The NFPA has reiterated that fire sprinkler systems should be installed according to NFPA 13D, the standard for one- and two-family dwellings and manufactured homes. Regardless of whether fire sprinklers are mandated in new one- or two-family dwellings by the use of a code or ordinance, or if sprinklers are installed voluntarily by the developer, builder or homeowner.
The intent of NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes, is to provide an affordable sprinkler system in homes while maintaining a high level of life safety. NFPA 13D is intended to prevent injury and life loss. It requires sprinklers to be installed in living areas, sprinklers are not required in smaller bathrooms or closets, pantries, garages or carports, attached open structures, attics, and other concealed non-living spaces.
The standard requires at least 10 minutes of sprinkler water on the fire in its initial stage of development. That controls the fire early, giving residents the time to safely escape and the fire department time to respond. A typical home fire will be controlled and may even be extinguished by the time the fire department arrives.
NFPA 13D has been around for more than 45 years and is constantly being reviewed, tweaked, and republished to reflect the latest in technology and our experiences with fires.
The 2022 Edition contains an important new feature, Annex B, to provide the fire service and other fire sprinkler advocates with informative tools to expand the use of installed sprinklers in new homes.
Annex B contains valuable resources for helping advocates educate planning officials, community leaders, developers, builders, and consumers about the value of home fire sprinklers in new homes. However, like all annexes within NFPA standards, Annex B in NFPA 13D is not a mandatory part of the standard and it would not be included as part of any incorporation by reference within a statewide code or local ordinance.
Annex B contains six important sections:
Community process and infrastructure
Site planning and development
Building construction
Community risk reduction
Environmental stewardship
Sustainability of homes and affordable housing
While the fire service and fire sprinkler advocates will recognize most, if not all, of the key points, resources and references contained within Annex B, this is the first time all this valuable information has been gathered and categorized in a single document.
The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) offers free resources based on the information in Annex B, that AHJs can use to educate stakeholders involved in new home developments. Visit www.HomeFireSprinkler.org/CRR for more information.
Mandy Bowden, fire manager, Comelit-PAC highlights how legislation and fire detection and alarm systems have evolved to enable tailor made solutions to meet individual smart building requirements
Fire safety is vital to consider in new buildings, construction, or refurbishment projects as early in the specification process as possible, to ensure systems can be designed in compliance with latest legislation and still blend with their surroundings, without losing their function.
Historically, fire safety design of buildings has been seen as a constraint to innovative design, but this needn’t be the case.
The future of fire detection and alarm systems is changing. From predictive advancements to sustainable technologies, there is now an opportunity to specify preventative protection systems tailored to each individual property together with their owners and users.
Setting the Scene
Successful fire systems design requires an understanding of a wide range of issues and components, and the interactions between them such as, fire source, smoke movement, heat transfer to the building structure, detection, human behaviour and toxicity.
Mandy Bowden.
Finding the right fire detection system and design is the most difficult task. And currently, this is set against time, budget and resource stretched personnel, who especially during the pandemic, had essential Government guidelines to comply, and fire safety found itself slipping down the agenda.
Yet the findings of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and Fire Safety Act 2021 (alongside the forthcoming Building Safety Bill) as part of the ‘biggest changes to building safety in a generation,’ demonstrate the importance of fire safety.
With its significant ramifications for those organisations considered “responsible persons” it highlights the need for compliance and the risk of enforcement powers and sanctions for those that do not prioritise fire safety.
Today’s global environment requires the fire and life safety industry to innovate with solutions, installing systems that can adapt to its environment and support and understand the specific needs of a building’s purpose.
It is down to consideration of these elements and all who occupy the facilities early in the specification process of any works programme, to determine the best technology and installation of compliant fire detection.
Fire systems by design
Above all else, fire detection is there to save lives; but the way in which systems are presented, will depend on their surroundings. Fire systems specification can begin as early as during the briefing and continue into the handover and close out stages.
Even then the need for risk assessments are essential to maintain on a regular basis, again, especially in line with new expectations of the Fire Safety Act 2021.
