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In the year April 2009 to March 2010 there were 8,500 people
injured by fire and 328 fatalities in England. Although
the figures might seem high, injuries were actually
down by 8% for the same period 2008-2009, fatalities
were also down by one and a half percent. In fact, over
the last three years there has been a positive decline
in the number of people injured or killed by fire. This
is largely due to better quality fire prevention products
and fire prevention systems.
An increasing number of people are fitting smoke
alarms on every level of their property and some
are going as far as to fit them in every room - a good
indication of how aware we are becoming of the danger
of fire. Homes are now housing fire extinguishers under
the stairs and in corners of larger rooms. Smaller extinguishers
are present in kitchens to prevent grease fires from
spreading and fire blankets are also kept in other rooms
of the house.
A higher level of precaution has also been witnessed in commercial premises with not just new constructions implementing comprehensive fire protection, but older buildings also being converted to higher levels of fire safety. Fire prevention equipment in commercial premises includes fireproofing and fire protection systems such as, fire alarms, fire doors, fire windows, fireproof flooring, smoke seals, pipe collars, pipe sleeves, pipe wraps, fire grilles and intumescent paints and coatings. All of these products work together to comprise an effective fire prevention system.
The Most Effective Fire Protection Systems
The reduction in fire fatalities and injuries can
also be largely attributed to the increase in fire sprinkler
systems. Home owners and commercial residence owners
alike have realised that as far as fire prevention systems
go, the sprinkler system is the most effective and efficient
at protecting both property and people. Modern day sprinkler
systems for commercial and residential
protection not only extinguish 99.7% of fires at
source but can also be wired to trigger an alarm which
alerts the emergency services to a property. Fire sprinklers
save lives by providing active fire protection within
a minute or two of a fire breaking out. Triggered by
a heat sensor, a sprinkler
system douses fire with water preventing its spread
and stopping poisonous smoke drifting throughout the
building. A fire sprinkler system uses less than a third
of the water the fire service uses to secure a property
and as such considerably minimises considerably.
Fire prevention equipment is essential in saving lives and
preventing injuries. To ensue that fatalities and
injuries continue to fall we must take comprehensive
fire safety measures in the home and workplace.
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