In the hospitality industry, hotel and convention centers are often judged by their technology offerings. As a result, Emirates Towers, a 500-room hotel and business center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf, has set a new standard. A striking addition to the Dubai skyline and among the tallest buildings in the Middle East, Emirates Towers rises 1,165 feet to its top. The office tower alone is host to numerous businesses and its five-star hotel tower offers 500 rooms, including 40 suites and three main theme restaurants. A five-level podium building connects the towers and includes more than 40 retail, restaurant, and parking accommodations. Scalable technology enables cost-efficient upgrading “The vision for Emirates Towers was to create a state-of-the-art technological infrastructure which could be scalable to future information and building management technology developments,” said Ivan Brinkley, corporate technical director for Jumeirah International, owner of Emirates Towers. Emirates Towers’ officials understood that retrofitting and upgrading expenses often represent approximately 50 percent of the lifetime costs of a building and that the ability to upgrade is crucial to ensure that technology remains current. Additionally, scalable technology keeps the cost for installation, operation, and maintenance at a minimum. The goal was to: Implement a state-of-the-art infrastructure which is scalable for future developments, Provide the latest available technologies and integrations to ensure Emirates Tower’s competitiveness, while ensuring a quality building environment, Complete the project with a limited budget and within a tight time schedule. With this in mind early in the planning stage, the search began for one company to accept responsibility for the twin-towers system integration and network. Emirates Towers officials approached the local Johnson Controls office to fill this need. Using Johnson Controls’ Technology Contracting approach, property management, guest-related systems, telecommunications, fire, security, and even multimedia applications could be tied together. Information technology network enables systems cooperation Given the strict criteria for the towers, Johnson Controls introduced a single- seat operation solution through a total integrated IT and building automation system infrastructure with about 20 sub-systems. The logical integration is built around a Metasys system. Aside from the Metasys system, other major systems include a hotel management system, a facility and property management system, computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS), and telecommunications systems, such as digital video-on-demand (live TV, prerecorded programs, and audio), internet, e-mail services, computer games, and e-commerce. Life safety systems include fire alarm, and closed circuit television (CCTV). Presentation media for conference rooms is available with videoconferencing capabilities, an audio system, and projectors. “As a partner, Johnson Controls was able to provide complete system integration of all the equipment, including elevators, fire alarm systems, and much more, all within the project deadlines. Most importantly, Johnson Controls has the local presence and resources to make ‘doing business’ easy,” said Brinkley. Physical integration of all the subsystems and applications is achieved through one common IT Network based on ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and Gigabit Ethernet technology. The network management system handles the high-speed network and its connected devices. The change from a stand-alone system approach to an integrated system leads to significant changes in the engineering and management processes. The key elements to the Emirates Towers Integrated System concept are the Metasys system, ATM-Backbone, and Interactive Guest Multimedia System. Metasys system is a foundation for integration The basic platform for the integrated solution is the Ethernet technology and TCP/IP (Internet) compatibility of the Metasys family. This provides the foundation for success for the integration technology in Emirates Towers. The use of open protocols and standards in the Metasys system ensured that Emirates Tower’s officials were able to choose the best solutions for creating an intelligent building without losing connectivity or features. With a 23,000 data point capacity, the Metasys system takes full advantage of the distributed intelligence concept. Four M5 Graphic Workstations create the basis for a personal command center at Emirates Towers to manage the entire BAS network. Due to the desert climate in Dubai, one of the major issues in the design was maintaining dependable temperature and mechanical control in the building. Temperatures in the city can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit between May and October, dropping to the low 80s the rest of the year. If temperature isn’t maintained in the buildings, it could lead to disaffected tenants who don’t renew their leases and dissatised hotel patrons. For this reason, all office areas and guest rooms are provided with advanced LONMARK®-certified DDC controllers connected to