If fire safety is outlined in the initial design process, it can contribute to the smooth and efficient running of the building construction, which together with identifying design and consultancy services early on, can deliver on even the most demanding fire safety and security specification requirements, of today and the future.
The same is true for refurbishment projects, and change-of-use schemes. When you alter how a building is used, you also change the measures required to make it safe.
It’s not a case of one size fits all as different buildings need different approaches. Areas within those buildings also need to be treated differently – for instance, escape routes in a residential block (like public corridors and staircases), need greater fire protection than individual flats to allow people time to evacuate.
The best fire protection strategies consider the design of individual buildings and how they are used by occupiers, using both active and passive measures in a holistic approach.
Fire systems in education
Comelit-PAC was involved in an award-winning eight-form entry secondary school and sixth form academy, designed as part of a £100m development in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.
Designed by architects Bond Bryan and built by Chase Homes, Broxbourne School offers multiple educational buildings, including a new indoor sports hall, 3G football pitch, a multi-use games area for sports such as netball and tennis, together with The Broxbourne Music Centre.
Winner of the School Building Awards, presented by the Education Business Awards, the new campus, completed five months ahead of schedule, will cater to the 1,500 students aged 11 to 18, as well as the wider community.
By integrating fire safety into the specification detail, systems could be installed that
have the flexibility to expand with a facility or building requirement, to enable more to benefit from this ambitious new college.
The LogFire system.
Says Ben Lewis, of Matrix Fire & Security: “We knew instantly that Atena would accommodate the requirements of the school and blend seamlessly with the fabulous teaching and learning environment that has been created.”
What this demonstrates is when creating school buildings fit for 21st Century learning, holistic design principles must be adopted. While the Comelit-PAC Atena addressable panels represented just one component of this amazing new build, by being so easy to use, they provide an effective way to keep the school community, and the broader range of buildings’ users, safe and protected.
Fire systems in healthcare
Any fire detection technology must be strategically placed, unobtrusive and not affect the aesthetics or daily busy operations of the staff on site. And risk assessments were essential to maintain a safe environment.
This is also particularly essential in new hospitals and mental health facilities, where the focus is the use of natural light and bright, airy spaces, to positively impact both workforce well-being and where every part of the site is seen as potentially having therapeutic value.
Comelit fire specification
Comelit-PAC is evolving with the specification requirements of discerning end users, providing the products and services necessary for installers to meet burgeoning expectations.
Most recently, it 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 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.
Most of all, LogiFire prioritises reliability and performance levels. Its development has taken consideration of increasing reliance on integrated systems with security through the internet of things, leaving room for LogiFire to evolve to meet changing fire safety requirements.
In summary, many innovative building designs now utilise fire safety engineering rather than having to rely solely on functional-based codes. This approach can enable architects to achieve innovative cost-effective designs while meeting fire safety design needs.
The introduction of the stringent Fire Safety Act 2021, added extra pressures on Responsible Persons as accountable for reducing the risk of fires.
By considering fire detection and alarm systems early on in any works programme, establishing the facts about a building, its usage and purpose and engaging with experts through design and specification, project teams can ensure they navigate the issues safely and meet the needs of building users.
Comelit-PAC can help to incorporate tailor-made fire system design principles into a building design project without impacting on the function, aesthetics or appearance of the building.
The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) has joined the OneWISH Coalition, which unites organisations and women’s networks. These networks are all working towards the aim of improving the prominence and influence of women in health and safety.
Women make up 60% of NEBOSH’s senior leadership team and 65% of the all employees. Julia Whiting, Director of Marketing and Communications said: “Here at NEBOSH we have great female representation; I’m proud to work alongside some passionate and tenacious women that share the same determination I do to be the best they can be.
“By joining OneWISH it is my hope that NEBOSH will be able to amplify this message of inclusivity. We want to encourage and enable even more women – and people of all gender identities – to achieve their ambitions and contribute towards the progress of the health and safety profession.”
Anne Gardner-Aston, Chair of OneWISH added; “We are delighted that NEBOSH are becoming part of the OneWISH Coalition to support women in the health and safety profession. We look forward to working with them and supporting their efforts to improve inclusivity in our profession.”
