PSIMarch2018

FIRE SAFETY
New for 2018: National Qualifications
in Fire Detection and Alarms
The Fire Industry Association is now pleased to offer a series of
qualifications developed by its own nationally-regulated Awarding
Organisation for the fire detection and alarm sector. Here, the Trade
Association’s general manager Martin Duggan outlines the fine detail
One thing that has always been difficult for
security services businesses looking to
expand into the fire alarm sector is simply
knowing where to start. Fire detection and alarms
are not about simply adding a few cables and a
detector. Rather, there are various fire-related
standards, Codes of Practice and pieces of
legislation with which to contend.
All of this can be confusing for those starting to
look into branching out from security into
designing and installing fire detection and alarm
systems, since security systems don’t have the
same stringent legislation governing them. Now,
there’s good news afoot for those searching for the
first rung on the ladder in the fire world.
The Fire Industry Association (FIA) has officially
launched four new qualifications in fire detection
and alarms: one each for design, installation,
maintenance and commissioning fire detection and
alarm systems. The qualifications are designed to
give those entering the fire detection world a
thorough education and a set pathway into the
industry. For those that have been operating within
the fire services sector for some time now, this
development provides the chance to prove their
level of expertise and competence.
The qualifications are the newest initiative by
the FIA, with the first unit launched in January
2018. The other units are being rolled out over the
course of the year, with the FIA currently taking
bookings for the first unit of the new qualifications.
What will you actually study if you enrol? The
first unit is the Foundation Unit in Fire Detection
and Alarms. This unit has some pre-learning
attached to it: a series of instructional videos that
will help learners when they reach the classroom
for two days of learning followed by an
examination. It’s a totally new format – the prelearning
videos give learners the flexibility of when
to learn before they enter the classroom, while the
two days in the classroom teach and reinforce a
wide range of principles covered in the videos.
“There’s good news
afoot for those
searching for the first
rung on the ladder in
the fire world”
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www.risk-uk.com