Fire detectors sense one or more of the products or phenomena resulting from fire, such as smoke, heat, infrared and/or ultraviolet light radiation, or gas.

A fire fighting system is probably the most important of the building services, as its aim is to protect human life and property, strictly in that order. It consists of three basic parts: a large store of water in tanks, either underground or on top of the building, called fire storage tanks.

Fire suppression systems are used to extinguish or prevent the spread of fire in a building. Suppression systems use a combination of dry chemicals and/or wet agents to suppress equipment fires.

Foam is a stable aggregation of bubbles which is lower in density helping it float and form a blanket over most liquids like oil and water. The ability to blanket most liquids helps cut the oxygen supply to the burning material resulting in extinguishing fire.

An extinguishing system which is primarily based on inert gases in enclosed spaces presents a risk of suffocation. Some incidents have occurred where individuals in these spaces have been killed by carbon dioxide agent release

Kitchen fire suppression systems can be designed to protect a wide variety of kitchen appliances, such as stoves or deep fat fryers. The nozzles for the fire suppression system are installed in the kitchen hood exhaust. That way, the wet chemicals will be discharged directly over the source of the fire.