The International Fire Chiefs Association has opened nominations for the IAFC Ben Franklin Award for Valor. Since 1970, the IAFC’s most prestigious award has recognized the spirit of service, courage and heroism that is a proud tradition among the world’s fire and emergency service. The program is named for one of the first fire chiefs in the United States, Benjamin Franklin. An inventor, statesman and humanitarian, Mr. Franklin was a prime contributor to the wealth of tradition that symbolizes the fire and emergency service worldwide.
Presented annually at Fire-Rescue International (FRI) by the IAFC and Motorola Solutions, the award honors a firefighter(s) for their expert training, professional service and dedication to duty displayed in saving human life. More than that, the program helps raise public awareness and support for the fire and emergency service.
“We look forward to honoring the award recipients at FRI 2022 and every firefighter nominated for their heroic actions,” said Chris Lonnett, vice president of Central Region Sales, Motorola Solutions. “Motorola Solutions takes great pride in supporting the Ben Franklin Award for Valor.”
All active firefighters, career or volunteer, are eligible for award consideration, whether the event occurred while on or off duty. They need only to be nominated by their fire chief for an incident in which they saved a human life.
An individual or a team of up to four may be nominated. The chief must submit the nomination via the nomination link. The incident must have occurred between April 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021, to qualify for consideration. All nominations are reviewed by a committee of IAFC members.
The 2022 nomination period closes June 15 at 11:59 PM ET. Winner and regret notifications will be issued in July.
The winners will be announced Monday, August 22, 2022 and honored on Thursday, August, 25, 2022 at Fire-Rescue International in San Antonio, Texas.
Johnson Controls has been named to the FT Climate Leaders in Europe list for a second consecutive year.
Europe’s 2022 Climate Leaders list recognizes companies across Europe that have shown the highest reduction of their emissions intensity between 2015 and 2020, which is measured by greenhouse gas emissions relative to revenue. Johnson Controls was one of only 400 companies selected from more than 4,000 across Europe.
“Being recognized by the Financial Times for a second consecutive year as a climate leader in Europe is a particularly meaningful and illustrious honor for us,” said Tomas Brannemo, vice president and president, Building Solutions Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America, Johnson Controls. “Sustainability has always been one of our key strategic pillars and as the critical climate change battle continues, it is important for Johnson Controls to keep leading the way in cutting emissions and delivering clean, smart and sustainable solutions for our customers and communities around the world.”
For the second time, FT and research firm Statista compiled a list of European invited companies that have achieved the greatest reduction in emissions intensity. Additionally, Statista analyzed publicly available data from financial and non-financial reports to determine Europe’s climate leaders.
Among the earliest industrial companies to report emissions and pledge emission reductions, Johnson Controls has made tremendous progress – reducing carbon emissions and energy intensity by more than 70 percent since 2002. It was recently named #1 in its industry group and #12 overall as one of the 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World and is one of just 45 corporations awarded the Terra Carta Seal which recognizes private sector companies who are creating genuinely sustainable markets.
While Johnson Controls reports their emissions in all three scopes, the ranking accounts for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions only since not all companies named to the list publish their scope 3 emissions. Since 2017, Johnson Controls has achieved a 38% reduction of scope 1 and 2 emissions, eliminating more than 415,000 metric tons of CO2e.
Research shows that almost 40% of greenhouse gases come from buildings, and as the EU seeks to become carbon neutral by 2050, Johnson Controls remains at the forefront of effectively turning the ambition into a reality through the decarbonization of buildings. Last year, the European Commission committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from their 1990 levels by at least 55% by 2030 under the European Green Deal. The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive will be an important pathway on how to drive down carbon emissions from buildings.
Through the deployment of its OpenBlue digital platform, Johnson Controls utilizes digitalization as a key enabler for the building renovation wave in Europe and the rest of the world. OpenBlue net zero solutions allow for the sustainable optimization of buildings, and Johnson Controls has seen a significant improvement in environmental impact by helping customers consume less energy, conserve resources, and identify pathways to achieving healthy, net zero carbon communities.
