Cygnus Provides Top-Class Fire Safety Solution To Primary School

Cygnus, manufacturer of the world’s first fully wireless EN 54 certified fire detection and alarm systems, worked together with Southend-on-Sea based Blake Fire & Security Systems Cygnus' distributor Illumino Ignis (Kent) Ltd (IIKL) to supply 130 of its SmartNet wireless alarm systems to Elmwood Primary School in South Woodham Ferrers to ensure optimal safety for its staff and students.

The school contacted Blake Fire & Security Systems and IIKL for a review and quotation of its site and existing fire alarm systems which were over 15 years old and starting to fail. “After discussing the options, it was obvious to see the benefits of using a wireless system for this project,” commented Rory Foster, Fire Safety Systems Manager at Blake Fire & Security Systems. “It helped that the cost of the wireless system was less than that of a wired system, due to the fact it did not require any containment and cabling, and installation was straightforward as it only required one engineer.”

Both the installer and school were impressed with the features and benefits of the Cygnus SmartNet solution, “The speed and ease of installation meant that we were able to install SmartNet in just four days during the May half term, therefore we didn’t need to wait until the summer holiday period,” continued Rory. “The wireless system ensured that we did not need to penetrate through the walls or ceilings as we would have with a wired alternative. Running cables through walls and ceilings with a wired system also requires extra fire proofing to maintain the fire compartments of the building."

After the initial survey, the BS5839 Classification L2 System approved design for the school was carried out by Blake Fire & Security’s NSI Gold FD&A Designer just one week after confirmation of the works. Cygnus was able to provide the products with only a two-day lead time, which meant all equipment was in the office and ready to be programmed before going to site the following week. 

Designed to deliver a reliable and safe solution, the SmartNet wireless network features patented Cygnus technology and is run by battery powered radio devices as part of a robust, self-forming and self-healing mesh network, giving a minimum of two communication paths to each wireless device for maximum reliability.