DOD Facility Installs System Sensor Devices

  • Jun 04, 2012

Once completed, the Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio will be the largest military medical education and training facility in the world. To meet the Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) mandate for mass notification systems (MNSs) in all Department of Defense (DoD) facilities worldwide, the DoD chose to install an integrated fire and life safety/MNS system using System Sensor products at the facility. The following is an excerpt from a case study of the project:

"This is a big job because of footprint. There are more exam rooms and more smaller spaces, and a lot of wide-open class rooms," explains Duane Hannasch, President of Fire Alarm Control Systems, Inc., San Antonio, and part of the team involved in planning and integrating the fire and life safety systems and MNS for METC. "What made the system integration seem seamless was teamwork: working with the engineering team to get a design that will provide the readings that are needed for audibility and intelligibility."

One part of the design involved integrating the speaker and strobe placements. In all locations that had a fire alarm speaker strobe with a clear lens, a mass notification amber strobe was placed adjacent to it. The fire speaker strobes are ceiling mounted to achieve better sound distribution in these areas.

Hannasch points out that the System Sensor strobes had an added benefit: They were easy to mount. Because of their plug-in design, the mounting plate allows the installing technicians to pre-check the wiring before mounting the devices. "That's a big help, and it cuts installation time," he says. "We were able to get those mounting plates in and do the wiring checks before we put the devices in. It keeps from having to take the devices down again toward the end for wall painting, etc. Usually the general contractors like to see something on the walls. They don’t like to see holes with wires sticking out, so it allows us to cover that hole on the wall and look terminated, although the building may not be ready."

Read the entire case study here.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.