Hochiki Delivers Comprehensive Life Safety Solution for Admiral Lord Nelson School

Hochiki, in partnership with SFA Fire & Security, has delivered a tailored life safety solution for Admiral Lord Nelson School in Portsmouth, providing enhanced protection for students, staff and property across a complex, multi-building site.

The project saw SFA Fire & Security appointed to upgrade the school’s existing fire detection system, delivering end-to-end design and installation using Hochiki’s FIREbeam Xtra and ESP open protocol technology. The flexible solution was designed to meet the varied demands of specialist teaching spaces, including science laboratories, food technology rooms, sports facilities and a large glass-fronted atrium.

Key challenges included working within a live educational environment and delivering effective detection across open, high-ceilinged areas where traditional point detection was impractical. These were overcome through careful planning, holiday-based installation and the use of Hochiki’s FIREbeam Xtra for reliable long-range smoke detection.

The system’s open protocol architecture, combined with an addressable fire control panel, provides easy maintenance, precise device monitoring and rapid identification of incidents, while a strategic mix of heat and multi-sensors reduces false alarms across specialist rooms.

Naomi Fell, Project Director at SFA Fire & Security, commented:

“Hochiki’s reliability and open protocol flexibility made it easy to integrate a future-ready system, even within tight deadlines. It’s a solution the school can trust for years to come.”

The result is a robust, adaptable life safety system that supports the school’s day-to-day operations while future-proofing its fire protection strategy.

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