1. Voice Evacuation an introduction

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3. Voice Evacuation Research has proven that in an emergency people will react without confusion or panic if they receive a clear, intelligible message. Bells and sounders only give a warning, they do not indicate the nature of the emergency. Phased evacuation using clear, easily understood, pre- recorded messages ensures that even untrained personnel are evacuated speedily and efficiently.

4. Voice Evacuation what is it? An effective alternative to standard bells and sounders – using the spoken word for evacuating premises during an emergency. Often referred to as ‘voice alarm’, ‘VA’ or ‘VE’. Needs to be fully compliant with BS5839-8, BSEN54-16 and EN60849. Serves as a general public address system during normal circumstances. Provides companies with facilities such as advertisement injection, background music, timed message announcements – and much more.

5. Voice Evacuation in brief A ‘building’ is ‘divided’ into separate areas (zones). Zones can be ‘spoken to’ (broadcast to) individually, several at once or as an ‘all call’. During an emergency people are informed – via the spoken word – what is happening and what to do. Evacuation control is either via pre-recorded messages and/or via emergency fire microphones. The system is fully monitored (BS5839-8), with any faults reported, so that it will work when needed – during an emergency.

6. Voice Evacuation why do we need it? Those most at risk can be evacuated first. Phased evacuation can be pre-planned. Emergency messages can be stored on the system and broadcast by automatic or manual means. Fire officers/building management can broadcast ‘live’ at any time. Panic is reduced due to the controlled nature of the evacuation. Quite simply: voice alarm helps save lives during an emergency.

7. During an Emergency...

8. ..WITHOUT Voice Evacuation A ‘break glass’ box or ‘fire detector’ is activated. An alarm is sounded – normally a bell/klaxon style alarm. Initially, it is usual for people to carry on as normal. Vital seconds – or minutes – are lost. After a while people become curious and eventually start to move. People habitually exit via the same route they entered – this may be the longest (or most dangerous) route. Unfortunately, such inaction can, and does, end in tragedy.

9. A Standard Fire Alarm System

10. ..WITH Voice Evacuation A ‘break glass’ box or ‘fire detector’ is activated. The fire alarm panel activates the voice alarm system messages. Emergency messages are broadcast to areas at risk. Areas of high risk are informed of any necessary action – ie ‘evacuate’. Areas of low risk are ‘alerted’ to the situation – ‘phased evacuation’. Real time information may be broadcast by the emergency services to prevent people moving into danger. Result – immediate action – calm, controlled and SAFE evacuation.

11. Voice Evacuation System

12. Centralised Voice Evacuation Usually offered for single building installations. All loudspeaker lines derived from a single location.

13. Decentralised Voice Evacuation Usually offered on site wired installations where a number of buildings need to be covered.

14. System Priorities A voice alarm system has various inputs, which must be prioritised. This ensures the most important input (ie fire officer’s microphone) overrides any other. Typical priorities are as follows: Fire microphone 1 (all call) Fire microphone 2 (zone select) Evacuation message Alert message Other emergency message Paging microphone Spot announcer (advert injection) Background music Priority settings on VIGIL EVAS systems can be easily changed to suit individual requirements.

15. Basic System Elements

16. Fire Microphone Weatherproof enclosure. Fist microphone. Has top priority – overrides all other microphones and inputs to the voice evacuation system. Used by firemen/building control to override emergency broadcasts – either as a ‘zone select’ or ‘all call’. Any other messages being transmitted to zones will be interrupted when the fire microphone is activated.

17. Microphone Controller Operated by the designated person to control the evacuation using voice announcements – live or recorded. Can also be used as a fire or paging microphone. Selects music source. Ability to test the system via pre- recorded ‘start’ and ‘end’ test messages. During an emergency, assumes ‘emergency control mode’ and is given a higher priority.

18. Router The voice alarm router is connected to the fire detection system of a building. The fire detection system triggers the VA system to evacuate and alert automatically. Provides full system status monitoring and fault reporting. The router receives various inputs including microphones, spot announcers, etc. It outputs the ‘priority’ signal, via the amplifier(s), to relevant loudspeaker circuits (zones).

19. Amplifier Receives the input from the microphone (or other source) (via the router) and amplifies (broadcasts) it to the relevant zones. Several amplifiers will be built into a voice alarm rack, with each amplifier broadcasting to specific zones (circuits) within the building. Available in different power options to suit system requirements.

20. Batteries A voice evacuation system must work during an emergency – even if the mains power has failed. Backup batteries included in the system must be of a suitable ‘size’. Calculations for battery sizes are made at the design stage of a system. Typically, the system is capable of being battery-backed for 24 hours quiescent and 30 minutes at full power (to meet the requirements of BS5839-8).

21. Messages Flash memory, recordable by client. Digital WAV files. CD quality. 57 second duration for each message. Constantly monitored. Triggered by fire panel or manually. AlertEvac Test

22. Music Input A source of music which is installed in the voice alarm rack – such as an MP3 or CD player. Used to broadcast background music to zones selected. Typically the lowest priority in a voice alarm system. Will be overridden in the event of an emergency.