“Our Sustainability efforts boost our customers’ bottom line and help protect the planet by enhancing efficiency and cutting waste. We put the best technology to work so that buildings become flexible assets that are part of the smart, clean infrastructure needed to meet carbon reduction goals,” said Katie McGinty, vice president & chief sustainability and external relations officer at Johnson Controls. “Being at the forefront helping to drive efforts to tackle global climate change is part of our DNA, and we are dedicated to supporting a healthy planet, healthy people and healthy places.”
Johnson Controls continues to take significant steps to further improve its environmental impact and has committed to achieving net zero Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2040 – ten years ahead of the Paris Climate Agreement goal. By 2030, the company aims to cut its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 55 percent and Scope 3 emissions by 16 percent. These ambitious 2030 emissions reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.
In the aftermath of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, authorities in the UK decided to investigate several different facets of fire, life, and safety in buildings. Several companies were invited to give their technical expertise on the subject – these included experts in cladding, doorsets, panels, and fire evacuation routes to name a few. Secured by Design, a British based official police security initiative, that works to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings was also involved.
Alfie Hosker is the technical manager at Secured by Design (SBD) and writes about technical recommendations, and new guidelines that have come about following the efforts of the Grenfell Technical Group.
Hosker joined SBD in 2014 after serving for more than 20 years in the UK Police Service across many disciplines including CID, Stolen Vehicle Squad, Public Order, Neighbourhood Policing, Licensing and Crime Prevention. He also spent several years within the various Planning, Highways and Building Control Departments advising on Designing Out Crime, Counter Terrorism, enforcement, planning policy & applications. He studied at the Leeds University and later at Oxford Brookes University in the field of Crime Prevention. He is also a qualified teacher.
In his own words, Hosker recounts the work of the Grenfell Technical Group since 2018.
Enhanced security & fire performance of doorsets
Alfie Hosker
Post Grenfell, the government quite rightly called for further investigations and Secured by Design (SBD) took an active part as a member of the Grenfell Technical Group, which was set up in March 2018 to provide technical advice specifically on entrance doorsets to individual flats – which includes the door, associated frame and all component parts, such as the glazing and door hardware.
The Group, which included other not-for-profit organisations including the Fire Industry Association (FIA) and the Door and Hardware Federation (DHF), met frequently throughout the rest of that year. Our comprehensive technical findings were duly reported to government via the Grenfell Independent Expert Panel.
Building on the collective expertise and experience within SBD, FIA and DHF the three organisations took the unprecedented step of collaborating on a document entitled ‘Guide For Selecting Flat Entrance Doorsets’ which was published in March 2019.
Aimed at housing associations, landlords, building owners, developers and local authorities in England (but much of the advice is equally applicable to other countries of the UK, even though Building Regulations may differ slightly), the publication brings together the best collaborative advice available from the industry in one straightforward document to highlight the fundamental issues of fire safety and security for those selecting such doorsets.
Importantly, the publication makes the point that there is no conflict between fire and security with Building Regulations Approved Document B (fire) and Approved Document Q (security) carrying equal weight with neither taking precedence over the other.
The publication also covers
Why only factory produced doorsets can meet both Approved Document B and Q
What to look for in terms of performance for fire
What to look for with third-party certification for fire
What to look for regarding security
Other performance affecting flat entrance doorsets
Glazing considerations
Assessments – what to be aware of
Installation
Maintenance
Multi-occupancy buildings
Government advice to Building Control
Certification to include smoke control Currently doorset thresholds can legitimately be tested to BS 476-31.1 or BS EN 1634-3 with the threshold taped up, and be assigned an ‘S’ designation (according to the guidance within Approved Document B) or an ‘Sa’ classification (when classified according to EN 13501-2), as the threshold gap is effectively discounted in both instances. It is also possible to maintain designated smoke performances (i.e. S or Sa) when following the guidance given in BS 8214, which allows for a 3mm gap at the threshold in situations where fitting a threshold seal is not practicable.
