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Hochiki Europe launch new training facility

Launched this month, life safety manufacturer Hochiki Europe has opened its all-new training facility as well as launched brand new online courses to allow customers far and wide to upskill for life. The new state of the art classroom is located at Hochiki Europe’s head office in Gillingham and is a key asset in the organisation’s vision to provide world class training in the life safety industry. The new training centre will cater for businesses and system partners who want to ensure their employees stay at the forefront of fire safety, allowing companies to send individuals or whole teams to attend life safety courses at the new educational facility. A range of application-led educational content can now be delivered via both online modules and practical face-to-face sessions, either at customer premises or at the brand new classroom. All the resources and course content has been compiled by Hochiki’s team of highly experienced training facilitators, who also deliver the face-to-face courses.  Remote product and systems training is also possible via the new training centre’s large interactive screen which includes an integrated web cam, allowing customers further afield to benefit from the Hochiki team’s expertise. Within the classroom, engineers will learn at individual workstations which feature working versions of Hochiki’s market leading life safety system, Latitude, along with two loops of devices. The product boards at each station have also been designed to be able to be swapped out, depending on the course the student is attending – for example fire detection, emergency lighting or hybrid wireless. Speaking about the launch of the new classroom and online courses, Nathan Hudson, Hochiki’s Sales and Marketing Director said: “We are committed to ensuring the world is a safer place to live and work in, this goes way beyond designing and selling our own industry leading life safety products. We understand how important ongoing training is to enable our customers to be commercially successful and for their employees to be the best they can be. That’s why we are really excited about launching this new training facility here at our European head office, we are looking forward to welcoming the first cohort through the doors.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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LFB sets the agenda for 2023

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe has delivered a New Year Message outlining the agenda for London Fire Brigade in 2023, including the start of its new Community Risk Management Plan, Your London Fire Brigade which he said sets out how they will change to help keep London safe in the coming years. Roe said: “The plan has been updated based on the feedback of over 2,000 people and organisations that the Brigade engaged with last year. The plan has also been updated to reflect a key focus for me in 2023: changing our workplace culture. “I have already taken action to improve the culture at the Brigade but there will be much more progress this year. This includes starting the pilot of our staff using body worn cameras when they engage with the public. I will be accountable to staff, stakeholders and communities as we change our culture over the coming year.” He also said that 2023 will see an increase in improving how the brigade helps people to reduce risk in their homes: “We will be targeting the most vulnerable and at risk people with visits from firefighters as part of our Home Fire Safety Visits. For people who face less risk, our online safety checker will give you helpful support to make positive changes to your safety at home. If you haven’t completed our free Home Fire Safety Checker recently, I encourage you to do so by clicking here.” Reflecting on the changes London Fire Brigade delivered in 2022, he said: “I welcomed the Mayor of London to a training exercise in May which showed how we had transformed our approach to tackling fires in high rise buildings. “An important part of the exercise is using our new Fire Survival Guidance app which improves the flow of information between the incident ground and Brigade Control. Improving our response to high rise fires is an outcome from the 26 recommendations that we have completed in response to the first phase of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. “Our three 64 metre ladders – the tallest in Europe – and our eight 32 metre ladders are another important part of how we tackle fires in high rise buildings. They are part of a £40m investment in new equipment which also includes our new fire boats. “The Mayor welcomed the boats to the Thames in September and following the completion of training, the boats enter service this year. They join our replacement Command Units which enter service this year. I’m committed to ensuring we have the right equipment we need to meet the challenges London faces. “The heatwaves of 2022 meant we faced our busiest day since World War II. Firefighters, Control staff and support staff worked tirelessly to tackle significant fires, the likes of which had not been seen before in the United Kingdom. The climate emergency presents the Brigade with new challenges which we are committed to addressing.” He added: “I am certain that 2023 will bring new challenges but as your London Fire Commissioner, I remain dedicated to ensuring that London Fire Brigade will be there for you. I’m proud to lead this organisation as we change for you.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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IAFF brings attention to Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has marked Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month by raising awareness of the risk of occupational cancer among firefighters. At the 2022 IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, almost three quarters of the names added (348 out of 469) were of members who had died from occupational cancer. In partnership with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), the IAFF has designated January as Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments. The IAFF said it hopes bringing increased public awareness to occupational cancer in the fire service will help generate greater legislative support for states and provinces to establish presumptive disabilities for all cancers affecting fire fighters. The association has created an online resource designed to educate IAFF leaders, members, and their fire departments on why fire fighters are getting cancer and provide best practices on how to limit day-to-day exposures to carcinogens. Each week will focus on a specific theme with the aim that by the end of January, members, locals, and fire departments will have the knowledge and resources to understand how fire fighters are exposed to carcinogens, what happens when they are exposed, how to prevent exposures, make culture changes in their department, and assist those who are diagnosed with cancer. IAFF said: “All resources are available to review at your convenience, but we encourage you to hold a weekly safety stand down in your department. In addition to weekly content, the training briefs should be used as discussion tools to educate fire fighters on reducing the risk of occupational cancer. “Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month takes place in January, but these resources can be shared throughout the year. We encourage you to check back frequently for more information about specific topics.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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FBU bites back against anti-union laws

