Background
Fontygary Leisure Park is a 4-star family-run caravan park, ideally situated right on the gorgeous Vale of Glamorgan Heritage Coastline.
GEM Security Services has managed the park's access control for several years and were asked to install a new fire detection system in the refurbished leisure complex.
The Brief
An ongoing project, Fontygary is undertaking a significant refurbishment of its leisure complex and needed a highly accredited and experienced team to work closely with them and their contractors to ensure the smooth installation of a new fire system.
Project Initiation
Our Fire Engineers designed an open protocol system for the areas identified in the refurbishment. Open protocol means that all the components used within the system use the same language to communicate with the central control panel.
The benefit of an open protocol system is that the devices used in the system are interchangeable, offering flexibility as any BAFE accredited company can work on the system.
It also creates cost-saving benefits as parts can be procured from wholesalers as you are not tied in to one supplier.
With this change to open protocol, we were asked to assess the existing fire system. We discovered this to be an older, closed protocol system, and in close consultation with Fontygary, the brief was extended to a full site upgrade.
Project Delivery
Delivered in phases to align with the refurbishment progress, our team is adding the new open protocol system whilst keeping the old, closed protocol aspect still operational.
This supports Fontgary Leisure Park in managing the financial cost of the refurbishment project as it does not all have to be upgraded in one phase.
Challenges within the project came when we identified several areas that needed upgrading, but we were unable to access the wiring as they were not part of the refurbishment.
To avoid additional refurbishment needs to refit new wiring, we created a hybrid system by introducing open protocol wireless detection units to overcome this problem.
Progress
The upgrade project is ongoing as we bring each phase of the new system online with the refurbishing plans.