Alarm System Failure
Fire outbreaks are inevitable in building and residences. However, when a fire outbreak happens, the prompt response through fire system warnings and notifications are an important step towards saving lives and preventing property damage. Alarm systems frequently fail due to malfunction of it component, however regular inspection, testing, and maintenance can correct the anomalies and ensure that systems work as they should during emergencies.
The article titled “Hancock residents say alarm system failed during fire” authored by Goudie and published by ABC on November 24, 2015, reveals that the enormous fire in Hancock Center’s 50th floor resulted from a burning candle. Five people suffered minor injuries from the fire that started at a bedroom in the building (Goudie, 2015). The incident exposed the functioning of fire alarm systems considering that the systems installed in the building failed to send any notification or signal regarding the fire. According to the residents, no voice notifications, alarms, or announcement were heard despite the building having expensive fire alarm systems installed (Goudie, 2015). The alarm failure exposed the ineffectiveness of fire evacuation systems that should assist residents of buildings in case of fire outbreaks.
Alarms frequently fail due to malfunctions within its systems. In such a case, the alarm system may fail to respond as it should during fire outbreak emergencies. The best action to take if alarms fail is to conduct regular inspections to its systems. The safety unit within a building should conduct visual checks of fire detection, notification and protection devices to make sure that every component is intact and is working properly (Feng, Setoodeh & Haykin, 2017). The inspection should be carried out once a month. Moreover, regular testing should be conducted by qualified professionals to ascertain how the alarm systems would respond during emergencies. If a qualified and independent inspector and tester discover a unit has malfunctioned, it is imperative to maintain each part of the system to correct the abnormally (Feng, Setoodeh & Haykin, 2017). Maintenance is equally significant when updating new system upgrades to equip fire alarm system with new functionalities to address modern fire challenges.
The alarm system installed in John Hancock building failed to send any warning or notifications regarding a fire that apparently started from a bedroom located on the 50th floor of the building. The alarm system certainly failed due to malfunctions of its components. The malfunctioning of the alarm systems can be corrected through frequent inspection, testing, and maintenance to ensure that they are in good conditions.
References
Feng, S., Setoodeh, P., & Haykin, S. (2017). Smart Home: Cognitive interactive people-centric Internet of things. IEEE Communications Magazine, 55(2), 34-39.
Goudie, C. (2015). Hancock residents say alarm system failed during fire. ABC Eye Witness News. Retrieved from https://abc7chicago.com/news/hancock-residents-say-alarm-system-failed-during-fire/1096856/.