Apollo Orbis conventional smoke and heat detectors have been installed at The Panthea Village, a resort with over 190 guest suites based in one of Cyprus’ busiest tourist hubs, Ayia Napa. The fire detection system has been supplied, installed and commissioned by Dragon Advanced Technology Systems, who will also maintain the system.

The resort is designed around a main building that houses the reception and amenities, including restaurants, bars, cafeterias, and sports and conference facilities. Guest accommodation is arranged in 30 two-storey blocks, each of which contains four suites.

Andreas Charalambous, Managing Director of Dragon Advanced Technology, comments: “Our client approached us to replace the existing fire alarm system with a new one using the same configuration. They specified that Apollo fire detectors should be used since the resort’s parent company had used them on other sites and had found them to be very reliable.

“We are very proud of our professional reputation, quality of work and customer service at Dragon and we know that Apollo works on the same principles. Having been pleased with the high standard of Apollo products in the past, we were in full agreement with the client’s specification.”

Dragon Advanced Technology recommended Orbis, Apollo’s new generation of conventional fire detectors, for use at The Panthea Village. The Orbis range incorporates some features more commonly associated with intelligent detection systems and has been devised specifically to provide high quality detection in small to medium sized installations.

With modern styling and the latest mechanical and electronic developments, the Orbis range is designed to speed installation, enhance reliability and reduce the incidence of false alarms. Features include DustDefy®, which uses advanced mechanical design to keep out dust while ensuring entry of smoke, new optics in both the optical and multisensor smoke detectors, algorithms for the rejection of transient phenomena and automatic drift compensation.

False alarm reduction is a particularly important consideration at holiday resorts, where evacuating large numbers of people who are unfamiliar with their surroundings can be extremely stressful and repetitive nuisance alarms can spoil an otherwise enjoyable stay. This, in turn, could adversely affect business: holidaymakers won’t return to a place where they have had a bad experience and they certainly won’t recommend it to others, which damages a resort’s reputation more widely.

The kitchenettes in the guest suites at The Panthea Village were identified as the most likely source of false alarms due to steam and smoke generated during food and drink preparation. Smoke detectors are inappropriate for such areas as they can be affected by transient high levels of vapour particles. Dragon Advanced Technology therefore protected these areas with Orbis rate-of-rise heat detectors, which change into alarm if the rate of increase in temperature exceeds a pre-set level. The rate-of-rise detector also responds at a fixed temperature if the rate of rise is too slow to trigger an alarm.

In total, 660 Orbis devices were installed to protect the buildings. The fire protection is arranged around a 32-zone master panel situated in the main building, while each of the 30 accommodation blocks has a two-zone control panel installed. Each control panel operates individually to sound the alarm locally at the villa block concerned. The fire signal is also transmitted to the master panel in the hotel’s reception where it triggers an internal buzzer so that members of staff are alerted and one of them can investigate the incident. In the event of a real fire, the hotel would be evacuated on a one-out all-out basis.

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Apollo Fire Detectors has launched a new version of its XP95 and Discovery Manual Call Points which comply with EN54-11:2001.

The new call point has a re-settable element for fast testing and re-setting of the device, with a single tool for both testing and re-setting. It also has ‘plug and play’ terminal blocks for fast wiring. Two options are available: standard or with a built-in isolator. The isolated option eliminates the need for additional isolation devices.

The device is loop-powered and, in addition, has a continuity link which allows wiring and testing of the system before the call point is connected.

A bi-coloured LED indicates fault and normal conditions and – for the Discovery version – there is the additional option of a flashing LED, selectable through the control panel. A mounting pattress is supplied as standard. The device should be installed in compliance with BS5839-1:2001 in the UK or applicable codes of practice elsewhere.

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A major project to upgrade the fire protection at Dover Docks, Europe’s busiest and most successful ferry port, has been completed during the port’s 400th anniversary year.

Involving the installation of over 2,300 devices, 44 control panels and seven miles of network cabling, the new system is based on Apollo Discovery fire detection technology. The system was installed by independent specialists Fire Alarm Fabrication Services Ltd (FAFS), who were awarded the contract by The Harbour Board following a full tender.

The Dover Harbour Board was established in 1606 under a Charter granted by King James I and continues as the statutory body responsible for the administration, maintenance and improvement of the 240 acre site. Today, The Port of Dover is one of the world’s busiest and most successful ports, with some 14 million private and commercial passengers, 2.5 million cars and 2 million lorries travelling through it each year.

The demands on fire safety provision at Dover are wide-ranging. The Harbour Board is responsible for managing the Western and Eastern Docks situated two miles apart, including a wide array of passenger and freight buildings from cruise and ferry terminals to immigration holding areas and cold stores.

Buildings, manned and unmanned, accommodate visitors and staff and include car parks, an IT centre, high voltage sub-stations, workshops and storage areas containing hazardous materials. In addition, the Dover Harbour Board is landlord of Georgian flats along the seafront and has to manage a large number of listed buildings.

This diverse range of activity, together with continuing development at the site, has major implications for fire safety and The Harbour Board undertakes regular reviews – the most radical of which took place in 2002. They wanted to make sure that the fire detection system would provide adequate protection for the entire site as it then was, while offering the flexibility and scalability to accommodate future requirements.

Following the tender process, FAFS was appointed to provide specialist fire system installation and maintenance support. They selected Morley-IAS control panels in combination with Apollo intelligent fire detection devices as the equipment best suited to the task.

“One of the biggest challenges was to accommodate a wide range of detectors, some of which are up to 15 years old,” says Terry Davies of FAFS. “The unique backwards compatibility offered by Apollo’s open digital protocol enabled us to deliver a highly cost-effective solution. At the same time, the Docks present a hostile, corrosive environment and the chosen solution had to be suitably robust to withstand the pressures of the natural elements combined with the logistical demands of an international port.”

The Port was sub-divided into four sections, each supported by a separate loop. A P1 system is specified for the parts of the complex that may be unmanned for any period of time, with the highest category P1/L1 system for the public buildings. To accommodate the diversity of activity across the site, the system includes optical, ionisation, beam and aspirating detection devices.

Every device is monitored constantly at three separate locations, with any loss of signal investigated immediately. The whole network reports through to the police station situated at the edge of the Eastern Dock.

Evacuation procedures are tightly controlled and take into account the large volumes of traffic and people spread over a wide area. A pre-alarm function is used to isolate an area at risk, enabling staff to check the potential problem and restrict or evacuate the area as necessary, so minimising disruption.

FAFS continues to support the fire detection equipment by undertaking regular service and maintenance, delivering comprehensive training for Harbour Board staff and providing advice and support.

George King, Electrical & Mechanical Manager for Dover Harbour Board, comments: “We operate in a highly volatile market and the only thing that is guaranteed is change. With the Morley-IAS and Apollo system in place and the ongoing support of FAFS, we have a fire protection system with the resilience and flexibility needed to respond to whatever demands are placed on us in the future.”

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