News

Hochiki systems protect rebuilt St Jude’s Hospital in St Lucia, more than a decade after devastating fire

St Jude’s Hospital in St Lucia has been fitted with a comprehensive new life safety system, following its rebuild after a fire in 2009 destroyed the original facility’s surgical theatres and hospital wards, forcing medical care to be moved to a nearby stadium for over a decade.

The rebuilt hospital has been fitted with a networked Latitude fire control system and ESP addressable devices, supplied and installed through a partnership between Hochiki, Rayneau (part of the RG Group) and Jendee. The system spans the hospital’s full range of specialist wings, including orthopaedic services, ophthalmology, a pharmacy, new operating theatres, a physiotherapy centre and a dialysis support unit, alongside its warehouses, maintenance areas and public spaces.

Hochiki Group was founded in Japan in 1918, and the business has spent more than a hundred years developing fire and life safety technology used in hospitals, transport networks and public buildings around the world. That scale and heritage sat behind the specification for St Jude’s, where reliability and long-term support were central requirements given the scale of the rebuild.

Richard Wharram, Hochiki’s Export Sales Manager, said the system’s design was shaped around strict compliance requirements from the outset:

“The entire system was designed to meet the requirements of BS5839, including the placement of sensors throughout the hospital and sounder coverage levels. All devices within the system comply with EN54 standards across their respective categories. Complying to national and international regulations was an essential requirement to ensure the system met the necessary standards to comprehensively safeguard the hospital’s premises and personnel.”

Jendee, who worked alongside Hochiki and Rayneau throughout the project, said the installation had reinforced a long standing partnership:

“The end-user was highly satisfied with the product quality and reliability of Hochiki’s systems. The installation proceeded very smoothly, from the initial design and supply through to the technical support provided during the final installation, which is a testament to the long-term partnership we have with Hochiki. We are confident that, with the support of both Hochiki and Rayneau, St Jude’s Hospital is comprehensively and securely protected”

The hospital’s system is built around two six-loop Hochiki Latitude panels, part of a five-panel network with eleven repeaters positioned at entrances and nursing stations, giving staff clear control and monitoring across the two-storey building. Each loop can support over 127 devices, allowing the system to expand as the hospital’s services continue to grow.

The project forms part of a wider programme of work across the Caribbean, where Hochiki has been building relationships with specifiers, installers and fire safety professionals across St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, St Vincent and Trinidad.

Visit the Hochiki website to learn more.