There can be no denying the importance of fire safety, either at home or at work. However, for the hospitality industry, the need for cost efficient and highly reliable fire alarm systems is acute. This is partly because the protection of guests is a key policy in any hotel or guesthouse, with some medium sized hotels having as many as 100 sleepers under their roofs at a single time. However, there is also a strong need because of the requirements laid down by fire and safety regulations that monitor the industry, with strict adherence demanded by inspectors.

Depending on the size of the property, the cost of installing and maintaining fire alarms, with all of their component devices, can be quite high. Understandably, this has brought the need for systems that reduce costs but do not cut corners on reliability and general safety standards. This has led to the development of burglar alarms that can double up to protect against fire by accommodating the addition of smoke alarms and detectors.

There is, of course, a huge range of options available to owners of guesthouses and hotels, with system packages available of various sizes to address specific needs. The issues of reliability and cost efficiency can be addressed in a number of ways, but backup power and expansion capability, respectively, are aspects that can address both.

Obviously, power is essential for an alarm system of any description. A constant power supply means the alarm is always operational, and therefore reliable. Modern alarm systems use electricity from the mains supply but have a backup system in the form of either a battery or generator to call upon in the event of a blackout. The batteries are generally heavy duty 12v sealed lead acid storage batteries, which have a life of up to 5 years providing a lengthy period of reliable backup service.

The expansion capability of the system is a factor that can see it gain in cost efficiency. The most efficient systems are able to incorporate several detectors in each of a specified number of zones, but while control centres for major office blocks and large hotels can be significant in size so as to cope with high numbers of zones, the average guesthouse will need something more modest. Common alternatives can control as many as 30 devices in each of four zones, making the potential level of coverage extensive.

Smoke detectors can be purchased singly for use in homes and small businesses. For businesses that have more extensive property, there is a need to properly map out the component devices so as to ensure all areas are covered. To this end, detectors must be able to interconnect with other detectors to blend into the system. In this way, additional detectors can be purchased whenever necessary and installed without requiring a complete overhaul of the principal alarm system, or the adoption of a second network.

Other factors can also make a difference to effectiveness. For example, research has shown that the conventional beeping pattern of a common smoke detector is less effective than they should be. This is because of the regular tempo of the beeps, which actually serves to keep sleepers asleep.

As a solution to this problem, the temporal sound pattern has been devised, with standby beeps drawing subconscious attention, a break for one second, followed by three more alarm beeps. The irregular tempo has been proven to be much more effective in rousing those who are sleeping.

Of course, while these systems are suitable for hotels, guesthouses and hostels, they are also equally suited to other businesses, particularly those that have a large number of employees spread throughout a complex of offices. Less extensive versions can also serve residential needs efficiently, particularly fire alarm systems that make use of temporal sound patterns, as many fatalities in house fires occur while the victims are sleeping.

Reliability is hugely important, but for larger properties with considerable space to protect and potentially a large number of people at risk, such as hotels, cost efficiency is another major concern.

By investing in smoke alarms that meet the highest industry standards and are inter connectable in either an expandable alarm system or a burglar alarms system, the costs can fall without any ill effect on the quality of protection.