VESDA

Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus

VESDA implements an active monitoring approach to providing early warning of smoke and impending fire threats.

Using continual air-sampling smoke detector methods, collected air is tested by laser light for particles within the air that conform to smoke, this causes a refraction to be detected and measured and so lead to the alarm being raised early. VESDA's granularity enables four different levels of alert, so that early detection of smoke and potentially fire can be assessed, investigated and possibly extinquished prior to any damage or threat being realised.

One of the key differences in a VESDA environment is that air is continually sampled and tested. Howeverover the sensors in a traditional smoke detection systems wait for the smoke to arrive at the sensor before any analysis or alarm can be raised.

VESDA is clearly an important technology that can help ensure orderly evacuation in the event of potential fire hazards and should be considered in all buildings including data centres.

Review the short video on how VESDA works on VESDA at http://www.youtube.com/watch'v=q9bgMBUfpYY