It is the opinion of SBD that neither are acceptable in a ‘real world’ fire scenario. The former (taping up the threshold) proves nothing when the doorset is exposed to smoke in an apartment block and could therefore lead to smoke unnecessarily entering an area designed to be a safe haven. The latter (the 3 mm gap allowance) has been independently proven to allow smoke leakage of up to 10.5m3/h/m – three times the allowance of 3m3/h/m in the current Building Regulations. You can find out more about a series of tests commissioned by the Intumescent Fire Seals Association (IFSA) into this here: https://www.ifsa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IFSA-Fact-Sheet-02-v0321.pdf
As soon as we realised that smoke was at risk of not being treated in the same way as fire and security evidence, it was critical we sought to resolve this issue specifically for all Secured by Design Developments and by all doorset manufacturers recognised by us through our SBD Membership scheme. In early 2021 we secured agreement from all of the UK certification bodies working in this area to incorporate smoke control into their fire and security schemes for flat / apartment entrance doorsets.
With the safety and security of residents in mind, we have confirmed our requirements for all fire, security and smoke rated doorsets carrying SBD approval to the UK test and certification organisations – i.e. all smoke control tests – should be conducted with the doorset threshold un-taped, and furthermore the allowance of a 3mm gap under the door will also be unacceptable. Therefore, by summer 2022 SBD will require all member companies with doorsets listed on their SBD schedule that are fire rated and that are required by UK Building Regulations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) to have smoke control properties for the intended installation – e.g. flat entrance doorsets to be certificated for the following attributes – Security, Fire and Smoke Control. Thus, all SBD Fire, security and Smoke rated doorsets will require a thresh detail that enables the doorset to comply with the Building Regulation maximum requirement for smoke leakage of 3m3/h/m.
Firefighter in a fire and rescue operation.
SBD has committed to both promoting our requirements and to support other organisations lobbying for change in this important area. We are adamant that any doorset that carries SBD accreditation should be fit for purpose in all declared characteristics, but especially those that are life critical such as fire, security and smoke control. We are committed to saving lives and making homes safer places in which to live, work and play.
The ‘Guide For Selecting Flat Entrance Doorsets’ is currently being updated to include these new SBD requirements. You can have confidence in using this publication as an authoritative source of information, which will guide you through the complexities of an extremely important area of Building Regulations. The publication can be downloaded for free here:
Johnson Controls has acquired Xcell Misting Ltd, an expert fire protection company that designs and installs fire suppression and detection systems. Xcell Misting Ltd specializes in water mist technologies.
The acquisition will benefit Johnson Controls’ customers from Xcell’s expertise within fire protection and security, with access to the latest fire suppression technologies. Xcell Misting operates in a multitude of different sectors that include food, technology, data centers, high-hazard and gas turbines, car plants, residential, and waste management.
Xcell is headquartered in Norfolk, UK and employs fire professionals, engineers, installers and managers to design and deploy fire protection systems across the UK, along with providing support 24/7.
Sarah Dixon, general manager fire suppression UK and Ireland, Johnson Controls said: “Xcell Misting’s specialist watermist capabilities will allow us to maximise on our watermist opportunities, and in turn expand our current suppression offering to our customers.
“With a well-deserved reputation for the strong levels of customer care and expertise, we look forward to working with Xcell Misting Ltd’s talented team and welcoming them to the Johnson Controls family.”
In addition, Xcell Misting’s owners Kevin Musk, Andy Cooke and Deborah Bingham said: “This is a fantastic moment for all, including our employees who will to be part of a larger group with its associated opportunities and our customers who will continue to benefit from the best quality products and the best service at the best price. Xcell Misting will continue to thrive within Johnson Controls and the envisaged growth will be one that we can all be proud of as we move forward together.”
Nittan Europe, a manufacturer of conventional and addressable fire detection products – will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at this year’s FIREX International which is being held at London’s ExCeL 17-19th May. Nittan will be exhibiting its foremost products from the Evolution range, along with previewing several new additions.
The Evolution range combines reliable fire detection with a high degree of protection against unwanted false alarms. Evolution’s extremely flexible protocol is resistant to interference and allows for substantial amounts of information to be transmitted at high speed.
