Month: August 2025

We’re thrilled to announce a major new investment in cutting-edge technology at Diamond Systems! We’re embarking on a transformative journey with new software that will redefine fire and security management for our customers and our team.

Introducing Uptick: Optimising Fire & Security Management

Our first major investment is in Uptick, a purpose-built, cloud-based job management software designed specifically for the fire and security industry. Uptick brings a host of efficiencies for our internal team and offers a powerful platform for customers to engage with their fire and security assets more seamlessly than ever before.

Through Uptick’s dedicated customer portal, clients will have access to a comprehensive overview of their fire and security assets across their entire portfolio. They can:

– View detailed engineer reports and invoices
– Access defect reports for full transparency on any issues
– Analyse spending patterns
– Approve remedial works, in just a few clicks

With Uptick, we’re aiming to enhance customer experience by offering complete visibility and easy access to all asset data, enabling faster, data-driven decision-making and improved safety outcomes.

The Next Level with Nimbus: Simplifying Compliance and Remote Fire Safety Management

Our commitment to innovation continues with an investment in Nimbus, a cutting-edge software platform that simplifies fire safety management across multiple premises. Nimbus integrates seamlessly with fire panels from all major manufacturers, offering unparalleled visibility for premises managers and building owners.

With Nimbus, our customers will be able to:

– Ensure compliance through easy tracking of testing and maintenance activities
– Access real-time updates on the status of fire systems across their properties
– Respond swiftly to potential fire hazards, thanks to 24/7 remote access and instant alerts

This level of access means that managers can make informed decisions in moments, responding to urgent safety needs and maintaining high standards across all their properties.

Empowering Customer Control and Safety

By adopting both Uptick and Nimbus, Diamond Systems is equipping customers with unmatched control and transparency over their fire and security systems. These investments not only elevate the safety of building occupants but also set a new standard for the fire and security industry in Northern Ireland.

Stay tuned as we roll out these transformative tools, enhancing the way our clients manage and monitor their fire safety and security systems with Diamond Systems—your trusted partner in life safety and security. Get in touch about moving your maintenance over to Diamond if you would like to enjoy the benefits of Uptick and Nimbus.

We’re pleased to announce our autumn schedule of fire safety training workshops, designed to help employers, managers, and staff meet their legal duties while building confidence to keep people safe.

Delivered in small groups of just 8 delegates per session, these workshops are highly interactive, practical, and tailored to give you the knowledge you need to apply straight away in your workplace.

All bookings are managed via Eventbrite – links below:

Upcoming Courses

16th September, 9.00am – 11.30am
Fire Compliance Essentials
A small-group, interactive workshop designed to give you clarity, confidence, and practical steps for managing workplace fire safety.
👉 Book your place

23rd September, 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Fire Warden Training
3 hours to gain the confidence, skills, and legal awareness to protect lives in your workplace.
👉 Book your place

23rd October, 9.00am – 11.30am
Fire Compliance Essentials
A small-group, interactive workshop designed to give you clarity, confidence, and practical steps for managing workplace fire safety.
👉 Book your place

11th November, 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Fire Warden Training
3 hours to gain the confidence, skills, and legal awareness to protect lives in your workplace.
👉 Book your place

25th November, 9.00am – 11.30am
Fire Compliance Essentials
A small-group, interactive workshop designed to give you clarity, confidence, and practical steps for managing workplace fire safety.
👉 Book your place

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Why Choose Our Training?

• Small groups (max 8) – ensures plenty of interaction and discussion
• Delivered by fire safety experts with decades of experience
• Focused, time-efficient sessions (2.5–3 hours) packed with practical takeaways
• Certificates of completion for your compliance records

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⚠️ Places are strictly limited, so early booking is strongly recommended.

👉 Don’t leave fire safety to chance – book your place today and give yourself peace of mind that your team and premises are protected.

Diamond Systems is proud to have played a key role in the delivery of the brand-new St Ronan’s College in Lurgan, County Armagh – a £58.5 million, state-of-the-art campus that brings together three separate school sites into one modern, purpose-built facility for around 1,750 students.

Working as a specialist subcontractor to Nugent, on behalf of principal contractor Glasgiven Contracts, we supplied and commissioned the fire detection and alarm system, including class change, assist call and emergency voice communication (refuge) system, and installed a full suite of intrusion detection and video surveillance cameras across the extensive new campus.

