Okay. I figured I’d update the list to the fire alarm system I have at my school. Over the summer my school built a hallway to connect two wings together one wing that was former middle school classrooms that now belong to the high school (it’s a complicated thing to explain.)
Recap:
Simplex Addressable Panel system. I do not know what it is, how many there are and if they are networked. I’m assuming it’s a compliated system since the middle school and high school are combined as well with the administration building for the entire district. The old portion of the building contains simplex smoke detectors, 4903 Rectangular Horn/Strobes and Strobes and the Dual Action Pull Stations. I don’t feel like elaborating as I’ve done before, research my older posts for a more extensive list.
New Stuff!
The new hallway connecting the two wings consists of 2 or 3 TrueAlert Horn/Strobes running down the hall. In the middle of the hallway there is a TrueAlert Strobe for coverage but I’m assuming a horn wasn’t needed. There is also a TrueAlert Strobe in each of the 2 vestibules in the exits and I’m assuming that the new bathrooms there have these as well.
I can’t wait to hear these in action. I’m assuming they aren’t too bad and sound similar to the others. I’m still confused as to whether aor not the panel does continuous or code 3, most of the fire drills have been in continuous throughout my years here but they seem to be switching it back or forth from the codings. I’ll definitely be able to hear it for a period 4 and a period 1 fire drill. And maybe even a period 6 but that’s kinda cutting into middle school lunch and they don’t hold drills normally during period 5 or 6. We’ll have to wait and see
Interesting fact:
Today my homeroom teacher did mention that up until last week they had to shut off the hallway access for teachers because the hallway wasn’t up to fire code. But they got that fixed by today since we were allowed to use it. I’m not sure if there wasn’t enough horn/strobe coverage or not but she told the class that they were testing the fire alarm system non stop towards the end of the week and they were told to ignore the fire alarm system during the testing.
That’s all I got for now! Sorry to bore you guys but I’m kinda glad to see something new at my school.
Most likely a 4100 or possibly a 4120 system. The 4120 is the same as the 4100 in terms of design and operation, but the 4120 is designed for systems with several networked nodes.
The Signature Healthcare Goddard medical center I now go to for my physicals has an interesting fire alarm system, and is the original to when the building was built around 1995-1996. I last went here about my twisted ankle, but now that I know more about certain fire alarm devices, I got a better look:
The panel is a Simplex 4020, the red version. Underneath are two 4009 NAC extender panels. Most of the signals were 4903 horn/strobes, the rectangular kind. I saw through the grille on a couple of them and saw what looked like a familiar diaphragm, on metal, so I believe they are actually 4903-9219 horn/strobes (they look similar to the ones at Bridgewater State U.'s campus center). There are a few 4904 remote strobes as well (mostly in the restrooms). Pull stations were mostly Simplex 2099-9761 dual-action T-bars, but near the entrance there was a Simplex 4099-9001 (probably a replacement pull). The smoke detectors were mostly older Simplex TrueAlarms, with the smaller base. But near the conference area there was a newer-style TrueAlarm (also probably a replacement). They were all addressable.
They’re not bad sounding, but they’re VERY loud, especially the newer ones (which I’m assuming these are), which is probably why they have that one remote strobe in the middle of the hallway.
Now, the interesting thing is, as mentioned there are sounder/smokes in the halls in addition to the U-MMTs. http://www.uploads.calvinet.com/uploads/1283506203.png Here’s an edited floor plan indicating what devices are where and as you can see, the number of U-MMT’s is quite high, and just as a bonus, http://www.uploads.calvinet.com/uploads/1283498433https://cdn.thefirepanel.com/legacy/3092_6fd21bb48ddcf136c9e6c757ef70e19b.jpg here’s an actual picture showing just how close together the signals are spaced. As you can see, there’s 7 U-MMT’s on this floor. It must be pretty awful in there during an alarm, providing the sounders to the smokes are actually wired. And given the fact that there’s a smoke in each room, I would think the # of false alarms would be high, and reading the student handbook, they take false alarms very seriously, even if accidental. The handbook also says that cooking appliances are not allowed in individual rooms either, but I did see a number of people bringing in microwaves. IDK if smoke verification is used on the panel or not. Speaking of the panel, I’m still not 100% sure of what it is, but when I peaked into the security office at the dorm, I did see a red cabinet that resembled the look of a small Simplex 2001 with a larger red cabinet immediately above it. The 2001 would explain the pull stations, but IDK about the smokes, especially the sounder/smokes.
But anywho, that’s a more detailed look at Alumni Hall. And I’m sorry if the the pictures came out blurry, they were taken with my cell phone.
The Fitzgerald Hotel and Casino was odd too. It looked like it had 4050s in some areas, and the McDonald’s had a 2902-9711 LifeAlarm speaker and a 4904-9138 remote strobe.
