Fire safety technology has certainly evolved over the last 125 years since the first automatic fire alarm system was patented and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) was launched. While innovation in the fire industry can be slow and sometimes plodding, it seems that external forces more than technology advancement has driven the development of new solutions and products. With the spiderweb of varying state fire codes and regulations, evolving infrastructures and construction mandates featuring a growing emphasis on LEED compliant and green building certification programs, innovative fire protection technology has had to adapt to the growing complexities of the world.
Innovative Smart Technologies Emerge
As “smart” technologies expand across the Internet of Things (IoT) landscape, advanced smart devices are transforming the way security and fire safety professionals approach building design and fire suppression and prevention methods. Smart devices transcend the abilities of simple connected devices, which simply share data directly with other devices on the network. The smart devices take connectivity well beyond enabling them to run myriad sensors, microprocessors, APIs, software and storage options across an embedded operating system.