective, particularly important when educational budgets are already stretched.

Hochiki’s ESP Intelligent range was prescribed for both schools. Designed and manufactured to the highest international standards, this range of projects specialises in false alarm reduction, is fully compliant and has a wide range of devices that work well within a school environment. Not only that, but the range has also extended addressing capability which can be extended from 128 to 254 for certain alarm devices, which minimises costs and allows for greater flexibility.

Optica Fire & Security Ltd won the contract to carry out the projects at both schools and Michael Shearon, project lead, said of the Hochiki products in stalled “we have a long-standing relationship with Hochiki, going back several years. We know the devices that we installed at both schools well and trust them for their reliability and ease of installation. Plus, for the end user they are cost effective and for us, should we need it, their technical support is second to none.”

Both school sites are large, but Longfield had the added complexity of networking across several spread-out buildings and over multiple floors inclusive of classrooms, staffing areas, dining area, school halls, library, a sports hall, and swimming pool, which all required new cabling as well as where appropriate the upgrade of the existing.

With the added pressure of the six-week summer holiday deadline looming this was quite a complex project for the team to undertake. As well as fire and repeater panel installation, there were over 800 Hochiki devices installed across both sites, with a life safety system designed to meet a category L3 requirement – the standard for school settings where there are lots of classrooms and corridors to consider, plus outside spaces.

Longfield also required the Hochiki devices to perform multiple functions, and the entire network was programmed for ‘cause and effect’ to include a class change system. Based on pre-programmed timetables, to signify the end of a lesson or lunch sessions for example, the Hochiki sounders would activate, utilising a different tone to the fire alarm. This is possible via enhanced controls within the ESP products that include variable volumes and tones that allow the system to be tailored to the application specifics.

Jon Quinn, Senior Consultant from RLB, the Building Management Consultant for the install at the school said: “The devices installed at both Rydal and Longfield Academies along with the highly professional team from Optica Fire & Security and Hochiki Europe, ensured a high-quality life safety system project was achieved with every deadline hit, and within the budgets set.”

Learn more about Hochiki Europe’s ESP range of fire safety devices.

Comelit-PAC has upgraded its entire fire system range with the launch of LogiFire, which represents a complete technical and aesthetic evolution of its innovative addressable platforms.

LogiFire, from newly formed Comelit-PAC, is guaranteed by a new range of control panels. The systems can be expanded from 1 to 8 loops and support up to 2000 devices on an 8-loop system and have a greater loop capacity of 700mAh. The panels are feature rich and have many onboard fault-finding diagnostics.

The stylish product design is a unique feature of the range, with carefully constructed lines and a neutral appearance to ensure fire safety has a natural blending with surroundings, without affecting the experience for visitors or staff on any site development.

Mandy Bowden, Fire Manager at Comelit-PAC commented: “This is a very exciting chapter for Comelit-PAC and a significant investment that we are looking forward to presenting to our fire installer customers. Whilst its core objective is to offer the latest compliance, it has also taken into account the need for style and latest technology.

“LogiFire prioritises reliability and performance levels that have allowed Comelit-PAC to consolidate its position as a central player in the fire detection sector. Its development has taken consideration of increasing reliance on integrated systems through the internet of things. It has taken careful planning and a close working partnership to achieve latest objectives for fire safety to meet discerning customer requirements.”

Logifire addressable system, has been designed to offer a simple to install, fire safety solution that is compliant with BS and EN standards. It is complemented with a new range of detectors, offered with award-winning designs to ensure systems blend with their surroundings.

Mandy concludes: “What LogiFire represents is the commitment of Comelit-PAC to research and develop our product portfolio, together with our pledge to remain close to our customers throughout the entire process, all leading to the creation of a new all-encompassing innovative system.

“Our in business together approach leads to solutions that encompass design and planning phase and takes into account requirements for commissioning and configuration. Together with our dedicated training programmes, from basic installation to full integration, customers can be assured that we are really ‘with you always’ from a sales and technical perspective.”

At least 27 people are feared dead following a fire at an office block in the Japanece city of Osaka that houses a mental health clinic. Footage taken by local news outlets showed firefighters tackling the blaze, which is now under control.

Although there has been no confirmation as to the cause of the fire, there has been reports that it could be the result of a possible arson attack.

The Osaka fire department revealed to AFP that 27 of the 28 people injured in the blaze showed no signs of life. However, so far only five people have been confirmed dead as in Japan only a doctor can certify a death.

Local media said in the afternoon that five people had been confirmed dead. 

Bosch Building Technologies completed the full acquisition of Protec Fire and Security Group Ltd. on November 30, 2021. Prior to this, the relevant antitrust authorities had approved corresponding applications. The corresponding agreements were signed on October 22 of this year.

