As a business owner you are responsible for the safety of your customers and staff, this includes protection in the event of a fire. You have to take every precaution to ensure that in the event of a fire, your staff and customers can evacuate the building in a safe and controlled manner, based on the risk assessment and fire plan you have drawn up.

It is imperative that a fire plan is drawn up for every single business around the world. This should outline the emergency procedures, responsible fire marshals and so much more. In addition to this, you also have to take a close look at the devices, tools and systems you will incorporate to ensure that everyone gets out of the property unscathed.

All fire detection services require a control panel. The control panel is where you can test your fire alarm, see where the fire has broken out and gives you control over the situation. This is essential in a hotel environment, for example, where there are different zones for different floors. When the alarm sounds, you will be able to glance at the control panel, see which zone has a fire and then evacuate before going to see what the problem in that specific zone is.

Every house, office, building and business needs to have fire and smoke detectors in each and every room. In many cases homeowners choose to include smoke, fire and carbon monoxide detectors to keep their family safe and ensure they are alerted of any dangers before it becomes a serious hazard. Detectors are mounted to ceilings and pick up on heat or smoke, depending on the one you choose, this information is then sent to the control panel and the alarm is sounded, warning everyone there is a potential danger and getting them to evacuate as per your fire plan.

Another essential item, especially in working environments is exit lighting. Signage is imperative to ensure that through the plumes of smoke, staff and customers are able to easily identify evacuation points. Exit signs with lighting should be part of your fire plan and should be placed at every single exit, ensuring that everyone is aware of where they are located and how to identify them.

In addition, you may want to consider voice evacuation. These are recorded messages which advise staff and customers to exit the building. Ensure that you choose one which provides clear instructions in the main languages spoken in your office. This way there is no doubt in anyone's mind that there is a fire, it is a dangerous situation and that they must leave immediately.

Many companies and homeowners also take advantage of fire monitoring services. These fire detection services are when your control panel is linked to your local fire department. In the event of the alarm being sounded, the fire station is immediately notified and can send out a fire truck. The advantage to this is that the fire can be caught early and some or most of the building will be able to be salvaged in the shortest time possible.