05/12/20 Excerpts from Technical Report - Team Chan PlusOne

Executive Summary

This proposal is being made to the Housing Development Board (HDB) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to expand clause 6.3.6 of the Fire Code which currently only mandates new HDB flats to install Home Fire Alarm Devices (HFADs) to cover to all HDB flats instead. In 2019, Singapore recorded 142 casualties and one fatality from fires, an increase of 57% from 90 the year before. This means that the lives of HDB occupants are at risk as they are susceptible to smoke inhalation and/or burns in the event of a fire.

Should clause 6.3.6 of the Fire Code be successfully revised, a suggestion has been made to implement the photoelectric sensor, Falcon EI650 to all HDB flats. The implementation of this fire sensor in all HDB flats provides building occupants with an early warning alarm, it also reduces the likelihood of the human casualties and limits property damages.

The proposal has also been supported by primary and secondary research in the form of surveys, articles, scholarly publications, government websites and statistics to research on the number of residential fires in Singapore as well as the current legislation governing fire alarms in residential areas.

1.3 Problem statement

 Ideally, HDB apartments should all have home fire alarm devices (HFADs) to alert occupants of the HDB that there is a fire. Informing apartment occupants to evacuate earlier will reduce their exposure to smoke inhalation. However, HDB has not made fire alarm devices mandatory in all HDBs.

 1.4 Purpose statement

 The purpose is to propose to HDB and SCDF, to make fire alarm devices compulsory through the expansion of Fire Code clause 6.3.6 to include mature HDB flats, as it can improve occupants’ fire safety.

2. Problem Solution

Clause 6.3.6 of the Singapore Civil Defence Force Fire Code should be expanded to cover all HDB flats retroactively instead of just new flats built after 1 June 2018, this would help to reduce the amount of casualties in the event of a fire. Other developed nations such as Japan have shown in the past that the mandatory installation of fire alarms in residential areas does contribute to a drop in incidences of fire (Statista, 2020). This shows that revised changes to Japan’s Fire Safety Law were effective (International Fire Service Information Centre, 2015).

Should clause 6.3.6 be successfully adopted to all HDB flats, it is proposed that the Falcon EI650 fire alarm (as seen in Figure 2) be used. The EI650 is a photoelectric smoke alarm, which is recommended by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) because it is more effective at warnings of smoke from smoldering fires and is less susceptible to nuisance alarms (Halpern, 2015). It is also suitable for HDB flats in Singapore as it operates effectively in environments with room temperatures up to 40 degrees celsius, and a relative humidity of 95%.

Benefits

Following the revisions to clause 6.3.6, HDB flat occupants should expect increased home fire safety.

Improved Evacuation 

The usage of fire sensors can give early warnings to improve evacuation. Choi, Hong & Joe (2015) states that fire sensors are able to provide information on environmental conditions such as smoke concentration. By being able to detect fires in their infantile stages, occupants are able to evacuate in a timelier manner. As almost half of all casualties and fatalities of fires are caused by smoke inhalation (Public Health Association Australia, 2014), earlier evacuations will reduce the number of casualties resulting from smoke inhalation.

Earlier Response from Authorities 

With the earlier detection of a fire in HDB flat, its occupants will be able to alert the relevant authorities such as the SCDF. Mele (2017) states that “earlier a fire is detected, the faster it will be that firefighters will respond.” As firefighters arrive at the scene faster, there is less likelihood of major damage to the HDB flat in question.

Installation is easy

The installation of most fire sensors is a breeze. For example, the Falcon EI650 does not come with the caveat of having to install wirings (Falcon, n.d). This helps in convincing HDB homeowners who may otherwise feel reluctant to install fire sensors as they do not wish to trouble themselves in renovation works.

Earlier response to smoldering fires

Given that most residential fires start off as smoldering fires (Drantch, 2018), the use of a photoelectric sensor is more advantageous in alerting occupants to evacuate earlier. In contrast, if a ionisation sensor were to be used, it is probable that the alarm will only be sounded when ignition has been achieved (SparkiesElectrical, n.d), delaying the evacuation of occupants.

 Drop in incidences of fires

Having home fire alarms results in a drop in reported incidences of residential fire. According to Statista (2020) (Refer to Appendix D), Japan recorded about 38,000 incidents of fire, in contrast to the 51,000 incidents recorded in 2008. This can be attributed to the revision of Japan’s Fire Safety Law in 2010 where smoke detectors were made mandatory in homes (International Fire Service Information Centre, 2015).

Conclusion

The absence of regulations governing the use of home fire alarm devices in Singapore is of concern. Compared to other developed nations such as Japan and Australia, Singapore’s fire legislation is third-world. With casualties mounting and the occasional fatality, it falls to government agencies such as HDB and SCDF to pave the way by expanding Fire Code clause 6.3.6 to all HDB flats.

The revisions to clause 6.3.6 of the Fire Code will lead to the installation of photoelectric fire sensors such as the Falcon EI650 in HDB flats. This will allow occupants to be aware of the early signs of a fire, reducing the likelihood of smoke inhalation and property damage of their flat.

Residential fires are avoidable, as seen from Japan’s example, so why not Singapore?