The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT), a registered housing association and care provider in York and north-east England, has completed the first phase of an upgrade of fire alarms in one of its retirement communities.
Hartrigg Oaks, on the outskirts of York, houses around 250 people aged 60-plus, in 152 bungalows and a care home in a 21-acre site. Built to national standard ‘Lifetime Homes’, Hartrigg Oaks allows people to remain independent. Aico alarms and accessories are in use: RadioLINK+ based systems.
The first ten bungalows at Hartrigg Oaks are home to hard of hearing residents meaning extra care needs to be taken in developing an appropriate alarm. Their fire alarms have been upgraded with Aico’s Multi-Sensor Fire Alarms in the hallway, landing and living room; Ei164e Heat Alarm in the kitchen; and Ei170RF Alarm for the hard of hearing in the bedroom (with an extra strobe light in the lounge).
Aico says that its Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm is particularly beneficial in this setting due to its response time, which provides residents with more time to evacuate, thanks to two sensor types, optical and heat, to constantly monitor smoke and heat which are processed through intelligent detection software to provide the best response to all fire types, as well as reducing potential false alarms. The Multi-Sensor also comes with data extraction which provides JRHT with data.
The accessories are all interconnected wirelessly around the property using RadioLINK+. A wall mounted Ei450 Alarm Control Switch in each property allows residents not only to test all alarms on the system, but also silence them and locate the trigger alarm from a safe, accessible location. Aico’s Ei414 Fire/CO Alarm Interface has been installed to provide a dedicated connection between the Aico Alarms and the on-site Warden Call system.
JRHT Modernisation and Planned Maintenance Manager, Ross Tolmie-Loverseed, says: “The Aico detectors offered a fully compliant, whole house RF detection system and once installed and commissioned could be logged and downloaded onto a software package which JRHT could monitor. The RF detection system also provided a competitive, VFM solution, by removing the need for highly disruptive, hard-wiring between detectors in occupied properties. The system could also be linked in to the existing Tunstall warden call system at our sheltered accommodation where there was a need for an upgrade.”
Aico offers a CPD accredited Expert Installer scheme; free, modular training for those involved in domestic alarm specification and installation. Ross adds: “We have found our local Aico contact, Dan Little to be very accommodating and knowledgeable – the training and service offered we are very pleased with. The DLO electricians have been provided with full install and maintenance training and the MODS Asset Surveyors have obtained additional CPD training through awareness training on the systems.”
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