Fire Alarms in Buildings (2.0)

[AidanTheToiletElevat (AidanTheToiletElevatorFireAlarmFan)]

Fire Alarms in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge MA Harvard Square

Space Age VA4+TVMAA (I’m pretty sure these have different candela ratings)

Simplex 4903-9356 Speaker Strobe (TrueAlert marking included)

Simplex 4903-9357 Speaker Strobes

These were installed in the parking garage during a multitude of years. The one you see in the picture is the oldest one I found from I think 2000. I don’t think you can tell but this is a 75CD unit. This one is my favorite one because it’s older. I think there could possibly be some Simplex 4903-9358s due to the size of this parking garage as well as the device spacing. They aren’t as spaced out as they look in areas. It’s huge! And it’s also underground. But I still think the 75CD strobe is pretty bright, so it’s probably fine. But at least this is the more uncommon very early QuickAlert speaker strobe, so I’m grateful that I found it! You can tell it’s an early model because of the font and raised Simplex logo. This thing is also mounted on a skirt. I think it looks professional, but this is a big boy right here! This parking garage and hotel is also very old, so these are not the originals. I’m assuming this is possibly some kind of Simplex 4100 or 4120 system possibly from 2000, maybe older because of the Space Age Speaker/Strobe combos. And because it’s in Massachusetts it will possibly play a Code 3 tone per Massachusetts Fire Safety regulations, but the tone could be totally different from what I expected, which is totally fine. I prefer the Simplex Code 3 tone personally because it isn’t that loud. Edit: I think this is a QuickAlert, the ‘FIRE’ lettering and Simplex logo look off.

I know my pictures here aren’t very good, sorry!

[firealarmking]

I am on vacation, and I have a lot of interesting systems to share from Florida!

The first system is in the hotel I am staying in: Marriott’s Oceana Palms in Riviera Beach, FL.

The panels in the East and West towers are Notifier NFS2-3030s, judging by the annunciators. The West tower (which I am in) has an LCD-80 annunciator:

The pulls are NBG-12LXes:

The notification appliances are SpectrAlert Advance speaker/strobes and remote strobes:

However, there are remote speakers in the rooms (photo taken in my bedroom:)

The detectors are FSP-851s and FSP-951s on normal bases (in hallways) and FSP-851s on sounder bases in the rooms:

The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens has an unknown panel, but a crazy mix of devices! Sadly, I have no photos of the devices.
The pulls are Simplex 4251-20s (the photo is from the Hilton Palm Beach Airport:)

However, the devices are a mix of -9833s on WHITE 2903 plates, ceiling mount SpectrAlert Classic horn/strobes, and SpectrAlert Advance horn/strobes!
The detectors are Simplex “Wiffle-Ball” detectors.

The Hilton Palm Beach Airport has either a Simplex 4100U or 4100ES for the main panel.
The pull stations are 4251-20s:

The alarms are 2902-9739 LifeAlarm speakers:

The detectors are unknown (most likely TrueAlarms.)

The Publix in Riviera Beach (the place with the messed up ADT LCD-80 from last year, which is now fixed) has an ADT Unimode 200UDLS panel located near the wine section in a FACP closet at the back of the store.
The pulls are ADT ADT-BG12LX pull stations behind Stopper II covers.
The notification appliances are Wheelock Exceders in the store on the walls and ceilings, Wheelock ASes in the parking garage, and Wheelock RSSWPs in the parking garage.

What is the worst fire alarm fail you have ever seen?

ADT Fire Alarm Annunciator at Publix all spelled wrong with “PUBMYX:” [image]

The CVS in Palm Beach Gardens (the place where I found the annunciator with the key in it last year) STILL HAS THE KEY IN THE LCD-80 ANNUNCIATOR, but the display is now on! The pulls are BG-12s, the N/As are Advances, and the detectors are i3s.

What is the worst fire alarm fail you have ever seen?

I saw an annunciator at a CVS blocked by shopping carts, was turned off, and had the key in it: [image]

Now, we have an interesting system! The Total Wine in Legacy Plaza in Palm Beach Gardens has an FCI 7100 panel:

The pulls are SINGLE ACTION FCI MS-7s (RARE FIND!!):

The N/As are Wheelock ASes on the wall and ceiling:

There are also some ceiling-mounted older Wheelock strobes as well!

[firealarmking]

Part 2:

I have some more vacation fire alarm systems from Florida to show! We have two new systems, from the Riviera Beach Dollar Tree and CityPlace West Palm Beach.