the local area network. One of the main highlights of the system architecture is the various integrations of different voltage systems, including chillers, elevators, and the fire alarm system. A computerised maintenance and management system was integrated for maintenance and facility management. To satisfy the increasing demand for security and property protection, CCTV and an emergency lighting system were integrated. Further integrations to the hotel management system, power monitoring system, and the staff paging system round out the picture of the intelligent building concept. ATM is the backbone of the network At the heart of the network is a modern, scalable ATM backbone designed to easily manage and support services and protocols. ATM technology is the network infrastructure to support high-tech enterprises with various multimedia and voice, video, and data services. It provides the basis for LAN interconnectivity and fully integrated network access. LAN and the ATM backbone are managed by one common network management system. The unique approach includes a redundant IT network solution based on two ATM switches with an individual capacity of 10Gbit per second. The network distributes television, video- on-demand, e-commerce, Internet, BAS, closed circuit television, and hotel management system data through the entire complex. The integration of the video-on-demand with the hotel management system allows a seamless and online update of the related database for automated billing. The network is modular and flexible, enabling Emirates Towers to start on a smaller scale and expand as needs evolve to support the hotel’s dynamic and changing environment. In addition, the system design ensures that any future upgrade to the

In 2005-2009, there were an average of 15,700 reported structure fires in high-rise buildings per year and associated losses of 53 civilian deaths, 546 civilian injuries, and $235 million in direct property damage per year. Four property classes account for roughly half of high-rise fires: office buildings, hotels, apartment buildings, and facilities that care for the sick. Automatic fire protection equipment and fire-resistive construction are more common in high-rise buildings that have fires than in other buildings of the same property use that have fires. The risks of fire, fire death, and direct property damage due to fire tend to be lower in high-rise buildings than in shorter buildings of the same property use. In 2005-2009, an estimated 15,700 reported high-rise structure fires per year resulted in associated losses of 53 civilian deaths, 546 civilian injuries, and $235 million in direct property damage per year. An estimated 2.6% of all 2005-2009 reported structure fires were in high-rise buildings. The trends in high-rise fires and associated losses (inflation-adjusted for property damage) are clearly down, but the sharp post-1998 reduction appears to be mostly due to the change to NFIRS Version 5.0, which is shifting estimates to lower levels that also appear to be more accurate. Four property classes account for roughly half of high-rise fires: apartments, hotels, facilities that care for the sick, and offices. In 2005-2009, in these four property classes combined, there were 7,800 reported high-rise structure fires per year and associated losses of 30 civilian deaths, 352 civilian injuries, and $99 million in direct property damage per year. The property damage average is inflated by the influence of one 2008 hotel fire, whose $100 million loss projected to nearly $40 million a year in the analysis. This report emphasises these four property classes. Some other property uses – such as stores and restaurants – may represent only a single floor in a tall building primarily devoted to other uses. Some property uses – such as grain elevators and factories – can be as tall as a high-rise building but without a large number of separate floors or stories. For these reasons, the four property use groups listed above define most of the buildings we think of as high-rise buildings, and their fires come closest to defining what we think of as the high-rise building fire problem. By most measures of loss, the risks of fire and of associated fire loss are lower in high-rise buildings than in other buildings of the same property loss. This statement applies to risk of fire, civilian fire deaths, civilian fire injuries, and direct property damage due to fire, relative to housing units, for apartments, and risk of fire for hotels, offices, and facilities that care for the sick. The usage of wet pipe sprinklers and fire detection equipment is higher in high-rise buildings than in other buildings, for each property use group. Even so, considering the extensive requirements in NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code, for fire and life safety features in both new and existing high-rise buildings, it seems clear that there are still major gaps, particularly in adoption and enforcement of the provisions requiring retrofit of automatic sprinkler systems and other life safety systems in existing high-rise buildings. NFPA 1®, Fire Code, has sprinkler retrofit requirements. This has implications