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Making the Most of Fire and Smoke Detection Equipment

Protect workers and machinery by choosing the best fire detection equipment for your needs

By Leah Kuriluk
Fire and smoke detection equipment keeps your workers and facilities safe. While basic fire prevention equipment and techniques can suffice, its best to optimize your fire detection equipment. This can be as simple as hiring a smoke alarm company to monitor your property or as as detailed as creating your own evacuation plan.

Making the most of fire and smoke detection equipment can save your life and the lives of your employees by alerting authorities and those inside. Often, this can be accomplished by simply using smoke detectors with exit signs attached. You can also improve your building's safety by using both smoke and fire detectors. Because they detect fires in different ways, you're more likely to get an early warning.

1. If you have smoke detectors or fire alarms with exit or arrow signs attached, make sure they point the way to the most effective exit. Confusingly labeled exits can complicate evacuations in an emergency.

2. Smoke alarms that use both ionization and photoelectric work best to detect multiple types of fires.

3. If your smoke and fire alarms are wired into the electrical system, make sure a backup generator is available to power them in a blackout or emergency.

 

Invest in a custom fire safety system from a fire detection company

Many companies specialize in designing disaster prevention equipment, like smoke detectors, for businesses. This usually includes custom fire and smoke detection systems, which are tailored for the business. These companies use their expertise to install the safest system possible for you and your company. Customized alarm systems often include features like voice instructions, color coded alarms and fiber-optic support. Usually, alarms in a custom setup are linked, ensuring prompt evacuation from all parts of the building.
Try: Get a custom smoke and fire detection system from Protection One or Notifier.

Use a monitoring service to aid in detecting smoke and fire

Some security businesses offer to monitor your smoke detection systems for a fee. In most cases, this ensures that someone is watching your building twenty-four hours a day and will promptly alert the fire department and police if there is a problem. This kind of monitoring works well for companies with expensive equipment or goods, as smoke detector companies will call the fire department even if you're not there.
Try: Check out the monitoring services available from Monitronics, or get smoke and fire monitoring from ADT.

Buy smoke alarms with a test button or use a smoke alarm testing equipment

Some smoke alarms have a button on them that allows you to test the sensor and alarm. This makes it easy to ensure that your smoke alarms are working, and tells you when to replace the battery. Some even provide a light that indicates whether the alarm has power. Generally speaking, smoke alarms should be tested at least every six months to make sure they are working correctly. If your smoke alarms don't have a test button, you can use smoke alarm testing equipment from smoke detector manufacturers to check your smoke alarms.
Try: Check out these smoke alarms with test buttons from Ace Hardware and Aubuchon Hardware.

 

  • If your business have security and toxic gas monitoring already, look into combining those services with fire prevention monitoring. Often, security companies offer package deals to monitor a property for all three for less.

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