London tower block residents safeguarded by Hyfire wireless installation

Residents of a London tower block awaiting the replacement of defective cladding can sleep soundly in their beds following the installation of a cutting-edge Taurus wireless fire system from UK market leader, Hyfire.

The well-known landmark in Deptford, South-East London, had been subject to a 24/7 Waking Watch since defective HPL and ACM cladding was identified in 2020. Now, while they await the eventual replacement of the offending materials, the residents are benefitting from a Taurus wireless detection and simultaneous evacuation system, following guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council. This is helping to protect the building and also saving over £15,000 each month in Waking Watch provision. 

Daren Pool, Managing Director of Triple Star Fire & Security Ltd, commented: ‘The brief from the management company was to deliver an interim solution that could cover the communal and residential areas of the tower, allowing them to do away with Waking Watch while ensuring the safety of all residents. As it requires around 90% less cable runs than a standard wired system, the latest Taurus range from Hyfire was the obvious choice.

‘The wireless devices are not only easier to install in a residential building, given that they can be pre-programmed offsite, they also limit contact with residents, which is of particular benefit in the current pandemic situation. Once the defective cladding has been removed, the system can be adapted in accordance with BS 5839-1 L5 requirements, with the devices inside each apartment used as part of a BS8629 evacuation management system, if required.’

Hyfire offers the widest range of commercial standard wireless fire devices on the market, ranging from optical, multi-criteria and heat detectors to notification, alarm, interface and control units, all fully certified to EN54. All products offer the highest performance and quality in the industry, and are also fully compliant with BS5839 Part 1. Fire panels are wired via a loop to translators, from which wireless devices can be used on their own to build fully wireless systems of virtually any size, or mixed with Hyfire wired products to provide seamless hybrid solutions, offering total flexibility to specifiers and installers.

Ollie Murray, Hyfire Regional Sales Manager for South-East England, said: ‘We worked closely with Daren and his team to specify a system with 425 Taurus wireless devices that could be installed rapidly, and with limited impact on the fabric of the building, ensuring safety and peace of mind for all residents of the tower. This is exactly the sort of scenario where wireless fire devices come into their own and, as the new system has allowed Waking Watch to be removed, it will start paying for itself immediately.

‘The issue of cladding has been a major cause of stress for many residents, and the excessive cost of Waking Watch only added to the apprehension. With this new fire system, we have killed two birds with one stone and, while the goal remains to have the building fully rectified, I believe the wireless fire system from Hyfire offers enhanced protection in the short-term, as well as savings every month.’

Developed in Trieste, Italy, the global centre for wireless fire design, Taurus features Pathfinder Technology, which allows the devices to communicate over 1km, point to point in open air, and further where expansion hops are used. Antenna technology has been optimised to allow communication across different frequencies and environments, which means that Taurus can do the job with less equipment and less batteries, thus saving on costs.

Hyfire was launched as Sterling Safety Systems in 2007, bringing to market some of the first commercial wireless detection and alarm devices fully certified to EN54. Since then, the Hyfire brand has become synonymous with quality, reliability and innovation in the commercial fire sector. Hyfire devices come with a five-year warranty, backed up by a dedicated partner programme to ensure the best survey, installation, commissioning, after sales service and exceptional technical support.