In Russia, from March 2021, it will become mandatory to install a fire alarm in houses under construction, regardless of height and area. This information was disseminated on Tuesday, February 16, by the press service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry following the results of a methodological meeting chaired by the head of the department, Evgeny Zinichev.
During the consideration of the results of 2020 in the main areas of the department’s activities, it was noted that over the past year, the supervisory authorities conducted more than 2 million preventive raids in the residential sector. In addition, since 2018, employees of the department, together with regional authorities, have begun to work on equipping Russian homes with fire detectors.
In just two years of operation, more than 417 thousand devices were installed, which made it possible to save more than 1.2 thousand citizens from fire, including 600 children. During this period, the deaths of minors from fire decreased by 20%, and last year the number of fires in health care, social services and education decreased, the department stressed.
“In this regard, it was noted that from March of this year a set of rules will begin to operate, containing a requirement for the installation of fire alarms and special sensors in houses under construction. All new buildings will be equipped with them, regardless of the number of storeys of the building and area, ”the press service said.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations also clarified that in just a year, almost 440 thousand fires were registered in the country, more than half of which are associated with the burning of dry vegetation and debris. Over 192 thousand citizens were saved by fires in 2020.
The main reasons for the fire, according to the department, are the careless handling of fire, as well as the emergency mode of electrical appliances, networks and a malfunction of the stove heating.
The fact that from March 1, 2021, fire safety requirements come into force on the territory of Russia, regulating the protection of buildings and structures to be equipped with automatic fire extinguishing installations and fire alarm systems during their design and overhaul, became known at the beginning of this year.
So, according to the set of rules, grocery stores, pharmacies, paramedics and obstetric centers with a building area of no more than 100 sq. m can be equipped with independent smoke detectors instead of fire alarm systems.