Our Scope of Works

The scale and complexity of the project required robust, future-proofed systems that would meet the needs of a large, multi-building education environment. Our package included:

 

• Fire Detection & Alarm System – Kentec Taktis analogue addressable panels with Hochiki ESP protocol detection and alarm devices, providing open-protocol, fully addressable coverage designed to BS 5839-1 M/L4, BS 7273-4 and BS 7273-6 standards, with enhanced protection for high-risk areas such as data hubs, boiler rooms, and electrical distribution spaces.
• Emergency Voice Communication (Refuge) System – Enabling safe evacuation for all building users in line with BS 5839-9.
• Assist Call – Managing safety alarms across the site in line with BS8300:2
• Class Change – Providing automated notifications to students and staff of upcoming class changes, reducing disruption and improving time keeping.
• Intruder Alarm – Integrated to provide out-of-hours security, linked to a 24/7 remote monitoring station.
• CCTV System – High-definition video surveillance for site-wide coverage and safeguarding.
• Preventative and Corrective Maintenance – Providing ongoing support to ensure all systems remain fully operational and compliant.

A Campus Built for the Future

The new St Ronan’s college offers inspiring specialist classrooms for science, art, drama, technology, music, ICT, business, and home economics, alongside a dedicated sixth-form centre, a spacious double-height dining hall, and extensive sports facilities – from grass and synthetic GAA pitches to a fitness suite, sports hall, tennis courts, and a chapel.

For Diamond Systems, delivering this project was about more than installing systems – it was about ensuring that this flagship education facility is protected by reliable, intelligent, and integrated life safety and security infrastructure that will serve staff, students, and visitors for decades to come.

Collaboration at Scale

We’d like to thank Nugents, Glasgiven Contracts, and all members of the design and delivery team for their collaboration throughout the project. This was a true team effort, requiring careful coordination to meet programme milestones while maintaining the highest standards of workmanship.

St Ronan’s is a landmark educational development for Northern Ireland – and we’re proud that our technology and expertise will help keep it safe and secure every day.

At Diamond Systems, we’re proud to be recognised as Edwards EST3 fire alarm specialists – trusted to handle some of the most complex commissioning work in Northern Ireland. Our recent projects at Odyssey Place in Belfast for Char & Mash and Little Wing Pizzeria are perfect examples of why specialist expertise matters.

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The challenge – integrating into one of Northern Ireland’s largest fire alarm networks

Odyssey Place operates one of the largest networked fire alarm systems in Northern Ireland, built on the Edwards EST3 platform. Adding a new venue to this network isn’t simply a matter of wiring in a few devices – it requires precise programming, configuration, and integration into the site-wide life safety system without disruption to existing operations.

That’s where Diamond Systems comes in. Our engineers have deep, hands-on experience with Edwards EST3 commissioning, programming, and network integration, ensuring each new panel is fully synchronised with the wider system and compliant with the latest fire safety standards.

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Char & Mash – life safety and security from day one

For the stunning new 15,000 sq. ft. Char & Mash, we supplied, programmed, and commissioned the Edwards EST3 fire alarm system and TOA voice alarm system to BS 5839-1:2025 and BS 5839-8:2023 standards.

In addition to the life safety systems, our in-house team also designed and installed a complete security package, including:

• 🔒 Intruder Alarm
• 🎥 CCTV
• 🚪 Access Control

The result is a venue that’s not only beautifully designed, but also safe, secure, and fully compliant.

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Little Wing – complex commissioning for a busy restaurant

When Little Wing Pizzeria, part of the renowned Beannchor Group, agreed to open its newest location in Odyssey Place, we were appointed to supply, programme, and commission its Edwards EST3 fire alarm system and TOA voice alarm system.

The same high level of precision was required – programming the new system into the Odyssey network without affecting any other connected units. This kind of commissioning is complex, and it’s exactly why operators turn to specialists who understand the Edwards EST3’s advanced networking capabilities.

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Why EST3 expertise matters

The Edwards EST3 is one of the most advanced and reliable fire alarm control systems available, offering extensive networking, intelligent detection, and integration with voice alarm systems. However, its capabilities mean it must be programmed and commissioned by technicians who understand both the hardware and the network logic behind it.

