Apollo sees continued demand for wireless fire detectors

This was the case at TwentyTwo, a 62-storey building in Bishopsgate, London, where XPander was used to protect the construction management offices, marketing suites, changing rooms, and communal spaces for the workers in the building, whilst under construction. XPander proved to be a reliable temporary fire protection solution for these areas that was flexible enough to be moved easily when the project came to the final fit-out stage.

XPander provides a wireless solution where individual detectors, manual call points, alarm devices and interfaces communicate with the Apollo addressable loop using radio signals. Each individual device is assigned an address which is recognised by the fire control panel in the same way as the address of any hard-wired device.

Apollo Fire Detectors UK sales manager Bruce Ball said: “The increase in demand reflects the growing popularity of wireless systems, and greater confidence in the reliability of wireless technology. In today’s world, wireless is the norm – from mobile phones, tablets and internet connection to even fire department personnel counting on their radios for responding to alarms and communicating on the scene.

“Wireless fire alarm systems are fast becoming the solution of choice for many applications and we expect the demand of our XPander range to continue to grow. The enormous flexibility and endless combinations of wireless devices make them a sound choice not only for areas of architectural and structural sensitivity such as historic buildings but as a method of expanding and enhancing existing wired fire alarm systems in many different environments.

“Wireless systems are also great solutions used for temporary structures such as marques at festivals and other events, or for temporary premises whilst under construction.”

Bruce adds: “Since there is no cabling needed, wireless fire alarms are less intrusive, cause less disruption and are therefore easier and quicker to install, making them ideal for schools, hospitals and care homes. They are more cost-effective too and allow businesses to continue as usual throughout the installation.  

“A good example of this was the installation of XPander devices in five care homes owned
by family-run home care company, Care By Us, where carers look after young people and adults with learning difficulties. During installation, carers could carry on with their work and the residents were not distressed by the work.

“An added benefit is that the devices in a wireless system can also be removed for any maintenance work or in case there are any modifications happening in the building or worksite. If any of the devices in the wireless alarm system require updating, it is very easy to replace the old one with a new device. This also helps to maintain the integrity of the fire alarm system.

“These are just some of the benefits of wireless systems and just some of the reasons why we are seeing increased demand for XPander.”

For more information, visit http://apollo.ly/88