The hotel I’m in as we speak, the Aliante Hotel and Casino, has a good system. EST 3 (haven’t seen a panel or annunciator, but given the size of the complex, it HAS to be an EST 3), http://www.gesecurity.com/portal/mdme_cache/mdme_images/t04/0000005/r05524v3https://cdn.thefirepanel.com/legacy/3092_6fd21bb48ddcf136c9e6c757ef70e19b.jpg “SIGA” Detectors, and Genesis ceiling-mount speakers and speaker/strobes, some of which have been CAREFULLY painted to match the ceiling (the “running man” and “FIRE” lettering remain visible). There are ceiling-mount remote speakers in the rooms that are mounted on the walls (no “FIRE” lettering). The guides say to note the location of the pull stations, but there actually isn’t any - it’s all smoke detectors. Also in the rooms are AC FireX smoke alarms (you’d think they’d put a SIGA sounder/smoke in the rooms).
Well, due to heavy traffic backup, we didn’t make it to Los Angeles today, so we’re staying in Primm, Nevada at the Buffalo Bill’s hotel. It’s got a CP voice evac system with Wheelock WM1 remote strobes in the halls and E90 speakers in the halls and rooms. The smoke detectors are CP smokes and the pulls are CP MSI-10Bs (single action). They also have AC smokes in the rooms again are http://www.uploads.calvinet.com/uploads/1283788048https://cdn.thefirepanel.com/legacy/3092_6fd21bb48ddcf136c9e6c757ef70e19b.jpg these. I havent seen the panel or an annunciator but again, it’s probably an MXL.
Went to Universal Studios today. The Shrek 4-D attraction has generic T-bar pulls and spectralert horn/strobes, the King Kong exhibit you visit when on the building has Genesis speaker/strobes, the Revenge of the Mummy ride has a mix of wall and ceiling-mount spectralert speaker/strobes, the Simpsons Ride has Gentex signals, that escape my mind, although the “prep rooms” have ceiling-mounted GXS remote strobes, and finally, for tonight, I’m staying in the Courtyard Marriot in Cypress, CA which has an addressable Fire-Lite system with BG-12 pulls, addressable smokes, Gentex GOS signals (or SHGs) in the halls, and interestingly enough, there’s Mirtone mini-horns in the rooms along with Gentex in-room smokes.
:roll: Enjoy your vacation!!! You are going to some of the most exciting entertainment places in the US (eg. Vegas, Universal Studios) and yet you log on to this site multiple times a day to post about the alarms. Vacations are about leaving your routines behind and letting go for a while. Why not take some pics, and post about the alarms after you get back?
I’m posting now so that I won’t forget later. Plus, I’m not taking pics of everything.
Anywho, I’m now at the Avi Hotel in Laughlin, NV. The system is that of a Simplex voice evac. The smokes are first generation TrueAlarms except for ones that have been replaced as well as ones that have been added, in which case is the second generation we’re familiar with, and the pulls are single-action T-bars. The signals are pretty unique. In most of the building, the signals are Wheelock E70 speakers installed on 4903-9105 retrofit plates, although a few of the speakers are that of the Simplex 4902 speaker series. In the casino and adjacent areas, however, the speakers are ceiling-mount Wheelock E90s and the remote strobes on the walls are 4904-9105 strobes on a trim plate. In the new areas though, the speakers are ceiling-mount 4902s and the strobes on the walls are TrueAlert remote strobes, that have been painted/wallpapered over to match the decor (no “FIRE” labeling visable). In a few areas, white TrueAlert speaker/strobes are present.
This should be it, as I’m not going to anyplace new tomorrow and on Friday I just head home. If I do go to someplace new, I’ll post, but if not, that’s all she wrote!
One more thing, I explored the food court area today and there are some strange things. The signals are TrueAlert horn/strobes, the pulls are single-action t-bars, BUT, towards one of the exits, there’s a Mirtone fire alarm panel! Pretty weird to have newer Simplex equipment hooked up to a non-Simplex control panel. It was in trouble too, but IDK what for.
A couple more things: when leaving today, I discovered the alarms with the Simplex are NOT speakers - they’re electromechanical horns! I was able to look under one that had light near it and I saw shiney metal. Which means, the lobby and casino areas have voice evac and the areas where the rooms are located are horns. Suddenly the mini-horn thing doesn’t seem so odd afterall. Also, the parking garage has weatherproof ASs installed.
My sister’s dorm room has a TrueAlert. I’ve noticed that new and renovated dorms have alarms as well as smoke detectors inside the room now. I’ve always housed in older buildings with smoke detectors that don’t sound with the fire alarm and older (and louder) alarms in the hallways.
