Kirk Thordobson

Mass Notification Systems (MNS): What’s the “BUZZ”? Industrial Settings have had it for years!

Today’s Agenda What is Mass Notification? Historical Events Codes Examples of System Configurations

Definition – Unified Facilities Criteria UFC The capability to provide real-time information to all building occupants or personnel in the immediate vicinity of a building during emergency situations

Definition – NFPA A system used to provide information and instructions to people, in a building, area site, or other space.

Definition – NFPA Emergency Communications System (ECS) A system for the protection of life by indicating the existence of an emergency situation and communicating information necessary to facilitate an appropriate response and action.

Historical Events 14 Deaths, 27 women shot Montreal Massacre, École Polytechnique Dec 6, 1989 Not just abroad, In Canada also.

“War on Terror” 2,752 Deaths, including 343 firefighters and 60 police World Trade Centre Sept 11, 2001 Shocked the world!

The US military influence 20 Deaths / 372 Injured Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia June 25, 1996

Any Terrorist attack is Prominent! Nuclear Biological Chemical Shootings Sabotage

Background to Mass Notification July Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) Design: DoD Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings Goal: All inhabited buildings to have terror resistant construction Includes requirement for Mass Notification

Mass Notification in NFPA 72 December UFC Design and Operation & Maintenance of Mass Notification Systems Mass Notification System Guidelines, UFC , Design and O&M: Mass Notification Systems

Natural Dangers Pine Lake, Alberta July 14, deaths Edmonton, Alberta July 31, deaths Weather Fire Vapour Clouds Tornadoes

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED! Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance

Changes to NFPA 72 June 2003 Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency petitioned NFPA to develop a standard for Mass Notification. National Fire Alarm Code Technical Correlating Committee (NFAC TCC) was charged with the task of reviewing this request.

Changes to NFPA 72 NFAC TCC Task Group was formed February Subsequent meetings 2004 and 2005 led to the development of Annex “E” in the 2007 edition (originally identified as Annex “G”).

Scope of Changes to NFPA Mass Notification Systems. See Annex E. New Annex E to provide guidance for the application, installation, location, performance, and maintenance of Mass Notification Systems

NFPA 72 Annex E Preface: Annex E is not part of the requirements of this NFPA document, but is included for informational purposes only.

Review of Annex E The use of a single integrated combination system might offer both economic and technical advantages. In any case, coordination between system functions is essential.

Virginia Tech massacre 32 Deaths, 61 injured Blacksburg Virginia, US April 16th, 2007 Highlighted need for communicating to large groups. MNS forefront. NFPA address of Emergency Communication Systems in the NFPA 2010.

NFPA Chapter 24 Emergency Communication Systems (ECS) Purpose – Protection of life, Indicate an emergency situation and Communicate information to facilitate an appropriate response and action. Includes: Multi-threats

NFPA Chapter 24 Emergency Communication Systems (ECS) Performance based design, seen in the ABC Requires “intelligible” voice messages Emphasizes - Integrity and Survivability – Something the CAN/ULC fire alarm Standards have required for a long time.

NFPA Chapter 24 Emergency Communication Systems (ECS) Allows Ancillary functions including fire alarm (FA) for general paging, background music, or other non- emergency functions. However, must not interfere with the FA or MNS. Must be constantly attended by trained personnel in the fire command centre, or equipment is installed to resist tampering and the system is Monitored for integrity.

CAN/ULC-S Voice Communication Systems CFault detection and indication shall be maintained during the time a circuit is used for purposes not related to fire safety (i.e. general paging)

Underwriters Laboratory UL2572 Control and Communication Units for Mass Notification Systems

Underwriters Laboratory Standard first issued as interim listing. (August 2008). Started as a set of requirements for connecting an external audio input to a Fire Alarm System. Addresses testing, construction, product markings, and installation requirements as well as Confirmation of operation. Target for End of 2011.

Underwriters Laboratories Canada ULC invited to appoint a “guest” (non-voting) member with a goal of following up with a Canadian version. Formed new ULC Working Group under ULC Subcommittee on Control Units

Underwriters Laboratories Canada Working Group Chair of the ULC –S576 Committee, appointed as representative to UL 2572 (Mass Notification System Communication & Control Units) Scheduled to start after completion of the UL 2572

System Equipment and configurations

EST3 Audio and Detection Capability Signals Event Mgmt Software Direct connect or LAN/WAN/Internet Telephones Remote VOIP PDA w/Event Mgmt Data Dynamic Signs Wide Area Paging Fire and MNEC speaker strobe EST3 Audio and Detection Capability Fire and MNEC speaker strobe

31 Overview – Mass Notification Requirements: Fast response times May be local or global Notify occupants that an emergency exists Trigger large scale alert to reduce risk of injury or casualties Pre-recorded and live emergency messages should be available Operate from one or more locations Capable of interfacing to wide area systems

32 System Configurations Voice Only Mass Notification System Types Interior Speakers High Power Speaker Array Indoor Voice System Wired Communication Path Exterior Building Mounted Speakers Amber Strobes

33 System Configurations Wide Area Notification Mass Notification System Types

34 Example: Mass Notification 1.Mass Notification System Fire Central Command Station (CCS) with Building Voice Evacuation & Emergency Communication System Graphical User Interface workstation Workstation’s local Uninterruptible Power Supply; Emergency Power Sub-panel Security Intruder Detection System Interface Duress Activators Indoor/Outdoor camera systems Weather System Interface Nuclear, biological, chemical, radiological, explotion sensors Interior wall and ceiling mount amber visual signal Strobes Audio Player Recorder (APR)

35 Example: Mass Notification Automated dialing systems Internet Protocol Server Interface (IPSI) Private Branch Exchange Telephone Interface (ITP) Wireless Cell phone interface Hand held Radio Network Interface, VHF,UHF Fax Instant Message (IM) Alerts, text Personal Alert System –PAS Pager type Vibration Bed shaker

36 Example: Mass Notification Regional alerting System Interface Elevator Cab Paging Interface (ECPI-TP) Lighting Controller Interface (LCI-TP) Elevator Cab Paging Interface (ECPI-TP) Lighting Controller Interface (LCI-TP) Display signs Flat panel Video Displays Bollards, gates, contact closures Exterior weather proof combination amber visual and audible (Speaker Strobe units) Exterior weather proof High Power “Giant Voice” speaker arrays

37 FireWorks™ Global Event Workstation Event monitoring workstation. Fire Security/Intrusion Other emergency inputs Mass Notification Graphical Interface Single or Multiple Workstations Video Control Interface Multi-Screen Displays

38 Event Management System EST3 Audio and Detection Capability Signals Event Mgmt Software Direct connect or LAN/WAN/Internet Telephones Remote VOIP PDA w/Event Mgmt Data Dynamic Signs Wide Area Paging Tying It All Together! Fire and MNEC speaker strobe EST3 Audio and Detection Capability Fire and MNEC speaker strobe Fire and MNEC speaker strobe

Thank You Kirk Thordobson