Row of shops - one fire panel

[GT]

Typical senario:
There's a parade of shops with offices built on top and the whole developement is served by one fire alarm system. The control panel is in the entrance lobby to the offices but the shopkeepers don't have acces to the lobby. If the alarm is activated, the shopkeepers should evacuate their shops. They can't get to the panel as it's a Saturday and the offices are locked up. They don't know if it's a genuine fire or not, they can't risk letting the public back in so they call the Fire Brigade.

What do the fire brigade do? Will they break in to look at the panel or what is the proceedure?

[wee brian]

I suggest kicking the door in and making as much mess as possible. The Office manager will soon come up with an alternative solution

[Chris Houston]

If the shop manager cannot see the panel, how will they do their daily visual check of the panel to make sure it is working OK?

To answer your question, it probably depends where you are.  Some brigades might do nothing at all if there is no evidence of a fire, just a fire alarm activation.

[Allen Higginson]

Typical senario:
There's a parade of shops with offices built on top and the whole developement is served by one fire alarm system. The control panel is in the entrance lobby to the offices but the shopkeepers don't have acces to the lobby. If the alarm is activated, the shopkeepers should evacuate their shops. They can't get to the panel as it's a Saturday and the offices are locked up. They don't know if it's a genuine fire or not, they can't risk letting the public back in so they call the Fire Brigade.

What do the fire brigade do? Will they break in to look at the panel or what is the proceedure?

They'll whack the door (personal experience of something similar) if they're there b4 the key holder. They (most times) will silence te bells after checking the zone/area out and then they'll go.It's up to the owner to designate a responsible person to reset.

[Graeme]

why don't they invest in a repeater panel?

[Graeme]

If the shop manager cannot see the panel, how will they do their daily visual check of the panel to make sure it is working OK?

.

They will probably be too busy trying to catch the airborne pigs for a free bacon roll.

[AnthonyB]

Often in this situation you would find the office system being the master system with each retail unit having it's own seperate fire alarm system & panel. Interfaces between the systems then allow mutual alarm. however if the overall premises are small then you do find single system cover, & often a mixture where some units have their own system other s run off the master.

Fire brigades will not always reset a system. Also, if the office is closed, even if they break in, they may no one may be able to reset it if the panel key isn't in the panel or no one knowss the access codes

[GT]

There are no repeater panels. Nobody does a weekly bell test let alone a daily check! This is the normal situation round my way. Regs. and Standards aren't enforced at all. It makes it very difficult when the only person who tells the customer that they need to improve thier fire safety is the guy who trying to sell it to them.

I wondered what the usual proceedure was for the fire brigade as if I tell the landlord that his doors will be smashed in whenever they have a faulse alarm at night then perhaps it might help to persuade him to upgrade the system.

[Graeme]

. Nobody does a weekly bell test let alone a daily check! .

like i said about the flying pigs.

[colin todd]

Au contraire, Graeme, I find weekly tests are very much the norm.

[Graeme]

Colin i find daily inspection and weekly tests by user are the norm up here along with 4 leaf clovers,golden geese and fairies.

Mind you i take the fairy bit back.There are a few in the dodgy disco on Saurday nights.

[Allen Higginson]

When I provide them with one I've started hghlighting the sections in our log books to the customer which relate to RESONSIBLE PERSONS & WEEKLY TESTS.It's amazing how many have the BGU's marked up and logged weekly as tested by next visit.