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The safe evacuation of a building’s occupants is the top priority in the event of any life-threatening incident, and a clear and unambiguous means of communicating with them is essential. This is especially so with hotels, where the safety of guests is of paramount importance. In the case of the four-star Hotel de France in St. Helier, Jersey, currently undergoing a new extension build, Gent by Honeywell’s Approved System Integrator Smail and Richards has been able to offer a high quality, state-of-the-art voice alarm that properly reflects this top hotel’s high-quality status.
This voice solution is one of the many functions of the unique Gent S-Quad sensor powered by the Vigilon fire control panel. Additionally, the sensing technology within the S-Quad provides early detection of fires and therefore early warning to guests and staff alike. The advantages for the Hotel de France’s management are many, and include controlled, phased evacuation, a very high degree of fire safety, as well as significant cost savings and operational simplicity.
Owned by the Parker family, and thought to be one of the largest family-owned conference venues in Europe, the four-star Hotel de France is a popular luxury hotel. It boasts comfortable and well-appointed bedrooms and suites, plus comprehensive leisure facilities, including a new Spa Complex complete with ‘infinity’ pool, jacuzzi, hot and cold pools, sauna, steam room and gymnasium. The hotel is used by tourists, business travellers, families and those on short breaks.
The hotel is currently nearing the completion of an extension, and this work included the supply and commissioning of a high quality fire alarm system. As laid down in the initial remit to the German consultant, main contractor and design team, KMS Gebaeudeplanungf Gmbh, the Hotel de France installation required a reliable, cost-effective and adaptable system with first-rate design in keeping with the hotel’s reputation for high quality. Being in contact with the hotel management at all stages, and in close cooperation with the German team, Gent’s System Integrator Smail and Richards, accommodated the hotel’s requirements by recommending a Gent Vigilon system with S-Quad.
The advanced S-Quad sensor range for Vigilon uses a patented dual angle optical scatter smoke detection technology that improves both the speed and integrity of fire detection. As well as featuring smoke and heat and CO sensing elements, the S-Quad incorporates an integrated sounder which can provide speech capability, as well as a high intensity strobe. All the functions of the S-Quad sensors are powered directly from the Vigilon panel loops, massively reducing installation time, another important benefit.
The S-Quad’s functions, including its audio-visual alarms, ensure that the hotel complies fully with the alarm requirements of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Critical for this hotel environment, the S-Quad’s sensing technology is able to accurately differentiate between smoke, steam and dust, and so will minimise the incidence of false alarms so often caused by steamy showers in hotel rooms. This is hugely important when the comfort and rest of its hotel guests are at stake.
S-Quad’s unique combination of functions meant that fewer individual devices have had to be fitted in the Hotel de France, saving money.
The voice messaging facility provided by the S-Quad device is of major benefit to the hotel’s management. Voice messaging is fast becoming a popular option for the evacuation of public areas, allowing specific messages to be transmitted rather than (or as well as) an alarm tone.
In large and complex buildings, such as the Hotel de France a system that allowed phased evacuation was required to help avoid congestion on escape routes. Phased evacuation means evacuating the floor where the fire is located first, and then the floor immediately above it. Subsequent floors are then evacuated one by one. KMS Gebaeudeplanungf Gmbh specified Vigilon fire control panels fully-networked with S-Quad fire detection sensors because they have a voice chip capable of delivering synchronised messages throughout the building via the sensors.
Nigel Errington, Smail and Richards’ Divisional manager (Fire & Security Division) commented: “From the initial concept of this project, we were supported by both the sales and technical teams at Gent by Honeywell. With their help, the process of supplying and integrating this large system was made smoother. Large installations such as this are technically demanding, especially when it comes to multi-panel and phased installations. With our close working relationship with both the designers and electrical contractors we managed to produce an end result that has pleased both the hotel and fire service. The S-Quad sensors, with their integrated voice messaging facility, have proved to be a winner. This is especially so, when it is considered that the S-Quads have allowed the Hotel de France to apply phased evacuation procedures, necessary because of its size and complexity.”