Dollar Tree, Broadway, Riviera Beach, FL:
There is actually NO fire alarm system in this Dollar Tree, but they have System Sensor duct detectors!

And they also have the test stations:

CityPlace, Downtown West Palm Beach, FL:
The panel is a Notifier NFS2-3030 (which I have no photos of.) An FDU-80 annunciator is located at the entrance to the Urban Outfitters store and the Hibiscus Street parking deck.

The pulls are NBG-12LXes:

The notification appliances are a mix of SpectrAlert Advance weatherproof models outside and L-Series models inside:

There are even Siemens U-MMTs in an ice cream shop!

The detectors are Notifier FSP-951s:

[tythegiant]

Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce Service Plaza - Port Saint Lucie, FL

Panel: Siemens FS-250 tied to a Wheelock SAFEPATH voice evac panel

Pulls: HMS-Ses

Detectors: FP-11s and FPT-11s

*AVs:*Siemens-rebranded Wheelock E90s and ZRSes

[tythegiant]

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport - Terminal 4

Panel: Notifier addressable panel with DVC (Likely an NFS2-3030)

Pulls: NBG-12LXes

Detectors: FSP-851s

AVs:
Indoor: System Sensor SpectrAlert Advance and Classic speaker/strobes and strobes
Outdoor: System Sensor SpectrAlert Classic strobes and Wheelock ET-1010 speakers

[randomperson]

@tythegiant

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport - Terminal 4

FLL used to use Autocall TFX systems back in the day, until the old incarnation of Autocall went away.
(I wonder when we’ll see an airport with a “new Autocall” system?)

[randomperson]

I got to see the system at Boston Logan International Airport’s Central Parking Garage in action!

Fire alarm at Boston Logan International Airport's Central Parking Garage

[firealarmking]

Vacation Systems: Part 3!

This post will delve into the systems at the St. Paul of the Cross Church, Two Drunken Goats Beach Cantina, another Publix, Citibank, and Carmine’s La Trattoria. All are located in Palm Beach Gardens and Palm Beach Shores in Florida.

St. Paul of the Cross Church, North Palm Beach/Palm Beach Gardens, FL:
This church was built in 1979 and has the church building, parish center (which houses the offices and banquet halls), and the rectory.

The church, built in 1979, has Faraday-rebranded Cerberus Pyrotronics MC-series horn/strobes for the notification appliances inside, but SpectrAlert Advances outside. The system is a Bosch/Radionics, as evident by the keypad near the chapel entrance. The pull stations are Bosch-rebranded Sigcom T-bars, and the detectors are unknown.

The parish center has an unknown voice evac and main panel. The pull stations are the same as the church:

The notification appliances are Wheelock E50 speaker/strobes:

However, the bathrooms have Federal Signal remote strobes IMPROPERLY MOUNTED ON THE CEILING:

Two Drunken Goats Beach Cantina, Palm Beach Shores, FL:
This restaurant is part of the Ocean Walk shopping plaza, which is “chopped up” into multiple strips of buildings. Each building has a Fire-Lite MS-9200UDLS or MS-9600UDLS panel.

The pulls are Fire-Lite BG-12s (on backboxes outside with NO WEATHER GUARD:)

The alarms inside are SpectrAlert Advance horn/strobes, with the weatherproof version outside:

The detectors are i3s. Quite a normal 2010s Fire-Lite system, if you ask me! They are EVERYWHERE in CVS stores and shopping strips.

Carmine’s La Trattoria, Palm Beach Gardens, FL:
Carmine’s is an Italian restaurant part of the Harbor Financial Center shopping and office plaza in Palm Beach Gardens. Carmine’s also consists of a gourmet market, catering shop, and a pizzeria. All of these opened in 1988 in the shopping/office plaza!

I- Carmine’s La Trattoria:
The pull stations here are AIP 270-SPOs:

The N/As are SpectrAlert Classics inside and Advances outside:

II- Carmine’s Gourmet Market/Carmine’s Catering
(The system is the exact same as La Trattoria)

Publix, Palm Beach Gardens, FL:
This is the other Publix location near the hotel we are staying at, aside from the location on Blue Heron Blvd with the ADT Unimode 200UDLS system.

However, the panel here is a Radionics combo fire and security panel! The Radionics annunciator is by the entrance to the store, but the keypad is near the customer service area!

The pulls are ADT BG-12s:

The N/As are mainly Wheelock ASes:

…as well as some Wheelock NSes:

…and even an Exceder!

