VMC Fire Protection have several years of experience and expertise in the Fire Protection industry. VMC Fire Protection’s sales and customer service team consists of skilled technicians who deliver concise and experienced answers to all questions.
VMC Fire Protection offer maintenance programmes to suit customers’ business with regular inspections and testing also specialising in design, supply and installation of fire alarm systems.
Overview of fire alarm systems
The primary purpose of a fire alarm system is to provide early warning of a fire so that building occupants can be evacuated and action taken to stop fire as soon as possible – all according to a predetermined plan.
The alarms may be raised automatically, by smoke or heat detectors, or manually by a person operating a manual call point.
To ensure an alarm is dealt with in an orderly manner, it is important to know where the alarm is coming from. To aid this function, fire alarm systems are usually split into zones, each covering a different area of a building.
When an alarm has been raised, the fire alarm panel responds by indicating the zone in which the alarm has occurred and activating all relevant sounders, bells and other alarm outputs to provide a warning of the fire.
Additional alarm outputs available on this alarm panel (which may or may not be used depending on the requirements of the site).
LST700 series - technical specs
The LST700 is a compact conventional fire indicator panel available in two, four and eight zone configurations. The range is fully approved for both local and Fire Brigade monitored systems in accordance with the requirements of AS1670.1 2004.
Supplied in a flush or surface mountable enclosure, it features easy to use controls together with 003 key access control.
In addition to the provision of detection zones all panels feature four output circuits which support Systems Sensor evacuation sounders and strobes producing the new T3 warning signal.
A wide range of engineering functions are also provided including selectable zone delays, coincidence selectable zone delays, coincidence and not latching zone facilities.
Comprehensive test and fault finding facilities are also standard on all variants. Optional four and twelve way relay boards are available to further expand the flexibility of the panel.
The LST700 is fully approved to AS7240 parts 2 and 4 by CSIRO and is ACTIVFIRE listed. It also carries the Loss Prevention Certification Board stamp of approval.
Features:
- Fully compliant to AS7240 parts 2 and 4
- ACTIVFIRE Listed AFP-1704
- Suitable for Fire brigade Monitoring
- 003 key access facility
- Intuitive user friendly controls
- Available in 2,4, and 8 zones
- Four conventional sounder circuits supporting minimum 40 devices
- Flush or surface mountable plastic enclosure
- Auxiliary remote, fire, fault and reset outputs
- Low quiescent current
- Maximum 40 smoke/heat detectors per zone
- Integral 1.5 amp Power Supply
- Supports up to eight full function mimic panels. Connection is through two wire cables.
- Full range of engineering / programming functions on all variants
System maintenance:
AS1670.1-2004 Fire Detection System design, installation and commissioning and AS18551.8 set out criteria to ensure that systems are correctly placed into service and then maintained in a fully operational state.
Highlighted below are key recommendations on steps, which should be taken to ensure the installation is in a fully operational state at all times.
User responsibilities:
- Check the Fire Indicator Panel system weekly to ensure the system is free of faults and is capable of activation when an alarm is initiated. Refer to weekly testing below.
- Ensure arrangements are in place for the test, maintenance and regular servicing of the system. Important: AS1851.8 recommends weekly and monthly tests that should be carried out by the user/responsible person.
- Ensure the system log book is kept up to date by recording fire signals, fault signals, work on the system, etc, and make sure it is available for inspection at all times.
- Ensure that all relevant occupants of the protected premises are instructed in the proper use of the system.
- Take steps to limit the number of false alarms on the system
- Ensure the effectiveness of the system is not impaired by ensuring there is a space of at least 500mm in all directions around and below every fire detector and that all manual call points are unobstructed and easy to see.
- Liaise with all relevant building engineers, decorators, etc., to ensure any changes to (maintenance of), the building’s fabric does not compromise the protection given by the fire alarm system, create faults or false alarms.
- Ensure that any structural or occupancy changes planned for the building are done so with due and early consideration given to any changes that may be required to the fire system.
- Ensure that selections of spare parts are held as appropriate within the premises
Quarterly and periodic inspection, testing, servicing and maintenance:
It is the user’s responsibility to ensure that an ongoing inspection and maintenance contract is in place to meet the requirements of AS1851.8.
The work required must be carried out by a competent person with good knowledge of fire detection and alarm systems. The standard recognises this will normally be an outside specialist fire alarm servicing organisation.
It is good practice to inspect the system on an annual basis to confirm that it is in a fully operational state. This should include testing all sounders to ensure that they are providing the correct level of sound generation.
The Australian Standards require that detectors are fully tested every two years. However, it is also essential to regularly identify and clean dirty detectors, which are outside manufacturer’s specification.