In any organization, each employee has a specific role or responsibility that is critical to their success. For example, an HR executive works to maintain employee wellness, while the IT manager keeps the technology equipment up to date. This microcosm of different individuals, skill sets and goals is what makes the company successful, and offers a very valuable lesson to learn.
This same idea applies to the range of fire safety tools used in both public and private spaces. Each tool—whether a fire extinguisher, fire sprinkler system or even a simple smoke alarm—plays a role in your safety. When you have all the right fire protection equipment in place, you provide security and peace of mind to anyone who enters your building.
At A&A Fire Protection Services, our specialty is designing, building and installing a comprehensive fire sprinkler system, but we understand there’s more to the picture. Here’s our breakdown of all the different fire protection tools you should consider implementing:
Fire Sprinkler System
A fire sprinkler system is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment in your building. There are varying degrees of customization that exist within the design of your system that can suit the specific need of your building. At a base level, there are four main fire sprinkler types that may be required: water pipe fire sprinkler systems, dry pipe fire sprinkler systems, pre-action fire sprinkler systems and deluge fire sprinkler systems. Within these systems, elements like the sprinkler head, cover or external finishes can all be customized. Prioritize working with experts, like the team at A&A Fire Protection, to ensure that your system is well-designed for operation and fire detection.
Smoke Detectors and Alarms
Smoke detectors and alarms play an essential role in helping identify a fire and alert any individuals in the building for evacuation. Different fires can produce different types of smoke, therefore making it important to analyze if there is a need for multiple smoke detector types. Smoke alarms respond to fires in two ways:
- Ionization smoke alarms: respond faster to the smoke from a flaming fire.
- Photoelectric smoke alarms: respond faster to the smoke from smoldering fires.
No matter the alarm you install, make sure to regularly test your equipment to ensure your equipment fully-operational and responding accurately.
Fire Extinguishers
There are different types of fire extinguishers that can be purchased for your space, and depending on your needs, you may need only one or a combination of the types. The categories for the different types of fire extinguishers are broken down into four main classifications:
- Class A extinguisher: these extinguishers are used to put out standard fires in ordinary combustibles (i.e., wood or paper).
- Class B extinguishers: these extinguishers are used for flammable liquids, including things like grease or oil.
- Class C extinguishers: these extinguishers are used only in cases of electrically energized fires.
- Class D extinguishers: these extinguishers are used with any type of flammable metal.
Plan to purchase your fire extinguishers based on the specific risks present in your building—but remember that it’s better to be over-prepared in an emergency, having more than one kind of extinguisher available at all times.
Public Access Safety Kits
Finally, make sure you have all their right first aid tools available in the building in case of an emergency. This can include a number of items from gauze bandages to burn ointment or simple band-aids. When a fire occurs, your first response should be to evacuate the building and call first responders (911). Once you have done so, you can safely treat any wounds sustained in the evacuation with your first aid kit before EMTs arrive. Remember to maintain a safe distance from the building, and do not return to the site until cleared by the first responders.
