Fire Alarm System Notification Appliances Chapter 13 Page 394

Objectives Discuss the four groups of notification signals, explain why the temporal-coded signal is now the national standard signal, and outline research conducted with respect to recognition of the temporal- coded signal List the available types of audible notification appliances

Objectives Evaluate public- and private-mode audibility requirements for fire alarm systems and explain why the two modes differ Determine the effectiveness of an audible notification appliance, given ambient sound levels, door or wall attenuation, and inverse square law losses

Objectives Compare wall-mounted and ceiling- mounted visible notification appliance requirements Locate visible notification appliances in a room, corridor, or sleeping room Use the multiple-square layout to optimize visual notification appliance location Explain the function of an annunciator panel

Objectives Determine the reasons why tactile notification appliances may be necessary, and discuss how they can be used effectively Compare NFPA 72, ANSI, UL, and ADA requirements for visible notification appliances Discuss the conditions that make strobe synchronization necessary

Audible Notification Appliances Audible Notification Appliance Audibility Requirements Public-Mode Audibility Requirements (see Tables 13-1 and 13-2, Pages 399-400) Private-Mode Audibility Requirements Audible Notification Appliance Intelligibility

Audible Notification Appliances Audible Notification Appliance Location (see Tables 13-3 and 13-4 Page 401) Inverse square law: as the distance from the ear to the notification appliance doubles, sound is reduced by 6 dB along the centerline of the notification appliance

Audible Notification Appliances Figure 13-5. Illustration of the inverse square law; sound pressure reduces 6 dB every time the distance from the audible notification appliance doubles

Audible Notification Appliances Figure 13-6. Off-centerline sound losses; persons “B” and “C” are at the same lineal distance from the notification appliance as person “A”

Ex. 13-6: Calculation of Audible Notification Appliance Audibility

“Exit Marking” Audible Notification Appliances “Exit marking” audible notification appliances: installed at the entrance of all building exits and areas of refuge Emit distinct sound pressure levels capable of directing occupants to the exits

Visible Notification Appliances Candela (cd): the standard unit of light intensity measurement Blackbody: ideal body that would absorb all incident radiation and reflect none Public-Mode Visibility Requirements ADAAG Visible Appliance Requirements Private-Mode Visibility Requirements

Visible Notification Appliances Wall-Mounted Visible Notification Appliance Location Ceiling-Mounted Visible Notification Appliance Location (see Table 13-5, Page 410) Visible Appliance Spacing in Rooms That Are Not Square

Visible Notification Appliances Multiple Square Layout of Visible Notification Appliances Optimization of Visual Notification Coverage Placement of Visible Appliances in Corridors (see Table 13-6, Page 415) Spacing of Visible Appliances in Sleeping Areas (see Table 13-7, Page 417)

Visible Notification Appliances Figure 13-12. Optimization of visible notification coverage (part 1)

Visible Notification Appliances Figure 13-12. Optimization of visible notification coverage (part 2)

Visible Notification Appliances Figure 13-13. Corridor spacing of visible appliances

Visible Notification Appliances Combination Audible/Visible Notification Appliances Combination audible/visible notification appliance: has both audible and visible notification components Synchronization of Visible Appliances

Textual Audible and Visible Notification Appliances Textual visible notification appliance provides alphanumeric fire alarm notification or instructions Usually on an annunciator, fire alarm control unit, or a panel remote from the main FACU Textual notification information can be provided by LEDs on a display window

Textual Audible and Visible Notification Appliances Can provide more precise information than by other audible and visible appliances Can provide notification for persons with hearing disabilities Central station operators, security guards, and fire watch personnel often are provided with textual appliances

Annunciation Notification Appliances Annunciator panel: provides visible notification of the location of an initiating device by zone and floor Annunciator should be placed in a fire control room or at main building entrance Fire service personnel can identify fire location and implement suppression strategy

Tactile Notification Appliances Audible appliances are effective for those who can hear Visible appliances are effective for those who can see Combination audible/visible appliances are effective for those with either sense Tactile notification appliances are for individuals who can neither see nor hear

Tactile Notification Appliances With tactile notification appliances, training must be provided so that occupants can find exit building on their own If this is not possible, a method must be provided for the notification of supervisory personnel who are responsible for assisting occupants to safety

Tactile Notification Appliances Bed shakers are an alternative for rousing sleeping individuals Some tactile appliances, such as vibrating belt pagers, and variable-speed ceiling fans, cannot be readily supervised, and are therefore considered supplemental notification appliances

Summary Notification appliances must be selected carefully to be congruent with the needs of Building occupants Supervisory personnel Security personnel who interpret the alarm Fire service responders

Summary Notification appliances must Accommodate persons with disabilities Arouse a sleeping person Spur a person who is awake to leave the building or relocate to a fire-safe area