Mobility and connectivity

Mobility and Connectivity are Key to New Generation Fire Alarm Systems 

The digital transformation is making its mark in industry after industry and means that yesterday’s solutions are quickly becoming obsolete. With its connected fire alarm systems, Consilium Safety Group is at the forefront of development, benefiting customers, by making the operation of fire alarm systems easier and more efficient.

Ever since they were introduced a century ago, automatic fire alarm systems have been fairly passive pieces of equipment. As long as a fire alarm system has remained silent, everything has been considered to be okay. Fire alarm systems have also been directly linked to the specific building where they are installed. In order to be able to carry out a weekly, monthly and quarterly test as well as checking the status, troubleshooting, activating and deactivating fire, sprinkler and gas alarms, it has been necessary to have a fire alarm technician physically present, on site.  

This antiquated way of dealing with this kind of security system has had its day in the dynamic world of Consilium Safety. The key to the new generation of fire alarms is mobility and connectivity. Thus, Consilium Safety has changed the old way of working with the systems, with digital solutions where data from the fire alarm systems can be sent up and collected by modern cloud services. Creating a digital twin makes it possible for both the customer and the company’s technicians to access and share the information. 

Valuable Data
“The big difference compared to before is that we now can benefit from all the information that the systems collect”, says Thobias Ernfridsson, CTO at Consilium Safety Group. 

Thobias also talks about the customer web portal that has been developed, Consilium Safety Live, which provides an overview of the status of a customer’s fire alarm system, such as incident indications and system failure alerts. 

“One immediate value for a customer is to receive quick service if a fault appears in the system. The customer does not have to wait for a technician to come out to the facility. Most things can be managed remotely. We can solve the problems without visiting the relevant office or industrial property. And at the same time we can utilize our technicians and support team more efficiently” says Thobias Ernfridsson. 

In addition to carrying out service tasks and supporting customers, great opportunities for Consilium Safety to collect data on how a system works, open up. It could be, for example, how many warnings the system has given, or the number of unwanted false alarms. Consilium Safety’s research and development department can then use the data to further develop new functions and solutions in the software, as well as improving the design. 

Consilium Safety has developed its own remote access tool Connect+. With this, the customer can connect to the system just as if he/she were physically on site, in front of the fire alarm system. Consequently, the customer can be at home, at the breakfast table, and still make changes to the system, such as creating and removing disablements. 

“If a detector needs to be disabled for a period, which for example often happens when a property is being rebuilt, you no longer have to go to the site to get it done. The risk of forgetting to disable, which in turn leads to the fire alarm going off and us getting a call-out, is also reduced.” 

Range of Services
Within the framework of the aforementioned Connect+, a range of services is offered. There is the digital control journal, which gives a quick overview of if the systems are being checked and tested as they should. Those who want more support can add remote support, which means direct assistance from a technician who assesses the status and recommends action. Another service is remote assistance, where the customer gets help with operating the fire alarm system. And, another service is the online service monthly check.  

The mobility helps the user remotely carry out weekly checks (sprinklers), monthly tests (fire alarms), disablements as well as acknowledgment of incidents, which would otherwise have required a trip by car. 

“With the technology from Consilium, the customer can choose the level of their own interaction, but the customer also has the opportunity to receive direct help from a qualified technician who assesses the type of incident and recommends the appropriate action”, says Joakim Bornhager, Business Area Manager Services at Consilium Safety Group. 

He points out that Consilium Safety’s connected fire alarm system means great safety for the customer and facilitates the daily work with fire alarm systems. 

“We fill a big need among customers who use our systems. Our ambition is to help the customer deal with fire alarm systems more efficiently. We want to change and simplify the work for the customer”, says Joakim Bornhager. 

Based on Customer Needs
All kinds of customers can use Consilium Safety’s connected system – industry, real estate companies, healthcare, municipalities (preschools and elderly care). But connected services are not limited to being useful for protecting buildings. Even cruise ships and ferries, etc. which are another important business area of ​​the company, can use the system. 

“Everything is based on the customers’ needs. The solutions can be adapted to their individual needs. Together with our customers, we can drive innovation and develop the services further”, says Joakim Bornhager. 

The response from the customers who have used Consilium Safety’s connected system has been positive so far, both from property companies and municipalities. A fire protection manager for one of Sweden’s largest real estate companies, who has used the system on several occasions, appreciates the quick help from the company’s technicians, which has enabled the customer to remotely connect to the fire alarm system, in the event of a fault alarm and avoid having to go to the property. 

In addition, Consilium Safety’s technology contributes to reducing car travel, which benefits both fuel bills and the environment.