Beam Smoke Detectors Keeping Detroit Lions NFL Players Safe

To ensure the safety of its players and staff, the Detroit Lions NLF team has selected FFE’s optical beam smoke detectors to provide the fire protection for its 8,500 square metre, full-size indoor practice field.

The indoor practice field is part of the Detroit Lions’ £24 million headquarters and training facility in Dearborn, Michigan. Financed by the Ford family, the site offers state-of-the-art facilities, including indoor and outdoor practice fields, weight training and hydrotherapy rooms and a 103-person auditorium for full team meetings and large press conferences.

Seven of FFE’s Fireray 3000 optical beam smoke detectors are installed in the indoor field, offering end-to-end fire protection. They replace older, Fireray 2000 units, with the upgrade completed in December 2014.

Designed for large interiors with high ceilings, FFE’s optical beam detectors enable extensive coverage at minimal cost and are ideal for applications where the line of sight for the IR detection path is narrow and where the building structure uses reflective surfaces. They are also often used when it is impractical, inappropriate or not cost effective to use traditional point-type detectors.

An interesting feature of this installation is that the detector beams are required to shoot through a 24 inch hole in the sideline netting.

“We installed the Fireray 3000 units as part of an upgrade, replacing older Fireray 2000 units,” comments Mark Glenn, Facilities Manager at the training facility. “It is a solid, state-of-the-art fire detection system and is ideal for those parts of our building where a wet suppression (sprinkler) system could not be installed. I would certainly recommend the Fireray 3000 for this type of application.”

“Replacing the units was a very easy process with minimal disruption, a real advantage for our customers” adds FFE’s US Sales Manager Bob Barker.

The Fireray 3000 is designed for easy installation by a single operator and its laser-assisted alignment method, combined with easy to use alignment LEDs, offers a visual feedback.

Other applications for FFE beam detectors include warehouses, exhibition centres, shopping malls, airports, hotels and museums – basically any large indoor spaces.

The FFE units were delivered and installed by SimplexGrinnel.

About FFE

FFE (formerly known as Fire Fighting Enterprises) is a UK based global design and manufacturing business, dedicated to supplying specialist detection products to the fire industry. FFE products are relied on worldwide, in high profile public infrastructure, commercial workspaces and industrial operating environments. FFE portfolio includes infrared optical beam smoke detectors, flame detectors, fire extinguishers for the aviation market and industrial vibration switches.

FFE is a Halma Company.