Automatic fire alarm and fire extinguishing systems at airports: a case study of Portorož airport (LJPZ)
Security Engineering
This thesis evaluates fire safety at Portorož Airport (LJPZ) from an operational, user-centred perspective and situates the findings within the applicable regulatory and technical framework (ICAO, EASA, and national rules).
The methodology blends (i) a structured review of requirements and guidance (Annex 14/Doc 9137, EASA Easy Access Rules/CS-ADR-DSN, Slovenia’s TSG-1-001, and selected technical standards), (ii) a functional-zone inventory (terminal, control tower, hangar, apron/fuel-handling area, technical rooms), and (iii) a paper-based staff survey combining Likert-scale items with a short checklist.
Cleaned responses were analysed by domains (detection/visibility of equipment; alarm and evacuation; basic firefighting means; hydrants and access routes; drills/operational leadership; maintenance/corrective actions) and by organisational groups.
Findings indicate that basic, visually salient protection elements are perceived as adequate, whereas improvement needs cluster around alarm/voice evacuation under load conditions, intervention routes, and the execution/leadership of drills. Group differences are systematic: operational and maintenance units consistently report lower ratings than groups with a more indirect interface to systems.
The checklist confirms gaps in periodic testing of voice/alarm systems and drill execution.
Using interpretation thresholds and a perceptual compliance matrix, the thesis proposes a phased improvement programme: (A) organisational enhancements (scheduled tests, improved signage, route clearance), (B) targeted technical upgrades (measurable speech intelligibility, maintenance traceability), and (C) system-level solutions for highly exposed environments (selected enhancements in hangars and technical rooms aligned with NFPA/ISO).
The contribution is a repeatable procedure to monitor fire-safety perceptions and a transferable prioritisation framework that bridges Slovenia’s building-technical level with European aerodrome requirements across functional zones.
