British manufacturer Reacton® Fire Suppression and its partner Tabra Trading have won one of the world’s largest school bus fire safety retrofit projects in history. Winning the Emirates Transport tender to equip more than 2,300 school buses was not only significant for Reacton, but also for the future of bus fire protection in the Middle East.
With the successful installation of over 2,000 Reacton fire protection systems, the transportation of children in the United Arab Emirates will be made safer and the industry leader will ensure the protection of school buses and cabs with state-of-the-art fire protection systems.
The deal came from the collaboration with Tabra and Emirates Transport, who recognised the increase in vehicle fires and the requirement to mitigate this risk. Various avenues and options for protection were explored but the Reacton system, with its internationally recognised approvals, proved to be best suited to meet the demands of Emirates Transport.
Not only was the system fully compliant with low maintenance costs, but Reacton’s manufacturing responsiveness, quick lead times, field support and excellent customer service, set them aside from the competition.
Importance of Approvals
It is extremely important for Reacton to have its innovation, performance, and exceptional quality verified by third-party approval & certification, meeting or exceeding international standards, and performing at the highest level in a controlled environment.
Our global certifications include:
- UL 2166 – Direct (DLP) – the world’s first listing for Direct Technology
- UL 2166 – Indirect (ILP) Technology UAE.S. 5041:2021 – first to achieve ESL conformity
- SASO 2946:2020 – first to achieve ESL conformity
- AS 5062:2016
- P-MARK SPCR 183 (Reacton achieved the highest score possible)
- P-MARK SPCR 199
- UNECE Regulation 107
- ISO 9001:2015 – CE Mark
- LPCB LPS 1666
Reacton Fire Suppressions dedication and commitment to consistent product quality, independent testing and global approvals, gives you the peace of mind required to make Reacton your first choice when it comes to automatic fire suppression systems for vehicles.
UAE.S 5041: 2021
Fires in buses are well documented, often created through poor maintenance, electrical problems, fuel systems or engine problems, so when a fire does occur, often in a confined space, surrounded by combustible materials, the outcome can be disastrous. A common issue is insufficient time for passengers to exit the bus, so gaining valuable time is a top priority followed by protection of the asset.
Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) and Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MOIAT) have considered and evaluated these real world events in creating UAE.S 5041, combining proven fire tests for buses & coaches, component testing, and detection, to bring them together under one comprehensive approval. Emirates Safety Laboratory (ESL) are perfectly set up and accredited to test this fantastic new standard.
The new standard evaluates fire suppression requirements for engine compartments of buses and coaches with the various tests requiring completion to achieve the high standard created, all of which Reacton passed.
Real Life Events
A Reacton fire suppression system recently saved a school bus in Abu Dhabi from the devastating consequences of fire. Although in the maintenance area, the turbo outlet pipe clamp came apart and ignited oil residue on the engine, which caused the fire. Within seconds the Reacton system detected, activated, and suppressed the fire, preventing it from spreading to the whole vehicle and destroying it. Our high-performance fire suppression system helps to mitigate the risk of vehicle fires and save lives.
Installation & Training
The Reacton-Team is proud on the ease of use and quick installation of our systems, providing in-depth training to ensure distributors have a comprehensive understanding of our systems. The training includes various aspects such as:
Full risk assessment
- Design and configuration of the system according to the risk assessment
- Installation and compliance with the system parameters
- Commissioning and maintenance
Training is critical in ensuring the engineers understand the functionality of systems and ensure that the system performs at the highest possible standard to effectively protect the bus.
Conclusion
Reacton’s dedication to innovation and research and development ensures that school buses equipped with their fire suppression systems offer the highest level of protection giving parents, school authorities, and communities peace of mind. Reacton are proud to play a crucial role in providing our automatic fire suppression systems to school buses across the Emirates, addressing a huge issue and setting a precedent for the Middle East and fire protection.
Author: Paul Smith
