Fire Systems

Fire Alarm Systems for Schools & Public Sector

Professionally designed fire alarm systems that protect lives and satisfy every compliance obligation — designed to BS 5839-1 for education and public sector buildings.

BS 5839-1 Compliant DesignFire alarm design, installation and maintenance to the relevant British Standard
BS 5839-1 Compliant DesignCategory L1, L2 and M systems correctly specified for your building and risk
Phased & Staged EvacuationComplex multi-occupancy buildings managed with intelligent evacuation sequencing
The Challenge

Fire Safety Is a Legal Duty — Not Just a Box to Tick

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person in every non-domestic building is legally required to carry out a fire risk assessment and implement appropriate fire detection and warning measures. For schools, colleges and public buildings, this obligation is absolute — and the consequences of getting it wrong are severe.

Generic, undersized or poorly maintained fire alarm systems put lives at risk and expose the Responsible Person to personal liability. Fyrfly Systems designs fire alarm systems that are correctly categorised, properly installed and independently certified — giving your Responsible Person documented evidence of compliance.

Complex Building LayoutsMulti-storey schools, extended NHS corridors, listed buildings and buildings with mixed uses all require careful zone and detector planning to achieve the required detection coverage without nuisance alarms.
Phased Evacuation RequirementsLarge schools, hospitals and multi-occupancy council buildings cannot evacuate all areas simultaneously. Phased and staged evacuation strategies require intelligent fire alarm panels that can manage complex sequences safely.
False Alarm ManagementNuisance alarms in schools disrupt education and erode staff confidence in the system. Catering areas, dusty sports halls and science labs all present false alarm challenges that require detector selection expertise to manage.
Responsible Person LiabilityThe Responsible Person must be able to demonstrate that a competent company designed, installed and maintains the fire alarm system. We document every stage to support this obligation.
Our Fire Alarm Services

Design, Install, Commission, Maintain — The Complete Fire Alarm Service

Every Fyrfly fire alarm project is carried out by experienced engineers following BS 5839-1, from initial risk assessment review through to annual maintenance and certification.

Addressable Fire Alarm Design & Installation
Core Service · BS 5839-1 Compliant

Addressable fire alarm systems that identify the exact detector or call point that has activated — not just a zone — enabling a faster, more precise response. We design Category L1, L2 and M systems appropriate to your building's fire risk assessment, specify the right detector types for each environment, and install to BS 5839-1 with full commissioning documentation.

  • Fully addressable panels for precise point-of-origin identification
  • Category L1 (full property protection), L2 (escape route protection) and M (manual only) systems
  • Multi-loop panels for large or complex buildings
  • Conventional zone systems for smaller, simpler buildings
  • Complete as-installed drawings and commissioning documentation
Detector Selection & False Alarm Management
Specialist Design

The right detector for each environment is critical. We specify optical detectors, heat detectors, multi-sensor detectors, beam detectors and aspirating systems (VESDA) based on the specific environment — ensuring fast, reliable fire detection without the nuisance alarms that plague poorly designed systems in catering areas, sports halls and science labs.

  • Optical smoke detectors for most living and working areas
  • Heat detectors for kitchens, catering and plant rooms
  • Multi-sensor detectors to minimise false alarms in challenging areas
  • Aspirating (VESDA) systems for server rooms and high-value areas
Phased & Staged Evacuation Systems
Complex Buildings

Large or multi-occupancy buildings — including hospitals, multi-storey schools and council offices with public-facing areas — often cannot safely evacuate all areas simultaneously. We design and program phased evacuation sequences that alert staff closest to the fire first, allowing orderly evacuation without the risks of a simultaneous whole-building alarm.

  • Phased evacuation programming for multi-storey buildings
  • Stage 1 (investigate) and Stage 2 (evacuate) sequencing
  • Voice Alarm (VA) systems for clear, staged instruction
  • Integration with lifts, doors and HVAC for full building response
Alarm Receiving Centre Integration
Monitoring Connection

Fire alarm panels can be connected to our approved Alarm Receiving Centre partner for automatic notification of the fire brigade when a confirmed activation occurs. This is particularly important for schools and public buildings that are empty out of hours, where an unmonitored fire could cause catastrophic damage before being discovered.

