In a pizza shop in the same plaza there’s a simplex 4903 with a viking T-bar
No idea why that’s the case since Simplex systems typically have everything be Simplex but okay.
Kolbe Cathedral High School, Bridgeport, CT:
- Panel: Unknown
- Pulls: Simplex 4251-20s
- N/As: Simplex 2903 strobe plates in most areas with unknown horns. But, there are some SpectrAlert Classics slapped on the strobe plate in some areas, such as the gymnasium! Yuck!
- Detectors: Unknown, possibly Simplex “Wiffle-Ball” detectors or 2400s
Looks like the Springfield community center still has the Wheelock 7002Ts and FCi FC-72 from what looks like the late-1980s. Except the pool room, where there’s a 34T. Also the BG-6? pull stations.
Probably not an ideal setup. The strobes being mounted low for coverage is a good idea, but for best audible coverage, bullhorn speakers would be better than a speaker with a redundant strobe
1 Like
Ah yes: good idea considering the probable size of the room.
I’m pretty sure I saw that system in 2019 back when I was in Boston! Me and my friend went to Quincy Market to eat and then went for a late night walk around Boston, and I remember seeing 3 large red cabinets, for some reason I thought it was some old Fire Lite system. Also the bright fire call box too. I think that area in general had some very intersting systems in those highrises and the walkups on the side streets.
I recently visited a massive archival preservation facility that was completed in 1996. The building features a striking design and comprises three floors of storage vaults along with one floor of preservation laboratories, located above the vaults. To my surprise, the building is protected by a Notifier system; I wasn’t expecting to see this brand in a large government-owned facility from this era as EST and Simplex were more common in these types of applications. While I didn’t see the panel, I assume it was originally an AM2020.
The pull stations are Notifier NFM-950s, and the signals are Notifier KMS-series bells (black bulhorn-style speakers are mounted above the bells):
Many bells and pull stations are mounted on unique architectural poles (the bell shown here happens to be an Edwards MB6-24—the only one I saw in the building):
Interestingly, similar poles were used for the devices (Siemens pull stations and U-MMT horn/strobes) in one of the buildings at my university. The building in question was completed in 2001 and was designed by the same architect who designed the preservation facility (Ron Keenberg of IKOY Architects).
The smoke detectors are a mix of Notifier SDX-551s and CPX-551s (in some cases, both are used within the same area):
The annunciator in the main lobby consists of six LED modules and a remote microphone mounted in a custom freestanding enclosure (apologies for the awful photo—I didn’t think of getting a better one, so this one is cropped from a much larger photo of the lobby):
The facility also featured a multitude of (likely fascinating) specialized detection and suppression systems with which I’m completely unfamiliar.
1 Like
Freestanding eh? Interesting. Wonder how they got that approved lol
Also Edwards/EST Genesis-series remote strobes as the 3rd picture shows (if I’m not mistaken at least).
Adventure Aquarium - Camden, NJ
Panel: EST addressable panel (what I believe is but I’m not so sure) tied to a Gamewell FCI (what I believe is) addressable panel
Pulls: EST SIGA-278s and 276Bs, as well as FCI MS-2d
Detectors: EST SIGA-PSes and SIGA-PDs, as well as Gamewell FCI ASD-Is
AVs EST Genesis speaker/strobes, genesis strobes, possibly genesis horn/strobes (since some areas don’t have speaker/strobes), and integrity speaker/strobes (outdoors and in one indoor area), as well as Wheelock ET-1010-WS-24s (one with a dual projector on it), ET80s, E70s, and RSSes
Machine shed, undisclosed location, Bellevue NE.
System seems to be a custom Spectronics system, with a rebranded wheelock 7002T, and BG-6 pulls.
2 Likes
Oddly enough, that’s the only strobe I saw in the areas I visited in this building; I may have missed others as I wasn’t paying close attention. It doesn’t look like there was originally a strobe in this location as the conduit leading to the strobe is unpainted while the conduit leading to the smoke detector is coated in the same colour as the ceiling.
Really? Huh, okay. Interesting…
Flanders Hotel - Ocean City, NJ
Panel: EST addressable panel with possibly a few conventional zones
Pulls: SIGA-278s
Detectors: SIGA-PSes and Edwards 6250s (some possibly disconnected)
AVs: Integrity speaker/strobes, integrity strobes (single gang), at least one genesis strobe, and unknown speakers
I also wonder how they were able to install the panels like that without it being mounted to any walls and just poles on a table right under the stairs. Hopefully nobody leans on it too hard.
1 Like
Lol. I bet they’re bolted to the floor
I didn’t notice how it was attached to the floor, but it is indeed most likely bolted. The yellow tubular poles on which certain devices are mounted in this building are attached to the floor with four beefy bolts.
The angle from which I took the photo makes it seem like the annunciator is over the table, but the tubular frame goes straight to the floor—there’s nothing beneath the annunciator. It certainly looks fragile with the skinny frame; I’m sure, however, that the frame was designed to remain solidly upright if someone or something leans against the annunciator (it’s likely not much different from a floor-mounted handrail/railing or sign/display board). If it’s still standing perfectly after 28 years, I don’t think there’s much of a risk of the annunciator toppling over.
Last weekend, I attended an event at a former elementary school that was recently converted into a multi-use facility. The building has a new Mircom FX-2000 system. The signals are a mix of bells (mainly Edwards 6100D Durabels, although I also saw Mircom BL-6/10s and an Edwards 439D-10AWC) paired with Mircom FS-400-RR strobes:
I found this combination quite unique. I came across a photo showing this room before the system was upgraded, and it seems that the Mircom strobes are replacing older strobes; the previous strobes look like they were perhaps Wheelock LSMs or Faraday models. I’m surprised that the bells and strobes weren’t simply replaced with FHS-400 horn/strobes during the upgrade.
Considering Canada’s long history of using bells in fire alarm service (long after the US stopped using them as far as I can tell), I’m honestly not surprised at all that they were left in place. Neat combos regardless though.