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack has responded to the government announcement that is set to introduce minimum service requirements for the fire and rescue service and make it possible for unions to be sued over these. Minimum service requirements cam restrict trade union members’ right to strike and restrict the likelihood of effective strikes. Wrack said: “The Tories are clearly hellbent on criminalising and victimising trade unions with this latest threatened onslaught on the right to strike. “Britain already has among the most restrictive anti-trade union laws in the western world. “It’s already a democratic outrage that workers have to pass numerous tests for of strike that don’t apply in local government or to MPs elected to Parliament. “To allow exploitative and vindictive bosses to pursue trade unionists in the courts would be a highly authoritarian move, and more in keeping with the actions of a dictatorial regime. “The Tories are badly misjudging the public mood with these attacks on the pay and conditions of key workers, who kept Britain going during the pandemic. “Firefighters were among Britain’s Covid heroes. “However, like millions of others, they are increasingly struggling ot pay the bills as a result of the cost of living crisis caused by the Tories. “Wages in the UK have stagnated for more than a decade and government policy has helped to deliver this. “The government wants to continue to drive down wages and now wants to attack the rights of workers who stand up for themselves. “The FBU and the entire trade union movement will fight this pernicious attack on workers by all means available to us.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Ask the Expert – Ziamatic

Mike Adams, Executive VP of Ziamatic, takes us through their quality equipment, in particular how it is meeting and prioritising the needs of emergency workers.   Having operated over the last 50 years, Ziamatic Group works to provide men and women of the emergency services they need to make their jobs safer, easier and more efficient. As an industry leader, ZICO works diligently to stay at the forefront of firefighting technology, with exciting new engineering designed to make tasks faster, safer, and easier than ever before. From colour, material, and mounting location to size, drop distance, and so much more, Zico offers a level of choice and customization that simply cannot be matched. Whether a department is building a new apparatus or laying out a single compartment, Zico is prepared with solutions specific to their needs.   Earlier this year, the company introduced two new solutions aimed at reducing firefighter exposure to harmful chemicals and carcinogens without having to sacrifice their speed, comfort, and efficiency on the fire scene.  The QUIC-SWING Flip-Down 180°, Model QS-FD-180, stores SCBA away from the door to minimise snags, then slides out and flips end over end for easy access.  The other solution, The QUIC-SLIDE Swing-Down, Model QSSD, allows donning from two different heights, providing more comfort and flexibility for personnel of varying body types.   Other solutions include Ziamatic’s Multiple Extrication Tool Holder, Model QM-MEH-1. It makes more efficient use of available compartment space by securing up to four extrication tools in the space of one. This easy-to-use “Lazy Susan” rotating platform accommodates most cutters, spreaders and combination tools with an option for one or more rams. To operate, simply release the locking paddle and rotate the turntable to access the tool you need. The turntable locks into place after each 90-degree rotation for quick and safe tool retrieval.   Its SURE-GRIP Tool Mount, Model SG-VM-1 provides a revolutionary new way to secure hand tools, the SURE-GRIP utilizes a time-tested, all-weather hook & loop strap to provide more surface area and a more precise grip on every tool, regardless of handle shape. Operation is simple—just unfasten the strap and pull the tool free, quick and easy. A fixed support arm provides added assistance and stability during operation and the smaller overall dimensions allows you to fit more tools in the same space.  All products are tested rigorously before being put to use in the field, as the success or failure of the tools used can mean the difference between life or death. Rigorous testing is a job the company takes seriously. For firefighting equipment Ziamatic tests  self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) retention and other equipment which can be found in crew areas. Stepping surfaces need to pass a slip test with the recommendation being to retain static loads of 5000lb. Dynamic load testing and static load testing are common forms of testing that the company carries out. If a product does fail testing, the engineering team reevaluates and redesigns until the testing proves successful – employing a thorough, efficient and safe approach which can be observed in all of their products.    Fire Buyer talks to Mike Adams, the Executive Vice President of Ziamatic, about what puts them above the competition and meeting the important specifications for emergency equipment; valuing quality and safety above all.  To read the rest of this feature, see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Bristol Airport adds new Oshkosh vehicle to fleet

