The British Fire Consortium is the UK’s largest fire trade association, comprising nearly 250 independent member companies. BFC members work closely with local authorities, the fire service and private commercial clients, and much of their business is specified by fire officers and building control departments.
Coventry based member, Phoenix Fire, is typical of many members offering a broad range of fire safety services including the production of fire risk assessments, now a mandatory requirement for nearly all organisations under the latest fire legislation. The company also specialises in one area of special relevance to schools, namely the installation and maintenance of sprinkler systems.
Increasingly specified by authorities, a sprinkler system is the only device which can detect a fire, sound the alarm, call the fire brigade and control or extinguish a fire all at the same time. Research completed by the BRE on behalf of the government has looked at the benefits and effectiveness of sprinklers in residential accommodation. In the majority of test scenarios, the addition of sprinklers proved effective in potentially reducing casualties in the room of fire origin and connected spaces. The most common cause of fire related death is from smoke inhalation. Sprinklers dramatically reduce the amount of smoke created as they attack the fire in its early stages and, because sprinklers wash the larger particles out of smoke, its density and toxicity is reduced. Each sprinkler head is individually activated by the heat of a fire and, in the majority of cases, only one head will be triggered which will be sufficient to extinguish most fires. A key barrier to the adoption of sprinkler systems used to be the fear of water damage – but domestic fire sprinklers only spray 10 – 15 gallons of water per minute. When this is compared to a fireman’s hose which delivers 250 – 500 gallons per minute it’s clear which will cause most damage.
Paul McTurk, Managing Director of Phoenix Fire, cites fear of arson in schools as the key driver of most current local authority sprinkler specifications, a trend he has witnessed over the last five years. “We’ve fitted systems at schools which have suffered serious fires occurring in school holidays because a sprinkler system is the only way to protect premises when they are empty,” he explains. “However this peace of mind represents a significant investment as a system comprising 1500 sprinkler heads - a typical number installed across a large secondary school premises - can cost up to £350,000. Primary schools installations may comprise 250 – 300 heads.”
A further consideration is the cost of two maintenance visits each year, the first of which has to include a full system overhaul and pump service. These visits have to be backed up by recorded, weekly testing by the premises’ own maintenance team. It’s also important to note that the installation of a sprinkler system will not relax the requirement for other fire safety measures such as fire alarms and portable fire extinguishers. However, the installation of a comprehensive sprinkler system may provide scope for negotiating insurance premiums.
By employing the services of a British Fire Consortium member, local authority and other school specifiers can be assured that any fire safety installation or maintenance contract will be carried out to the standard required. To locate a local member contact the BFC Secretary on 0333 123 5306 or at secretary@britishfireconsortium.org.uk. Alternatively visit the BFC website at www.britishfireconsortium.org.uk
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