At Diamond Systems, we’ve been working with Edwards EST3 systems since 1997, delivering projects where safety, compliance, and uninterrupted operation are critical. From large public venues to multi-building complexes, our EST3 commissioning ensures systems work flawlessly from day one. We can also provide forward migration services to the EST4 life safety platform.

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Making Odyssey Place a safer destination

With projects like Char & Mash and Little Wing, we’re continuing to support the transformation of Odyssey Place into one of Belfast’s most exciting destinations – and making sure it’s protected by the very best in life safety and security technology.

If you need Edwards EST3 supply, programming, or commissioning, talk to the experts who’ve delivered it on one of the most complex networks in the country.

📞 Contact Diamond Systems – Northern Ireland’s trusted EST3 specialists.

July has been a brilliant month for Northern Ireland, not least because of the return of The Open to Royal Portrush. We were lucky to enjoy a few fantastic days at the tournament, with Friday being a standout — spent in great company with clients and friends of Diamond. The hospitality was superb, and a young woman named Anna (who, I believe, normally works in a restaurant on the north coast) gave us impeccable service. The professionalism and warmth of the young people working the event was so impressive. Whatever training they received will undoubtedly enhance the standard of service they bring back to their day jobs. The atmosphere throughout was electric — friendly, relaxed, and welcoming. I hope many visitors left inspired to return and explore more of what our beautiful part of the world has to offer.

It’s also been a huge month for our Projects Team, with several key handovers and completions. After many weeks on site, we proudly completed the life safety and security systems at St Ronan’s College in Lurgan, handing over the main building to Nugents in July. Due to open in September, this 21,000m² school will amalgamate three existing schools and accommodate 1,750 pupils — a fantastic facility for the local area. We’re incredibly proud to have played our part in creating a safe environment for generations of students.

Elsewhere, we also completed works at Odyssey Place, which continues to transform with the stylish new bar and restaurant Char and Mash now open, alongside the ever-popular Little Wing. It’s exciting to see these projects come to life.

From a compliance perspective, July was a significant month. We successfully completed our annual NVIR-O-CERT audit for the 10th consecutive year — part of the CEF environmental management scheme. Each year, we take away fresh insights for continual improvement. We also renewed our membership with Fire Aware, a community I’m proud to be part of. It’s growing stronger — especially following the recent Netflix documentary on Grenfell. Having previously read Peter Apps’ powerful book Show Me the Bodies, the documentary didn’t shock me — but it did sadden me deeply. It strengthened my resolve to push our industry forward.

That said, it’s not just the fire industry that needs change. Those procuring systems must also take a hard look at their role. When price becomes the only factor, corners are cut — and life safety is devalued. Until we collectively start prioritising value over cost, real progress will remain elusive.

This month also reminded me how much family businesses in Northern Ireland support one another — something I always try to do. In July, we worked with Jahn Media to refresh our audio branding. If you’ve called the office recently, you may have noticed the updated voiceover — thanks to Aaron and the team for a great job.

On the subject of audio, I took a leap outside my comfort zone this month and recorded my first ever podcast interview! I’ve been putting it off for far too long, but thanks to Peter and the NI Business Podcast team, I ended up really enjoying the experience. Sometimes, it’s good to pause and reflect on how far you’ve come — and if it sparks some ideas for others, all the better. The episode will be available on YouTube sometime in August.

In terms of personal development, I’ve been reading some brilliant books by Mark Leruste and Daniel Priestley, thanks to recommendations from my Scalex community. Both authors highlight the power of storytelling in business and the importance of showing up as your authentic self. That really resonated. We’re a locally owned, family-run SME — and I believe that’s what sets us apart from the larger players in our sector.

There’s been more acquisition activity in the local fire and security space this month, and it’s becoming increasingly rare to find independently owned NSI Gold companies here in Northern Ireland. That’s why I’m even more proud of what we stand for at Diamond.

Finally, I’ve just started reading Karren Brady’s autobiography. She’s long been a role model of mine — especially as a working mother. Like me, she was fairly average at school but driven in ways only those with a growth mindset will truly understand. I admire her perspective on feminism, which she defines not in terms of division, but in terms of equality of opportunity. That resonates deeply with me. I’ve never felt out of place working in a male-dominated sector like fire and security — even at industry meetings where I’ve been the only woman in the room. Feminism, to me, is about fairness. And I’m proud that both my daughters share that view.

Here’s to another month of progress, purpose, and staying true to who we are.

— Angela