Article by Dennis Gerber – Area Sales Manager – Fire Alarm

Have you ever thought about the fire alarm system in your building and asked yourself, “How does it notify me there’s a fire? And what should I do when it alarms? Do all alarms sound the same?”

We expect to be notified in the event of a fire, whether it’s automatically detected (smoke detector, heat detector, sprinkler system) or manually initiated (pull station).

The National Fire Alarm Notification Sound is a three-burst temporal pattern, also known as a Code 3 sound output, which continues until the system is silenced or reset.

In general alarm notification, the fire alarm system causes the horns to pulse three times, pause, pulse three times, pause, and so on. But when we hear this sound, what should we do next?

With emergency communications notification, the fire alarm system uses speakers to emit the Code 3 sound, followed by a pre-recorded voice message. The sound and message alternate. The voice message can be customized for the building and even in different languages if needed. Typically, it alerts occupants about the fire and directs them to evacuate using the stairs, avoiding elevators. In some facilities, different messages can play in various parts of the building. For areas in immediate danger, an evacuation message is played. In surrounding areas, the message may instruct people to remain in place and wait for further instructions.

Other messages can be pre-recorded and broadcast through the building’s speakers in response to a carbon monoxide alarm, gas alarm, or other abnormal situations.

With emergency communications, an administrator can also deliver live voice announcements to building occupants.

Finally, with emergency communications, you can even play background music through the speakers and make general public address announcements. This eliminates the need for a separate PA system.

Now that you know some of the differences in how fire alarm systems notify you during an emergency, would you choose emergency communications or general alarm notification for your building?

At Oliver Fire Protection & Security, we provide fire alarm systems with emergency communication notification every day. We’d be pleased to discuss your options for ensuring your fire alarm system communicates effectively with your building occupants in the unfortunate event of an emergency.