The Fire Plan and Alarm Audibility Connection
Serious gap exposed in fire plan where the fire alarm is inaudible
The fire department presented evidence of an agreement on a uniform approach by a number of municipalities on the issue of 65dBA audibility level. The tribunal noted that while this level is somewhat less than the National Building Code 1995 requirement of 75dBA in a building of residential occupancy, it appears reasonable based on the present understanding of audibility. The tribunal believes that 100% of the tenants should be afforded a reasonable level of protection at all times.
Fire Safety Commission Tribunal (Ontario) Decision NO.97A003-116 – June 10, 1997
Where are we today with fire alarm audibility levels in residential occupancy dwellings?
An excerpt from an article from the NFPA journal suggests that the fire alarm industry, nearly 10-years ago, has moved beyond understanding fire alarm audibility and now is focused on intelligibility. The author is referring to new construction, but what about older buildings where audibility had not been addressed?
In the past, the fire alarm industry primarily focused concern on audibility requirements, assuming that if the sound was loud enough it would be sufficiently intelligible. These systems were required to have a sound level at least 15 dB above the average ambient sound level, or 5 dB above the maximum sound level having a duration of at least 60 seconds, whichever is greater. Starting with the 1999 version of the National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA) 72, the fire alarm industry recognized the importance of requiring both audibility and intelligibility.
Speech Intelligibility and Building Design - History, Application and Recent Innovations
In 2006 The Fire Protection Research Foundation made public a research project called, Reducing Fire Deaths in Older Adults: Optimizing the Smoke Alarm Signal. The research project is very educational but it begs the question, “What about older adults who live in vulnerable occupancies with no fire alarm audible device in their suite?” Smoke alarms and fire alarm audible devices are different, but their function is the same. Residents need to ask themselves; “will I or my loved ones wake up in time to escape smoke or fire?”
On January 19, 2000 the Fire Safety Commission of Ontario issued decision 99A005-128 regarding the level of audibility provided by the fire alarm system in a non-combustible nine storey, 84-unit building. Part of the commission’s decision states:
- The subject of audibility has evolved from a subjective basis of judgment to a technical basis.
- The agreement on what constitutes a reasonable minimum sound level has also evolved. Therefore, in this case the sound levels in the building that once were satisfactory need to be adjusted to the level considered acceptable today.
As far back as June 10th, 1997 the Fire Safety Commission in Ontario issued decision 97A003-116 against an owner of an apartment building, which could not meet a minimum decibel level of 65dBA in the bedrooms with the doors closed. Below is a description of a typical building in need of an audibility upgrade.
The property is a twelve-storey apartment building with a basement and was constructed approximately 30 years ago. The typical floor plan indicates 14 units per floor with a total of approximately 167 residential suites. The ground floor contains a rental office, retail store and foyer in addition to apartments. The building is protected with a single stage, zoned, electrically supervised fire alarm system. There are three fire alarm bells consisting of 4-inch gongs per floor. The devices are evenly spaced along the central corridor on each floor.
The fire plan is key to improving fire alarm audibility
Despite legal precedence across Canada, building owners are still challenging fire departments regarding acceptable levels of fire alarm audibility. Fire plans require a list of actions that residents should take upon hearing the fire alarm. In light of what is known about fire alarm audibility, it is unreasonable for owners to challenge fire departments when asked to update their fire plans. A fire plan is effective when residents stand a reasonable chance of hearing the fire alarm.
Signalink Technologies is making every effort to educate building owners and managers about acceptable levels of fire alarm audibility, however, they will rarely, if ever, upgrade their buildings without legal pressure. The fire plan is a legal means to make the connection between acceptable levels of fire alarm audibility and what exists today in thousands of residential occupancy dwellings across Canada.
Signalink Technologies has a new solution for the audibility issue
Building owners can now upgrade their buildings to acceptable fire alarm audibility levels without having to incur expensive, time-consuming and disruptive retrofits, thanks to Fire-Link®II by Signalink Technologies. Fire-Link®II is a ULC listed fire alarm signaling system that uses a building’s existing AC wiring. Signalink Technologies has created the first fire alarm horn/strobe that can be plugged into any AC outlet. Our engineer’s are working on a bed shaker fire alarm device for the severely hearing impaired. When the main fire alarm system is activated, Fire-Link®II in-suite devices are simultaneously activated.
At the core of Fire-Link®II is a communications platform that is deployed across the electrical wiring infrastructure that already exists in any building, acting as a ready-made network, eliminating the need for additional wiring usually required when retrofitting residential occupancy dwellings. By installing a single panel, Fire-Link®II can send signals via AC wiring.
When fire departments come across residential occupancy dwellings with unacceptable fire alarm audibility levels, Fire-Link®II provides an option that allows building owners to bridge the gap in their fire plan and ensure a safe building.
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