New Wireless Technology is Poised to Revolutionize the Fire Alarm Industry

Posted on: July 11, 2017

The safety industry is adopting wireless solutions on a wide scale

Some in the fire community have hesitated when it comes to unproven technological trends. For example, while other industries jumped on the wireless bandwagon as early adopters, the safety industry paused because of a rational concern that new equipment wouldn’t work as they were accustomed to in the event of a fire.

But with advances in technology and its proven reliability, wireless fire alarms are now embraced on a wide scale. Newly-released systems offer a host of features that are welcomed by safety professionals, and they address many of the original concerns about wireless equipment performing in the event of an emergency. Let’s take a look.

The benefits of wireless fire technology

1. Installation times have decreased dramatically: With wireless fire alarms, installation is completed quickly, as no construction work needs to be done to accommodate the new equipment. Contractors can simply mount the wireless devices, configure them, and be on their way. No running wires or installation of other complicated infrastructure.

2. Less disruption to businesses: There is little that businesses despise more than disruption during business hours, a common concern when updating or replacing fire safety equipment. But minimal major renovations are required for the installation of basic fire safety equipment with wireless technology. This lack of complexity is especially beneficial in older buildings, where installing wired equipment can be cost prohibitive.

3. As reliable as other connection methods: There is a common misconception that wireless devices are not as reliable as wired devices. It’s simply false. Today’s wireless transmitters include low battery indicators, as well as anti-tamper triggers. And because wireless devices constantly send status messages to the system’s control equipment, any issue with any device is immediately spotted.

4. Can be used in conjunction with existing wired systems: Wireless fire alarms are capable of being used in both standalone systems and in combination with an existing hardwired system. This provides significant flexibility in deployment and installation.

Notifier’s SWIFT wireless fire alarms

Notifier has been a leader in the development of wireless fire alarm systems for quite some time. The company recently released an entire line of wireless alarms under their SWIFT brand. Their most popular models include:

  • FWSG Wireless Gateway: Think of the FWSG as the brains behind your wireless fire alarm system. This device acts as a bridge between all your wireless equipment and can support up to 48 SWIFT detectors or modules, and one display driver.
  • FWD-200P Wireless Photoelectric Smoke Detectors: These devices use wireless photoelectric detectors to detect fire in large, open areas and employ a mesh network to communicate with fire alarm control panels.
  • FWH-200 Wireless Heat Detectors: Heat detectors simply detect heat instead of smoke. They are designed to minimize property damage by reacting to the temperature change caused by a fire. Wireless heat detectors are beneficial in areas where smoke detection may not be practical, and a fast acting heat reading could provide a much quicker response time. These devices also communicate with fire control panels through a wireless mesh network.
  • FW-MM Wireless Modules: These monitor the status of other devices that feature contacts, such as Pull Stations, Water Flow switches, and Tamper Switches, and integrate them into the wireless system.

The future of fire safety technology is wireless

There is little doubt that the future of fire safety is wireless. While our industry may have been hesitant to adapt to this dominant technology, the time for businesses to take advantage of the cost savings as well as the safety benefits of wireless fire safety equipment is now. For more information on what’s currently available, feel free to reach out to LifeSafety Management today by phone at (800) 330-1158 or through our online contact form.