With the acquisition of Protec, one of the UK’s leading system integrators for security and fire detection technology with an innovative product portfolio, Bosch Building Technologies is strengthening its European business. Protec has around 1,100 employees and, according to preliminary figures, generated annual sales of GBP 125 million (around 142 million euros) in the fiscal year 2021.

“We are very pleased to officially welcome Protec and its highly qualified employees as part of Bosch Building Technologies”, says Thomas Quante, president of Bosch Building Technologies. “We will learn from each other and share our respective expertise and many years of experience in order to jointly bring new innovative solutions to the market for our customers”, Quante adds.

Protec operates mainly in the UK and, under the brand Hacousto Protec, in the Netherlands and is headquartered in Nelson, Lancashire, UK. Here, the company also maintains its own development and manufacturing centre. Protec’s products and services are used in transportation and industry, among numerous other sectors.

Kentec Electronics, a leading manufacturer of life-critical control systems, has released its Sigma ZXT single-area extinguishing control panel for general purchase following full BETA field testing in the UK, Europe and South Africa demonstrating optimum installer and end user satisfaction levels.

New functionality, improved display and multiple configuration options for a targeted response to a fire incident further Sigma XT’s market-leading reputation for user-friendly reliability. 

Building on hundreds of thousands Sigma XT sales in nearly 90 countries, the Sigma ZXT provides controls and indications for a single-area extinguishing release system, enabling targeted extinguishing that limits damage and reduces costs. Three conventional detection zones provide the alarm ‘trigger’ required to activate the release of extinguishant, and the system can be configured to release the extinguishant on an alarm from any single zone or combination of multiple zones.

A new feature on the Sigma ZXT is the event log which records event data from the panel such as alarms, faults, configuration changes etc. along with a time and date stamp. This historical visibility is critical for diagnostics, identifying the cause of alarms and faults, as well as reasons for activations. Up to 1000 events can be stored within the panel which can be viewed through the LCD or can be downloaded and saved using Kentec’s LE2 software.

The system, compliant with EN12094-1, can also be configured to provide two extinguishing outputs, either working together as common outputs or as main and reserved outputs. The latter results in the connection to two sets of extinguishing gas cylinders, which enables the customer to return a system to a functional state, quickly, following a release.

Alien Systems and Technologies, based in South Africa, was one of the Kentec Authorised Distributors (KAD) involved in the BETA testing. It installed the Sigma ZXT at a Motor Control Centre (MCC) substation with a total of 15 Pyroshield IG55 cylinders and an Oil Lubrication Room using a Pyrostorm dry chemical powder automatic extinguishing system. Grant Wilkinson of Alien Systems and Technologies says the customer originally ordered Kentec’s Sigma XT panels, but was so taken by the ZXT’s extra features they decided to upscale:

“The key selling point was the secure event logger, and also compelling was the option of a programmable second actuation circuit meaning the customer can add rooms to the fire protection system as and when required.”

Summarising the business’ take on the ZXT, Grant adds: “Most of us here are Star Trek fans, you can see by the name of the company. I always like Romulan War Bird Disruptors. Now Kentec has a disruptor and it’s called the ZXT.”

Kevin Swann, Managing Director at Kentec, says the Sigma ZXT supports Kentec’s goal to manufacture products that make the lives of its customers easier, and they are thrilled, but not surprised BETA testing has been such a success:

“It is fully programmable through the front fascia, with clear password and access menu structures for easy configuration,” he says. “With straight-forward separate access for users and engineers the product is designed to be easy to use for both installer and end user. Single-area functionality enables targeted extinguishing that has clear cost benefits for the occupying business.”

A sophisticated, dynamic LCD, which supplements the LED status indicators, provides detailed information on panel status including fault conditions, alarm conditions and extinguishing release countdown. If dynamic mode is chosen, the display changes colour in relation to the panel status, providing immediate and clear visibility of status conditions. While not in dynamic mode, the LCD will be white regardless of status.

“To support our existing Sigma XT customers and the range’s market leading position, the Sigma ZXT is fully backward compatible with the existing SI status units, as well as the ancillary output card,” Kevin adds. “The Sigma ZXT is a complementary development, designed to build on the popularity of the Sigma XT range.”

A range of new status indicators that match the look of the Sigma ZXT panel fascia are also being launched, which are again fully functional with the Sigma XT range. Status units can be located at any access point to the risk area notifying approaching persons of system status, as well as providing optional Auto/Manual key switches and Manual Release pushbuttons.

Residents who live near a plastics manufacturer that caught fie on Friday are being asked to help clear the fallen debris after initially being asked to stay away from the scene.

Due to the size of the area, officials have struggled to clear the scene and are now asking for help from residents. Officials have also confirmed that any materials found will pose no threat to human life.

When the fire broke out initially, it caused explosions an smoke that were reported to have been seen from miles away. So far there has been no confirmed casualties, however, one employee of Leeson Polyurethanes Ltd is still missing.

