Apollo upgrades fire safety regime at Dorset County Hospital

Dorset County Hospital comprises18 wards playing host to 375 beds and employs upwards of 3,300 members of staff. The management team had determined the need to replace the hospital’s “outdated and limited” fire system in order to enhance building safety and reduce the time spent on fire system testing and operation.

The new fire system had to be installed in such a way that site operation was maintained on a 24/7 features. There was also a requirement to navigate additional safety measures imposed by the pandemic.

Despite these significant obstacles, the installation process proceeded with minimal disruption to the hospital’s daily services.

Allowing for future expansion

Mike Sutton, regional sales manager at Apollo, explained: “Our team worked closely with the Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to specify a fire system that both fulfils the current needs of the site and offers the capability for expansion and/or an upgrade in the future.”

Circa 2,700 Discovery multi-sensor devices have been installed throughout the site, coupled with an Advanced MxPro 5 fire panel, offering variable sensitivity settings to ensure optimal protection for patients, staff and visitors alike.

Sutton continued: “The NHS Trust’s priority was to significantly enhance fire safety provision across all of its buildings at the location, while also reducing the levels of input required from staff and external fire engineers. This was achieved by streamlining the testing regime and decreasing the need for repairs and maintenance.”

According to Sutton, transitioning from a ‘make do and mend’-style approach to the installation of a completely new fire system has exerted a “tangible effect” on the day-to-day business of the hospital, significantly reducing the ongoing costs of testing and maintenance.

Apollo’s Discovery range of fire devices features cutting-edge analogue addressable detectors and associated devices, offering a high degree of versatility for complex environments.

Developed from the proven XP95 protocol, the Discovery range provides reliable fire detection and false alarm management, making it an ideal choice for those facilities that require an advanced fire system. The detectors in this range feature five modes of operation, all of which are approved to EN 54-23, allowing users to adjust the sensitivity of the detectors depending on the specific environment in which they’re installed.

Challenging installation

Roy Pinder, fire safety advisor for the Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, commented: “The installation of the new fire system was particularly challenging during the pandemic, which consequently caused some delays. This has been a major project for the NHS Trust and could not have been delivered without the support of the staff and the estates team. Our new fire system provides greater versatility and flexibility.”

Devices in the Discovery range are designed to integrate seamlessly with the Advanced MxPro range, providing a comprehensive fire safety solution. With self-monitoring capabilities, Discovery detectors can identify and report potential issues before they become critical, thereby ensuring the highest level of protection at all times.

The range includes multi-sensor detectors, optical smoke detectors, heat detectors and multi-sensor detectors with integrated carbon monoxide sensing.

*Further information is available online at www.apollo-fire.co.uk