Article on San Francisco Fire Safety Panel Highlights the Need to Update Out of Date Fire Safety Systems, Notes Fire Protection Group Inc.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) November 19, 2015 -- According to an article published November 9th by KQED, the city of San Francisco has responded to several deadly fires that the city has endured over the past year by forming a panel of experts to advise on fire safety systems that should be installed in older buildings. The article explains that certain measures, including installing louder fire alarms that can wake up residents, as well as fire sprinkler systems that can control the outbreak of a fire before firefighters are able to extinguish it, are being considered in their upcoming recommendation to city officials. According to George Saadian, the lead engineer at Los Angeles fire safety firm Fire Protection Group Inc., both of these upgrades are vital for their own reasons, and even if the panel does not end up recommending an overhaul of both alarm and sprinkler systems, other cities should consider making improvement to these two areas.
• Fire Alarms – Mr. Saadian explains that there is no better system to alert residents to a fire than properly functioning fire alarms, but they have to be loud enough to be effective. Current fire codes outlined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend that all modern fire alarms pass what the article refers to as the “pillow test,” meaning that any fire alarm going off in a hallway should be as loud as 75 decibels so that nearly anyone asleep inside would wake up. Mr. Saadian explains that, while the NFPA is very clear in making their recommendations, it is up to individual municipalities to put these recommendations into law, and cities often get opposition when proposing that older buildings be updated with new systems.
• Fire Sprinklers – While the article notes that the task force is less likely to implement fire sprinkler upgrades than it is to recommend new alarms, Mr. Saadian explains that sprinklers play a separate but equally crucial role. While the alarms are responsible for letting residents know that they need to evacuate a building, sprinklers slow and control the outbreak of a fire so that residents have more time to exit safely, and fire fighters have more time to put out the fire before it reaches a point that is beyond control.
Mr. Saadian explains that, for his Greater Los Angeles area clients, Fire Protection Group Inc. is able to design, fabricate and install top-tier fire safety systems for both new and existing buildings. He also stresses the note mentioned by the article that scheduling regular inspections of these systems is also crucial to ensure the safety of building occupants. For more information, call Fire Protection Group Inc. today at (888) 251-3488 or visit them online at http://www.FireSprinkler.com.
Michael Clauw, Cyberset Corp, +1 (818) 883-7277 Ext: 102, [email protected]
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