Today I was at the Westgate Hotel in Brockton, MA for a career fair. The hotel had some kind of Faraday fire alarm system, probably an MPC-6000 or MPC-7000 (I saw an LCD annunciator in the entranceway). The signals were U-MMT-MCS horn/strobes, most of them mounted onto red trim plates where older alarm were, and some restrooms had U-MCS remote strobes. The pulls were all generic dual-action Faraday-rebranded T-bars, some made by Sigcom (the push-pull kind) and some made by RSG (the lift-pull kind). They also had Faraday FireSmart smoke detectors, some with the thermal heat sensors on them as well.
The hotel used to be a Holiday Inn, and this is apparently NOT the original system. Judging by the trim plates most of the U-MMTs were on, they may have had older Wheelock or Simplex horns, and I saw a bit of markings where older smoke detectors were where the Faraday smokes were. The hotel appears to have been built in the 1980s, so 7002T horn/strobes might be likely.
I have an interesting story to share. I frequently go the Racino (combination casino/horse racing track). Here’s a recap of the alarm system:
[quote]
They have a 4100U voice evac w/ Wheelock E70 speakers and speaker/strobes, dual-action T-bars, and TrueAlarms (mix of white and black). I remember way back when it was just the horse racing track. It had no alarm system, but at one location, there were like 6 bells next to eachother, and being as the place had a sprinkler system, I presume they were sprinkler bells. Once the casino part was built, they installed the 4100U and in addition to the new install, upgraded the rest of the building. They built a nightclub there not too long ago, and it has an outdoor patio, which is completely fenced in, so to get out, you need to go back inside and then outside, so as a result, they have Wheelock ET80s (vandal-resistant) and ET1010s along w/ the "generic" dual-action T-bars.
[/quote]
Last week, my mom went up with her friend and didn’t let me tag along this time (normally all three of us go together). Well, it was a shame because tonight she informed me that while she was there the alarms went off. I don’t know how it works as she doesn’t take an interest in these things, but she did describe the sound it made and it turns out it’s set to slow whoop. I had hoped for code-3 considering all the slot machines making sound effects and such. She also said the alarm wasn’t very audible, but she wasn’t sure if it went off in her section of the building or if it came from some other area. Given the design, you’d think the whole casino part would go off at once (the horseracing part may be seperate), but you never know. She said she didn’t even notice any strobes going off either. IDK if a message plays or not but I guarentee she wouldn’t have known if it did either.
So, still so many things not known about the place, but, at least I know the alarm tone. BTW, apparently the cause was a faulty smoke detector.
Today I went to Holy Rosary Elementary school to see my sister play volleyball. But, the thing is, that I didn’t stay long because when me and my parents got there, the game was already over (they won), so I didn’t get to explore and take pics of the FA system as I originally planned to do, as well as watching my sister play. I got a glimpse of the FA system though and this school, like the other schools in our school board, got an FA upgrade. I’m guessing this school had an edwards 6500 with edwards 10" adaptabels before, but now it has Wheelock NSs. The pulls are still the same (Edwards 270-SPOs) and since I was in the school for a quick sec, I didn’t see the FA panel. The school bells are Edwards 6" adaptabels. This school also reminds me of another school in the school board that looks exactly like this one, and that one is Holy Cross.
Greetings from Atlantic City! I am currently staying in the Trump Plaza, which has an interesting alarm system. There’s two towers and a casino area as well as numerous restaraunts. I am staying in the East Tower. We have E70-LSM speaker/strobes in the hallway with remote speakers (white, round) in the rooms. Also in the rooms are Gentex smoke alarms. In the halls there are http://www.uploads.calvinet.com/uploads/1287842490https://cdn.thefirepanel.com/legacy/3092_6fd21bb48ddcf136c9e6c757ef70e19b.jpg these pull stations (labeled “Thorn Autocall”) and http://www.uploads.calvinet.com/uploads/1287835811https://cdn.thefirepanel.com/legacy/3092_6fd21bb48ddcf136c9e6c757ef70e19b.jpg these smoke detectors (labeled “Thorn”). IDK if this is wired to a seperate system or not because the rest of the hotel seems to have a Simplex system with second generation TrueAlarm smokes and a mix of signals, including 4903 and TrueAlert speaker/strobes, ET80 remote speakers and ET80 speaker/strobes that look like V7001Ts. In newer parts (the Sbarro shop and the pathway that leads to the parking garage) there are TrueAlert horn/strobes installed (the ones in the Sbarro shop are wall-mount units mounted on the ceilings). Pull stations vairy, but for the most part they are the same ones that I posted above although there are a few generic T-bars as well as regular Simplex T-Bar pulls.
So, it’s safe to say there IS a Simplex system installed somewhere, but it’s unknown if there’s another system installed, or if everything’s wired to one panel (presumably networked).
