Unique wireless technologies
With a combination of unique radio technologies in the control panels and a suite of new, integrated wireless sensors that provide comprehensive intrusion and environmental protection for businesses, wireless technology has never been more reliable for commercial applications. Superior performance, high reliability and enhanced flexibility are achieved using patented technologies including bi-directional radio, agile routing and wireless K-band DUAL TEC® sensors and detectors.

A complete wireless offering
The new wireless sensors in the Honeywell range include a DUAL TEC® motion sensor (DT(PI)8M), glassbreak detector (FG8M), flood/temperature detector (DET8M), and shock sensor (SHK8M). Other available sensors across the range of control panels include bi-directional keyfobs and panic buttons (TCB8M/TCBPA8M-1), passive infrared sensors (IR(PI)800M) with pet tolerant variant and door and window contacts. These are already available for G2 and Domonial control panels.

The Honeywell total wireless solution has been developed with both installers and end-users in mind. The Galaxy Dimension wireless solution is ideal for large installations such as hospitals and department stores. It provides new revenue opportunities for installers where the use of cables is not practical and removes the need for cabling maintenance. It significantly reduces the need for site visits as installers can carry out maintenance remotely and instantly using the Remote Servicing Suite (RSS) and Remote Routine Inspection (RRI) tools.

Reliable wireless security for large installations
For end users, the Honeywell Galaxy Dimension wireless solution provides extremely high levels of security and reliability with minimal business disruption, cost and inconvenience. Installation is quick and easy and it provides lower maintenance costs due to the reliability of the system and fewer required service visits.

New wireless sensors for G2
The G2 hybrid solution with the new wireless DUAL TEC® sensors and detectors is ideal for small to medium sized businesses that are more prone to break-ins and false alarms typically caused by the number of the people using the system, interference from other equipment and external factors such as white light, especially in sites with large areas of glass. The G2 hybrid solution saves installers time and money on the installation and can be serviced remotely. No specific training is required. Like the Galaxy Dimension Wireless, the new sensors for G2 also provide new revenue streams – restaurants and shops also face risks such as flood damage and installers can now provide protection using the new flood and temperature sensors. Early warning detection using the new VIPER™ shock sensor also provides installers with a new service offering for their customers.

Reduced false alarms
For the end-user, the G2 hybrid solution with advanced performance sensors is a more reliable security system, providing better protection and fewer false alarms. Installation is less invasive as no cables are required resulting in minimal disturbance to businesses and building/office redecoration is not required. In addition, they will receive better protection for vulnerable glass areas, as well as protection from any serious loss and damage arising from flooding or faulty equipment thanks to the environmental flood and temperature sensor.

The wireless DUAL TEC® motion sensor provides faster and more reliable detection using K-band microwaves to quickly verify the PIR signal prior to any alarm decision. Because K-band operates on a higher frequency, it is less likely to penetrate walls and glass, reducing false alarms and associated intervention costs. In addition, FlexCore™ and Flexguard™ technologies have been applied to Honeywell’s new FG8M glass break detector, reducing alarms in buildings with large areas of glass by analysing sound frequency, duration and amplitude.

Recording at a rate of up to 200 ips (PAL), the HRDP supports high-end recording capabilities such as ‘Remote-View’ (free app for Apple devices) for remote access of live video, user-friendly front panel control, mouse operation, IR remote control, wizards for fast and easy DVR setup, graphical search engines to find video evidence quickly, an internal DVD-RW and two USB ports for copying evidence to portable media. HRDP supports continuous, event and combined continuous/event recording and is configurable per channel. When it detects motion, HRDP can automatically boost the recording rate to capture additional detail of the scene in motion. When saving video clips to portable media, a viewer executable is included with each clip, which eliminates the need to install a viewer separately on the evidence-viewing PC. E-mail notification can be set up to alert the system administrator of DVR status conditions and site status upon detection of motion or in the event of sensor activity.

In addition to the ‘Remote-View’ (Apple app) described above, HRDP can be remotely accessed by system administrators and other DVR clients using a PC via web browser or via the powerful Remote Software included with each unit. The Remote Software advanced feature set allows the administrator to configure, update, and operate the DVR from a central location. Remote DVR configuration and downloading software updates from a central site saves time and money by reducing the need for periodic site visits. System operators can have individual privileges enabled or denied for functions such as live view, playback, backup, and PTZ control. Once the video evidence is found, the user can save video clips to the PC and/or portable media such as a USB stick using Remote Software.

Market Opportunities
HRDP offers an advanced feature set and low pricing. It is ideal for a wide variety of surveillance applications including small to medium-sized retail, financial, warehouse, and educational facilities. HRDP is well suited to support applications requiring high image per second recording upon detecting motion and sensor activation or for capturing maximum detail of activity through building entrances and exits.

For virtually any surveillance application, the powerful search engines can be used to quickly identify sources of theft and its viewer executable makes it easy to hand over video evidence to others for viewing on a PC.

