Fires cause an untold amount of damage to property and lives every year. UK firefighters are called out to hundreds of thousands of emergencies annually, and there are still a high number of fatalities despite improving fire safety standards and response times. Considering the damage that fires can cause, both at home and in the workplace, it’s an area which can always be improved. The risk of fires is something that can never be eliminated, but fire safety standards can be raised thanks to technology and a better understanding of how fires develop.
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Technology has many applications in the world of fire safety, from implementing safety measures into the construction process of buildings to improving how firefighters are trained to respond to emergency callouts. In this article, we’ll explore some of the key ways in which technology is improving fire safety around the world.
Fire Alarms
Fire alarms are a crucial part of fire safety, alerting people to the presence of a fire and allowing them to respond according to training. While fire alarms have been used for hundreds of years, they’ve become significantly more advanced over time with innovations to technology. Modern systems use fire bells that are designed to be as loud as possible, warning those inside and outside the building.
In most cases, these systems will automatically trigger when detecting smoke or heat, allowing them to alert occupants even if they’re asleep. Fire alarm systems are fitted to homes and public buildings, and most countries have strong regulations about how they’re installed and tested. Modern fire alarms also often use flashing lights, alerting people with hearing difficulties.
Some fire alarms can even be linked to mobile devices, providing an instant alert to the device of anyone in the building in case the main alarm can’t be heard for some reason. This system ensures everyone can evacuate safely without issues, resulting in fewer people trapped inside the building as the fire spreads.
Extinguishing Fires
While evacuating is the safest choice when dealing with a large fire, small fires can be contained and extinguished before they have a chance to spread. The faster a fire is dealt with, the less damage it will cause, and the lower the risk of it spreading through the building. As a result, being able to extinguish a fire quickly is important and technology has helped provide more options to deal with fires.
Modern buildings are equipped with multiple devices designed to put out fires quickly in case of an emergency. These are often triggered automatically, meaning there’s no need for human intervention, lowering the potential risk of injury. Sprinkler systems are tied into sensors which detect heat and smoke, while some buildings may also have gas or foam systems depending on the type of fire that is most likely to develop.
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Firefighters
Firefighters are highly trained servicemen and women who are trained to respond to emergency callouts involving fires. They need to be able to arrive at the scene of the fire quickly, assess the situation and carry out the necessary procedures to save lives. It’s a job that carries a lot of responsibility, and involves danger too. Thankfully, technology can be implemented to make their jobs easier and ensure higher success rates.
Training is everything for firefighters, with the right techniques needing to be learned before they can be applied in an emergency situation. It’s difficult to properly simulate a fire, which is why firefighters train extensively in real life simulations. However, virtual reality is helping to make this safer and provide a wider range of scenarios for them to train in.