Bristol Airport has added a brand new fire engine to its fleet of fire vehicles: a Oshkosh Striker 3.0, making Bristol the first UK airport to take delivery of the third generation Oshkosh Striker ARFF vehicle. The Oshkosh Striker ARFF is a 39 tonne fire vehicle and has the capabilities of carrying a four person crew, has a 700BHP engine and a top speed of 72 mph.  The vehicle carries 12,000 litres of water, 1,700 litres of foam and a 7500 litre per minute water pump. Bristol Airport’s fire team are undertaking an intensive training course on the new vehicle. Graeme Gamble, Chief Operating Officer, Bristol Airport said: “Our priority is the safety of passengers and colleagues in all Bristol Airport operations, and we’re delighted to be the first airport in the UK to take delivery of such an advanced fire vehicle. “The fire and rescue service is a critical part of our operation, and the fire team are permanently on  call day and night and ready to respond to any eventuality. We wanted to ensure that the new appliance is equipped with the very latest in firefighting technology. A complex environment such as Bristol Airport requires a specially trained fire team with its own specialist equipment and we are delighted to have added the Striker to the Airport’s fire vehicle fleet.” To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Product Spotlight – Olympia

Greek fire safety manufacturer Olympia will be bringing their arsenal of innovative products to Intersec 2023  On your visit at the Intersec exhibition in Dubai from 17-19 January 2023, members from Olympia Electronics S.A. will be on stand HALL 3 / NO. H12 to discuss with you all your needs about emergency systems. The GR-750X is a series of control panels for high-performance addressable emergency luminaires, designed to monitor and control demanding, large-scale installations with multiple emergency luminaires.  Each panel can control up to 1000 luminaires, divided into four circuits consisting of 250 luminaires each, with the ability to program in 200 logical zones in order to perform common tasks or trigger events.  Basic features:  Graphic interface with 7” colour touch screen.  Support up to 4 loops, up to 250 luminaires per loop. Maximum support 1000 luminaires per panel.  Grouping / Organising emergency luminaires in 200 zones.  Automatic inspections of luminaires at regular intervals (adjustable through the technician menu). Functionality and autonomy test on all connected luminaires.  Panel network of up to 24 tables, based on RS-485 communication protocol. Supports automatic addressing and ring topology to ensure communication.  Backup batteries (2x12V up to 15Ah).  Connect to a network using Ethernet / WiFi and receive updates from the Olympia Update Server (Cloud).  Program (PC-7500) for setting / configuring the table from the computer (Windows PC) and creating, editing, sending and receiving configuration files.  GUI (WebUI) monitoring and configuration, through browser (Microsoft Edge / Mozilla Firefox / Google Chrome) for a table that is connected to the network.  Event / error log (up to 6000 records).  Optional thermal printer (GR-7500 / Printer) for event printing   Wireless Autonomous Smoke Alarms  Stylish standalone smoke alarms that have their own battery with a lifespan of up to 10 years and an optical sensor for detecting visible smoke.  They are easily installed in rooms and corridors of buildings and have innovative technology of automatic error detection to ensure the functionality and integrity of the devices.  False alarms are eliminated with the built-in special filter that protects the sensitive electronic sensors from insects and foreign bodies and with the continuous monitoring and compensation of the accumulated dust using algorithms.  Smoke Alarms are designed to provide early warning in the event of a fire, giving people in the area ample time to evacuate.  The BS-506 is a Wireless battery-operated smoke alarm with an optical sensor for installation in residential buildings, apartments and rooms. Smoke alarms are designed to provide an early warning of fire events giving enough time for people to evacuate the building/room. Always consult local regulations for smoke alarms.  OLYMPIA ELECTRONICS S.A. It is the largest purely Greek production unit of electronic security systems in Greece and one of the ten largest in Europe.   OLYMPIA ELECTRONICS  A.E. is focused on cutting-edge technologies, innovation, quality and the value for money of the products it produces.  Olympia Electronics, for a safer world!  To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Chubb announces raft of senior hires

