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A fire alarm system is a critical part of up-to-date fire protection for your business.  In this article, we will look at the most common types of fire alarm systems that businesses use.

First, let’s look at what a fire alarm panel is.  Here is a concise definition from Wikipedia:

A Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP), or Fire Alarm Control Unit (FACU), is the controlling component of a Fire Alarm System. The panel receives information from environmental sensors designed to detect changes associated with fire, monitors their operational integrity and provides for automatic control of equipment, and transmission of information necessary to prepare the facility for fire based on a predetermined sequence. The panel may also supply electrical energy to operate any associated sensor, control, transmitter, or relay.

There are two main types of fire alarm systems that are typically used in business:  conventional and addressable.

Fire Magazine’s Natasha Sabin explains that every device connected to an addressable system has its own unique address.  So, when the system detects a fire, the location of that device is communicated to the panel, making it possible for you to pinpoint the exact location of the fire quickly and efficiently.

A conventional fire alarm system, however, does not give you the precise location of the fire.  However, by wiring your system into different zones, you can get a broad idea of the location.

If you are unsure which type of fire system is right for your business, give us a call or email us at 1-800–988–2378 sales@bestsecurityproducts.com.  We specialize in Honeywell fire systems and can help you determine whether you need addressable components, conventional components or both. 

The best fire solution for your business is one which takes into account your unique needs and workplace model.  Protecting yourself, your employees, your customers and your assets is worth installing the most up-to-date and technologically advanced system.  Don’t wait until it is too late to update your fire system!

According to this article from the New York Times, 7 siblings died in a house fire in Brooklyn, New York.  The cause of the fire was a hot plate which warmed food while the family slept.  Due to Sabbath restrictions, the Orthodox Jewish family was unable to light a flame, so the hot plate was used to keep food warm overnight.

This tragedy is made even worse because the family could have been warned about the fire if there had been working smoke detectors throughout the home.  Instead, only one smoke detector was found – and it was in the basement.  There were no working smoke detectors on the first or the second floor of the home.

While we grieve for this family, we can also learn a lesson from their tragedy:  make smoke detectors a priority both in your home and in your business. But having smoke detectors present is not enough if they are not checked and maintained regularly.

Here are some tips from Tim Gibson of Expert Village on how to test your smoke detectors:

1.  When you push the test button on a smoke detector that is interconnected with the other smoke detectors in the house, make sure you hear the test beeps from the other detectors.

2.  Press and hold the test button for one to two seconds until you hear the series of short beeps.

3.  If you press the button and you do not hear the beeps, you may need to change the batteries, replace the smoke detector itself or have the wiring checked.

Watch the whole video here.

As a business owner, you can’t afford to be without a commercial security system.  There are many areas where it is fine to cut costs and get by with less in business, but security protection is not one of them. 

Your employees depend on you to protect them from dangerous robbers.  Your customers depend on you to create a safe environment in which they can do business with you.  And your bottom line depends on your ability to reduce shoplifting and employee theft.

It is important to realize that security starts outside your business in the form of outdoor perimeter protection.  Monitoring the exterior of your building and the surrounding property can stop criminals before they are able to make it inside your building.  Outdoor perimeter protection may sound complicated, but it isn’t. 

For example, installing high-powered security lights in parking areas and around doors and windows can deter a criminal, because they prefer to work in dark areas at night.  Setting up outdoor video surveillance cameras outside the doors and windows of your building provides you with a double layer of protection:  not only do these cameras deter intruders, but they also give you video recordings of their activity and can help you identify them later.

If an intruder does make it inside your building, door and window sirens can alert your monitoring company of the intrusion immediately.

For security protection inside your business, video surveillance cameras and CCTV systems allow you to monitor not only the behavior of visitors and customers, but also the behavior of your employees. Businesses lose millions of dollars each year due to employee theft.  A robust business security system can protect you from loss.

Best Security Products can customize a security solution for your unique needs.  Are you ready for peace of mind?  Give us a call or email us at 1-800–988–2378 sales@bestsecurityproducts.com