Keeping Your Loved Ones Safe
Setting up your fire alarm systems and monitoring are the foundation of your emergency preparedness in order to keep your family safe. It is recommended that you install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms, and outside of any sleeping areas.
Pets
Smoke and carbon monoxide at low levels can affect the health of your animals. Having reliable smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can determine when these dangerous gasses are in the air or if there are any possible fires. Not only can this save the lives of humans in your house if they are present, but it can also allow you to contact emergency services in time to save your furry friends.
People Living with Disabilities
For those living with visual or hearing impairment, there are alarm options that emit specially designed signals.
There are several options of alarms specifically designed for people who are living with disabilities, including those that vibrate and some that will emit sounds, but only intermittently. Another is known as a stroboscopic alarm that, instead of sending out bursts of sound, emits intense and frequently changing bursts of colored light.
Education
The team at FSS Technologies can also help you create an actionable family emergency plan that will allow you to educate your family about what to do in the case of a fire.
Your kids should recognize and understand the sounds and visual signals from smoke alarms. If you move into a new home or building, review this lesson to be site-specific since alarms can sound different.
Create a fire escape plan with your family that you practice at least twice a year. An escape plan should include the best path towards the exits of your home, the importance of finding two points of exit from each room and identify an outside meeting spot.
Types of Fire Alarm Systems
Fire alarm systems alert the occupants of a building and serve to notify firefighters to an emergency. There are multiple options for fire alarms, including manual and automatic fire alarms.
Manual Fire Alarms
Manual fire alarm stations usually come with a pull-lever operation—one pull on the handle breaks the glass rod and sounds the alarm. However, manual fire alarms are only useful if someone is present, awake, and alert in the building where the fire starts.
Automatic Fire Alarms
Automatic fire alarms solve the issues that manual ones do not. Automatic fire alarms imitate the human senses of smell, touch, and sight, providing an alert when people are not present. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors detect fire in its early stages, while it is smoldering and producing smoke or senses a build-up of certain chemicals in the air. When these detectors are activated, they will warn anyone in the building and send signals to emergency personnel.
Professional Monitoring
Nearly all professional fire alarm systems also offer monitoring services. While there is a fee for this service and usually requires a contract, you won’t have to worry about being available 24/7. With some systems, the alarms can even transmit specific floor plans to the fire department, so first responders know exactly where to go when they arrive on the scene.
If an emergency is detected, the technicians in the central monitoring facility immediately notify the appropriate emergency response personnel and get help on the way. It is important to note that not all alarms are for fire emergencies. In some cases, there could be a carbon monoxide leak, or the fire alarm could sound due to the detection of smoke or high temperatures. Regardless of the emergency, monitoring technicians do their best to ensure that the right help and resources are sent to your location as quickly as possible.