for public officials and ordinary citizens in any city. Public officials should make sure that the latest editions of NFPA 1®, Fire Code, and NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code, are in place and that the codes they have are supported by effective code enforcement provisions, including plan review and inspection processes, both for new construction and for continued supervision of code compliance in existing buildings. The public can take responsibility for their own safety by insisting that their public officials take these steps. As in so many areas of fire safety, we know what to do, but we still need to do it. The trend had been toward a smaller share of fires being reported each year as occurring in buildings with fire-resistive construction, both for high-rise and other buildings, with the decline being most dramatic in facilities that care for the sick. This statistical decline could reflect any or all of the following: (a) a shift in construction between the two types permitted by codes, from Type I (442 or 332) construction, which is coded as fire-resistive, to Type II (222) construction, which is coded as protected non-combustible; (b) a shift to acceptable alternative designs using more sprinklers and less fire-resistive construction; or (c) enough success in containing fires that a rising fraction never are reported to fire departments, because the fires are caught and controlled so early by occupants. Most high-rise building fires begin on floors no higher than the 6th story. The fraction of 2005- 2009 high-rise fires that began on the 7th floor or higher was 32% for apartments, 22% for hotels and motels, 21% for facilities that care for the sick, and 39% for office buildings. The risk of a fire start is greater on the lower floors for apartments, hotels and motels, and facilities that care for the sick, but greater on the upper floors for office buildings. High-rise apartments have a slightly larger share of their fires originating in means of egress than do their shorter counterparts (4% vs. 3%). The same is true of hotels (7% vs. 5%) and facilities that care for the sick (6% vs. 4%). In offices (4% vs. 6%), the differences in percentages are in the opposite direction, which means that high-rise buildings in those properties have a smaller share of their fires originating in means of egress. In all four property classes, the differences are so small that one can say there is no evidence that high-rise buildings have a bigger problem with fires starting in means of egress. U.S. high-rise building fires fact sheet In 2005-2009, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 15,700 structure fires in high-rise buildings. These fires caused an annual average of:

The new generation of mobile emergency command vehicles is helping deliver huge improvements in the way emergency services manage the different types of incidents they have to deal with. In the past commanders and their support teams may have used old style incident command vehicles, usually little more than mobile (paper) map rooms with a few radios and whiteboards. Not any more. Now services are in an era of improved communications across incident grounds and back to headquarters, using mobile satellite broadband, live wireless video and other solutions, thereby delivering high speed data flows and real time situational awareness and a Common Operational Picture – within all levels of services and between services. This is important, because it means services are now able to perform much more effectively (and some of the mistakes of the past, highlighted by major incidents where lives have been lost unnecessarily, are less likely to happen). Supporting this pioneering collaborative work within emergency services around the world, UK-based Excelerate Technology Ltd has helped drive the development of what are considered to be some of the world’s most advanced mobile emergency management vehicles. This is generating growing international interest, including from the Middle East. Emergency services and civil defence forces and agencies are interested in learning about highly innovative UK projects such as the HART (Hazardous Area Response Teams) programme, which is delivering a standardised, national approach for UK ambulance services dealing with incidents inside the ‘hot zone’, such as CBRN attacks, USAR incidents, chemical spills and releases, as well as other threats to life. Excelerate Technology has supported these initiatives by sourcing, developing and introducing many of the new technologies that emergency services have needed to implement their plans. Key among these technologies has been the use of mobile satellite broadband and wireless solutions to deliver data, voice, internet and video to commanders. Ten years ago the company was quick to see the potential of these emerging technologies and to adapt them for specific emergency service use, working closely with customers, such as the national HART ambulance service project team, the fire services and police forces. Critical to the success of these developments has been the need to identify how emergency service communications requirements can be best supported by