24 firefighters needed to bring fire under control

Earlier this week, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that although 24 firefighters had fought to bring the blaze under control, the effort will continue in the coming days. A statement on their website read: “

The firefighting effort will continue for some time however and members of the public are asked for their continued patience and understanding for any disruption caused during the ongoing operation. Police investigations are continuing and a man still remains unaccounted for at this time.

“Whilst road closures and a police cordon remain in place, some roads have reopened and it is hoped that more will become accessible during the day.  People with businesses or cars within the cordon are now able to enter in order to make their property/vehicles secure.”

British firefighters are deploying urgently – at the Home Secretary’s request – to help Greece as wildfires continue to devastate parts of that country. Teams from Merseyside, Lancashire, South Wales, London and West Midlands fire services will fly to Athens this weekend.

The National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) National Resilience team is responding to a formal request from the Home Secretary to give operational assistance to Greece.

The team of experts will be deployed alongside their Greek counterparts in tactical firefighting. Any team sent by NFCC is entirely self-sufficient; ensuring that no additional burden is placed upon a country already suffering demands on its resources when faced with the aftermath of sudden onset disasters.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “I’ve seen first-hand this week the devastating wildfires ripping through Greece and the UK stands shoulder to shoulder with our Greek friends at this difficult time. “I’ve asked the National Fire Chiefs Council to send out a specialist team to provide support in responding to this emergency. I am immensely grateful to the brave firefighters for stepping forward and volunteering to help and their expertise will be invaluable in supporting the Greek emergency services.” 

Mark Hardingham, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, commented: “The UK Fire and Rescue Service will be offering support to our colleagues in Greece, along with their communities who need assistance during these devastating wildfires.

“NFCC’s National Resilience function is in place to deploy both in the UK and overseas – and the team is highly skilled at responding to extreme events such as these. We can offer professional and technical skills to our fire family in Greece at a time when help is needed; it is ingrained in the professional nature of FRS staff to assist.”

The fires are largely due to the country’s most severe heatwave in 30 years, with temperatures soaring to more than 40 degrees centigrade in some areas.  More fires are likely, with forecasts of strong winds and searing temperatures.

Previous deployments include Iraq, Turkey, Algeria, Pakistan, India, Iran, Mozambique, Indonesia, Haiti, New Zealand, Japan, Bosnia and Nepal.

Two people have died and more than 2000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes in Greece as wildfires caused by a severe heatwave continue to cause widespread disruption.

Apocalyptic scenes could be seen on the island of Evia, the second largest island in Greece, as the heavily forested island became engulfed by flames, destroying homes and causing locals to flee by boat.

Response to the fires has been difficult, with Greek responders struggling to cope with the increasing heat and intense flames as the devastation enters the second week. To help with the response, firefighters from the UK have now been sent to help assist a 570 person team already on the scene.

Teams from Merseyside, Lancashire, South Wales, London and West Midlands fire services arrived in Athens at the weekend. The National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) National Resilience team is responding to a formal request from the Home Secretary to give operational assistance to Greece.

The team of experts will be deployed alongside their Greek counterparts in tactical firefighting. Any team sent by NFCC is entirely self-sufficient; ensuring that no additional burden is placed upon a country already suffering demands on its resources when faced with the aftermath of sudden onset disasters.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “I’ve seen first-hand this week the devastating wildfires ripping through Greece and the UK stands shoulder to shoulder with our Greek friends at this difficult time.

“I’ve asked the National Fire Chiefs Council to send out a specialist team to provide support in responding to this emergency. I am immensely grateful to the brave firefighters for stepping forward and volunteering to help and their expertise will be invaluable in supporting the Greek emergency services.” 

Elsewhere in Europe, France, Egypt, Switzerland and Spain have also stepped in to assist, with some sending firefighting aircraft over in an attempt to douse the flames.

In Athens, the fires have died down and been brought under control, however, officials have warned that extreme weather conditions mean that there is still a chance that the fire could set again. The country is currently seeing its worst heatwave in three decades, with temperatures in the country consistently hitting 40C.

EU continues to mobilise assistance for Greece

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism have continued to support Greece and the rest of the Mediterranean as the risk to life has increased. Following requests from Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Italy and Turkey, the European Union has now helped mobilise 14 firefighting planes, 3 helicopters, some 1,300 rescuers and 250 vehicles.

In Greece alone, 9 planes, close to 1,000 fire fighters and 200 vehicles are currently being deployed. Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said: “We are mobilising one of Europe’s biggest ever common firefighting operations as multiple fires affect several countries simultaneously. This shows the need to prioritise crisis response also at European level. The EU stands in full solidarity with Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Italy and Turkey, at this difficult time. I am very thankful to all the countries who have offered help for their tangible solidarity. Our thoughts are with all those affected and with the first responders who are risking their live