Blake Fire & Security Systems

10/09/2026

Is your emergency lighting installed by someone who’s actually qualified?

When the lights go out, your emergency lighting better not!

But here’s the problem: not all installs are equal.

And if yours was done on the cheap, rushed or without proper planning... you might be facing a failure during a real emergency.

Or worse: a non-compliant system that invalidates your insurance.

✅ That’s why Responsible Persons trust Blake’s: we’ve been doing this for decades. And we’ve got the NSI Gold accreditation to prove it.

We recently carried out a full emergency lighting installation in Harlow for a multi-floor commercial premises. The system was designed, installed and tested to BS 5266-1 standards - and backed by compliant documentation for total peace of mind.

🔗 Read more about the Harlow project, and why a compliant install matters 👇 link in first comment

📞 Questions? Call 01702 447800

09/09/2026

Crime and Policing Act 2026 - Will Your CCTV Evidence Actually Be Usable? Last reviewed: August 2026 Picture this: someone walks out of a shop with £180 of stock, twice in the same week. Under the old rules, that's a summary-only matter, often dealt with quietly if at all. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 […] Our latest blog post

Crime and Policing Act 2026 changes retail theft law. Is your CCTV evidence usable? Blake Fire & Security's 3-point audit covers placement, retention, export.

07/09/2026

Your fire alarm panel shows no faults. So you're compliant, right?

Not necessarily.

When a fire and rescue officer asks to see your Fire Alarm logbook, that's where problems can start to surface.

Commercial Fire Alarm maintenance isn't simply about booking an engineer once a year. Under the current approach in BS 5839-1:2025, there are different responsibilities and different levels of maintenance, from weekly and monthly in-house checks through to professional servicing.

And then there's the paperwork.

Are your tests being recorded properly? Are faults being followed through to closure? Is your contractor actually testing the system properly? And if they're BAFE SP203-1 Registered, do they hold the Maintenance module specifically?

Our latest blog breaks down what Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 actually requires, what BS 5839-1:2025 recommends, and where commercial premises can quietly fall short.

If you're responsible for Fire Safety at a commercial premises, it's worth knowing what your maintenance regime should actually look like.

👉 Read the full guide: https://www.blakefire-security.co.uk/blog/commercial-fire-alarm-maintenance-what-the-law-actually-requires/

03/09/2026

💡 Emergency lighting: the sort of thing that comes back to HAUNT you when it fails.

And when it does... it’s too late to wish you’d chosen a better installer.

That’s why at Blake’s, we treat every emergency lighting job like lives depend on it - because they do.

Recently, we designed and installed a compliant emergency lighting system for a multi-storey commercial building in Harlow. Fully tested, fully documented, fully BS 5266-1 compliant. No corners cut. No grey areas. No “it’ll do”.

📋 You’ll get proper paperwork for your Fire Risk Assessment and total peace of mind when it matters most.

NSI Gold accredited and trusted by hundreds of Responsible Persons across Essex, London and the South East

📞 Call 01702 447800

02/09/2026

Commercial Fire Alarm Maintenance: What the Law Requires and What BS 5839-1:2025 Recommends Picture this: a fire and rescue officer arrives for a routine audit. The panel's clean. No faults showing. Then they ask for the logbook. That's often where things get complicated. According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), fire […] Our latest blog post

Commercial fire alarm maintenance explained: the legal four-tier cycle under BS 5839-1:2025, from NSI Gold and BAFE-approved Blake Fire & Security in Essex.

31/08/2026

Your CCTV might be recording. But will it provide the 'evidence' when you need it?

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 is set to change the way retail crime is dealt with, including removing the £200 threshold for shop theft.

But there’s a catch.

More offences becoming chargeable does not automatically mean more prosecutions. The evidence still needs to be there.

That means your CCTV needs to do more than simply record. Camera positioning, image quality, retention and footage exports all need to work together.

And you don't need to wait for the new rules to come into force.

We’ve put together three checks you can run against your existing CCTV now, before an incident forces you to find out whether your system is actually fit for purpose.

Read the full article: https://www.blakefire-security.co.uk/blog/crime-and-policing-act-2026-will-your-cctv-evidence-actually-be-usable/

27/08/2026

🏫 School Security – Intruder Alarms, CCTV, Access Control & Lockdown Alert Alarms

Legislation is in place to ensure schools fulfil their duty of care to staff, pupils and visitors. This means keeping everyone connected to the school safe from fire, emergencies and intruders.

Blake's your school’s one-stop shop for Fire & Security
We'll take your pain away because... we cover everything. We’ve done so for over 200 schools in Essex. Our qualified, accredited staff will work with you to ensure you comply with legislation, keep your staff and building users safe and reduce costs.

Always here to keep children safe in school
We cover everything you need to protect pupils, staff and visitors in an emergency. NSI Gold approved, we ensure your school can safeguard everyone from suspect visitors:

🔴 Intruder Alarms
🔴 Access Control and Door Entry
🔴 CCTV
🔴 Automatic Gates
🔴 Keyholder response service
🔴 NEW!! School Lockdown Alert Alarms - could integrate with your existing Fire Alarm

🚨 Take-home point: If you don’t use a professional, qualified and accredited installation company, you are taking an unnecessary risk. If anything goes wrong, you face a large fine or even imprisonment.

📞 Contact Blake’s today: 01702 447800
📧 Email: [email protected]

26/08/2026

A Fire Risk Assessment identified a risk in an HMO in Southend, leading to a local letting agent consulting Blake’s for a solution. The FRA found gaps around the electrical service entries into the consumer unit... here's what we did! Our latest blog post

A Fire Risk Assessment identified a risk in an HMO in Southend, leading to a local letting agent consulting Blake’s for a solution. The FRA found gaps around the electrical service entries into the consumer unit... here's what we did!

24/08/2026

The monthly Emergency Lighting tests hadn't been done for six months.

When the ops manager finally noticed, he asked the Fire Safety engineer to fill it in.

He did.

This post explains why a completed logbook can be more dangerous than an empty one...

https://www.blakefire-security.co.uk/blog/the-building-safety-act-2022-covers-fire-alarms-not-just-cladding/

20/08/2026

🏫 School Security - Alarms, CCTV, Access Control & Lockdown Alert Alarms

Safeguarding school children remains high on the OFSTED agenda. Choosing the right company to trust your school’s security to is critical... but easy when you know what to look for: a professional company with the right accreditations.

Blake Fire & Security Systems hold approvals from both leading accreditation bodies: NSI Gold and SSAIB.

Our NACOSS Gold Scheme approval covers the design, installation and maintenance of:

🔒 Intruder Alarms
High-quality systems, fully compliant with relevant regulations.

🚪 Access Control & Door Entry
Reliable, long-lasting equipment. Vet entry right from reception desks to keep unwanted visitors out.

🎥 CCTV
Professional installation for clear, high-quality images — no excuses.

🚧 Automatic Gates
As DHF Powered Gate Group members, we meet Quality Assured standards and a strict code of conduct for safety, workmanship and compliance.

🚨 Lockdown Alert Alarm Systems
If a threat presents itself, this system prompts staff and pupils to enter lockdown procedures — securing classrooms and moving to safe positions. In some cases, it can integrate with your existing fire alarm.

📞 Contact Blake’s today: 01702 447800
📧 Email: [email protected]