Fire Protection for the vulnerable
Automist offers a different cost/benefit proposition to traditional sprinklers. Like a sprinkler system, Automist can control fire growth, greatly increasing the available escape time for the elderly, infirm and vulnerable, but water damage is reduced and installation greatly simplified.
Possible applications include change of use to group homes (increase number of beds), day care (increase number of children) or even nursing care (age in place).
Older adults face the greatest relative risk of dying in a fire. In 2013, older adults:
- Represented 14 percent of the United States population but suffered 36 percent of all fire deaths.
- Had a 2.5 times greater risk of dying in a fire than the total population.
- Ages 85 and over were 3.6 times more likely to die in a fire than the total population.
2) Individuals with Physical Disabilities
- An estimated 700 residential building fires involving individuals with physical disabilities are reported to U.S. fire departments each year and cause an estimated 160 deaths, 200 injuries, and $26 million in total loss.
- Cooking (22 percent) is the leading cause of residential building fires where a physical disability is reported as a human factor contributing to ignition.
- Sixty-five percent of residential building fires involving people with physical disabilities are limited to the object or room of origin.
- The cooking area or kitchen is the primary area of origin for residential building fires involving individuals with physical disabilities (38 percent).
- Residential building fires involving people with physical disabilities are more prevalent in January (12 percent) and December (10 percent).
(Source - FEMA)
3) Medical Oxygen Use
The air is normally 21% oxygen. Oxygen is not flammable, but fire needs it to burn. When more oxygen is present, any fire that starts will burn hotter and faster than usual. More oxygen in the air means that things such as hair, plastic, skin oils, clothing, and furniture can catch fire at lower temperatures.
Facts and figures
During the four-year period of 2003-2006:
- Hospital emergency rooms saw an estimated average of 1,190 thermal burns per year caused by ignitions associated with home medical oxygen.
- Eighty-nine percent of the victims suffered facial burns.
- In most cases, the fire department was not involved.
(Source - NFPA)
1) Fixed System
Where a premises is likely to be used to house vulnerable people for the forseeable future, a standard Automist installation is suitable. This requires a dedicated mains circuit in FP200 cable and a water supply with 1-10 bar pressure and a flow of at least 6 litres per minute.
2) Personal Protection System (PPS)
Automist PPS is a portable version of the Automist system with an integrated water tank and battery back-up system. Automist PPS provides water mist personal protection in a single room, in an easily installable and removable package which does not require a dedicated power or water supply. The system is designed for low visual impact so that it can be discreetly installed in all types of homes. Click here to learn more.