the use of new technologies, followed by prototyping, systems integration within compact and ergonomically suitable work spaces, displays and control panels, thereby creating easy-to-use solutions. This has been complemented with testing, training and exercising to deliver maximum operational benefits for the investments made. These solutions are now being seen in increasing numbers of forward command vehicles and incident command units around the UK and the world, vehicles which are changing command doctrine and the way emergency services work. While there are variations in the different types of command suites and technologies used within the various emergency command vehicles supported by Excelerate Technology, there is generally a core set of common systems, features and functionality. Some of these solutions are unique to Excelerate, having been developed by the company’s Research and Development department. To help services identify which solutions are likely to be of most use to them, Excelerate has compiled a short User’s Guide to Mobile Emergency Command Solutions, Mobile satellite broadband communications This is at the heart of Excelerate’s technology offering, providing commanders with a robust, easily accessible and high capacity capability. Roof-mounted transportable satellite solutions provide resilient stand-alone broadband connections giving access to secure telephony, data, video, internet and email facilities. Satellite broadband is highly robust, a key factor during major emergencies when other communications systems can be overloaded. Satellite communications enable command and control vehicles to receive and transmit data from all responders and emergency teams and achieve a Common Operational Picture. Combined with wireless networks, personnel using PDAs, laptops, mobile phones and data terminals can access tactical plans, live video streaming or information from strategic emergency planning software. The range can be extended using self-powered, rapidly deployable MESH wireless nodes. For maximum resilience, vehicles can communicate directly with each other as well as their appropriate HQs and other locations. Some HQs, such as the West Yorkshire FRS, are now also using satellite broadband receivers at their command centre as well as on their mobile command vehicle. Wired, wireless and rapidly deployable cameras for live video viewing Optical and dual-thermal cameras can be mounted on self-powered tripods, the Sherpa climbing camera platform, extendable, pneumatic masts and aerial platforms to transmit live video by COFDM into ICUs and control rooms for viewing by command staff operating at the scene of an incident, and streamed via secure servers to higher level command for online access in real-time by authorised personnel. Body-worn cameras, such as those worn by Gwent Police mobile officers on bikes during the Ryder Cup, can also be used to provide fast reaction video of incidents. In addition, Excelerate can install receivers to provide ‘heli-tele’ downlinks, allowing aerial images from police helicopters and UAVs to be viewed in the command vehicle. Digital Dashboard Management Interface (DDMI) The Digital Dashboard Management Interface (UK Patent Application 1116053.8) is a highly innovative new solution which enhances system performance, reliability and communications interoperability. The Digital Dashboard Management Interface gives users vital data at a glance. This new digital dashboard display system has been designed by Excelerate Technology’s R&D department specifically for the emergency services market to provide a clear, intuitive interface linked to the wide variety of command and support technologies found on the latest generation of incident command vehicles. The company has already received the Department of Health’s authorisation to begin implementing DDMI into all HART Command vehicles. The simple-to-use interface enables operators to monitor and control the systems and technologies on board command and control units effectively and efficiently, enabling them to focus primarily on their operational roles and to get the best out of their technology and training investment. Modules within the DDMI include the Communications Management Suite (PBX). This module has been developed to enable multiple communications devices including radios, GSM, TETRA, mobile and VoIP

Label: Case study Title: Packexe Teaser: The tool for fire-fighters during extrication situations Label: Communications Label: Official report Label: Case Study Title: Emirates Towers Teaser: Official report from the NFPA Teaser: International hospitality goes high-tech

