National Fire Protection Month

How fire protection systems protect us 

In one of history’s largest recorded fires, more than 13,000 houses burned away to nothing. Over 130 churches, halls and places of community were destroyed. A whopping 15% of the city’s housing was swallowed up in the fire’s rage, leaving hundreds of thousands of people displaced. All within the space of 4 days. The Great Fire of London in 1666 was a pivotal event in the history of global fire safety. In its aftermath, governments imposed building and fire safety regulations aimed at preventing a repeat of the catastrophic consequences of the fire. 

Today, over 350 years later, fire protection systems and the regulatory frameworks that underpin fire safety outcomes for buildings have advanced significantly. This is thanks in large part to the research and development conducted by fire protection professionals and fire safety engineers. 

Almost all buildings today, from private single dwellings to high-rise mixed-use buildings, contain some form of fire protection system designed to protect life and fire safety.  These systems and their design purpose can range from simple to complex systems. They include: 

• Domestic smoke alarms to wake sleeping occupants 
• Fire rated boundary walls to stop the spread of fire from adjoining properties 
• Automatic fire sprinkler systems to suppress early-stage fire spread 

• Fire hydrant systems to assist fire brigade response 
• Passive fire and smoke rated wall and floor systems to contain fire and smoke to the area or building of origin 
• Mechanical smoke hazard management systems to limit the spread of smoke and the introduction of oxygen  
  
  

Making fire protection systems more compliant 

At Hendry, our team of safety measures professionals and FPAS Accredited fire safety assessors assist our diverse national and local client base. Our experts provide guidance through the delivery of inspection, maintenance, audit and assessment services to ensure the installed fire protection systems can protect the lives of the building occupants if disaster strikes. 

Fire protection in healthcare  

Many building occupants in hospitals, aged care centres and other healthcare facilities are partially or fully incapacitated. As a result, fire protection systems play a critical role in ensuring the life safety of people in the event of fire.  

Some of the most important fire protection measures for these facilities include:  

• Passive fire and/or smoke rating systems  
• Active fire protection systems  

• Sprinkler systems 
• Smoke detection and alarms 
• Occupant warning systems 
• Fire hydrants 
• Fire hose reels 

• Fire extinguishers  
• Mechanical smoke hazard management system  

• Passive fire protection systems 

• Fire doors 
• Emergency exit lighting 

• Protection of assembly areas 
• Multiple escape pathways 
  
  

Fire protection in education 

Large numbers of people typically occupy educational buildings such as schools, childcare centres, kindergartens, universities, TAFEs and government offices. Fire protection systems play a critical role in giving occupants adequate time for a safe evacuation of the building. The specific fire protection systems installed often depend on the building’s size and its people capacity for occupants.   

Some of the most important fire protection measures for these facilities include: 

• Multiple escape pathways and doors  
• Active systems 

• Manually operated fire hydrants 
• Fire hose reels  
• Fire extinguishers in the case of low-rise educational premises.   

More complex system, such as those used in healthcare buildings, may be installed in multi-level higher education facilities. 

Fire protection in commercial buildings 

The type and complexity of fire protection systems installed within commercial buildings can vary substantially depending on the size of the building. A basic, small commercial retail premises may only contain a single escape pathway, a fire extinguisher, fire blanket and a kitchen exhaust canopy. Alternatively, a large 50,000 sqm factory may require multiple active fire safety measures. Fire safety measures play a crucial role in ensuring the life safety of workers in addition to preventing the spread of fire to adjoining workplaces and residences. 

Define your fire protection system needs 

Whilst the systems installed in these examples vary dramatically, they all play an integral part in ensuring the life safety of occupants. If these systems are not maintained in a condition that enable them to function correctly in a fire, tragic outcomes can result. 

Take some time to define what fire protection systems are most valuable to your organisation or get in touch with a safe pair of hands who can help with your compliance. Hendry also offers training sessions for organisations who want to gain a better understanding of fire safety compliance and how it relates to their buildings.