The integration of life-safety systems is critical in any building to ensure that casualties, property damage, and other hazards are kept to a minimum when disaster occurs. Safety of occupants and personnel in any building is paramount and as technology evolves, the solutions to ensuring this safety are becoming more effective than ever.
Potential Threats
There are many threats posed regarding the safety of offices, accommodation buildings and factories, among other locations. These threats include fire, violence, and intrusion that can cause damage to both the property and the personnel. One of the primary issues is the inability to predict when such threats may occur. You can make plans that can help prepare for such threats occurring, but plans will only go so far and there is no way of guaranteeing these plans will be adhered to in times of crisis with many mitigating factors present.
What You Need
To solve this issue, businesses and buildings need to install systems that can react in real time to any instance of threat. Using systems that can remotely operate exits, fire alarms, and communication devices to thoroughly warn of threats and direct occupants to the safest exit. Installing necessary devices such as duress buttons, voice-activated fire alarms, emergency call stations, and speaker systems can help guarantee each threat is managed securely and effectively.
In addition to this, undertaking checks and proper maintenance of the software and hardware will save instances of unexpected system failure. With lives on the line, it is vital that the systems work as they should when the time comes. This can be completed through tests and drills to help prepare workers and occupants for such instances.
The Benefits
Integrating life-safety systems across a variety of platforms to work seamlessly with one another can help prevent disaster going further than the initial issue. There are many benefits that come with full integration and includes the enhanced protection delivered by syncing systems to react to protocols and suspicious activity.
This protection is enforced by allowing the automatic and remote locking or unlocking of emergency exits in case of intrusion. Furthermore, these same exits can be activated to unlock when the fire alarm is pulled, making escape for occupants much easier.
There is also the benefit of both operational cost and efficiency. By having a dedicated, single control station that can access data across multiple sites you reduce the manpower required for each site. Furthermore, using remote diagnostics, video surveillance and two-way audio systems means that repairs and information can be directed off-site and provide the fastest turnaround time.
Additionally, sophisticated data security systems will guarantee that sensitive information remains safe through encryption during attacks or threats. With reports of the many hacking incidents in the last few years, this kind of security is essential to providing safety for critical data.
Tech Saved Our Lives
The amount of responsibility given to security personnel, building managers, and safety directors means that they need to be at the top of their game and prepare for any circumstance. By embracing integrated life-safety systems, it makes their job easier and helps provide a streamlined procedure to tackle any threats and ensure occupant safety.
