Fire Alarms

Of the most important fire safety devices, available in reasonable price, is the Fire Alarm. Responsible for saving countless lives and property, fire alarms have been a “basic” in any home/building security systems package since the late 70’s, and still are now.

A fire alarm is an example of one of the components (there are three) of structural fire protection. There’s the active fire protection system, the passive fire protection system, and fire protection education system. Fire Alarms refer to active fire protection devices.

Active Fire Protection

When active fire protection is talked about, the active refers to devices which are “activated” either electronically or mechanically and require a certain amount of activity, electricity, motion and/or heat for their successful operation. Automatic sprinklers would be a good example, where water is held back by the sprinkler bulb, waiting for the alarm to be triggered. The commonly seen smoke/fire detector would also be another good example, again waiting for the presence of smoke to activate the device’s alarm, which uses the presence of smoke to indicate the potential of a fire.

Active fire protection components can be divided into two. There’s the manual active fire protection device, as well as the automatic fire protection device. Those devices commonly labeled “Break Glass In Case Of Fire” are solid examples of manual active fire protection devices, given that a person is needed to activate the alarm system upon visual confirmation of a potential fire risk (if not a fire). Smoke detectors are examples of automatic active fire protection devices. Smoke detectors detect the presence of smoke. Upon detection, a sprinkler system could be activated and/or an alarm could be heard addressing the potential fire that caused the smoke. These devices are commonly installed in ceilings (due to the nature of smoke, that is to rise upwards), and come in various forms and with various functions.

Passive Fire Protection

The second component of the three that make up structural fire protection, Passive Fire Protection aims to contain fires, or delay the spread of fires by utilizing fire resistant walls, and doors.

Tests are conducted to see just how “fire resistant” installed walls and doors are, to see just how they’d fair out in a real fire situation.

Simply installing devices that detect fire isn’t enough for overall safety. The use of fire resistant walls and doors come as life savers in the event of a fire.

Fire Protection Education

Remember those old G.I. Joe cartoons? If you don’t (or to refresh your memory), in the end of the show, a short part is dedicated to some safety tips that can be applicable at home. The segment ends with a saying that goes: “Knowing is half the battle.”

When it comes to overall fire safety, knowing is indeed half the battle. Fire Protection Education, aside from just installing fire alarms, or fortifying your home with fire-proof beams and walls, greatly decreases the event of fire. Taking the necessary measures leading to proper fire safety is more than enough. Having the best fire alarms installed at home is nothing compared to arming yourself with the knowhow in fire prevention. Installing a fire alarm at home doesn’t mean your place is safe. It simply means you’ve got a device that’d let you know if there’s a fire (of if there’s a risk of it, for that matter).

Presence of mind and common sense are the best things all one has to use to prevent fire accidents. Fire alarms simply fortify these human values to their best, ensuring peace of mind, if not confirmation, that all’s well at home by the time you get back from work.