When it comes to fire safety in today's large-scale warehouse environments - which can cover thousands of square metres - undoubtedly an essential requirement is the ability to identify that there is a problem at the earliest possible stage so swift action can be taken to bring a fire under control.
This has become even more of an imperative in recent times given the high value of materials which are stored in these buildings and the need to move workers to safety in what can, in many instances, be a 24-hour operation.
Alongside this, as events such as the tragic fire in Warwickshire, England, last November demonstrated all too starkly, where sadly four fire-fighters lost their lives after a roof collapsed, the more information which the emergency services can access the better able they will be to tackle a blaze safely especially if they need to enter a structure.
In light of the above I believe that where warehouses are concerned CCTV has an invaluable role to play. Video Smoke Detection in particular is ideally suited to the large voluminous nature of a typical warehouse environment where high airflows are present and it is just not possible, practically, to place conventional detectors close enough to the area of risk to provide an effective level of detection. Thankfully, this is not a limitation faced by Video Smoke Detection, as it is able to utilise images from standard CCTV cameras and analyse these, by applying sophisticated algorithms, to detect the presence of smoke in seconds and automatically alert control room operators to any danger.
Another advance that increases the flexibility of Video Smoke Detection is the integration of an IP (Internet Protocol) based capability. This means that it is perfectly possible for multiple warehouses to be monitored from the same control room.
Looking ahead, there is even the potential to supply information via wireless connection to the emergency services on the move in their fire appliances. In this case members of the fire service would be able to review pre and post alarm footage on their way to the scene of a warehouse fire and, as a result, make informed decisions regarding how to tackle a specific incident.
Ultimately, for warehouse fires it is all about early detection and providing a visual indication of what is actually happening in specific areas allowing rapid action to be taken so limiting any damage and disruption to the owner's business, whilst, crucially, ensuring the safety of warehouse staff and members of the emergency services.