23. Phased Evacuation

24. Typical Office Block or Hotel ROOF 7 th floor 6 th floor 5 th floor 4 th floor 3 rd floor 2 nd floor 1 st floor ground floor BASEMENT 1 BASEMENT 2 EVACUATE alert EVACUATE alert EVACUATE GROUND LEVEL ROOF 7 th floor 6 th floor 5 th floor 3 rd floor 2 nd floor 1 st floor ground floor BASEMENT 1 BASEMENT 2

25. The VIGIL2 Voice Evacuation System

26. Fire Microphone Single, four or eight zone. Lockable IP66 steel enclosure. Zone status indicators. Speak now indicator. Speech volume indicator. Option to fit ‘processor bypass’ hard- wired press-to-talk switch. Option to fit flip-top switches to enable DVA (digital voice announcement) messages to be broadcast. Fully monitored. BFM400 range

27. Microphone Controller Available in eight versions – from 8-zone up to 64-zone. Performs as a paging or fire microphone with an optional ‘all call’ processor bypass facility. LCD displays showing zone name and status. Red buttons for emergency messages – operated by key switch. Fault indicators. Up to 30 messages available to operator (stored on EVAS routers). Five programmable function keys. Fully monitored. RJ45/CAT5 connection. BVRD range

28. Touchscreen Paging Station Operator selects options by simply touching the screen prompts. Graphics can be displayed as either virtual buttons or as a topographical layout (pictured). All functions: message selection, zone selection, paging, message recording, background music, etc – can be performed from the paging station. State-of-the-art high performance computer and screen all in one unit. High definition 56cm (22”) LCD display. Unitouch

29. Router Eight inputs and seven outputs. Inputs 1&2 with processor bypass. One failsafe emergency ‘all call’ message. Six messages stored in flash memory. USB2 port to configure unit/upload messages, etc. Realtime clock – fault logging, history, night time volume, etc. CANBUS ports to connect with modules, simple rack wiring. Parametric EQ on all inputs and outputs. Auto amplifier changeover (1 in 10). DSP-controlled BVRD2M

30. Expansion facilities 1U in height. Up to five slave units can be added to one BVRD2M master. Each BVRD2S adds: 12 audio inputs. 16 audio outputs. 12 messages. Each BVRD2SLT adds: 6 audio inputs. 8 audio outputs. 6 messages. Mount directly on top of BVRD2M – connections are made using RJ45. BVRD2S & BVRD2SLT slave units

31. Mini Router Four inputs and four outputs. One failsafe emergency ‘all call’ message. Six messages stored in flash memory. Realtime clock – fault logging, history, night time volume, etc. Parametric EQ on all inputs and outputs. Fits alongside a VIGIL2 amplifier and BVSMP power supply in one 19” frame. Fully monitored. DSP-controlled BVRD2M4

32. ECLIPSE2M Wall-mountable, stand-alone system, complete with battery backup. All the facilities of the BVRD2M4. With a BV120D dual 120W amplifier fitted: One dual circuit zone (or two, single circuit zones). With a BV050Q quad 50W amplifier fitted: Two zones with dual circuits (or four, single circuit zones, or three with reserve). Ideal for decentralised networking or tenant systems. Fully monitored. VA/PA system

33. Amplifiers Class D – 80% efficient. Compact. Sleep mode – automatically reducing standby requirements to 50mA per amplifier when operating on batteries. Rated power obtainable from 22V battery supply. Over-temperature protection. The BV225 can be paralleled. BV225, BV125D, BV050Q

34. DC line monitor/ isolator Enables dual loudspeaker circuits to connect to a single amplifier. Each BVRDADIS unit provides both A&B circuits for two amplifiers. Up to 10 spurs per loudspeaker line. The BVRDADIM master unit connects to the BVRD2M router. Up to five BVRDADIS can be connected to one BVRDADIM. Utilises DC line monitoring techniques, therefore, BEL1 end of line monitoring is not required. BVRDADIM & BVRDADIS

35. PSU Charger Switch mode power supplies. Two individually protected outputs at 24V (one on the BVSMPLT). Built-in deep battery discharge cut off. Standby batteries are continually ‘float charged’. A protected output is provided to power a mixer or auxiliary circuit. Several chargers may be paralleled when used for larger systems. Fully monitored. BVSMP & BVSMPLT

36. DSP Network Provides digital networking facilities for the VIGIL2 range. Connected in a loop configuration. Continues to function in the event of cabling damage at a single location. The network can be copper, fibre or a combination of both. Two RS485 and up to fourteen concurrent audio channels. Network status indicators. Up to 126 VIGIL2 EVAS systems can be digitally networked. Fully monitored. BVRDNET BVRDCIF & BVRDFIF

37. EN54 part 16

38. EN54-16:2008 Fire Alarm and Fire Alarm Systems. Voice Alarm Control and Indicating Equipment. Many European countries adopted this standard in April 2011. All voice alarm manufacturers need their products third party testing by an accredited test house. Specifiers, consultants, installers and end users need to ensure that the voice alarm equipment supplied has full EN54-16 third party certification. All manufacturers must have relevant factory production control procedures in place – i.e. ENISO9001-2000. Baldwin Boxall’s VIGIL2 voice alarm products have full BSEN54-16:2008 certification (including BSEN54-4:2008 for power supplies).

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