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FIRE PROTECTION & SECURITY
Ramtech’s WES3 and REACT in use on the Thames Tideway Tunnnel project
Bridging the safety gap Temporary fire solutions have become a crucial part of building safety for local authorities — particularly within complex scenarios and throughout construction or renovation phases. Protection of human life is of the utmost importance, and for the public sector, it is of huge benefit if the solution is also time and cost-effective. Adam Jurka, National Sales Manager at wireless solutions firm Ramtech, explains the role of short-term fire safety measures, and how local authority building managers can mitigate risk through innovative technology. hen a permanent fire safety system fails, this presents local authority building owners with a challenge to quickly provide safety cover. This can happen when there is damage to a permanent fire alarm system that leaves it in need of repair, or unexpected malfunctions that mean a replacement is necessary. As repairs or replacements are not always immediate due to time, financial, or other logistical constraints, by using a temporary system, this will afford local
W Ramtech testing a manual call point, part of the WES3 temporary wireless fire alarm system, on site at Nottingham Castle
authorities and public sector services precious time and peace of mind while any issues are being resolved with the permanent system.
Waking watches or ticking time bombs? In the aftermath of the fatal Grenfell Tower fire, interim safety arrangements came into place for the hundreds of other buildings in the UK with dangerous cladding. However, more than four years on, residents in these properties are still relying on temporary measures in case a fire breaks out. This is a no-win situation for anybody involved. Residents aren’t as safe as they should be in their homes, and while the argument rumbles on over who pays for what, short-term measures such as waking watches have ended up costing as much, if not more, than replacing the cladding in the first instance. At its most basic, waking watch teams or fire warden patrols involve a person or team patrolling buildings, then alerting
