Fire protection market welcomes the first BRE Global certificated portable watermist system, as awareness grows of fire risks to the vulnerable

Surefire’s UltraGuard is the first portable watermist unit to achieve third party certification to LPS 1655, BRE Global’s dedicated fire performance standard for personal protection systems (PPS). A PPS is a domestic fire suppression system designed to protect a specific risk, typically vulnerable people who are at greater risk from a fire in the home.

In the absence of a dedicated BS or EN standard, LPS 1655 offers a robust, third party approval standard to establish a credible performance level for PPS to engender specifier and user confidence.

BRE Global product certification manager, Nigel Firkins, presented Surefire’s marketing director, Jo Cherriman, with the company’s coveted LPS 1655 certificate at BRE’s research, testing and innovations centre near Watford.

Mr Firkins said: “We are delighted that Surefire has picked up the baton on successfully achieving third party approval for their PPS with the first certificate issued for LPS 1655 in what is a growing market.

“LPS 1655 provides a dependable benchmark in this product sector for the first time.” Increasingly, fire services across the country are issuing guidance and promoting awareness to highlight the greater fire risks faced by vulnerable people living at home, often alone. BRE Global itself has co-authored guidance with London Fire Brigade (LFB) on identifying vulnerable people at risk and assessing when a PPS or other measures should be implemented.

BRE Global’s third party approval for PPS now provides confidence for care service and housing providers responsible for the safeguarding of vulnerable people.

About the LPS 1655 standard:

The LPS 1655 standard incorporates system design requirements, including minimum levels of performance and functionality, system manual and installer requirements, fire test protocols, and maintenance arrangements. It also covers the examination and testing of components. In addition, BRE inspectors carry out on-going audits of the manufacturer’s quality management systems and production to assure units on the market conform to the design blueprint. Products are subjected to two fire test scenarios. The first is representative of fires that start in bedding or clothing where a person may be in close proximity. The second replicates ‘shielded fire development’, and considers the potential for control of the fire and the prevention of fire spread beyond the items first ignited.