Features

4, 8 or 16 looping video inputs
4 audio inputs, 1 audio output
Continuous recording during playback and transmitting to remote site
Mouse (not included) control via front panel
Built-in DVD-RW and two USB 2.0 ports
Records up to 200 images per second PAL
PTZ dome control for a wide variety of protocols
Remote-View (free app for Apple devices) for remote access of live video
Remote access through web browser and/or Remote Software, LAN/WAN (internal NIC), and DSL (remote access software included)
Self-diagnostics with automatic notification including hard disk drive S.M.A.R.T. protocol
Infrared remote control included
Embedded Linux OS — OS embedded in flash

Apple, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

It is hoped that the move, which will not apply to residential care homes, sheltered accommodation or buildings with specified identified risk, such as industrial premises, will reduce the number of false fire alarms.

The fire service said it had worked with businesses across the county for the past few years to try and bring down the number of unwanted fire callouts, but was still having to respond to a high number of AFAs at night.

Area manager, Gene Ashe, responsible for business fire safety, said: “We have worked with business owners and proprietors over a number of years to try and reduce the number of these unwanted fire calls, which at one point accounted for more than 90% of all AFAs. This not only disrupted their business activity but meant that fire crews were regularly turning out when not actually needed.

“Despite our efforts, these calls remained at a high level, with the majority being caused by faulty or poorly-maintained fire detection systems and originating from a relatively small number of commercial premises.

“To address this, we introduced a call challenge policy in 2009, which meant that when our emergency control room received one of these calls, the alarm receiving centre or the responsible person at the premises, was asked to confirm whether or not the alarm was a false alarm or a genuine or suspected fire. Where there was a genuine or suspected fire, the usual response was sent.”

The service referred to the Chief Fire Officer’s Association’s false fire alarm policy as part of its announcement. The document, which is not binding, says that if a fire alarm has been fitted to the correct standard, instances of false or unwanted fire alarms will be rare.

“This protocol recognises that key to the effective performance of AFASs is the correct design, installation, commissioning, acceptance and maintenance process. If the protocols described in BS5839 are followed a false alarm issue is unlikely to occur.”

It also recommends fire alarm ‘filtering’, which can include a verification through a phonecall.

A number of fire services have also pledged to bring down the number of false or in the past year, with some considering the idea of imposing fines on repeat offenders.

However, a spokesman from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue said that the service would not be imposing fines on businesses, because it was “not trying to generate income”.

If a real fire in an unoccupied office building were to occur, he told info4fire, it would respond “in the usual way”.

“They [businesses] are legally responsible for their buildings. It’s their job to ascertain fire risk,” he said.

The three-storey building, measuring approximately 60 by 40 metres, was devastated, with around 40% of the first and second floor ruined by fire. The rest of the property suffered from water and smoke damage.

Devon and Somerset firefighters were called to Salcombe Court around 7.30 am on 24 April following reports of smoke rising from the building.

The police, ambulance service and coastguard were also in attendance due to the property being on the water’s edge.

According to local news reports, firefighters, water jets and pumps had to be ferried to the house by the RNLI inshore lifeboat and crew. Sea water was also pumped from boats to douse flames.

Much of the fire was under control by 11.45 the same day, but crews remained on the scene for more than 24 hours, damping down hot spots.

Just after 6 am the next day, crews fought to suppress a fire that started in the roof void of the apartments, near a chimney stack.

No one was hurt and the incident is not believed to have been malicious.

Crews found the building well alight with thick and acrid smoke pouring out after they were called to the incident shortly after 6.00pm on Saturday (30 April).

Dozens of police officers cordoned off the area and advised people to keep their doors and windows closed. Ambulance crews were called to the scene as a precaution. There were also reports of explosions during the fire.

Fire crews used two ground monitors, two large jets and two aerial ladder platforms to tackle the blaze.

A structural engineer was called in to assess the damaged building amid fears it was about to collapse.

The fire was brought under control eight hours later shortly after 2.00am, though crews remained at the scene throughout Sunday.

The centre employs around 70 people, according to the Huddersfield Examiner, some of whom were in tears as they turned out to see the fire.

A police and fire service investigation into the cause of the blaze is underway.

O & C Holdsworth plc had previously pleaded guilty at Truro Crown Court to two offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005: failing to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment; and failing to ensure the hotel was properly equipped with detectors and alarms. The company had pleaded not guilty to a third charge of failing to ensure the safety of relevant persons.

At the previous hearing on 23 March, John McMillan, a director of the company, and Nicola Burfitt, an administration manager, were formally found not guilty of the same three charges. Their not guilty pleas were accepted by the prosecution, on the basis that the company accepted responsibility of a failure of their systems, rather than failings of individuals.

The prosecution offered no evidence against another defendant, Martin Tricker, of Hawthorne Safety Consultants.

Welcoming the fine, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said:

“Our decision to proceed with a prosecution, which was taken after a comprehensive investigation into the fire precautions at the hotel, reflects the seriousness of this case.