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Workers on the move are doing more critical work away from the office In your world, getting the job done means being on the move. The rugged Panasonic Toughbook® H1 Field handheld tablet PC is the ultimate productivity tool for mobile workers. With superior ergonomics, a 10.4” sunlight-viewable screen and sealed all-weather design, the H1 Field lets you work virtually anywhere.   Designed with a magnesium alloy internal frame, the IP65 and MIL-STD-810G certified1 Toughbook H1 Field delivers a complete range of integrated wireless features including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® and optional Gobi™2000 mobile broadband.   Add to that fast charging hot-swappable twin batteries for maximum uptime, optional integrated GPS and SmartCard reader, and you’ve got a handheld tablet PC that is unmatched in the field. www.larstan.com   Assessing the broad business case for rugged computing    This paper outlines the key demand drivers for reliable computing while describing the elements for different levels of “ruggedness.” It reports on the spectrum of mission-critical mobile users who have different levels of needs for rugged computing. It provides guidelines for “certification” and testing to accurately assess vendor claims and appropriately map the correct rugged form factor to the required functionality.   Devices While the concept of rugged computing has been pioneered by users working in extreme environmental conditions, there is growing evidence that a broader business market is developing for this category of mobile computers. The new trend is driven by three factors:   • The number of mobile workers as a percentage of the overall workforce is growing; • New broadband wireless technologies (EVDO1 and HSDPA2 and Gobi in particular) increase the opportunities to connect to key information resources from more places and at any time; and • Increased usage of mobile computers in a greater variety of environments exposes these devices to greater risk of physical harm.   According to analysts at Boonton, NJ-based Insight Research, employers are now actively promoting the expansion of their mobile workforce, especially as new technology developments enable continuous communication with employees outside of the office. This observation is further supported by a study from the Washington, DC-based Telework Coalition, which found that:   • 89 of the top 100 US companies offer telecommuting; • 58 percent of companies consider themselves a virtual workplace; • Only nine percent of employees worked at headquarters; and • 67 percent of all workers used mobile and wireless computing.   Workers, in short, are on the move. They are increasingly doing mission-critical work when they are away from the office. While it may have been feasible in the early days of mobility to use dial-up facilities— and later find Wi-Fi hotspots in coffee houses or hotel lobbies— the mainstreaming of mobility creates a new requirement for anytime access.   This helps to explain why demand for wireless broadband services is expected to grow at a compounded rate of more than 60 percent through the rest of the decade, while wireline services will grow at only 10 percent over the same forecast horizon, according to in sight analysts. Business users— and a growing number of consumers— find that they cannot afford to wait when they need to connect with colleagues, customers and suppliers.   1 Evolution, data only or evolution, data optimised. 2 High-speed downlink packet access assessing the broad business case for rugged computing. 3 “Anytime” connectivity implies an “anywhere” requirement.   As people access their network resources more often, they are also doing it from more places; some of those places are not always computer friendly. That is why, in a separate survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 70 percent of U.S. adult laptop users (in a sample of 2,300 respondents) strongly agreed that they would not feel comfortable storing their laptop in an overhead bin while traveling on an airplane because of fear that it might become damaged. The survey further found that:   • Among adults who regularly use a laptop computer, 47 percent use their laptop outside of a typical office environment on a daily basis;   • 25 percent regularly (i.e. 3 days a week or more) use a laptop while traveling or somewhere else outside their home or work;   • Among laptop users, 68 percent report their laptop is most at risk when traveling as a result of being dropped and knocked against a hard surface or getting crushed under the weight of other objects;   • 39 percent reported experiencing some form of mishap (drop, knock, and spill) with their laptop. These findings are in line with research conducted in 2005 by Framingham, MAbased IDC, which showed that dropping while carrying was the “number one” cause of accidental notebook damage. Liquid spills and falls from a table or desk rounded out the top three mishaps leading to accidental damage.   Understanding the true total cost of PC ownership   Many buyers have focused on purchase price alone when procuring notebooks. A closer look at the numbers— and the quality of the end-user experience— is turning this conventional wisdom into seriously outdated thinking. According to a recent market research report authored by analyst David Krebs at Natick, MA-based Venture Development Corporation, nearly 50% of the total cost of operating an enterprise mobile computing device is caused by lost worker productivity when the device fails. He concludes that the upfront cost of hardware adoption accounts for only 16% of mobile computer total cost of ownership (TCO). This implies substantial savings with the purchase of rugged equipment, because operating costs will be much lower over the long-term than with non-rugged mobile platforms.   This could explain why a study conducted by ABI Research in December of 2006 forecast that a new durable notebook category (also known as business-rugged) will grow at a compound annual rate of over 16% between 2006 and 2011.   Assessing the broad business case for rugged computing   “The combination of rugged features in more consumer-grade mobile devices is at the very core of product differentiation and the growing need to cater for field force enablement. Fully ruggedised products in traditional vertical markets such as oil and gas, mining, and the military will continue to be strong…[but] there will

