How Do Fire Protection, Prevention And Suppression Differ?

Fire protection, prevention and suppression systems are all fundamental for safeguarding buildings against a fire. However, some people might be unsure as to how the systems may differ.

Rather than using these terms interchangeably, it is important to understand how fire protection, prevention and suppression system work together. 

Your fire protection specialists Dublin can help you choose the right system as per your need since they know your need best.

In this article, we are going to define the systems and how they work in tandem to keep both people and building safe.

What To Know About Fire Protection 

The aim of a fire protection system is to protect the building’s occupants and minimize the damage associated with fire.

Overall, the goal is providing the widest possible window for a really safe evacuation, whilst reducing any potential repair costs.

Now, fire protection systems can be categorized as active or passive. While active systems are designed for helping fight fires, passive fire protection describes the structural measures which prevent the passage of smoke and flames.

To go deeper into the subject, you can connect with your fire protection specialists Dublin for more information.

There are several factors for passive fire protection, apart from preventing the spread of fire, it also happens to maintain a building’s structural integrity.

What To Know About Fire Prevention Systems?

Fire prevention systems are put in place so a building’s fire load is as low as it can really be. Fire load is a term that most fire protection specialists Dublin use to determine the potential severity of a fire in a building, based on the presence of hazards.

Fire protection, eventually, reduces the likelihood of a serious fire. By safely storing combustible materials, and taking care of points of ignition, it reduces the risks associated with fire.

You need to be vigilant of any potential fire hazards- a big part of this is carrying out regular fire safety inspections. 

However, fire prevention measures are just common sense. You don’t need to be trained fire safety technicians to know the dangers of smoking indoors or blocking fire exits. So, now you know how fire protection and fire prevention systems differ.

What To Know About Fire Suppression?

The main objective of a fire suppression system is to extinguish a fire as fast as possible. Once occupants get alerted to the fire presence, the system would start to emit concentrated substances to suppress the flames. 

Fire suppression differs from fire prevention and protection and fire protection specialists Dublin can guide you which one is more suitable. 

The exact nature of the substance can really vary, based on the environment the system is designed to protect. Some common examples include carbon dioxide, inert gas, as well as liquid and chemical agents.

One of the defining features of fire suppression systems is they don’t use water. The only exception is water mist suppression systems. For this reasons, fire suppression systems are often used in spaces that are susceptible to water damages.

These include rooms with large amount of electrical equipment. Now, fire suppression systems also tend to get installed in museums and galleries and contain valuable and fragile materials.