Fire Safety in Theaters, Cinemas. concert halls and similar premises is part of the legal obligations with regard to safety issues accoring to the Dutch Standards. Fire safety is only one of many safety issues which management must address to minimise the risk of injury or death to staff or the public. Unlike most of the other safety concerns, fire has the potential to injure or kill large numbers of people very quickly.
When someone goes to a theater, he or she often does not realize what is happening above and behind the stage. All set pieces, canvases, speakers and lamps ensure that a space is needed above the stage, which can be up to 30 meters high. Due to this height and the degree of filling of the room, it is not possible to create a reliable fire detection with conventional detection means.
Smoke
Theatres are notoriously difficult in respect of detection of unwanted fires or smoke because a lot of productions now regularly use haze machines, smoke generators and occasionally live fire on stage. The fire alarm system had to have some unique features designed into it to avoid not only detection of these special effects but also the unnecessary evacuation of audiences.
Eventhough air sampling cause some initial concerns, like unwanted false interpretations of fire events arising from pyrotechnic and smoke effects on stage. this problem can be avoided to add a key-operated disablement time control unit, indicating fire conditions identified within a theatrical programme, with an in-built provision to prevent accidentally switching off disablements during the controlled period.
Override timer
But this can also be realised with the Stratos aspirating systems these systems are specified with an integral override timer. This allowed the theatre`s technical staff to inhibit its operation during the use of special affects. After the preset time periode has elapsed,the system automatically returns to normal operation. Should special effects aprticulates still be air-borne after nearing theend of the preset period, the timer can be re-initiated. and the possibility to adapt to the possible presence of stage smoke, a fast-acting system can be created that can continue to function during the performance.
Due to the high ceilings in a atrium and on stage fly tower areas, careful consideration must be given when selecting the type of fire detection. Point heat detection will not operate correctly at the mounting heights. Also could be a problem for safe access for future maintenance. Instead, a Stratos aspirating smoke detection (ASD) system is the right choise to overcome the maintenance issue and provide improved detection response times.
You can contact SenseTek for information call +31(0)20-6131611 or email sales@sensetek.nl
