DEMM Engineering and Manufacturing

Fire protection specialist Wormald will again provide the fire protection solution for the ITM400 Hamilton, which hits the track from 20 to 22 April 2012. Hamilton city will ignite during the three day event which will see championship drivers battle for victory through the city centre circuit. Wormald has been involved with the V8 Supercars Championship since the inaugural event in 2007 and will continue the partnership until 2014. Under the agreement, Wormald will supply over 200 fire extinguishers throughout the Hamilton race track and corporate hospitality tents. A comprehensive fire alarm system will also be installed in the main control building and in each pit bay.
The fire extinguishers are a mixture of alcohol resistant foam units and high performance Purple-K dry chemical units. Alcohol resistant foam extinguishers are particularly suitable for the V8 event as the fuel used in the cars is a blend of methanol and high octane petrol. These fire extinguishers will be for use by the fire marshals and by race teams in the pit area. Smaller dry chemical extinguishers will be provided for the hospitality and food preparation areas.
A complex analogue addressable fire alarm system is being installed to allow for a wide scope of control in the event of a fire. The system consists of a main fire alarm panel which is located in the control building, as well as a number of manual call points which are located throughout the arena. Each manual call point has a unique number which is matched to a race teams’ pit area – this assists response services in quickly and accurately determining the location of an incident.
Wormald staff will be involved in the event set up and a dedicated team of technicians will be onsite during the April Championship event. Greg Mosen, event organiser said, ”The V8 Championship is a high powered event and, with thousands of spectators gathering to watch these champions, being prepared for an emergency is absolutely essential. The Wormald team showed great understanding of our requirements and we are very grateful for their ongoing support.” Peter Fermor, General Manager of Wormald in New Zealand said, “For a major event like the ITM400 Hamilton, it’s vital to develop an effective emergency response plan. Our team has been working very closely with event organisers to carry out careful risk assessments of the arena and advise on the most appropriate fire protection solution. Everyone at Wormald is excited to be involved with the event and I have no doubt it will be another great success.”
The International 2012 V8 Championship, which run throughout the year, includes 16 events which this year take place in Australia, New Zealand and Abu Dhabi.