Background of the study
Reports on the issue of recorded deaths due to fire hazards and gas explosions have increased tremendously. According to the U. S. Fire Administration website, a reliable resource for credible information; “Each year more than 2,500 people die and 12,600 are injured in home fires in the United States, with direct property loss due to home fires estimated at $7.3 billion annually”[1]. If this number of deaths and casualties are recorded in a highly developed nation with several means of controlling fire incidents already in place such as the US, it is therefore acceptable to conclude that a developing nation such as Nigeria would suffer even more casualties and deaths due to the incessant fire outbreaks and gas explosions experienced yearly for instance, the Ariari market fire in Aba
One major method of combating the catastrophic effects of a fire outbreak which leads to loss of life and property is its early detection and the occupants’ evacuation of people at the scene of the incident. Many companies with the hope of bridging the gap in the number of deaths and loss of properties caused by fire have developed the smoke alarms, gas sensors and detectors, even the most recent GSM Based SMS Alert Fire Alarm Systems. However these new technologies have their limitations in successfully detecting smoke or gas and triggering alarms (horns or, bells) instantaneously for a timely evacuation.
In addition, according to Evax Systems in [2], with the proliferation of electronic devices all around us, people have become very complacent to alarm sounds and signals. Therefore, combining a signal with a voice message, instructing occupants what to do, will be a better option to eliminating the lag or time delay of the other technologies and much more effective in getting people to a safe area.
Reliable fire & security in [3] notes that Voice evacuation systems allow for a controlled evacuation as people may be given clear and concise directions of where to evacuate. Intelligent fire alarm systems combined with a voice evacuation system helps to improve survivability in the event of a fire.
Most often alarms with conventional alarm sounders are misinterpreted or even disregarded. Therefore, Siemens Switzerland Ltd in [4] goes on adding that Voice alarm Systems (E100 as a sample reference), offers optimum solution by providing information about a dangerous situation with unambiguous announcements and gives clear instructions that can be immediately understood. Calm, reassuring voice messages help prevent panic [4].
Evax Systems in [2] recalled of an event which took place in Beverly Hills, Ohio where a small fire started in an unoccupied room. It did not rage rapidly out of control, and yet 164 people died in this tragedy. There was plenty of time to notify people and get them out, but because of the lack of an effective way to communicate; many people simply had no idea until it was too late.
It is critical therefore to notify persons in a building or infrastructural occupancy as early as possible to the danger of a fire in order to save lives. Rather than a customary audible horn or bell notification system, a voice evacuation system which is more effective in evacuating occupants and getting people out of a structure faster in a real fire emergency should be adopted. Evax System [2].
This project therefore engages the implementation of an automatic fire detection and alarm system which integrates a voice alert feature and a sprinkler system for the purpose of early detection of fire, safe and orderly evacuation from the danger zone and a reduced loss of valuables and assets via timely extinguishing of the fire.