Chubb Fire & Security is pleased to announce that, since the appointment of Andrew White as Chief Executive Officer earlier this year, it has significantly strengthened its Executive Leadership Team with a number of senior hires and internal promotions. The ELT has been established to provide greater levels of oversight to Chubb’s global sales and operational activity and to maintain its focus on its three key pillars of people, process and portfolio. Keith Mizen has joined Chubb as Chief Information Officer following a successful four years in the same role at Vodafone Business working with multiple geographies and running IT platforms to support B2B sales and operations globally. Keith is expected to play a vital role in Chubb’s transformation journey as it looks to embed digitalisation into everything it does. Rabih Najjar has been recruited to the newly created role of Global Vice President of Sales, leveraging more than 19 years of international sales experience in markets including Beirut, Doha, Dubai and London, most recently working for NYSE-listed business Vertiv. David Jackola, currently Vice President Controller at APi Group, has taken on the new role of Chubb CFO & Vice President of Transformation. David has significant functional and global experience that will bring many attributes to the Chubb Executive Leadership Team. David joined APi Group in October 2021 as Vice President Corporate Planning and Analysis before assuming the role of Vice President Controller in March 2022. Additionally, and in recognition of the growing importance of health and safety in the workplace, Stephen Dowling has was successfully appointed the role of Director of Quality, Environment, Health & Safety for Chubb globally, having previously held the role for the UK & Ireland exclusively. Stephen is a Chartered member of the Chartered Quality Institute and previously spent 28 years at BAE Systems. Brendan McNulty has been promoted to the newly created role of Vice President – Europe. Reporting to Brendan will be the country leaders of UK & Ireland, Benelux, Spain, Germany and Switzerland/Austria.  This new role will enable Chubb’s European businesses to benefit from many of the transformation and optimization models successfully adopted by Chubb UK & Ireland. KT Yiu has been promoted to the newly created role of Vice President, Asia Pacific after more than 30 years’ experience working with Chubb in the region. His expanded business portfolio will cover Hong Kong, China, Macau, Singapore, India and Thailand. Dave Marven, previously Managing Director for Chubb Australia, is now responsible for all activity across both Australia and New Zealand. Andrew White, CEO of Chubb Fire & Security Group, commented: “We are very excited to announce the bolstering of the Executive Leadership Team with both external and internal hires at an exciting time for Chubb. The acquisition of the business by APi at the start of this year marked an important turning point for the business, shifting focus to a model with a greater priority on digitalisation, as well as allowing us more penetration in the North American market where APi has historically always been strong. I have been working closely with the new team as we continue our transformational journey and prioritise the wellbeing of our people, the efficiency of our processes and the selective expansion of our portfolio towards new markets and solutions.” In January 2022, Chubb Fire & Security was acquired from previous owners Carrier by APi Group Corporation. APi is a business services provider of safety and specialty services in over 200 locations worldwide. APi provides statutorily mandated and other contracted services to a strong base of long-standing customers across industries. To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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Cover Story – NAFFCO

First founded in the UAE, NAFFCO is now an established company offering life safety solutions with a passion to protect its customers, life and the environment.  NAFFCO was founded in Dubai, UAE and since its humble beginnings, has become the world’s leading producer and supplier of firefighting equipment, fire protection systems, alarms, security and safety engineering systems worldwide.   Recognising the importance and convenience of having easy access to multiple safety services, NAFFCO’s specialty became offering complete solutions under one roof for all types of high-quality firefighting equipment including fire protection systems, fire alarms, fire pumps & controllers, flow control, passive fire protection, fire doors, smoke management system, extra low voltage solutions, addressable emergency systems, security systems, custom-made vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances, mobile hospitals, airport rescue firefighting vehicles (ARFF) and electrical transmission, distribution and maintenance vehicles.    Today, NAFFCO has a team of over 15,000 dedicated and talented members including 2000 passionate engineers and over 8.5 million square feet of manufacturing facilities that allows the company to export to over 100 countries worldwide. Working to values such as integrity, respecting people, teamwork, leadership, customer focus, performance, quality, community and innovation, have enabled NAFFCO to deliver quality solutions to its customers.  Specified products manufactured in NAFFCO’s facility have been certified by UL, FM, BSI, LPCB & Global Mark in consistent with International Standards. Their Quality Management System, ISO 9001 has been certified by BSI & UL-DQS, while their Environmental (ISO 14001) and Occupational Health & Safety (ISO 45001) Management Systems have been certified by UL-DQS and their Trucks & Vehicles division has been assessed & certified for Quality Management System requirements for Aviation, Space & Defense organization (AS 9100) by UL-DQS; demonstrating that quality is important to the company.  Some of the high-profile properties that NAFFCO protects in the UAE include the Burj Khalifa, contributing sprinklers, hose-reels, landing valves, extinguishers and more to the historic landmark of Dubai; the Museum of the Future and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, along with public transport services such as the Dubai Airport, Metro, and Tram. Regionally, we have exported our fire protection services to Australia, the United Kingdom, KSA, Bahrain, Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait, showing the company’s global presence.  The company’s success is driven by their mission, a ‘passion to protect’, becoming the world’s number one provider of innovative solutions which prioritise the life, environment and property. They aim to empower customers to protect life, environment, property and business by delivering high quality and innovative protection solutions and knowledge using world-class manufacturing.   According to NAFFCO’s CEO Eng. Khalid Al Khatib, ‘Passion to protect’ is more than just a slogan, it’s a way of life for NAFFCO. Keeping their customers safe and their property secure is their business. With a global network spanning over 100 countries, NAFFCO has been recognised as the unparalleled leader in fire safety. In recognition of their outstanding growth and commitment to quality, we have been certified with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & ISO 45001 and awarded the prestigious Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum business excellence award for four years, in areas including manufacturing and exports.  In addition to these certifications and business excellence award, the company has been the recipient of several prestigious awards over the years which recognise the quality of their solutions and dedication to the protection of life. NAFFCO won the 9th Cycle of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award, where his His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum awarded the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Excellence Award” (MRM) in the field of Manufacturing across GCC to Eng. Having won the MRM Business Excellence Award five times in the categories of manufacturing and export for more than a decade, the company maintains its ambition to remain competitive and stay on top. Khalid Al Khatib, CEO of NAFFCO Group was in attendance along with Mr. Ahmed Al Khatib, Group Managing Director of NAFFCO, and Mr. Ali Al Khatib, Managing Director of NAFFCO.  To read the rest of this feature, see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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From the Expert – Fire and Gas Detection Technologies Pt. 2