Evolution products on display at FIREX will include Analogue Addressable and Conventional detectors (including patented, award winning Dual Optical technology), plus Audio Visual Devices, Bases, Manual Call Points, Isolators and Modules. The latest addition to the Evolution range, making its debut at FIREX, is the EV-PYSVAD Visual Alarm Base for use with Nittan’s EV-PYS Photoelectric smoke detector. The new EV-PYSVAD is a Type A Indoor Beacon Base VAD with enhanced performance. It features 12 high power white LEDs which provide the required light output to meet the EN 54-23 Category C (Ceiling) certification requirements with a rating of C 3.0 x 5.0.
Also on display will be Nittan’s interactive touch screen evolution1 single loop fire alarm panel with intuitive menu structure, and the evo+ multi-loop EN54 Fire Alarm panel for larger systems. Both panel ranges have been designed to be flexible and powerful by incorporating the latest dual flash-based microprocessor technology. With a host of features for maximum flexibility and ease of installation and system set up, both the evolution 1 and evo+ ranges are compatible with the full range of Nittan Evolution analogue addressable fire detection devices.
The Nittan Group has supplied the international fire protection industry since 1954 and was formally established in the UK in 1972. A series of events are being held this year to mark Nittan UK’s 50th birthday, Nittan will be present at FI2330 at FIREX.
Sentry Doors is growing fast, driven by an absolute commitment to compliance and quality, its Managing Director, Ty Aziz, tells IFSJ.
Tell us about the legacy of Sentry and process of innovation over the last 33 years of existence… In the last couple of years however, the company has seen a step change in growth. First, we received considerable new investment from our partner, Cairngorm Capital. This enabled us to invest in our manufacturing facilities — new CNC machines, new paint lines, as well as the advancement of an additional facility across the road. We’ve also invested in testing, compliance, and accreditation — all the hallmarks our customers associate with Sentry Doors.
Most importantly though, we have invested in our people — bringing in new expertise to work alongside the existing management team and production staff to ensure that Sentry has the right resources to take it from strength to strength. This has resulted in new customers, typically housing associations, local authorities and their contractors who see the considerable benefits of our bespoke timber doorsets as they replace non-compliant fire doors. By choosing Sentry, customers always know they have the highest standards of certification in their fire doorset partner.
Reflecting that growth is the new look and feel of the Sentry logo which you might have seen out and about or online. We like to think of it as ‘same great company but with an updated look and feel’. We have a new website, new brochures to showcase our range of certified fire doorsets, as well as our certification portfolio to make it easy for customers to immediately focus on the testing or accreditation required — and you can even visit our factory virtually online. We’d rather people came in person though – the quality of our manufacturing really speaks for itself, plus we’re a friendly bunch.
Looking to the immediate future, Sentry has a stand at the upcoming Fire Safety Event in early April at the NEC. We’ll all be there, meeting customers old and new, and we’d love to tell everyone the Sentry story. It’s something we’re really proud of.
A great example of innovation was the ‘timber doors’ that were on display at Intersec 2022 which were high spec, and purpose-built fire doors. Tell us about the research and development of your products?
Sentry is a specialist provider of bespoke timber FD30s, FD60s doorsets, screens, and fanlights – that’s all we manufacture and consequently, we like to think we are experts! Every single doorset that leaves our factory is made specifically for a particular aperture — in order to ensure the highest safety standards and customer care, we manufacture each product specifically for an individual address, with a comprehensive choice of paint finish, glazing, security and ironmongery to complement it. Our Research & Development takes place at our facility in Doncaster, but it always has customers at its heart — we work closely with them to respond to their requirements. Budgets are whatever is required to keep us at the top of our industry.
Designed to offer peace of mind, our FD30s and FD60s doorsets undergo independent testing and approval from BM TRADA and Certifire standards. Both are certified by Secured by Design, and we are one of the few companies nationally to have achieved dual certification (Q-Mark Fire Door Manufacture and Q-Mark Enhanced Security) for both our FD30s and FD60s flat entrance doorsets. We were also the first fire and security door set manufacturer to hold the new UKCA mark, as certified by UK-approved body BM Trada. The standards, certification and compliance can be a complicated subject however, so we aim to provide ease via our certification portfolio, and we are always on hand to guide customers to ensure peace of mind.
