User Manual

19
Siemens Switzerland Ltd
Building Technologies Division
2.2.2. Active measures
The limited possibilities of improving passive protection means that even more emphasis must be put on active
measures. Active protection can be divided into organizational, detection, alarm and evacuation, and
extinguishing measures:
Organizational measures During public opening hours the majority of museums and historical buildings
will be able to summon professional help relatively quickly in emergency
situations. Despite this fact, the management of such buildings should aim at
achieving a high level of competence within their premises in dealing with
emergencies and in recognizing potential sources of danger, independent of
outside assistance.
Organizational measures include:
· Staff training (prevention and intervention)
· Provision of alarm and emergency plans
· Periodic maintenance and checking of firefighting equipment
· Keeping escape routes accessible and unobstructed
· Enforcement of good housekeeping rules, e.g.:
- Correct storage of flammable materials used for cleaning or
restoration work
- Electrical appliances switched off as soon as no longer in use
- No portable heating equipment permitted
- No smoking in any part of the building or in the immediate vicinity
Detection measures The main tasks of an automated fire protection system are to detect (an incipient
stage) fire, sound an acoustic alarm, notify the fire service and activate the pre-
programmed control functions. Such a system consists of a control unit with
peripheral input devices (such as manual call points and automatic fire
detectors), output devices (such as sounders and beacons) and output contacts
to control other systems (such as smoke control systems, HVAC systems,
elevators, automated extinguishing systems, etc.).
To minimize the danger to life and the damage to property, it is important to
detect a fire as early as possible. Optimal product selection combined with
appropriate knowledge make it possible to design a fire detection system capable
of detecting a fire extremely early and virtually eliminate any danger of false
alarms.
Section 3 describes the measures needed to ensure that a fire is detected reliably
and at the earliest possible stage.
Alarm and evacuation
measures
When a fire breaks out prompt warning is essential and buildings must be
evacuated within minutes to protect people’s lives. Public buildings, which at
peak times may have a large numbers of visitors and staff, must fulfill special
requirements with regard to alarming and evacuation.
The purpose of an acoustic fire alarm is to warn people of the potential danger.
In the case of a historical building or museum three distinct target groups are
addressed:
· Visitors for whom a hazardous situation has been detected
· Staff who should coordinate the evacuation
· The people who should deal with the fire
In a basic installation the fire detection system must activate the installed alarm
devices and transmit the alarm signal to the fire department.
More sophisticated installations may include a dedicated voice alarm system,
which can be instrumental in preventing panic by providing clear information
about the danger and any required evacuation procedures through calm and
concise announcements.