In June 2025, I assisted during a State Fire Service exercise at Trzy Korony Shopping Centre in Nowy Sącz. Exercises like this help verify the facility’s preparedness and the cooperation between services. It is also worth looking at what happens between exercises: how GEMOS helps the technical team and how a user assesses it after years of operation.
Night exercise in the underground car park
The exercise took place at night. The scenario assumed an electric vehicle fire while charging on level -2. The response was carried out in conditions close to a real emergency and used the facility’s own installations.
The exercise was organised by the Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Nowy Sącz on 24–26 June 2025, with the participation of Fire and Rescue Units 1 and 2. The official State Fire Service report states that cooperation with the facility manager and the building’s safety systems was also tested.
Exercises like this show the context in which devices and their operators work. The technical team must know the installation’s condition every day and be able to verify the result after a repair. This is why I asked Łukasz Maciak, technical manager at CD LOCUM, about these aspects of working with GEMOS.
Integration started during construction
GEMOS was installed during construction of Trzy Korony Shopping Centre. The system has been used since the facility opened in October 2013 and has operated continuously ever since.
“Our facility has used the GEMOS system since it opened, that is, since October 2013. The system was installed during construction of the shopping centre and has operated continuously to this day.”
In practice, the integration covers the fire alarm panel network, FPM+ panels, and the control of fire dampers, smoke dampers and HVAC devices. It also includes signals from the sprinkler system and smoke curtain control panels, as well as comprehensive monitoring of the voice alarm system.
These are autonomous systems from different manufacturers. As the integrator, we bring information from these installations into one environment so that staff can assess their condition. This applies to both alarms and faults that technicians deal with every day.
Diagram of bus lines and panels controlling fire protection devices at Trzy Korony Shopping Centre. The visualisation shows communication status, the main system buses and key power supply points.
Operating the system from a technician’s perspective
How does this scope of integration affect the user’s work? Łukasz Maciak points to three practical benefits: stable operation, clear event visualisation and the ability of technical and security staff to respond quickly.
“From the user’s perspective, we value stable operation, clear event visualisation and the ability of the technical and security services to respond quickly. An advantage is that, because of the system architecture and its operation in a web browser, we can start the visualisation on any computer in our local network. With the right configuration, including a secure VPN connection, we can also connect remotely to check the current state of fire protection systems and verify operator actions, for example disconnecting optical smoke detectors or activating selected output devices. We have full control over the key fire protection automation systems integrated from different suppliers and manufacturers, both for alarms and potential faults. This shortens response and diagnostics time and directly supports the safety of the facility and, above all, the people inside it.”
With this architecture, a technician does not need to search through many independent interfaces. The installation’s status can be checked from GEMOS and, with a properly configured secure connection, the current situation can also be verified remotely.
Verifying repairs and fire protection tests
After service work, it is important to know that a device is working correctly. It is equally important to check whether a fire scenario test covered all required simulations. Łukasz Maciak highlighted these points when discussing daily operation:
“In addition to the stability I mentioned, I would emphasise the comprehensive nature of the solution. GEMOS integrates many autonomous systems from different suppliers and manufacturers and improves fire protection maintenance inspections. Based on the generated reports, we also have greater certainty that service work really ends with an effective repair and that fire scenario tests include all the necessary simulations.”
This is one of the most important points in the interview. A technician needs to verify that devices work, while the facility manager needs to assess the result of service work. GEMOS reporting supports these concrete tasks involved in keeping the installation operational.
Fire and smoke zone view in GEMOS for Trzy Korony Shopping Centre. The visualisation shows the division of the facility into zones and the system elements assigned to them.
Technical view of the voice alarm system in GEMOS — connection, power supply, amplifier, loudspeaker line and call station statuses.
Further integrations in the facility manager’s plans
The facility manager plans further technical upgrades and integrations of systems that are not yet included in GEMOS. These include a CH4 flammable gas detection system and an emergency and evacuation lighting system.
“We are planning a number of technical upgrades and additional integrations of systems that have not yet been included in GEMOS. These include integration with a CH4 flammable gas detection system and an emergency and evacuation lighting system.”
Trzy Korony Shopping Centre shows clearly what a user expects from a solution delivered by Ela-compil: access to the condition of the installation and the ability to check whether devices work as intended. For the person responsible for the facility’s technical maintenance, the system’s continuous operation over many years is especially valuable.
The State Fire Service exercise tested the centre’s preparedness in a simulated emergency. Daily operation, inspections and tests help maintain that readiness between exercises.
FAQ
- Since when has GEMOS operated at Trzy Korony Shopping Centre?The GEMOS system has been used since the facility opened in October 2013. The installation was carried out during construction of the shopping centre.
- Which fire protection systems are integrated in GEMOS?The integration includes the fire alarm panel network, FPM+ panels, control of fire dampers and smoke dampers, HVAC devices, sprinkler signals, smoke curtain control panels and the voice alarm system.
- How does GEMOS help technicians after service work?Reports and a shared visualisation of autonomous systems make it easier to verify whether a repair was effective and whether a fire scenario test covered all required simulations.
- What further integrations are planned at Trzy Korony Shopping Centre?The plans include integration with a CH4 flammable gas detection system and an emergency and evacuation lighting system.