Dr. Eliot Sizeland of Fire and Gas Detection Technologies returns again in this latest issue with the second part to his industrial detection article  Introduction  This paper continues our learning about flame detection.  Part one of our flame detection guide provided some pointers for the selection of flame detectors based on the sensing technology employed.  This paper sets out some design considerations for your flame detection system, broadly speaking these considerations fall into the follow categories: the application, the detector, and the installation design criteria.  Understanding the application  Before selecting a detector type it is important the designer understands the application.  Things to consider include:  Fire Risk  What is going to burn?  What size fire needs to be detected, and how quickly?  Presence of false alarm sources  Is there anything that may cause the detector to alarm without a genuine fire being present?  The most obvious source of an unwanted alarm is a flare, but engines or turbine exhausts should be considered too.  Operating conditions  What environmental issues may exist? Rain, snow, salt spray, sand and dust storms, the list can go on.  Maintenance and function testing  Flame detectors require routine testing and may need periodic maintenance in atmospheres containing high levels of contamination.  If possible, access should be available without the need for scaffolding, although this is not always possible.  Area classification  Are the units to be installed in a hazardous area?  If so, ensure the products are certified accordingly.  Diagnostics capabilities  Increasingly, flame detectors are being specified with additional communication capabilities such has HART.  If the control system supports HART check to see if the flame detectors you wish to specify provide information for planned (preventative) maintenance, not just indications of faults that have occurred.  Understanding detector response  In this section we will cover field of view, detection distance and the detection of different fuels.  What is the field of view of an optical flame detector?  As the name implies, the field of view (FOV, sometimes called cone of vision) of an optical flame detector defines the unobstructed area of coverage a flame detector has for a given fuel.  The greatest sensitivity to a fire is seen directly through the centre line to the detector face – this is sometimes called on-axis sensitivity.  The detection distance then rolls off the further you move away from the centre line with the shape formed by the field of view generally looking like a teardrop.  FM3260 defines the field of view by stating “the detector response shall be at least 50% of the on-axis sensitivity (measured in units of distance) in at least four directions (left, right, up, and down)”.  The horizontal field of view of a detector is typically 90° but can vary due to the optomechanical construction of the detector and / or the fuel being burnt.  The vertical field of view tends to be smaller than the horizontal one due to obstructions from the reflector plates used by through-the-lens optical tests.  Some flame detectors have FOV’s that are greater than 90°; whilst on paper this may seem to offer an advantage in terms of coverage, there can be some unforeseen consequences for multi-spectrum flame detectors.  It should also be noted that practical installations tend to favour placing detectors into the corners of rooms or process modules, meaning there is little benefit to be gained with detectors having a wider FOV.  Another point for consideration is fire zoning; limiting the FOV to 90° makes zoning easier and helps ensure flame detectors from one area are not activated by a fire in an adjacent zone.  To read the rest of this feature, see our latest issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on:  International Fire Buyer @Firebuyer Fire Buyer Media Contact Louis Curtis Editor, International Fire Buyer Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@firebuyer.com

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