Article by Matt Karver

Property owners understand that fire alarm systems are a routine cost when building, maintaining, or renovating a structure.  In most cases, a fire alarm system notifies occupants in an office space, classroom, apartment, or other confined area with a relatively low ambient noise level.  These spaces do not require specialized equipment to reach the required sound level.  However, what happens when a property has a noisy ambient environment or has a massive open floor plan, e.g., a warehouse, factory, stadium, or school campus?

Hyperspike has pioneered intelligibility technology and offers a line of products that push through ambient noise and deliver critical messages to occupants.  One Hyperspike speaker can replace multiple ordinary fire alarm/emergency speakers, cutting down on installation, wiring costs, and amplifiers.  They offer indoor, outdoor, and explosion proof devices with flexible mounting solutions perfect for hazardous environments like factories, subways, or oil rigs.  Hyperspike can be powered directly from an existing fire alarm/mass notification system or can be purchased with its own amplifier.  This allows the end-user to utilize their existing paging capabilities while enhancing the intelligibility of their message. 

If an owner is unsure where to start, Hyperspike offers acoustic modeling solutions that provide detailed reports for a project showing the quantity and location of devices recommended.  An on-site survey can be conducted to take noise measurements and laser/photo scan certain areas, if as-builts aren’t available. 

No matter the situation, life safety is the top priority.  Hyperspike is another tool for owners to overcome an industry challenge.