  • Digital communicator connection to ARC
  • Automatic fire brigade notification on confirmed activation
  • Fault monitoring and reporting to facilities team
  • 24/7 ARC staffing with trained response operators
Maintenance & Certification
Legal Requirement

BS 5839-1 requires fire alarm systems to be maintained at regular intervals by a competent person. Fyrfly provides six-monthly and annual maintenance visits, testing every detector, sounder, battery, panel function and communication path — and issuing the maintenance certificate your Responsible Person needs.

  • Six-monthly service visits as required by BS 5839-1
  • Full system test and maintenance report after every visit
  • Compliance certificates for your Responsible Person records
  • Priority emergency response for system faults
BS 5839-1 — Fire Detection and Alarm Systems for Buildings
The definitive British Standard for fire alarm systems. All Fyrfly fire alarm designs, installations and maintenance programmes conform to BS 5839-1, the standard referenced by the Fire Safety Order and required by insurers and local fire authorities.
Fire Safety Order — Competency Requirement
The Fire Safety Order requires the Responsible Person to use a competent fire alarm company. We document design decisions, installation records and maintenance to support this obligation and provide clear evidence of competent management.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Fire Safety Order places a legal duty on the Responsible Person to implement fire detection and warning appropriate to the fire risk. We ensure the system category (L1, L2, M) matches the fire risk assessment and the Responsible Person's legal obligations.
Building Regulations Part B & Approved Document B
New builds and significant renovations must meet Approved Document B requirements for fire detection and alarm. We design to satisfy Building Regulations requirements and liaise with building control on all notifiable fire alarm works.
Compliance & Standards

Every Certificate Your Responsible Person Needs

BS 5839-1 compliant design and documented maintenance — everything the Responsible Person needs to demonstrate competent fire alarm management.

BS 5839-1:2017 — Fire Alarm Systems for Buildings
BS 5839-1 — Compliant Design and Installation
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Building Regulations Approved Document B
PAS 79 — Fire Risk Assessment Guidance
Professionally Documented Commissioning Records
Why Fyrfly for Fire Systems

BS 5839 Compliant. Professionally Installed. Fully Documented.

Fire safety isn't a service area where cutting corners is acceptable. We bring the same technical rigour to fire alarm systems as we do to every other discipline — and we're independently certified to prove it.

01
Fully Documented at Every Stage

Every Fyrfly fire alarm project produces a complete paper trail — design drawings, installation records, commissioning certificates and maintenance logs. For Responsible Persons in schools and public buildings, this documentation is the evidence of competence that satisfies the Fire Safety Order and stands up to scrutiny.

02
Designed to Eliminate Nuisance Alarms

A fire alarm that staff routinely ignore because it false-alarms is a fire alarm that will one day cost lives. We design out false alarm causes at the specification stage — choosing the right detector for each environment, not the cheapest one that fits the budget.

03
Integrated with Your Security Systems

Fire alarm activation should trigger access control doors to fail-open, CCTV to record, and monitoring centres to respond. We design fire systems to integrate with the rest of your security infrastructure — because in an emergency, everything needs to work together.

BS 5839
Compliant Design
BS 5839
Compliant Design
6-Monthly
Maintenance as Standard
24/7
ARC Monitoring Available
Sector Expertise

Fire Systems Designed for Your Sector

The category, zoning and evacuation strategy for a school differs from a hospital or a council building. We design to the specific requirements of your environment and its occupants.

Our Standards
BS EN Standards
UK GDPR Compliant
DfE Aligned
KCSiE Aligned
Martyn's Law Ready
Sector Specialists
Ready to Start?

Let's Protect Your Building from Fire

Start with a free site survey. We'll review your fire risk assessment, assess your detection requirements and design a system that gives your Responsible Person complete peace of mind.