Tell us about some of your major geographical markets, and expansion plans for 2022? Sentry has a history of serving London boroughs and their contractors — we’ve been involved in manufacturing fire safety doorsets for many of the major replacement programmes in the capital’s housing stock both pre and post the dreadful events of Grenfell. We also work widely across the rest of the UK — we have ongoing projects in the north of England, Scotland and the across the South-East. Let me put it another way: if you’ve got a project that requires fire safety doors in the UK, you ought to be partnering with Sentry!
What are some major trends in the fire door market, and what can we learn from them? The trend is clearly towards ensuring only the highest standards of fire protection: that means timber because of its clear safety advantages over other materials, it means bespoke, because UK housing stock is diverse and not standardised like other markets.
Most importantly, it is about making sure that the choice you make is tested to the extreme and then certified to show that the specific doorset will protect people in the face of disaster. Those who specify and procure fire doors are absolutely committed to avoiding another disaster, and so is Sentry. That’s not so much a trend as the only right way, of course.
Sentry had previously predicted a 30% increase of “production operatives over the next 12 months”. How confident are you about your growth in 2022?
We’re growing really fast, and we are looking for more great people who share our ethos to join us: it could be more than 30% in 2022 and beyond. We are consistently recruiting in our factory, training, and developing people to achieve our manufacturing quality through open days, via our website and more. As more and more customers understand the benefits of the Sentry solution, we have invested in another CNC and a new paint line as well as expanding into our capacity across the road from our main factory. We also have opportunities in business development, customer service and more — so anyone who shares our values and wants to be part of the exciting Sentry story, do get in touch.
In conclusion, I would like to tell your reader: Sentry is growing from strength to strength as the secure choice in fire safety doorsets. We look forward to meeting people from across our industry at the Fire Safety Event — we’ll have a prominent stand but do please contact us if you would like to book an appointment in advance. It will be great to tell you the Sentry story in person.
The Kent Fire and Rescue Service, in South England embarked on its Fight Against Fire mission, to install and test as many smoke alarms as possible in one day, in homes across Kent and Medway.
Hundreds of uniformed firefighters with ID knocked on doors offering free home fire safety visit service, to help keep people safe.
Someone who fully supports the initiative, and owes his life and the lives of his family to working smoke alarms, is 40-year-old Dominic Plumb from Maidstone.
During a game of charades after dinner, with his wife, Nicki, his parents and his two teenage sons, Dominic heard the smoke alarm sounding.
“My first thought was ‘what is Nicki cooking now, we’re so full from dinner’ – thinking the oven had triggered the alarm” said Dominic.
“I went into the hallway to stop the beeping and it wouldn’t go off. Then the upstairs one started to sound as well so I went to take a look up there.
“I smelt smoke coming from one of my son’s bedrooms, opened the door and immediately felt extreme heat and then saw the bed was on fire and flames spreading across the room. I straight away realised how bad it was and closed to door to hold the fire back from the rest of the house.
“I got everyone outside, and then we heard a loud bang as the windows blew out.”
Dominic called 999 just before 7.30pm and six fire engines, a height vehicle and the volunteer response team swiftly arrived at the scene. Crews tackled the blaze, however there was considerable fire damage to the bedroom, landing and roof space, and smoke damage throughout the upper floor.
Dominic said: “The fire service came really quickly and they were amazing. They were very reassuring and supportive.
“Luckily no one was hurt though, and we really have the smoke alarms to thank for alerting us early on, before the flames could break through the bedroom door and spread around the house – without working smoke alarms we might not have realised until it was too late to escape safely.
“It’s really scary to think if the fire had started just a few hours later, my son would have been in that bed.”
The cause of the fire has been linked to an electrical fault with a charging docking station device placed on the bed, which was in use for the first time having been a stocking filler gift opened just that morning.
Since the blaze, the Plumb family has moved between six properties, while their home is restored.
Dominic said: “The thing we have learnt from this awful experience is that smoke alarms save lives. Also never leave anything charging on a bed, and avoid charging items overnight or when you’re not around – top tips from the firefighters that we will now be living by.”
