In the event of a fire, saving lives is always the highest priority. Occupants of a building need to be alerted as early as possible, using alarm devices, so they can leave or be evacuated from the premises. It is a mandatory requirement for sounders to be used as an integral part of the fire detection and alarm system, as they are considered the most important element of all alarm devices. Visual Alarm Devices are used to supplement sounders, providing an effective means of alerting, and evacuating occupants of the building, as part of its fire safety strategy.

The recent release of EN54-23, by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), clarifies the use of Visual Alarm Devices in fire detection and alarm systems for non-domestic premises. EN54-23 provides clarity by standardising requirements, test methods, and performance criteria of Visual Alarm Devices and ensures all device parameters are measured in a uniform manner throughout Europe. Prior to this release, misinterpretation and confusion over a particular product’s performance was a common concern in the industry as there was no EN standard in existence for VADs.