Alerting: and the future Hybralert – Swissphone’s hybrid alerting system   Alerts indicate an emergency situation and have to be distributed fast and safe. The previous paragraph explained why it is recommended to use local- and end-independent alerting networks like the POCSAG network. It transmits alerts which can be received by all pagers in its surroundings.   Increasing reception possibility   Hybrid alerting is intended to establish safer message delivery and to close reception gaps. It supplements and combines existing alerting systems with additional transmitting technologies. The alerting distribution increases the reception possibility in areas with poor or problematic network coverage.   In the past, alerts were transmitted via sirens or landline telephones. The latter are stationary and do not meet today’s mobility demands. The GSM network is suitable to be combined with a paging network to build up a hybrid alerting solution because of its pervasive nature. Paging can use GSM either as a fall back or for simultaneous alerting. Alerts have to be transmitted primarily via a paging network which offers a higher transmission safety due to its end-independency. Zurich’s insurance company “Gebäudeversicherung Zurich” GVZ, for example, uses two separate paging networks in addition to GSM: their own, private SIKAN and the national TPS network. Multiple technologies in a single unit   The safe reception of alerts via various networks and technologies in one single unit requires sophisticated solutions. Regardless of the technical complexities, users should be able to use the terminal with ease. Swissphone developed hybrid alerting with the following in mind:   • Different reception technologies • influence each other • The battery life of a GSM operated • device is shorter • SMS messages require cost control • Redundant messages must be • suppressed  

Mark Fletcher speaks to Bruce Lee from Sprint Nextel to discuss how the latest communication protocols are providing powerful tools for fire services and, more importantly, how they can be exploited to enable the emergency services to create enhanced and shareable real-time situational-awareness data. Like many consumer-driven technological advances, cellular technology is powering forward at a tremendous rate. The air-time providers spend billions evolving the capabilities of the infrastructure and handset manufacturers undertake massive product development programmes and slash design cycles and product lifetimes in order to create and be first to the market with the next great USP. One of the positive side effects of this incredibly rapid development programme is the sheer number of new services and capabilities that can be exploited by the emergency services. Services that will enable them to not only be more readily aware of the issues they are dealing with, but also access this information far quicker and in real time – leading to optimised decision making and much greater situational awareness. Core to this new capability is the concept of Wide Area Networks or WANs, which are provided by the cellular companies nationally across the globe. However, to get a full picture of what is out there, we need to discuss the impact of the Global Positioning System or GPS. “The availability of accurate location formation presented an almost instantaneous advantage to fire services when it was first made available commercially by the US Military,” explains Bruce Lee, Manager of Industry Solutions at Sprint Nextel. “Higher interaction levels were immediately on hand from both vehicles and personnel, freeing up and removing some of the burden on the dispatchers.” Using sensors in vehicles and personal devices, location information can be sent to central control rooms autonomously and dealt with by situational software and displayed on map overlays. This machine-to-machine interaction instantly removes the need for person-to-person communications and the ambiguity that comes with it. The other advantage it offers is that it works in real time – which is a key for the emergency services. The crux of the approach is that if you know what is going on in real time, you can make much better and more informed decisions. As Lee explains: “GPS was developed by the military… In the fog of war, if you can get clear, unambiguous information you are in a much better situation tactically – something the emergency services can appreciate. This real time information, coupled