Like all aspects of security, fire detection is constantly evolving with technology and trends to offer state-of-the-art safety. We asked several industry professionals about the trends and concerns that are currently having the largest impact.

Integration Tops the List

One trend mentioned by all who were interviewed was integration of both technologies and systems.

“[Fire alarms integrated with building management systems] provide seamless and coordinated response of multiple systems during a fire, such as HVAC, access control, egress pathway lighting and other building functions,” explains Steven C. Bailey, business development manager, VES Fire Detection Systems, King of Prussia, Pa.

Dustin Teske, portfolio leader, digital fire offerings at Johnson Controls, Glendale, Wis., describes a shift to cloud-connected gateways and user platforms where information from an entire suite of fire alarm control panels can be accessed in one spot. “This equips facility managers with real-time life safety infrastructure for faster, more effective emergency response and ongoing maintenance planning,” he says.

Teske adds that with these central communication pathways, facility managers can monitor fire control panels anytime and anywhere. Whether during emergency situations or in everyday use for people operating in the field, this increased level of visibility and communication improves operational efficiency and limits system downtime.

These trends are not developing out of thin air, however. If necessity is the mother of invention, one of the necessities driving these trends is increased energy intensity at data centers — largely attributed to the rise in AI — which can also pose a greater risk of fire threats, points out Andrew Blate, global UL portfolio leader, Honeywell Building Automation, Charlotte, N.C.

For that reason and many others, technology has been evolving more quickly than ever before in the fire alarm industry, an industry that Judy Jones-Shand, vice president of marketing, NAPCO Security Technologies, Amityville, N.Y., describes as “a traditionally risk-conscious segment that values proven reliability over trends and rapid change for good reason.”

Jones-Shand gives as a few examples of these evolving technologies: fire alarm control units (FACUs) having built-in UL864 onboard dual sim communicators; and cloud-based programming and support for longer-range wireless sensors plus smarter local and remote annunciation for them. Down the road, Jones-Shand foresees FACUs integrating with technology such as IoT, producing smarter, safer buildings.

Blate sees evidence of technological evolution and integration as well, adding, “We’re seeing greater advancement in the technologies being integrated into fire safety systems, helping enable a holistic solution that covers all the bases of fire and smoke detection, notification, communications, and maintenance and support. By combining early smoke detection apparatuses with smart alarm control panels, off-gas detection, bi-directional amplification and emergency voice communications, it’s easier to address — and sometimes anticipate — any major incidents.”

Teske agrees, adding, “As fire codes evolve to require more dynamic, spoken alerts, control panels are meeting this need with compact, cost-effective, all-in-one solutions that combine fire, alarm and public address capabilities to improve clarity, response times, and code compliance.”

Staying Ahead of the Curve

With the march forward into better and more effective technology, security integrators and professionals in the fire life safety industry must position themselves to succeed. One way they can do this, recommends Bailey, is to assess existing installations and be prepared to propose migration strategies for those systems utilizing control panels which lack hardware expandability, firmware upgrade paths for seventh edition device compatibility or have reached end-of-life and are no longer manufacturer-supported.

Blate adds, “To get ahead of any looming threats or risks, dealers and integrators should provide regular expert maintenance and support for their systems to ensure complete functionality and safety.”

And of course the ever-present pressure of a shrinking skilled labor pool lurks in every conversation of this sort.

“Investing in technician training and mentorship programs now will help companies grow sustainably,” Teske says. “Workforce development initiatives like the Johnson Controls Community College Program or JCI Academy are designed to ignite interest in skilled trades and empower the next generation to build rewarding careers, laying the foundation for a stronger, more resilient workforce.”