Bournemouth Borough Council is now using unique RadioLINK wireless interconnect smoke alarm technology from Aico to further improve tenant safety.

"We've experienced a number of tenants who object to all the cabling associated with conventional interconnected mains powered smoke alarms," says Terry Dickerson, Bournemouth's Electrical and Services Surveyor. "With a conventional hard wired interconnected system, you have to install a three core cables to interlink the detectors and hide these in mini trunking. Some tenants have been
objecting to the upheaval and disruption, and also the effect it has on the look of their property."

In the past, Bournemouth has had a policy of installing Aico Ei150 Series smoke ala-Bournemouth Borough Council is now using unique RadioLINK wireless interconnect smoke alarm technology from Aico to further improve tenant safety.

"We've experienced a number of tenants who object to all the cabling associated with conventional interconnected mains powered smoke alarms," says Terry Dickerson, Bournemouth's Electrical and Services Surveyor. "With a conventional hard wired interconnected system, you have to install a three core cables to interlink the detectors and hide these in mini trunking. Some tenants have been
objecting to the upheaval and disruption, and also the effect it has on the look of their property."

In the past, Bournemouth has had a policy of installing Aico Ei150 Series smoke alarms in its general purpose housing stock, hard wired interconnecting an optical type alarm downstairs with an ionisation unit upstairs. However, where tenants objected to the interconnection cabling the detectors were installed as stand alone.

"Interconnecting smoke alarms is an important safety feature because it gives tenants vital extra minutes in which to be alerted to a fire and make their escape," continues Mr Dickerson. "We were unhappy about the situation where alarms were not interconnected but had to respect our tenants' views."

However, everything changed a year ago when Bournemouth Borough Council became aware of the new RadioLINK wireless interconnection technology from Aico. Using RadioLINK, alarms could be interconnected by wireless signal rather than cables, which meant far less disruption to tenants and no unsightly trunking over the walls.

"Tenants who previously objected to hard wired interconnection are fine about the new RadioLINK technology," Mr Dickerson reports, and the council is now identifying those tenants who could benefit from RadioLINK and are installing RadioLINK with top of the range Ei160 Series alarms in their properties.

The Council currently runs an annual smoke alarm test and maintenance contract on all its properties, checking their Ei150 series alarms and installing new units in applications over seven years old as a precautionary measure. When an engineer identifies a property which requires RadioLINK, it is reported and an installation commissioned to upgrade tenant safety.

Installation of the RadioLINK systems is being carried out by local contractors Prestige Fire Protection, who have reported no problems in installing the new wireless technology.

Bournemouth Borough Council is also taking advantage of RadioLINK in other installations where hard wired cabling may prove problematic.

"Aico's RadioLINK is much faster to install and causes so much less disruption," Mr Dickerson reports. "We've used Aico's Ei150 series for over six years now and always found their detectors to be reliable. RadioLINK has helped us to solve all our issues with interlinking alarms and the aesthetic problems which had put some of our tenants off of having fully adequate fire protection in
their homes.

"Interconnected alarms helps save lives; that's our primary concern of course. However, the earlier a fire can be detected and action taken, the less damage there tends to be to our property, so we benefit in the protection of our housing stock as well. "purpose housing stock, hard wired interconnecting an optical type alarm downstairs with an ionisation unit upstairs. However, where
tenants objected to the interconnection cabling the detectors were installed as stand alone.

"Interconnecting smoke alarms is an important safety feature because it gives tenants vital extra minutes in which to be alerted to a fire and make their escape," continues Mr Dickerson. "We were unhappy about the situation where alarms were not interconnected but had to respect our tenants' views."

However, everything changed a year ago when Bournemouth Borough Council became aware of the new RadioLINK wireless interconnection technology from Aico. Using RadioLINK, alarms could be interconnected by wireless signal rather than cables, which meant far less disruption to tenants and no unsightly trunking over the walls.

"Tenants who previously objected to hard wired interconnection are fine about the new RadioLINK technology," Mr Dickerson reports, and the council is now identifying those tenants who could benefit from RadioLINK and are installing RadioLINK with top of the range Ei160 Series alarms in their properties.

The Council currently runs an annual smoke alarm test and maintenance contract on all its properties, checking their Ei150 series alarms and installing new units in applications over seven years old as a precautionary measure. When an engineer identifies a property which requires RadioLINK, it is reported and an installation commissioned to upgrade tenant safety.

Installation of the RadioLINK systems is being carried out by local contractors Prestige Fire Protection, who have reported no problems in installing the new wireless technology.

Bournemouth Borough Council is also taking advantage of RadioLINK in other installations where hard wired cabling may prove problematic.

"Aico's RadioLINK is much faster to install and causes so much less disruption," Mr Dickerson reports. "We've used Aico's Ei150 series for over six years now and always found their detectors to be reliable. RadioLINK has helped us to solve all our issues with interlinking alarms and the aesthetic problems which had put some of our tenants off of having fully adequate fire protection in
their homes.

"Interconnected alarms helps save lives; that's our primary concern of course. However, the earlier a fire can be detected and action taken, the less damage there tends to be to our property, so we benefit in the protection of our housing stock as well."

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