A museum is an institution which holds irreplaceable artefacts and other objects of a historical, artistic, scientific or cultural nature. Museums are open to the public and are popular tourist destinations, meaning efficient fire detection must be in place to, not only protect the lives of individuals, but also the irreplaceable objects.
What are the Fire Risks Associated with Museums?
There are many fire risks associated with museums, including:
- Overloaded Power Outlets
Overloaded plug sockets in areas of the museum such as the reception, put the building at a high risk of fire if they are to overheat or spark and come into contact with a flammable substance. - Public Access
The high number of people visiting the building means that keeping areas free of clutter can be difficult. Most visitors will also be unfamiliar with the building which may make evacuation difficult. - Smoking
Along with public access, comes the likeliness of smoking. Even though smoking is banned from public places in the UK, it can still become a worry if areas aren’t clearly signed and smoking policies aren’t adhered to.
What are the Challenges?
There are many challenges for protecting museums from fire, including:
- Down time
As many museums are open to the public, and many people come miles to visit them, the closure time needed to install new fire alarm systems could put profits at a loss and also ruin the experience of those visiting. - Aesthetics
Aesthetics are too a challenge when replacing or upgrading hardwired fire detection systems as they often require new cabling. This means ceilings and walls may need to be torn apart before being put back together which could damage the aesthetics of the property. On top of this, museums are often listed buildings, which may mean that altering walls and ceilings for new cabling may not be permitted. - Disruption and Cost
If existing hardwired systems become faulty or need upgrading, the costs and time that comes with the closure of the museum can have a very damaging impact on revenue, therefore, putting the future of the museum in jeopardy.
What is the Solution?
Buildings like this require a number of detection types to be installed across the entirety of the building. Hybrid fire detection is, therefore, the perfect solution as it combines wireless and hardwired detection technology to provide full coverage of its allocated environment.
Wi-Fyre
Wi-Fyre is the perfect solution in protecting museums from fire as it allows wireless fire detection technology to connect effortlessly with existing hardwired fire alarm systems. This means an existing hard-wired fire detection system can be extended without the need for time-consuming or costly cable runs, and with little disruption to the day-to-day operation or aesthetics of the property.
At the core of Wi-Fyre is the Wi-Fyre transponder which connects to the existing fire alarm cabling via a compatible interface module. Each Wi-Fyre transponder can communicate with up to 30 field devices such as input/output interfaces, detectors, manual call points and sounders.
A Wi-Fyre Wireless Survey must be carried out using the Wi-Fyre Survey Head to make sure that the signal between the transponder and the device to be installed is strong enough for the system to operate to its fullest capability.
Wi-Fyre also has six user-selectable modes for integration with a wide range of systems:
- Conventional
- Addressable (Collective)
- ProFyre 2-Wire Addressable
- ProFyre Addressable
- Standalone Reflective
For more information about Wi-Fyre, please feel free to give us a call on +44 (0)1329 835024 or email [email protected] where we would be happy to answer any questions.
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