with situational awareness can then be shared with all other agencies and acted upon in the most appropriate manner; allowing the strategic allocation of assets to where they will be most effective.” GPS is a very undemanding protocol, requiring relatively low data transfer rates and low bandwidth. However, with the advent of faster and more powerful cellular-based WANs, the emergency services now have at their disposal an incredibly powerful infrastructure for accessing even more pertinent information at far higher data levels. Modern cellular networks, such as 3G and HSDPA, are evolving at such a rate that many are offering data capabilities akin to those more commonly seen on wired networks. These enhanced data-transfer rates give those on the scene and those in control centres access to even greater levels of detail in the form of maps, videos and photos as well as access to IP-based security systems in or near the incident scene. Once again this can be achieved in real time, shaving vital seconds off response times and the resultant remedial action. “Sprint, as a cellular air time provider, does not create hardware,” Lee explains, “but what it does do is partner with best-in-breed companies, to help them leverage the capabilities of the cellular network.” Internally, the company has what is, in essence, a machine-to-machine organisation which, as well as looking at GPS and graphical information, also addresses the cellular transmission of asset health, such as the mechanical well being of vehicles and other hardware – in a similar vein to that used by modern car racing companies. “We have people working with fire departments, major automotive OEMs and trucking firms who need large quantities of data to work effectively, be it geographical, mechanical or situational,” Lee continues. Within sprint the Emerging Solutions Group has the concept of machine-to-machine at its core and overlays these capabilities on top of other groups who may be dealing with geographically defined customers such as city fire departments. “One such success,” Lee continues, “is the Anaheim fire department, whose area of operation covers both built-up and rural forested areas. Both require the fire service, but they both have unique needs and subsequent interaction with differing groups and services, depending on the location and scope of the emergency. They are using data solutions to better allocate resources and interact with other departments to help ensure more successful operations.” When quizzed on the future of cellular communications and the associated hardware Lee believes that the primary area of development will be the evolution of what is already out there. “Miniaturisation of hardware is a constant,” he explains, “when you consider what is possible now on a smart phone compared to even five years ago, the trend is very obvious. Devices may not get much smaller, but what they will do is pack a bigger punch and give the user greater capabilities. “I also think that there will be an increase in the reliability and subsequent analytics and interpretation of video feeds,” he concludes. “With more data available, there is more data to process and I think software will begin to take the lead. Not necessarily in the actual decision making process, but what it will do is determine if human interaction and intervention is required. People want to know if there is anything outside of the norm without staring at banks of monitors.” With 4G already in place in many countries, data rates and bandwidth are no longer the limiting factors towards the efficacy of a system. It is now down to the hardware developers to exploit these

Standing guard for the safety of millions From Europe to Australia, South America to the Far East, commercial, residential and industrial facilities around the globe are depending on Patterson fire suppression pumps and Pre-Pac® engineered self-contained systems.   Millions count on Patterson for their unparalleled knowledge and expertise in developing quality fire pumps and pumping systems that perform reliably when needed in office buildings, schools, dormitories, industrial sites, high-density residential areas, manufacturing plants and commercial sites.   All Patterson Fire Pumps and accessories are engineered to meet, or exceed, all applicable codes, including: UL and ULC listings, FM and NYBSA approvals, NFPA, VdS, LPCB, CNBOP and CE certifications worldwide and all NFPA-20 standards.   Horizontal split case fire pumps   Ideal for both high and low pressure pumping requirements Patterson Horizontal Split Case Fire Pumps are engineered for reliable operation upon demand. Patterson sweats the details   All fabricated parts are standardised and accurately machined for true alignment, increasing overall durability. Precision balancing of all rotating components provides mechanical dependability, reliable operation and minimal maintenance. Impellers are constructed with double inlets that practically eliminate end thrust while boosting operating efficiency.   The simple, split case design of these pumps allows for in-line service without disturbing piping while ensuring long, efficient unit life, reduced maintenance costs and minimal power consumption.   