By Ana María Restrepo
The global technological evolution has been based on the development of science and the discovery of new knowledge that has allowed the creation of novel objects or applications, which have led to innovation and the implementation of these in other non-scientific fields such as communication, mobility, entertainment and of course safety.
In less than 40 years, technology has reached an overwhelming development that has changed the world we knew before.
We are in a digital age where fixed telephone lines have given way to cell phones, first analog, now digital, magnetic tapes have been replaced by CDs, then DVD's and soon the Blu Ray will monopolize all eyes. On the other hand, telegrams were replaced by physical mail, and this lost space due to the great boom and the force with which the Internet made its way into the world, as it has expanded to the point that it has revolutionized the communicational and social environment.
Today we know the Internet as a set of independent networks that connect with each other and enable the exchange of data and information in all industries around the world.
In the field of security, ip has become an element that is part of all subsectors, allowing the sending and monitoring of solutions both in very remote and nearby places, since in recent years, especially in Latin America, there has been a boom in IP communications, reducing costs in such a way that they have become more accessible to the general public.
Within the fire segment, the Internet is not very strong, however the professionals in this area spoke with SECURITY SALES and told us about the subject.
Fire detection systems are recognized as life-saving systems, as they minimize both human and material losses by immediately detecting smoke or fire somewhere.
Measures of salvation
The world standards on fire protection have as their sole purpose, the protection of human lives, the other items are imposed by insurance companies, which cover damage to movable or immovable property as long as the cause of the fire has not been intentional, reasons why fire solutions are installed in companies, homes and public buildings.
Fire detection systems must be in strategic places, in addition to being those that correspond according to the space, because the idea is that there is good security equipment created between fire systems and common security solutions such as CCTV, access controls and others.
The detectors, the fire station and the automatic extinguishing means must communicate with each other in order to react to a signal. The fire alarms are connected to the central alarm of the places in case of a conato, in this way the warning will be reacted immediately, while the detectors can be connected to the central by cable or via radio. Some alarm receivers have means of transmission over analog or digital telephone networks, radio frequency, IP data networks or GSM mobile phone networks.
In many cases, the transmission of an event from the intrusion alarms can be affected due to the conditions of the transfer medium, an aspect that must be taken into account when transmitting a fire alarm, since in this case the haste to act must be much faster.
There can be no risk of loss!
Within the fire scene, IP communication is not very implemented or almost null as stated by Carlos Tovilla, operations manager for Mexico at Securiton. "To this day in terms of fire detection systems, the use of IP technology has not been implemented, since it is a system of vital importance which can not be exposed to loss of information or the activation of any audiovisual alert device, without a well-justified cause."
For his part, Manuel Hernández, sales manager for Venezuela, Brazil and the Caribbean of LRG International, believes that the impact of IP goes in two directions: "one, the one that seems the most striking, is to be able to integrate corporate electronic security solutions, and the other, to be able to execute centralized projects for industrial complexes or companies with disaggregated localities in different countries or cities.
When considering the implementation of IP technology in fire detection, Tovilla explains that this would improve communication between each of the elements or devices that make up the system, as well as make it possible to increase the length of the LINE of the information system and activation of audiovisual alarms.
Hernández considers that taking into account also that most of the facilities do not require external connection tools, the need to remotely warn about events is practically essential; especially at times when the areas do not have the presence of human personnel. In this sense, the only means available until a few years ago was the telephone line. "Communication through IP then leads us to offer two immediate advantages that are: the low costs of long-distance transmission, since long-distance dialing is not required and secondly the possibility of providing automation mechanisms. remote through the support of multiple services that can run on this same network."
In the world of security, technological advances have improved fire detection systems in such a way that special detectors are available for different spaces; as well as there are much more reliable addressable detectors, since they allow the exact identification of the incident and the reduction of false alarms.
Within the IP universe many companies have advanced, to the point that, as Hernández explains, the most successful and fastest growing companies in recent years have been those that have been born within this space and not those that have traditionally been born within the world of security, as a result, we can now see that many security solutions converge on the same network.
These possibilities offered by IT allow the radius of action of a security company to expand, offering end users greater advantages and more specialized and avant-garde systems. However, it brings with it challenges and opportunities, especially for those who are within the fire segment, the Internet demands that companies remain in a constant update of technology, because not only must they be in tune with the market itself but for its very survival.
Likewise, the opportunities are presented through the service, because according to what Manuel said, if you can count on remote support and support of systems and products, using the same existing elements for the transport of data and communications of the client's or customers' platforms, a new model of action and market vision can already be offered. "There are possibilities in the design of more efficient work platforms that offer a greater degree of control with fewer resources and therefore at a lower cost," he adds.
For its part, Tovilla considers that as long as 100% stability and reliability in communication is not achieved and there is no fall or loss of information, the fire detection system will continue to be completely with copper lines, and it will not be possible to add to a LAN or IP work network, Comment that is based on the premise that fire systems are lifesavers and any second that is lost in their detection or extinction is of vital importance.
In VENTAS DE SEGURIDAD we analyze the evolution of IP networks in Latin America, how solid they are and what advantages or disadvantages they bring to security. In Latin America the Internet has grown strongly, especially in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Colombia; however the connections are not very stable, then, if we analyze within the fires segment what happens when the network falls we have that the information that is transported to the control center and / or monitoring center, is completely lost, and there is no data until the moment of recovering the information transmitted by the activated devices and with it the actions to prevent or minimize some Likewise, when the issue of the transfer of information is touched, efficiency must be taken into account and at the same time that it is cost effective as Manuel says, also because this is a very specific issue, even in developed countries.
Manuel cites some isolated examples to clarify this point.
a) If it is a company that already has its own platform, this problem as such, does not exist, since we are talking about a controlled infrastructure, no matter in which country in the world we are
b) If it is a question of joining relatively close places, then the company, as an added value, must be able to offer the punctual solution for this company and in this particular case in an opportunity to have an alternative business.
c) In the case that the use of public networks is imperative, it is when there must be a decision making regarding the provision of a particular and high-cost service within that structure or if the level of risk is low of running the risk that a signal arrives late or that it does not arrive. Here cost-benefit proposals should be made to customers to alert them to the pros and cons.
Where is the fire segment going?
With the passage of time and with the speed in which we currently live, there are advances in technologies especially in those that are related to electronic security, in this case with fire detection and the IP world.
We have always had the image that new developments come to Latin America long after they have turned around Europe and North America, but thanks to the importance that this region is acquiring in terms of investments by foreign companies and the developments of the companies themselves, the advances that are presented are very similar to those that exist in the rest of the world.
For Manuel Hernández, one of the topics where there may be more information and training is the detection and extinction of fire. "The topic of life saving and risk assessment is highly developed in Latin America and the implementation of products and projects are almost immediate, even in parallel with those carried out in other countries. The advances, however, are still seen more in the logical part than in the physics; that is, there is more creation, money and investment in the development of control tools and visual presentation (software) than on the side of physical technology (hardware). Every time the user demands more and better information, and of course, shorter times for it to be handled, this necessarily forces us to create programs that meet these demands and turn them into realities. "
In the same way, the trends in this sector in relation to IP are observed, since conventional patterns, protocols, as well as signals and tools that allow the user to feel calm, reducing handling and maintenance costs, are being defined and created.
However, it is important to keep in mind, as Mentioned by Tovilla, no recommendation or regulation has yet been issued in this regard, since IP technology still has some "black holes", in which information is lost and never recovered again, this being a very important role for its consideration for this type of system of vital importance, for the conservation of human life and material goods.
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