Fire Detection

But Remember;
Smoke detectors save lives by providing a warning system but can do nothing to extinguish a growing fire or protect those physically unable to escape on their own, such as the elderly or small children. Too often, battery operated smoke detectors fail to function because the batteries are dead or have been removed.

A dramatic example illustrating that; in May of 1988, in the First Interstate Bank Building (FIBB) in downtown Los Angeles, California. A fire broke out on the 12th floor of this building around 10:00 in the evening. A security guard reacting to an automatic smoke alarm took an elevator to the fire floor to investigate. When the elevator opened, he was immediately
overcome with smoke, and died. Meanwhile, the fire broke through the windows on the 12th floor. People outside the building noticed the fire and called the fire department. By the time the fire department arrived (four minutes), the fire had already spread to the 13th floor. Heat from the fire was breaking glass out of the windows on upper floors. This glass, falling 150 feet, made it impossible for firemen to get anywhere close to the building. Entering the building next door, fire fighters walked through a tunnel into the basement of the FIBB. From the basement, fire fighters walked up 13 flights carrying all their fire fighting equipment. > For four hours, 300 fire fighters fought a holding action, finally bringing the fire under control. It took several more hours to actually extinguish the fire, which caused $50 million in damage. In its wake, four floors of the FIBB were completely destroyed. All lower floors suffered extreme water damage,while upper floors suffered severe smoke damage. Businesses lost valuable documents and files, as well as their workplace. Recovery took months and millions of dollars more. Reoccupation of the entirebuilding still wasn't possible more than one year later.