Choosing to integrate your security systems with your fire safety systems allows for a better overview of your facility and can greatly improve detection and response times during a fire.
Commercial buildings are required to be outfitted with appropriate fire safety systems, and many of them choose to implement appropriate security systems in order to prevent problems like theft or unauthorized access. The great thing about modern systems is that you can integrate your security systems with your fire safety systems and reap the benefits of having these systems work in tandem. This can be particularly beneficial during a fire or other life-threatening emergency that puts everyone in the building at risk.
Detection
First and foremost, choosing to integrate your security systems with your fire safety systems can improve the system’s ability to detect smoke or fire and alert the facility’s administration or security personnel to the threat. Stand-alone fire safety systems do a good job of detecting smoke fairly early on and offering a warning to the building, but an integrated system can utilize AI-driven analytics to determine the threat of fire before the smoke detectors go off. When it comes to handling a fire, every second counts. A fire that is detected early gives everyone in the building time to evacuate safely while personnel call local firefighters and potentially make an attempt to get the blaze under control (if it is safe to do so).
Response
Earlier detection means a faster response time, but that’s not the only benefit. If you integrate security systems with your fire safety systems, you will have a much better idea of where the fire is located, what kind of fire it is, how fast it is spreading, and any other critical information. This can give personnel insight into whether they can make an attempt to extinguish the fire themselves, and all of the information they have on the fire can be relayed to firefighters as they’re called in. In addition, administrators or security personnel monitoring the security systems will be able to determine if an alarm was pulled as a prank, which can save everyone a lot of time and effort.
Security
During a fire, some security systems need to be disabled to allow for quick egress by anyone in the building. For instance, access control systems that keep doors locked at a school while it is in session will need to be opened in order to allow staff and students to escape. By choosing to integrate security systems with your fire safety systems, you allow automatic response or remote control of the system to take over during these emergencies in order to save time and protect the lives of everyone involved.
TRUST THE PROFESSIONALS AT ARK SYSTEMS
Located in Columbia, Maryland, ARK Systems provides unsurpassed quality and excellence in the security industry, from system design all the way through to installation. We handle all aspects of security with local and remote locations. With over 30 years in the industry, ARK Systems is an experienced security contractor. Trust ARK to handle your most sensitive data storage, surveillance, and security solutions.
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