Salvatore Vittozzi, Regional Sales Manager at Apollo Fire Detectors sheds light on the benefits of hybrid-wireless fire alarm systems

Tell me about your role and background in the fire industry

I joined Apollo in 2019 but have been in the fire industry for well over 20 years, starting out as a Fire Systems Designer. Whilst I focus on supporting our partners in London and the Southeast as Regional Sales Manager, I also, along with the Apollo Sales and Technical Support team provide free online training every month with CPD accredited and product-based webinars, most recently we have been on a UK wide roadshow, presenting training on our new range, REACH Wireless.

Can you give me an overview of the services Apollo Fire provides?

Our purpose is simple; we make devices to keep people safe from fire every second of every day. We specialise in the design and manufacture of high-quality fire detection solutions that protect people from fire in over 100 countries around the world. We have recently launched our new hybrid-wireless range, REACH Wireless.

What is REACH Wireless and why was it developed?

Our new solution REACH Wireless is intended to provide a natural extension to our existing wired products and protocol, to provide the benefits of wireless where needed. REACH brings more modern product features such as dual-optical smoke detection and Visual Alarm Devices (VADs) and provides a platform to build upon going forward.

REACH was designed to target over-the-counter sales, meaning it had to be quick and easy to install without large amounts of training or special manufacturer’s accreditation. REACH’s installation is assisted by the built-in LCD screen of the Loop-Interface, which leads you through the process. We’re continuously listening to feedback from installations to refine the experience in pursuit of this goal and we’re confident that customers will be pleased with it at launch.

What are the benefits of hybrid-wireless fire alarm systems?

A hybrid-wireless fire alarm system can provide greater flexibility in situations where wiring may be difficult or impractical, for example, in listed buildings a wireless device would cause much less damage to the fabric of the building than a wired loop. It can reduce costs in some areas by connecting a new extension or outbuilding to an original installation with no cables. There are also applications where hybrid-wireless is valuable when short downtime is required such as educational facilities or retail stores.

What plans does Apollo Fire have for the future?

We recently launched a software update to the Apollo Test Set to support Apollo’s latest protocol, Core Protocol. Later this year we plan to publish the latest version of our Loop Calculator, which is free to download from our website. We are always working on new products and technologies in fire detection to keep up with this ever-evolving industry and its standards. You can keep up to date with the latest news from Apollo on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

This article was originally published in the September edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.