There are also Commander 3s used as freezer alarms:

Citibank, Palm Beach Gardens, FL:
The panel here is a Notifier SFP-10UD or a similar smaller Notifier panel, based on the annunciator: a N-ANN-80. The pulls here are Notifier BG-12s, and the N/As are Advance horn/strobes.

Part 4 is coming out soon, with more restaurants from downtown West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and the Palm Beach International Airport!

[firealarmking]

Part 4!

The systems that we have today are from Rocco’s Tacos on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach, the Banyan Blvd. parking garage in West Palm Beach, and Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in Downtown Palm Beach Gardens!

Rocco’s Tacos (Clematis Street), Downtown West Palm Beach, Florida
There is another Rocco’s location on PGA Boulevard a couple miles down the street from this location, with Notifier BG-12s and Advances. But, this system is a lot different from this commonplace system!

The panel here is a older small Fire-Lite panel (probably a MS-2 or MS-4), judging by the annunciator, which is a Fire-Lite RZA-4XF:

The pulls here are BG-12s:

The N/As are newer and older Wheelock MTs:

However, the strobes are System Sensor MASSADA strobes in the bathrooms!

Down the street, there are Gentex Commander 3s outside!

Banyan Blvd. Parking Garage, Downtown West Palm Beach, Florida:
The panel here is a Silent Knight IntelliKnight IFP-50 (annunciator photo attached:)

The pulls here are Honeywell Fahrenhyt BG-12s:

The N/As are SpectrAlert Advances:

The detectors are Honeywell heat and smoke detectors:

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, Downtown Palm Beach Gardens, FL:
This is part of the large Downtown Palm Beach Gardens complex that was recently built. Some shops and restaurants outside at this complex have weatherproof EST Integrity horn/strobes outside (with no photos however.)

The pulls are BG-12s:

The N/As are Advances (weatherproof version outside:)

Part 5 will mainly consist of the Palm Beach International Airport and Westchester County Airport! So, stay tuned for Part 5!

[firealarmking]

Part 5 (This is a long one, so enjoy!)

This post will take a look at the Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Palm Beach International Airport in Palm Beach, FL, the Hibiscus Street Parking Garage in West Palm Beach, FL, Westchester County Airport in White Plains, NY, and El Camino in CityPlace, Downtown West Palm Beach, FL.

Our first system is the Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. I already covered this system, but it was vague. However, I now have photos of the notification appliances here!

The panel here is a Notifier NFS2-3030. However, there is a Mirtone rebranded EST3 in Macy’s, an EST3 in Nordstrom, an older Simplex panel in Bloomingdale’s, a smaller GE/EST panel in Tommy Bahama, and an ADT Unimode rebadged Fire-Lite panel in Saks Fifth Avenue.

I- Main Mall (all stores, except Anthropologie, Tommy Bahama, and anchors):
Pulls: Simplex 4251-20s:

N/As: Mainly 2901-9833s on 2903 strobe plates:

There are also some L-Series ceiling and wall mount horn/strobes:

There are even SpectrAlert Classic ceiling mounts!

The bathrooms have 4903 horn/strobes:

Smokes: Mainly Simplex 2098-9636 “Wiffle-Ball” detectors:

There are even some Simplex 2098-9130 detectors:

There are also some Notifier FSP-851s:

There are even some System Sensor i3s!

II- Macy’s
Panel: Mirtone rebranded EST3
Pulls: Mirtone rebranded EST SIGA-270s:

N/As: EST Genesis ceiling mount speaker/strobes:

III- Bloomingdale’s:
Panel: An older Simplex panel, maybe a larger 4002 or a 4005
Pulls: None noticed, maybe 4251-20s
N/As: Mainly Simplex 2902-9833s on Simplex 4903-9101 plates:

There are also Simplex 2901-9806 (Federal Vibratone 450) with a Federal Signal ceiling-mounted VALS strobe:

There is also a Gentex Commander 4:

There is also a random 4903 horn/strobe:

Detectors: Mainly Simplex 2098-9577 ion detectors (rebranded System Sensor 1400s:)

The other detectors are also ancient Simplex detectors. However, I don’t know the model number:

IV- Nordstrom
Panel: EST3
Pulls: EST SIGA-278s:

N/As: Ceiling mount Genesis horn/strobes:

Detectors: EST SIGA-PSes:

V- Tommy Bahama
Panel: GE/EST smaller panel (maybe Fireworx series??) and an Edwards ANS-series panel:

Pulls: SIGA-278s
N/As: Edwards GCSWVF speaker/strobes:

VI- Anthropologie/Saks Fifth Avenue
Panel: Fire-Lite MS-9200UDLS/MS-9600UDLS
Pulls: BG-12s (ADT or Fire-Lite:)

N/As: SpectrAlert Advances:

Our next system is Palm Beach International Airport in the Westgate-Beldevere Homes region of West Palm Beach, Florida. The panel here is a NFS2-3030, and there are no pulls that are seen, but they are most likely BG-12s.

