A SYSTEM FOR ASSISTING THE RESCUE OF VULNERABLE PERSONS

摘要

Fire rescue crew, on entering a burning building (1), will search rooms (1A to 1H) in a strictly specified order to ensure that every room is searched. A problem is that this procedure does not ensure that top priority is given to rooms that are likely to contain vulnerable persons such as children. The problem is solved using a visual signalling unit (5) mounted on or adjacent the door of a room (1F) identified as containing a vulnerable person and visible to rescuers in the access area. The signalling unit comprises: a microphone (6); means (9) for processing an output of the microphone so as to identify a sound emanated from a smoke alarm; and means (12, 12A) for generating, in response to such detection, a visual signal, visible to rescuers in the access area. A smoke alarm needs to respond immediately so as to alert occupants of a building and rescuers. However, there is inevitably a delay between detection of a fire and arrival of the rescuers in response to such detection. Because the purpose of the invention is to be seen by the rescuers, it does not need to respond immediately, unlike the smoke alarm itself. At least part of the delay (at least 15 seconds and preferably more) between detection of the fire and arrival of the rescuers can therefore be used usefully for processing the received sound signals so as to eliminate false alarms. But for this feature there would be a problem in distinguishing between the sound of a smoke alarm and other ambient noises such as music or bird-song.