These pumps are designed to operate with pressures in excess of 390 psi (27 bar) and flows from 150 gpm to 5,000 gpm (568 litres/min to 18,925 litres/min).   Whether your fire pump application requires an electric motor, a diesel engine or vertical or horizontal orientation, these industry-approved pumps can be configured to meet your specific needs.   High pressure two-stage DMD fire pumps   Engineered for rugged, reliable service when space is at a premium High Pressure Two-Stage Fire Pumps are engineered to produce as much head as two single-stage pumps in series but in a much more compact size. Heavily built, they are highly dependable and have every mechanical feature to assure long life.   Design highlights include dual single-inlet, enclosed impellers, mounted back-to-back, and an interconnecting passage between stages. Bronze or bronze-bushed interstage pieces guard against wear.   Sizes range from 3-in. to 6-in. (7.6-cm to 15.2-cm) discharge for capacities to 1,000 gpm (3,785 litres/min) and heads to 1,150 ft (351 m).   V.I.P. vertical in-line fire pumps   Compact, self-contained design for easy adaptability to new or existing applications Patterson’s V.I.P. series of Vertical In-Line Fire Pumps offer a simple alternative to horizontal split case pumps in fire applications with lower flow ranges. Their unique design also minimises energy consumption while lengthening service life.   These fire pumps are easy to install into existing pipe lines. With the inlet and outlet on a common center line, only standard piping supports on either side of the pump are needed. This eliminates the need for costly foundations or pads.   The precision-cast impeller is dynamically balanced for smooth operation, and it is enclosed for optimum performance and long service life. Balance holes on the back side of the impeller reduce thrust with hydraulic balancing of the pressures.   Designed for durability, every pump has standard packing and a two-piece gland. Coupled to V.I.P.’s standard JP/JM motor, this quality, integral drive system features uniformity of tolerances, minimum shaft deflection and bearings sized properly for the job.   An integral clean-out port on the suction side enables cleaning without having to remove the driver, eliminating the need for a NFPA 6.3.4.1 Pipeline Strainer.   With pressure ratings from 40 psi to 150 psi (3 bar to 10 bar), Patterson’s V.I.P. Vertical In-Line Fire Pumps deliver flow ranges of 50 gpm to 1,250 gpm (189 litres/ min to 4,731 litres/min).   Vertical turbine fire pumps   Flexible staging enables capacity requirements in minimum floor space   Among the most versatile pumps in Patterson’s arsenal, the Vertical Turbine Fire Pump stands on Patterson’s more than 50 years of vertical pump expertise. Employing the latest design concepts and engineering technology, these pumps are ideal for fire fighting.   They can be staged as needed to meet specific pressure requirements, with lengths and construction adaptable to the application. And their space-saving vertical design minimises floor space requirements. Standard construction offers cast iron discharge heads with a fabricated steel column, stainless steel head and bowl shafts, or alloy steel line shaft and cast iron bronze fitted bowls. Open line shaft construction is standard; special metallurgies are available.   No priming is necessary to provide flows from 500 gpm to 5,000 gpm (1,892 litres/ min to 18,925 litres/min), with pressures in excess of 350 psi (24 bar).   End suction fire pumps   Deliver Patterson performance and reliability to new or existing installations   Choose from two configurations—frame mounted and close-coupled, which can be flanged or threaded. These pumps are engineered to last with a precision-cast, dynamically balanced and enclosed impeller that minimises vibration and maximises bearing life. Engineered for lasting integrity with standard packing and a shaft sleeve, each unit is hydrostatically pressure-tested to 1-1/2 times shut off before shipping.   Removing the rotating element without disturbing suction and discharge connections is easy because of our unique, back pullout design.   Registered fits at the volute and volute cover maintain pump alignment.   Featuring pressure ratings from 40 psi to 150 psi (3 bar to 10 bar), Patterson’s End Suction Fire Pumps are available in flow ranges of 50 gpm to 750 gpm (189 litres/min to 2,835 litres/min).   Pre-Pac® fire pump systems    Save on compact, custom-engineered pre-packaged systems   The Patterson Pre-Pac is one of the most popular and reliable, self-contained fire protection pump systems on the market today. It is compact, highly efficient and cost effective. From high-density residential complexes to industrial and commercial sites, the Pre-Pac helps you properly protect the lives and property in your care even while facing budget constraints and space limitations. Here’s how   Created to provide highly efficient, quality fire control in less space and for less cost, the Pre-Pac saves money by reducing labor, engineering and installation costs. Each Pre-Pac is built in

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