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Product Manager, Notifier by Honeywell

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Product Management and Agile product owner in fire systems development
October 1, 2014

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Whitepaper: Enhancing security, resilience and efficiency across a range of industries

Every Fire System Designer Should Have a Little Black Book

Little Black BookDesigning an effective fire detection and alarm system is not an easy task – that’s why it would be handy to have just the right amount of information in one place.

A Little Black Book, for instance, that would instantly rescue someone searching for the right detector for a particularly challenging environment or unsure which piece of legislation applies in a particular situation.

Following the popularity of the first edition last year, Notifier by Honeywell has updated its free and highly successful guide, The Little Black Book of Fire detection and Alarm Systems. The guide can be read start-to-finish or, since the chapters are designed to stand alone, you can start reading at any point that is of current interest to you. This makes it ideal for fire system specialists as an aide memoire, those who wish to learn in a structured way about the subject or those who just need a quick reference source close at hand.

The new edition has been updated to include details of recent changes in legislation around standards of installation (BS5839, part one), voice alarms (BS5839 part eight) and visual alarm devices (BSEN54 part 23). The guide has also been expanded to include a section on remote monitoring of fire systems and the benefits this can offer system owners along with service and maintenance providers.

In its 76 pages, the revised Little Black Book covers all the basics and some more complex aspects of fire detection, looking at the specific benefits and design considerations of each technology. Each section focuses on when to choose and how to implement the specific technology to achieve the fastest detection while designing-in false alarm immunity.

In-depth guidance is given on the use of point detection, high sensitivity detectors, multi-criteria detectors, beam detectors and aspirating smoke detection. The handy detection table makes comparing the different technologies far easier. There are also tips and diagrams on how to position detectors to cover all kinds of locations including sloping ceilings, ceiling spaces interrupted by beams, pitched roofs and racking.

The guide also covers different warning and evacuation technologies including audible and visual alarms and the new standards which have recently come into effect. Examples of how voice alarm and public address systems can provide more effective warning and instruction on safe evacuation are given, along with an update on the recent changes in standards. Without becoming bogged down in detail the guide covers the chief aspects right down to the importance of choosing loudspeakers for their effectiveness rather than their appearance.

The guide also highlights some of the main considerations when designing emergency voice communication systems and disabled refuge systems to ensure the safe evacuation of all building occupants in the event of a fire. It covers the possibilities offered by the integration of paging systems to quickly identify the cause of an alarm activation, enabling building managers to avoid unnecessary evacuations. An overview of emergency lighting and central battery systems is also included.

Pulling all of this together the guide concludes by looking at the most important factors in eliminating the incidence of nuisance alarms, including skilled system design and regular testing and maintenance from experienced service providers. This section also provides a quick insight into some more advanced and cutting edge features of fire detection and alarm systems, among which is the role played by more complex system programming and remote connectivity and how it can be used to minimise nuisance alarms.

The book is not meant to be a substitute for any of the industry standards or legislation, but it is a very straightforward and easy-to-read guide that runs through the whole range of detection and alarm technologies and how they apply to specific types of site.

So whether you’re looking to learn more about fire detection and alarms or you’re a seasoned pro in need of a handy guide visit the Notifier web site and get a free copy today.

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GaryBoisseau1
GaryBoisseau1
October 6, 2014 3:00 am

Where can we obtain a copy of this resource?

Mike Clinton
Mike Clinton
October 7, 2014 1:33 am

Please advise how I might obtain a copy of the Little Black Book.  Thanks