“We hope that today’s sentence will send out a very clear message to the hotel and leisure industry where sleeping accommodation is provided of the importance of adhering to fire safety legislation and ensuring the management of fire precautions is a high priority.”

Commenting on the conviction and fine, a statement from O & C Holdsworth said:

“The fire at the Penhallow Hotel in August 2007 was a tragedy and we continue to express our deepest sympathies to all those that have been affected. As a family business with a long history in hotel management everyone at the company has been devastated by what happened.

“Following the fire we immediately initiated a comprehensive review of our health and safety and fire safety procedures at our other hotels and have strengthened the company guidelines and working practices to ensure full compliance.”

In 2009 an inquest into the deaths of the three guests – Joan Harper, Monica Hughes and Peter Hughes, all from Staffordshire – returned an open verdict. While arson was suspected, it could not be established conclusively that the deaths were unlawful.

The fire broke out inside a 70 by 30 metre building used to process waste in North Shields.

Around 40 firefighters were called to the site a little after 2pm on 1 May. It took around four hours to get under control, with the main building severely damaged by fire, smoke and heat. Crews managed to contain the fire spread, but an adjoining two-storey office suffered smoke damage.

The plant, owned by Sita UK, was used by the public to dispose of household waste and recycling. Determining exactly how the fire started was difficult because the waste comes from “anywhere”, a spokesman at Tyneside and Wear Fire and Rescue service said.

The fire is not being treated as suspicious.

In March a fire at the centre took six hours to bring under control.

Patipat Kansikam of the Red Lion (Pad Thai) restaurant in Wokingham pleaded guilty last month to the offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, but the case was adjourned to 6 April for sentencing.

The offences included disabling smoke detectors by covering them with clingfilm, inadequate fire protection of escape routes, obstruction of escape routes, an inadequate fire alarm system, an inadequate fire risk assessment and inadequate fire evacuation training of staff.

David Walden, technical fire safety legal support manager at Royal Berkshire Fire Authority said that some businesses continued to treat compliance with fire safety legislation as an option.

“This financial penalty shows that the courts do not agree. This was a sustained and blatant refusal to meet statutory requirements to ensure the premises was provided with adequate fire safety measures. Staff and customers are entitled to feel safe when working at or visiting a restaurant or any other business.”

The guidance aims to give practical support and advice on existing purpose built flats to landlords, managing agents, enforcing officers and fire risk assessors. It does not introduce new standards or regulations but builds on existing good practice and guidance – in particular Fire Safety Risk Assessment. Sleeping Accommodation published by the Department for Communities and Local Government to support the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).

The draft guidance is also designed to complement guidance on fire safety provisions in certain types of existing housing published by LACORS (now Local Government Regulation) in 2008 and clarified in 2009. That guide was not primarily intended to apply to purpose built flats and addresses those that do not meet the standards applied under the building regulations since 1992.

The new guidance was commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government, project managed by the Local Government Improvement and Development body, and drafted by CS Todd & Associates.

The foreword to the draft guidance says the document aims to address some of the confusion on the application and scope of the FSO to purpose built blocks of flats. “[The] application of the FSO to blocks of flats has proved problematic. It has led to widely varying outcomes. In some buildings, significant work to upgrade fire safety standards within the common parts has been undertaken to satisfy this legislation. In others, none have been considered necessary.

“Of particular concern is the resulting variation in the findings of fire risk assessments carried out by third parties on behalf of landlords and others responsible for fire safety in blocks of flats.”

The deadline for comments on the guidance is 31 May 2011 and final publication is expected at the end of July 2011. As part of the consultation process, Local Government Improvement and Development is also holding a series of regional events in May.

The National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG), which holds information on addresses throughout the UK and is kept up-to-date by local authorities, has been integrated throughout the service.

They have used it to keep track of new build homes, bits of land, canal moorings and units on large industrial estates, all of which the service says are ‘notoriously difficult to find.’

A spokesman said: “By giving each a unique reference number, it enables firefighters to pinpoint their location precisely should an emergency strike.

“Firefighters are also able to add interesting information to each number – such as the fact that a building contains a petrol tanker. This is then shared throughout the fire service.”

Cambridgeshire firefighters collected the Fire Service Technology Award at the first ever Emergency Service Awards, held at Arsenal’s Emirate’s Stadium on 7 April.

The awards evening was hosted by BBC News presenter Nicholas Owen, and included 19 awards for individual and team achievements in all three emergency services.

Nicola Smith, business intelligence and performance manager for the fire service collected the award. She said: “Before this integration existed, that frontline knowledge may not have been available to people in every department. This will save us money and time in the future, while providing a better service for the community in every area.

“What is really exciting is that, as this award demonstrates, Cambridgeshire is leading the way in data management, and is now pioneering this integrated system among other emergency services. The most recent example of this is the assistance Cambridgeshire has offered to Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service in implementing the NLPG in their organisation.”