Technology and Tomorrow

Recent fire and life safety detection evolution has been characterised by increasingly sophisticated sensing seeking to defeat false alarms through discrimination between ‘false’ and ‘real’ stimuli. Accordingly, we also now have multi (or combined) sensors comprising either or both independent technologies and inter-dependent technologies. These have been joined by carbon monoxide sensors in single sensor, multi sensor, fire and life (toxic) safety applications. In the meantime increasingly stringent chemical and environmental directives impacting aerosols and other test media have been accompanied by wide ranging health and safety regulation encompassing transport, storage, pressurisation, chemicals and particulates. On top of this we live in a world that is seeking proof of correct testing and a traceable, accountable documentary evidence trail and, finally, there is a constant and increasing pressure to reduce the time, cost and price of everything

As national and international standards now start to reflect and require much of the above the challenge of meeting the need has become even greater – and will only continue to do so.

Until now, the technology that has driven and enabled the above might be described as having passed by the devices used to field test fire detectors. Aerosol smoke detector testers were first used in the 1960s (patented by Cerberus in 1963) and, aside from formulation and delivery enhancements led by No Climb, the basic technology of pressurised chemicals with potential for damage and environmental drawbacks has remained the same. Heat detector testing remained a major challenge (at least to produce a safe, fast acting professional instrument) until No Climb produced and patented the safe cordless heat tester in the 1990s and CO detector testing still relies on inefficient pressurised CO in ‘traditional’ canisters or even high pressure cylinders!

No Climb has, for many years now, been investing heavily in new technologies, developed in house and in parallel with leading detector manufacturers and fire protection specialists around the world to respond to the above needs. … watch this space….