The N/As are quite varied!
Firstly, we have Wheelock ET90 speakers with Wheelock WS-115 strobes:

Some of them have been replaced with L-Series remote strobes and speaker strobes:

Some have ceiling-mounted Wheelock RS or RSS strobes:

Next, we have L-Series strobes with Atlas Soundolier ceiling speakers:

Some have the old Wheelock strobes removed:

Meanwhile, others have the old Wheelock strobes:

The bathrooms and shops have Wheelock RSS strobes:

Some of the strobes are rebranded by Kidde!

There are Wheelock ET70 and E70 speaker strobes around the gates:

On the ceiling, there are Wheelock ET90 speaker/strobes:

The detectors here are FSP-851s:

Hibiscus Street Parking Garage, Downtown West Palm Beach, FL:
Panel: Notifier unknown panel (maybe a NFS-320 or NFS2-640)
Pulls: Notifier NBG-12LXes:

N/As: SpectrAlert Advances:

Detectors: FSP-951s

El Camino (CityPlace), West Palm Beach, FL:
Panel: This is tied into the mall’s NFS2-3030
Pulls: Fire-Lite BG-12s:

N/As: L-Series on the ceiling and wall:

Detectors: None- as the building is sprinklered

Westchester County Airport, White Plains, NY:
This airport is quite interesting! It was built in 1995 with a Cerberus Pyrotronics MXL, but all the old Cerberus initiating devices and Wheelock notification appliances are still in the airport!

The panel is a Siemens FireFinder XLS (located by front entrance of airport- I do not have pictures)
The pulls are Cerberus Pyrotronics MSI-10Bs:

The notification appliances are Wheelock ET-1070 speaker/strobes:

There are also Wheelock E50 speaker/strobes near the jetbridges!
The detectors are Cerberus DI-3s:

[Gentex_SPK4]

@firealarmking

The panel here is a Notifier NFS2-3030. However, there is a Mirtone rebranded EST3 in Macy’s, an EST3 in Nordstrom, an older Simplex panel in Bloomingdale’s, a smaller GE/EST panel in Tommy Bahama, and an ADT Unimode rebadged Fire-Lite panel in Saks Fifth Avenue.

My guess is the NFS2-3030 replaced an older Simplex system.

[firealarmking]

Maybe a 4100 (as the mall was built in the ‘80s) which may have been replaced with a 4100U

[tythegiant]

Nassau Cruise Port - Nassau, Bahamas

Panel: Simplex addressable panel(s) (Not sure if there’s multiple panels or networked panels since there are multiple buildings and some have horns and some have speakers)

Pulls: 4099-9005s

Detectors: 4098-9714s (some in an outdoor setting oddly enough)

AVs: TrueAlert speakers (ceiling mount), strobes (ceiling mount), and horn/strobes (wall mount)

[tythegiant]

The Shores Resort & Spa - Daytona Beach, FL

Panel: Notifier addressable panel with DVC (Likely an NFS2-640)

Common Areas and Corridors

Pulls: NBG-12LXes

Detectors: FSP-851s and at least one FSP-951

AVs: Gentex SSPK24 “floor mount” speaker/strobes, Commander 2 strobes, and at least one Commander 2 horn/strobe

All initiating devices poll via FlashScan.

Units

Detectors: Kidde 1276 residential smoke alarms (could vary by room)

AVs: System Sensor SpectrAlert Classic ceiling mount speakers (on the wall)

[firealarmking]

This post will cover some grocery stores in Stamford, CT.

Stop and Shop, Stamford, CT (West Main Street:)
This store was built in 2006 as another Stop and Shop in Stamford, to cater to Greenwich residents and other Stamford residents. It is across the street from the massive ShopRite with the Siemens FS-250 system. Speaking of that ShopRite, competition from there and the other Stop and Shop have caused this store to close by Fall of 2024 and maybe be replaced by an ALDI.

