Geofire’s Salamander radio-controlled fire door closers are proving to be a success at the home of Premier League football club, Sunderland AFC. The wire-free system was installed at the Stadium of Light to ease access throughout the ground, protecting the building and its inhabitants, should a fire occur.
In the event of a fire alarm, the doors in the stadium will close on receipt of a radio signal from a mains-powered controller unit, which is easily connected to the existing fire alarm system. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the sixth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. Holding open fire doors at the club is essential for creating restriction-free movement around the building in line with the Disability Discrimination Act, improving ventilation and ensuring the safety of match-goers and employees during busy periods.
Matt Barrett, facilities manager at Sunderland AFC says, “Holding open the fire doors is crucial to ensuring our visitors can safely get around the stadium. If our fire doors are held open, the Salamander system ensures they will close in the event of a fire alarm. We are very happy with how the system is performing and the fact that it is category A means that we have peace of mind knowing that the building is protected with the highest-rated fire technology.”
The Salamander devices are suitable for a Category A installation, the safest installation defined by BS7273-4, to ensure that fire doors will safely close in the event of a fault or fire. One controller unit can manage up to 99 fire door closers or fire door holders, with the option of double this figure using Salamander boosters.
Andy Collinson, CEO of Geofire said: “Fire safety is crucial for stadia, due to the number of people they can house at once. Hardwiring a system into such a large building can however be costly. Our Salamander system uses radio signals, which means that it does not require wiring to communicate with the fire panel. It is perfect for large buildings like the Stadium of Light.”
Holding open fire doors has proven to prolong the life of the door as it is far less susceptible to damage from busy crowds, trolleys and wheelchairs. The Salamander system is failsafe, meaning that all fire doors will close in the event of the fire alarm sounding, and radio or power failure, including low batteries.
Geofire’s Salamander radio-controlled range of fire door devices are battery powered and completely wire-fee, saving time, installation costs and disruption to the building’s infrastructure. Salamander holders are unobtrusive and do not cause damage to carpeted or wooden floors.
October 27, 2016
