False Alarms in performance halls: DEF's solution with the LOTA Line

A common problem in performance venues

In performance venues and cultural spaces, smoke and haze effects are widely used to heighten the visual experience at concerts, performances and events.

But they can also disturb conventional fire detection systems.

On distingue notamment deux phénomènes :

• heavy smoke, which lingers at floor level before warming and dispersing;
• stage haze, lighter and able to spread quickly through the whole auditorium.

In this kind of environment, those particles can be mistaken for the signs of a fire. The result: unwanted activations and false alarms that disrupt the running of the venue, disorganise the welcome given to the public and undermine the smooth running of events.

For operators the consequences are real: interrupted activity, teams mobilised for nothing, watch patrols put in place or extra staff hired to make up for the limits of the existing system. All of it costly, restrictive and rarely satisfactory in the long run.

The challenge is therefore clear: keep fire safety at a high level while stopping stage effects from becoming a source of disruption.

The answer: detection that can tell the difference

To meet this challenge, DEF deployed a fire detection solution from the LOTA range.

The technology analyses the particles in the air in far greater detail in order to tell stage effects such as heavy smoke or haze apart from a real fire. Thanks to this advanced discrimination, the system loses none of its detection ability while adapting to the particular constraints of performance venues.

The aim is not to reduce sensitivity in order to avoid alarms, but on the contrary to make detection more dependable by making it more intelligent and better matched to how the venue is used.

Installed for about a year, the solution has made it possible to eliminate false alarms caused by stage effects entirely, while keeping detection reliable when the risk is real.

This lets the venue teams plan their events in a calmer setting while keeping audiences safe.

Support from DEF: beyond the technology, an answer designed around operations

With this installation, DEF helps operators of cultural venues adapt their fire safety system to the realities of their activity.

Beyond the technology itself, the value lies in end-to-end support:

• analysis of the site’s operating constraints;
• identification of the stage effects likely to affect detection;
• choice of a solution matched to the venue’s real environment;
• implementation and integration into the existing infrastructure;
• follow-up over time to keep the system dependable.

This approach reconciles three essential concerns: fire safety, continuity of operation and the quality of the welcome given to the public.

With this tailored answer, the teams can now put on concerts, shows and community events with greater peace of mind, while maintaining the level of safety required by local authorities and regulators.