The panel here is an EST3-formerly a QuickStart (annunciator at entrance in old QuickStart annunciator.)
The pulls here are EST SIGA-278s with the older EST logo.
The N/As are Genesis wall-mount and ceiling-mount horn/strobes and remote strobes in the bathrooms.

Stop and Shop (Bedford Street), Stamford, CT:
This Stop and Shop opened in 1998 and is located in the Ridgeway Shopping Center, which has a massive EST3 and IRC-3 voice-evacuation system. This store is a lot busier than the West Main St. location due to a closer location (being close to Downtown Stamford.)

Again, the panel here is an EST IRC-3 with voice evacuation. However, their security panel is a Radionics, as evident by the keypad in the photo below.
The pulls here are also SIGA-278s with the old EST logo:

The notification appliances are EST Integrity speaker/strobes:

There are no detectors as the building is sprinklered.

However, the parking garage has 270-SPO pulls and Integrity speaker/strobes:

[firealarmking]

Well…I had my physical today and I will share the fire alarms at my Dr.'s office!

The current office has been used since 2016 after they left the Stamford Hospital during the redevelopment of the complex! They used to be in the Jeanne S. Rich Professional Office Building, which had an FCI 7100 system, with SK PS-DAs and SpectrAlert Advances. The office building was demolished in 2016, and was replaced with the hospital parking lot!

The new office (since 2016) has a Fire-Lite system of some kind, with BG-12 pulls, xenon L-Series horn/strobes, and i3 detectors.

[tythegiant]

Bahama House - Daytona Beach, FL

Panel: Notifier Addressable Panel

Common Areas and Corridors

Pulls: Various Rebranded RMS-1Ts (I’ve seen Potter and Grinnell so far, there’s most likely mini monitor modules behind them)

Detectors: FSP-851s and FSP-951s

AVs: Gentex SSPK24 speaker/strobes (both red and white)

Units

Detectors: Kidde i12010 residential smoke alarms

AVs: Unknown speakers

[firealarmking]

Grade A Markets/ShopRite (Newfield Ave), Stamford, CT:
This grocery store was built as part of the Newfield Green shopping center in the 1960s-early 1970s. The fire alarm system has mainly Edwards components, some System Sensor components, and the main panel is a Silent Knight panel! One of the weirdest systems in all of Stamford, if you ask me.

Grade A Markets was an independent supermarket chain, until they were bought out by ShopRite in the late 1990s-early 2000s. This Grade A (and the other ShopRite Grade A locations on Hope Street and on Shippan Avenue) are operated by the Cingari family in Stamford, CT (as well as the ShopRite on West Main Street.) All of their ShopRite locations were renovated recently. Now, onto the fire alarm system!

Panel:

• Silent Knight fire alarm panel (unknown model)- annunciator located at exit

Pulls:

• Edwards 270-SPOs (behind Stopper IIs)

N/As:

• SpectrAlert Advance ceiling mount horn/strobes in produce section
• Edwards 792 horn/strobes everywhere else

Detectors:

• None noticed

[firealarmking]

This next post will cover some systems in Stamford, CT that are located in strip mall stores.

SuperCuts, Stamford, CT:
This system is a typical '90s Fire-Lite system with Gentex notification appliances, and not MASSADAs surprisingly!
Panel: FA system is tied into the security system
Pulls: Fire-Lite BG-10s:

(they forgot to rest the pull station!)
N/As: Gentex SHGs (I have no photos)

HomeGoods, Stamford, CT:
This system is a mix of '90s early EST and Fire-Lite, with some quite rare notification appliances!

Panel: Fire-Lite Sensiscan 2000 (judging by annunciator, which is a Fire-Lite LED-10):

Pulls: Edwards 270-SPOs:

N/As: FIRST GENERATION EST Integrities!:

Smokes: None noticed, but there are smokes in the staff basement and freight elevator shaft! Speculation: The smokes are Edwards GS 6250 detectors or System Sensor 2400s.

T-Mobile, Stamford, CT:
This T-Mobile is located next door to the HomeGoods in the same shopping plaza (a salon is to the left of HomeGoods with BG-12s and Advances.)

Panel: FA system is also tied into security system
Pulls: EST SIGA-270s (THEY FORGOT TO RESET, YET AGAIN! PLEASE RESET THE PULLS!):

N/As: Genesis horn/strobes:

[tythegiant]

Bass Pro Shops - Daytona Beach, FL

Panel: Silent Knight Addressable Panel

Pulls: SK-PULL-SAs

Detectors: SK-PHOTO-Ts

AVs: Gentex Commanders (2 or 3s and 4s)