October 10, 2003—MIJA, the makers of EN-Gauge, reportedly the first multi-patented electronic monitoring capability for fire extinguishers and extinguishing systems, has announced the immediate availability of EN-Gauge for commercial use. Business owners can now be sure that their fire extinguishers will be available and functioning in the event of an emergency, says MIJA.
Fire extinguishers are the first line of defense against small fires in most commercial facilities, explains MIJA, and are highly effective: 94 percent of the time an extinguisher is used in the first two minutes, the fire is extinguished and loss of life and property damage is greatly decreased. However, fire extinguishers are vulnerable to being moved, inadvertently set off, vandalized, or used for non-life safety functions such as propping open a door.
To ensure readiness when needed, EN-Gauge electronically monitors fire extinguishers for pressure, presence, and obstruction to access. EN-Gauge utilizes a modified Hall-effect switch to exceed NFPA-10 inspection requirements for commercial facilities by enabling constant monitoring for pressure and presence, while using sonar to determine whether there is an obstruction to access. In addition, EN-Gauge signals an alert the moment a fire extinguisher is removed from its proper location, notifying the facility’s central control station of a potential life-safety situation.
