College’s fire-alarm system goes digital
The fire-alarm system for a college in Devon is being upgraded from an analogue to digital addressable system using ADT Fire & Security’s Generation 6 detection technology. Based on ADT’s MZX technology, the digital system will provide triple-technology detectors with 2-way wireless communication with the 850EMT engineering-management tool. This will ensure that the main college building of the Paignton campus of South Devon College benefits from reliable and efficient programming that increases safety and reduces service charges due to the longer life of the detectors.
The building is the 3-storey Vantage Point originally built for tele-communications company Nortel to provide offices and laboratories. The college acquired the site in 2006 and converted the building to provide classrooms, offices, studios, restaurants, workshops and training kitchens.The college also inherited the Minerva 80 fire-alarm system installed by ADT Fire & Security in 1995. The college appointed ADT to adapt the system for use by the college, but after a few years and as a result of technical progression, the analogue system had to be upgraded.
The new system offers faster and more advanced technology, which is important for a large multi-functional building containing many people.
Chris Harris, head caretaker, explained, ‘As a college, the use of the rooms change quite a lot, and we need flexibility. What we liked about the new ADT system is that it can accommodate this requirement. Also, the new ADT control panels employ software with an open structure, which can accommodate third-party suppliers and on a long-term basis allows us to do some of the work ourselves, cutting down on our costs.’
Generation 6 detectors in the 830 series have been installed; they can detect smoke, heat and carbon monoxide. The hand-held 850EMT engineering management tool communicates with the detectors via a 2-way infra-red link, enabling settings to be changed without having to manually access each detector. These detectors have a life of 20 years, twice the industry average. ADT has also guaranteed to support the system for 20 years.
