fire alarms, The Station nightclub, voice evacuation systems
Straight Talk
Voice technology takes off in life safety industry
Political party officials are fond of telling the public they have a "big tent." That is, their programs are big enough to cover a wide range of interests. In the past few years, the fire alarm industry has actually been delivering on that same promise.
Voice evacuation technology has expanded to cover a wider range of installations. It's a significant trend in the fire alarm industry that promises to continue for the foreseeable future. Voice evacuation technology is not relegated to fire incidents only. It can be used in the event of other hazardous conditions, including tornadoes, chemical spills and even terrorist attacks.
Shrinking Down
Years ago, voice evacuation systems typically were large, bulky, centralized sound systems tagged onto traditional, zoned fire alarm panels. Now, it's not unusual to see fully-integrated, intelligent emergency evacuation systems using a digital network to protect small, medium, as well as very large buildings. The new systems also are designed to make future expansion easy and can communicate more readily with other key building control systems.
Now, it's not unusual to see fully-integrated, intelligent emergency evacuation systems using a digital network to protect small, medium, as well as very large buildings. The new systems also are designed to make future expansion easy and can communicate more readily with other key building control systems.
There are numerous catalyst behind the trend. For one thing, there is a higher level of awareness about the overall value of voice evacuation technology, brought on in large part by specific incidents, like fires in dormitories and restaurants, as well as high-profile events like the tragic fire at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island. Ultimately, such episodes have served to highlight voice evacuation technology as a valuable and integral element of any evacuation plan.
These incidents, while dramatic, don't always directly influence people to use more effective fire protection tools. The real instruments for change are codes that govern the fire alarm industry combined with economic forces. At its core, the fire alarm industry is code-driven -- people will sometimes only install the minimal level of fire protection that local codes require.
Oftentimes, tragic events serve to convince those in charge that codes need to be revised. There's a belief that horns beeping and sirens flashing can be supplemented for a more effective fire protection solution. This leads to intelligent, integrated emergency evacuation systems that direct people in an organized and orderly fashion through an exit plan designed for a specific event taking place in the building. Local codes are starting to address the trend.
Besides code changes, building owners are increasingly sensitive to the fact that a structure will have multiple uses during its lifetime. This means designs must readily accommodate building changes and expansion. A recent national survey shows 40 percent of fire alarm system work in North America is for building renovation -- a trend that is expected to grow. Choosing building systems with the latest microprocessor and software platforms not only gives owners maximum flexibility, but also the best value over the building's life.
It should be evident by now that successful fire protection companies are not only developing and producing superior products, but also responding to the latest industry trends and requirements. Gamewell-FCI, a manufacturer of commercial fire alarm control panels and emergency life safety systems, and part of the Honeywell Life Safety Group, is doing just that. The company is moving to modular and integrated emergency evacuation systems, having introduced the E3 Series expandable emergency evacuation system in 2005.
Essentially, Gamewell-FCI has endeavored to design a product line to serve the gamut of applications -- high-rise buildings, campuses, industrial plants, retail facilities, schools, churches, as well as other small areas of assembly -- and do so using the fewest number of multi-function integrated circuits. The "building block" approach makes configuration and installation easy, since the fire protection engineer can protect larger buildings by simply combining more of the same types of basic modules.
Digital Communication
The backbone of the design approach is a robust, proven digital communication network. The resulting fully-digital and networkable emergency evacuation systems are able to support numerous channels of digital audio, including line paging and two-way telephone communications, plus various control functions, all operating simultaneously on a single pair of wires or fiber-optic cables.
The use of a single pair of wires is a significant feature. It is not necessary to pull wires to operate a system. Expansion and retrofit installations also can be accomplished quickly with a minimum of infrastructure between the new and existing systems.
The voice evacuation systems provide prerecorded messages and emergency paging during a life safety emergency to facilitate orderly evacuation. The system also can be used to give live alerts of imminent severe weather events such as tornados. Additionally, although the basic voice evacuation functions are immediately workable, customized functions can be programmed after installation is complete through programming upgrades.
The modularity of the system is a key element, allowing customers to purchase and use only the functionality required currently, without purchasing a system that is too powerful -- and costly -- for a customer's specific needs at hand.
The intelligence of an expandable emergency evacuation system is another vital benefit. From the speakers and amplifiers to the digital messages, clarity ensures messages can be easily heard and understood in the presence of ambient sounds and other background noise.
The trend in emergency evacuation technology is moving to more sophistication, integrated circuits and design flexibility. This has already meant a shift in technical training to emphasize software programming skills for designers and installers. In fact, one of the recognized constraints in responding to market needs in the future will be the available pool of qualified, trained personnel serving the industry.
It's clear advanced technology is becoming an increasingly critical ingredient in fire protection plans for structures of all shapes and sizes. While each facility has its own unique character, there is one thing that links them all together -- the inhabitants deserve the best possible protection against fire and other hazards. And that's a mission that continues, no matter how the building is used in the future.