Apollo Fire Detectors: fire safety at Dover Docks. A major project to upgrade the fire protection at Dover Docks, Europe’s busiest and most successful ferry port, has been completed during the port’s 400th anniversary year. Involving the installation of over 2,300 devices, 44 control panels and 7 miles of network cabling, the new system is based on Apollo Discovery fire detection technology. The system was installed by independent specialists Fire Alarm Fabrication Services (FAFS), who were awarded the contract by The Harbour Board following a full tender.

The Dover Harbour Board was established in 1606 under a Charter granted by King James I and continues as the statutory body responsible for the administration, maintenance and improvement of the 240 acre site. Today, the Port of Dover is one of the world’s busiest and most successful ports, with some 14 million private and commercial passengers, 2.5 million cars and 2 million lorries travelling through it each year.

Managing West and East

The demands on fire safety provision at Dover are wide-ranging. The Harbour Board is responsible for managing the Western and Eastern Docks situated 2 miles apart, including a wide array of passenger and freight buildings from cruise and ferry terminals to immigration holding areas and cold stores.

Buildings, manned and unmanned, accommodate visitors and staff and include car parks, an IT centre, high voltage substations, workshops and storage areas containing hazardous materials. This diverse range of activity, together with continuing development at the site, has major implications for fire safety and The Harbour Board undertakes regular reviews – the most radical of which took place in 2002. They wanted to make sure that the fire detection system would provide adequate protection for the entire site as it then was, while offering the flexibility and scalability to accommodate future requirements.

System Installation and Support

Following the tender process, FAFS was appointed to provide specialist fire system installation and maintenance support. They selected Morley-IAS control panels in combination with Apollo intelligent fire detection devices as the equipment best suited to the task. “One of the biggest challenges was to accommodate a wide range of detectors, some of which are up to 15 years old,” says Terry Davies of FAFS.

“The backwards compatibility offered by Apollo’s open digital protocol enabled us to deliver a highly cost-effective solution.” The Port was sub-divided into four sections, each supported by a separate loop. A P1 system is specified for the parts of the complex that may be unmanned for any period of time, with the highest category P1/L1 system for the public buildings. To accommodate the diversity of activity across the site, the system includes optical, ionisation, beam and aspirating detection devices.

Constant Monitoring

Every device is monitored constantly at three separate locations, with any loss of signal investigated immediately. The whole network reports through to the police station situated at the edge of the Eastern Dock. Evacuation procedures are tightly controlled and take into account the large volumes of traffic and people spread over a wide area.

A pre-alarm function is used to isolate an area at risk, enabling staff to check the potential problem and restrict or evacuate the area as necessary, so minimising disruption. FAFS continues to support the fire detection equipment by undertaking regular service and maintenance, delivering comprehensive training for Harbour Board staff and providing advice and support.

George King, Electrical & Mechanical Manager for Dover Harbour Board, comments: “We operate in a highly volatile market and the only thing that is guaranteed is change. With the Morley-IAS and Apollo system in place and the ongoing support of FAFS, we have a fire protection system with the resilience and flexibility needed to respond to whatever demands are placed on us in the future.”

Contact:

Apollo Fire Detectors Limited,
Havant, United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 23 9249 2412
Fax: +44 23 9249 2754
enquiries@apollo-fire.co.uk
www.apollo-fire.co.uk