Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department has approved a smart IoT fire alarm system for 3600 old low-rise residential buildings as an alternative to traditional equipment, following a successful pilot scheme earlier this year.
Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department has approved a smart IoT fire alarm system for 3600 old low-rise residential buildings. The system sends alerts to the department within 60 seconds of detecting carbon monoxide or smoke.
A pilot scheme ran in the first quarter of this year across 10 buildings of six storeys or fewer that lacked adequate fire-safety equipment. It achieved an effective operation rate above 99.95 per cent.
Divisional officer Simon Sze Man-yuk said the system creates a synergising effect so that if one alarm sounds, all alarms in the building will sound. Residents may choose the system or traditional equipment, with no mandatory requirement.
The department will receive copies of all data sent to the service provider’s 24-hour monitoring system.