Bismarck Event Center
Bismarck, ND
Consists of two buildings connected by a hallway in the middle. They have separate systems (one Simplex, and one Siemens), and I don’t believe that they are connected to each other, as there are smoke detectors for both systems at the connection between the two buildings. I heard the older Simplex system go off once when I was here for a show.
Main Building: Late 60’s (renovated heavily in the 90’s)
Panel: Unknown older Simplex panel (could be anything from a 4002 or 4005, to a 4100+)
Notification Appliances: red 4903 electronic horn strobes in the slightly newer part and 4903-9101 strobe plates with Wheelock EH-EL1 electronic horns in the older part that are likely replacing much older horns that were original to the building. All on continuous.
Pull Stations: Simplex 2099-9101 single action pull stations in the newer section, and 4251-30 break glass pull stations in the original section.
Detectors: the only ones I could spot were a simplex 4098-9601 in front of the elevator, and a 2098-9201 in front of the connection to the other building.
New Building: Late 90s. Updated and size tripled in 2010s.
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS voice evac system
Notification appliances: rebranded wheelock E-50s and E-60s (including some odd ceiling mount lettered E-50s) Unknown message.
Detectors: Siemens OP921 addressable smoke detectors
Pull stations: Siemens HMS-D addressable pull stations
Although I find the old system very interesting, I think that they should have extended the Siemens system to both buildings when they installed it because the old Simplex system is very outdated and ineffective. I experienced this firsthand when it went off and nobody was moving. I actually had to tell my parents that it was going off because they didn’t realize. I think that a proper voice evac system would at least help this.