Headley Court, a former defence medical rehabilitation centre based in Surrey, was recently the recipient of a new fire safety system to complete its transformation into a community-style hospital for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The XP95 was chosen from Apollo Fire Detectors, which was installed by the team at Detect Fire and Security in just four weeks across nine buildings.
Headley Court will serve as a temporary community hospital for patients needing rehabilitation or convalescence, those receiving end of life care, as well as those who are recovering from COVID-19 and do not require critical or acute hospital care.
Teamwork, flexibility and a commitment to customer service have resulted in the completed job being turned around so quickly, according to those involved. Mike Sutton, Sales Manager at Apollo Fire Detectors said: “Communication and teamwork were the keys to the success of this project… I personally delivered the first batch of products to site and our MD was packing boxes in the warehouse to ensure the project could start on time. We’re delighted that the new facility is now fully protected, and patients can be cared for in a safe environment.”
The facility had closed in 2018, while the existing fire systems were no longer viable. Detect Fire & Security Ltd were appointed by Corrigenda Facilities Services to install a new fire system.
Joe Presswell Technical Manager from Detect Fire & Security Ltd explained: “The site was already configured with ward space and other clinical areas, so it was ideal to be converted for use as a community hospital. Upon initial site survey, it was a relatively straight-forward installation, simply swapping the equipment and reprogramming the system onto the new Advanced Electronics addressable fire panels. But the timescales were understandably hugely demanding. We were originally asked to work on three buildings, but this soon changed to nine buildings, with the order in which they were expected to be completed changing throughout the installation. Apollo were fantastic partners to work with, ensuring good stock levels at all times and accommodating all our requirements.
“It took four weeks to complete the installation in nine buildings. In normal circumstances it would take around three weeks per building. This was a brilliant team effort.”
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