Warwick Castle has a new guardian in the shape of Midland Fire Security Services
Warwick Castle has appointed Midland Fire Security Services to manage, upgrade and maintain its fire safety systems, guarding more than 1000 years of history for generations to come.
As the incumbent fire safety provider, Midland Fire will protect the castle and estate buildings on the 64-acre site including the Knight’s Village. The mediaeval-themed woodland retreat has become a jewel in the crown of the Warwick Castle experience since opening in 2016, with lodges, glamping tents, a banqueting hall and over one kilometre of raised wooden boardwalk to guide visitors around the site.
The Staffordshire-based firm was invited to assess the fire alarm systems in place at the Knight’s Village site, to review and enhance the fire detection system throughout the outdoor boardwalk area. Following their successful assessment and upgrade at the site, Midland Fire has now been awarded the service contract for the entire Warwick Castle estate.
A bespoke approach to fire safety solutions
The extensive woodland setting at the Knight’s Village site created its own logistical and environmental challenges for the team at Midland Fire.
Following a thorough assessment of the area, including the potential effects on the fire safety system design from the weather and local wildlife, a robust solution was created to provide complete protection.
After careful planning, the answer, aptly for the site, was armour, with the team opting for a strong, stainless steel braided linear heat detection cable network interfaced with the existing Protec fire alarm system.
Thomas Sleath, Business Development Manager at Midland Fire Security Services said: “As Warwick Castle’s new fire safety provider, the logistics of the Castle, its many outbuildings and the Knight’s Village site, offered us an interesting challenge.
“Our bespoke fire safety solution incorporates fully networked GENT Vigilon fire alarm systems, air sampling fire alarm detection in key areas, and strong, braided linear heat detection cable from our project partner, Patol, to complete this complex fire safety solution and offer full protection to this historic site.”
Matthew Halford, Head of Facilities at Warwick Castle said: “We have been very pleased with the good value and straightforward proposals for new installations provided by Midland Fire, followed by great quality installations. This ultimately led us to award the full maintenance contract from 1st January 2022.”
Linear Heat Detection Cable
The design of Patol’s linear heat detection cable ensures vital early detection of fire and overheating alerts. Encased in armour worthy of a knight, the strong stainless steel braided coating offers maximum protection for use in challenging or extreme conditions.
This advanced heat detection method is essential in circumstances where more standard forms of point detection, such as smoke alarms or heat detection, wouldn’t work due to the location or setting.
The outdoor nature of the Boardwalk at Knight’s Village required the cable network to have protection from environmental impacts, such as exposure to the elements or risk of interference from wildlife.
The cable network detects any warning signs, including hazards at temperatures well below flame point. If an issue is detected, it triggers a real-time alert to the monitor unit which is interfaced with the existing Protec fire alarm system, which not only raises the alarm but pinpoints the exact position and threat level so immediate action can be taken.
Linear Heat Detection Cable Monitor
The Patol linear heat detection cable monitor feeds information from the heat detection cable directly through to the Protec Fire Alarm System. This alerts both the Knight’s Village reception and Warwick Castle’s security team of any issues and displays the exact distance along the cable network to the zone that requires attention, providing crucial information about the level of risk and its exact location.
The monitor also has an end of line terminator with a key switch facility to carry out weekly tests and a reset function to allow for regular fire drills and service/planned maintenance checks.
End of Line Terminators for easy fire alarm maintenance
Patol’s End of Line Terminators complete the bespoke fire safety solution by monitoring the linear heat detection cable for any faults. The key control function enables easy transition between fire, fault, and normal operational settings allowing for easy testing, maintenance checks and reporting along the length of the cable network.
GENT Vigilon fire alarm systems and life-safety solutions
The Castle itself is covered by a fully networked GENT Vigilon Fire Alarm System incorporating life-saving Wagner air sampling detectors, which continually monitor the air within the area of coverage to provide vital early smoke detection.
This advanced sensing technology utilises (HPLS) high power light source technology, which detects and assesses any potential threats using sensors, reducing the chance of false alarms.
Warwick Castle’s 18th-century Conservatory Tea House and warehouse building were also recently upgraded to the GENT Vigilon Compact fire alarm systems and S-Quad loop devices to feed real-time information to the control panels.
Regular maintenance and additional fire safety measures
To ensure the Castle and its grounds are fully protected, Midland Fire provides rigorous planned maintenance service checks at regular intervals throughout the year.
These checks include preventative testing, fire drills, cable inspections/reporting and robust testing of all fire alarm systems and their networks to ensure full compliance with BS 5839 under the Fire Industry Association’s (FIA) guidance.
Thomas Sleath added: “We’re delighted to be able to play our part in protecting this historically important tourist attraction for the future. Our bespoke solution provides full fire alarm coverage to all areas of the Warwick Castle site.”
At Midland Fire, we’ll work with you to plan and deliver the optimum fire safety solution for your premises, including ongoing maintenance, support, and fire safety training. At Midland Fire WE PROTECT.
For more information and a free consultation contact Midland Fire Security Services Ltd.