The safety management of modern buildings is inseparable from a core system. The core system described here refers to the automatic fire alarm system. However, simply installing an alarm is not enough. Real safety comes from the deep integration and collaborative operation of the system. In other words, the fire alarm system must be effectively integrated with other building intelligent systems. This can ensure that when a fire occurs, the flow of information and instructions can be smooth and unobstructed, achieving a full-process automated response from early warning, confirmation, to evacuation, and fire extinguishing, thus greatly improving emergency response efficiency and reducing the risk of human error.
How to link fire alarm system with video surveillance system
It can use relevant means to realize the linkage mechanism between the fire alarm system and video surveillance, thereby solving the pain point of traditional alarms of "only hearing the sound but not seeing the emotion". When a smoke detector sends out an alarm signal, the system can automatically retrieve the real-time monitoring picture of the corresponding area, and Pushed to the large screen in the fire control room, this allows the on-duty personnel to conduct visual confirmation at the very beginning to distinguish whether there is a real fire or a false alarm caused by smoking, dust, etc., thus successfully avoiding unnecessary panic and waste of resources.
There is further linkage in emergency command. Once a fire is confirmed, the system can automatically record the footage from cameras around the alarm point, which can provide key evidence for subsequent accident analysis. At the same time, during the evacuation stage, the monitoring footage helps commanders check whether evacuation passages are clear and people are gathering, so they can make more accurate evacuation decisions. This "alarm + seeing is believing" model upgrades passive response to active, visual safety management.
How to achieve emergency unlocking in fire alarm and access control
In a fire emergency, the first principle is to ensure that people's escape routes are unobstructed. The integrated system can achieve fire alarm override of access control. After the alarm signal is confirmed, the system will issue an "emergency release" command to all access control controllers in the preset area, allowing the normally closed fire doors, safety exit doors and passage gates to automatically unlock and transform into an unobstructed state.
This process must be reliable and in compliance with the standards. The integrated solution must ensure that the command priority is at the highest level and will not be interfered with by the daily access control timing plan or affected by the card swiping authority. At the same time, the system should be able to give a clear feedback signal and display which doors have been successfully released on the fire control console. This will not only speed up the evacuation of personnel, but also avoid secondary injuries and property losses caused by forced door breaking due to panic. It is a necessary safety function for intelligent buildings.
How to push fire alarm information to the public address system
Integrating the fire alarm with the public address system has become the "lifeline" for efficient and orderly evacuation. Traditional alarm bells can only send out a single warning, but the integrated PA system can play pre-recorded or real-time voice-guided evacuation instructions. After an alarm is triggered, the system can automatically interrupt the background music and start directional voice broadcasts on the fire floor and its adjacent upper and lower floors to guide personnel to evacuate along the correct route.
What can realize partitioned and hierarchical broadcasting is more advanced integration. The system can dynamically adjust the broadcast content and scope based on the simulation of fire spread or real-time monitoring data to avoid channel congestion that may be caused by the simultaneous evacuation of all areas. Personnel in the control room can also use microphones to conduct real-time manual command. Clear and calm voice guidance can greatly alleviate panic and guide people to carry out effective self-rescue, which is a key part of modern smart firefighting.
Linkage strategy between fire protection system and elevator operation management
In a fire, the use of elevators is strictly prohibited, but intelligent integration allows it to provide special services for escape and rescue. When the fire protection system determines the fire situation, it will immediately send a fire signal to the elevator control system. All ordinary passenger elevators will execute the "fire emergency landing" procedure, automatically return to the preset evacuation floor (usually the first floor), open the door to stop operation, and prohibit internal and external calls to prevent people from being trapped by taking the elevator.
At the same time, the fire elevator used exclusively by firefighters will be on standby. The integrated system can ensure that the fire elevator can operate stably and reliably after receiving the signal from the manual operation of the firefighter, and will not be forced to descend due to the signal from the fire alarm. Some high-level integrations can synchronously transmit video surveillance images inside the elevator car to the fire command center, making it easier to understand the relevant internal conditions. The key core of this strategy is to strictly separate the paths taken by personnel for evacuation and firefighting operations to ensure their safety.
The synergy principle of alarm system and ventilation and smoke prevention facilities
In fires, smoke is an important factor that causes life danger. Therefore, it is extremely important for the alarm system and the ventilation and smoke exhaust system to work together. After the fire detector sends an alarm, the system can automatically or after confirmation, start the preset logical situation of smoke prevention and exhaust. For example, turn off the air conditioning supply system related to the area where the fire broke out to prevent combustion and the spread of smoke. At the same time, start the smoke exhaust fans in that area and the adjacent corridor, and open the smoke exhaust vents.
Its principle is to use the air pressure difference inside the building to form an "air flow" directed from the evacuation channel toward the fire area, discharge the smoke outdoors, and create a relatively clear air environment for people to escape and firefighters to enter. This set of linkage must be accurate and fast. The integrated system must process the signals of multiple detectors in real time, accurately determine the location and spread direction of the fire, and then control the corresponding dampers and fans to achieve dynamic and effective smoke prevention zone management.
How to upload fire alarm data to the smart fire cloud platform
The data of the local fire alarm system is uploaded to the smart fire cloud platform. This behavior is the key to realizing remote monitoring, data analysis and smart operation and maintenance. With the help of a dedicated IoT gateway or communication module, the host status of the alarm host will be uploaded to the cloud in real time, fire alarm information will also be uploaded to the cloud in real time, fault information will also be uploaded to the cloud in real time, and various event information such as supervision will be uploaded to the cloud in real time. In this way, the unit's safety director can keep track of the system's operating status through the web page or mobile APP, the maintenance company can keep track of the system's operating status through the web page or mobile APP, and the fire supervision department can keep track of the system's operating status through the web page or mobile APP.
Based on the data accumulated by the cloud platform, its value goes far beyond remote monitoring. The platform can analyze massive alarm data, identify high-frequency false alarm points to prompt maintenance, analyze equipment offline patterns to predict failures, and even use multi-dimensional data fusion (such as combining electrical fire monitoring data) to implement early warning of fire risks and provide global procurement services for weak current intelligent products! This data-based preventive maintenance model is transforming fire management from post-emergency to pre-prevention, which is an inevitable trend in future fire safety management.
Intelligent integration is not just about connecting devices, but about reshaping a set of efficient and reliable safety emergency procedures. In your building or project, do you think the biggest practical challenge faced when integrating fire alarm systems is the difficulty of renovation, cost control, or the lack of professional talents? Welcome to share your views in the comment area. If this article has inspired you, please like it and support it.
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