Fires can happen unexpectedly, and if not caught early, can easily spiral out of control. A fire left unchecked can be devastating, causing tons of property damage, including essential files and essential equipment needed to run your business, as well as keep your business tied up with repairs while the damages are fixed. Having fire prevention measures, an emergency plan, as well as taking on a contract with a fire protective service company will help greatly reduce the risk of a fire getting out of control, or even starting. Here are some pieces of essential fire prevention equipment any business needs.

Sprinkler Systems

Sprinkler systems are your first and most important step for preventing the spread of fires and keeping things under control. When it comes to fire sprinklers, there are a variety of options which can be installed depending on your needs. There are standard wet sprinkler systems, which have a continuous flow of water which is released onto the area where the fire is detected. If you are in an area with high risk for pipes freezing, the pipes are kept empty using pressurized nitrogen until the fire is detected, in which the nitrogen is forced out as water is let into the pipes and released over the offending area. If you have areas with sensitive electronic equipment, servers, and computers, a water sprinkler will likely do more harm than good. Luckily there are water-free sprinkler systems like the FM-200 which use gas to suffocate the flame rather than water.

Fire Alarms

Fire alarms are also an essential piece of fire safety equipment, especially if your building has employees working at that location. Fire alarms can both be manually and automatically triggered, allowing for employees to activate an alarm if they do see a fire, or have the alarms automatically go off in the presence of smoke. These systems can also come with the option of having an audio emergency notification systems and voice evacuation systems to help guide others to the nearest fire escape, as well as remotely contact the nearest firehouse automatically.

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers provide a proactive response for taking care of small fires, or helping clear a path blocked by fire in an absolute emergency. Fires are separated into different classes, and each extinguisher is designed to handle a different variety of classes of fires. Depending on the nature of your business, pick the types of fire extinguishers that best suit your needs.

Class A Fires – typical combustible materials such as wood, paper, and some plastics.

Class B Fires – combustible or flammable liquids such as solvents, alcohols, or oil-based paints

Class C Fires – electrical equipment

Class D Fires – combustible materials like lithium, magnesium and sodium

Class K Fires – cooking appliances, oils, and fats

Illuminated Signs

Illuminated exit and emergency signs provide light in the case of an emergency where the main power is taken out such as an electrical fire, as well as provides clear direction to where the emergency exits are. Having a few of these posted throughout the office pointing to the emergency exits, with at minimum one sign at each emergency exit will help direct people where they need to go quickly and easily.

Just having these fire systems in place might not be enough to fully protect your office from fires, but it does go a long way in helping prevent any fire that may occur. In addition to having these systems installed, contracting a company to help with the installation and maintenance of these systems is necessary. Companies like Fireguard help not only with providing the equipment and installing the equipment, but they also cover the state and county required inspections and upkeep that come with having fire protection systems. They will handle anything from preventing and repairing any corrosion on the sprinkler pipes, or changing the illuminated exit signs every few years as required.

For more information on how best to assess your business needs regarding fire systems and installations, contact a fireguard service contractor like Nationwide Investigations & Security, Inc. for a consultation to discuss your specific requirements, and ensure you get the best protection for your business.