Done.
Hannaford Supermarket (Latham, NY):
Pulls: Bosch T-bars
NAs: Gentex Commander4s and some Commander 2/3s where a drop ceiling exists
Market 32 Supermarket (Clifton Park, NY):
Pulls: FireLite BG-12s
NAs: Ceiling-mount Wheelock Exceders, some wall-mount units
Beaumont Hospital - Farmington Hills (Farmington Hills) - Formerly known as Botsford Hospital, this post covers the Zieger Administration and Education Center building. It was originally not part of the Botsford campus; instead, the building was the former Edgewood Elementary School that was acquired and modernized in 1981, according to BHFH’s history section.
The current system is a Siemens-branded system of mostly Cerberus Pyrotronics/Faraday devices. There are no pictures of the devices due to clinical program policies (this was part of a site visit with a class). Various metal plates exist on the walls marking old NAs and pull stations.
Panel:
A Siemens MXL-IQ panel is in the lobby area at the western entrance to the building.
Detectors:
What appear to be Siemens FP-11 (or closely identical) photoelectric detectors are found throughout the building hallways.
Pull Stations:
Siemens MS-51 pull stations are found throughout the building, mostly near entryways but also in some other parts of the building.
NAs:
Most of the alarms are Siemens U-EC-MCS or U-HNH-MCS series devices.
Smaller rooms have Siemens U-MCS strobes installed.
There is one red Gentex Commander series strobe that is very unique. It has “AGENT” markings on both sides of the device. It is mounted next to doors leading out of a data center, and most likely functions as part of a suppression system.
There are two 4" Edwards Adaptabels on the basement floor of the building. They are both mounted outside of a mechanical room at the bottom of a stairwell, and are located in a tunnel that connects Zieger to the main hospital building. Most likely, the tunnel was a later addition when Zieger was integrated into the hospital campus.
The Central Falls School Department Administration Building where I work now in the basement of the Ella Risk school has Edwards 278B-1110 and Edwards Integrities. Behind my supervisor’s desk, there is a Gentex Commander 3.
Henry Ford Health System - Records Center (Detroit) - As one of three records facilities for the HFHS, this operation is located in a historic converted Studebaker automobile plant, connected to the historic Ford Piquette Plant.
The fire alarm system has been modernized with ADT components (rebranded from Fire-Lite and System Sensor), but there are some neat leftovers from the original system.
Panel:
The main entrance/loading dock area has an ADT-branded Fire-Lite panel. I couldn’t get a model number of it as it was tucked away in a dark corner with some other fire alarm control components I couldn’t identify.
Detectors:
Gentex ionization detectors are used for the elevators in this building.
All the rest of the detectors I saw were ADT-branded SK-Heat-series models.
Pull stations:
All the pull stations are ADT-branded BG-12LX models.
Interestingly, the mounting boxes of the original pull stations were left in place when the system was upgraded. I got a close-up of one of the boxes, and inside, there was what appeared to be a model number of “3JNE”. I tried to research this model number online, to no avail.
NAs:
Most alarms are SpectrAlert Advance horn/strobes and strobes, both wall and ceiling-mount. There is a weatherproof Advance horn/strobe outside in the parking lot.
Across the Records Center building at the Ford Piquette Plant (both share the same parking lot) are several Automatic Co. sprinkler bells, somewhere between 12-15" in size.
Another loading dock outside has an unknown 6" bell next to an 8-10" bell. I think the larger bell is an Autocall model, based on the design of the guard protecting it.
Inside the main loading/receiving garage is an unknown 12-15" bell, completely painted over with white paint.
Much of the old system consisted of Autocall/IBM/Spetri-Faraday double-projector horns, all of which were ceiling-mounted. I couldn’t get a model number due to how high they were mounted, and most were painted over with white paint.
Between conference rooms and the records processing office, there is a 4" Edwards No. 340 Adaptabel. It may just be used for general signaling, as it was colored gray.
A 2" Edwards No. 740 bell is located near the loading/receiving garage inside, and may just be used for general signaling purposes.
Other:
A vintage Alarm Lock 11A exit alarm is found in the records processing office, used on an emergency exit door.
What appeared to be several older ADT beam detectors can be found throughout the storage areas. These were all at knee-level. It’s possible these devices may be part of a security system installed in the building also.
I’ve posted a lot on here, but I’ll give a few highlights.
Holiday Inn Winnipeg Airport West
Control Panel was an Edwards Custom 6500 Mk II. Two-stage setup. Pulls were 270-GAO. There was a flush-mounted General Signal 10" bell in the lobby, with surface-mounted 10" Adaptabels everywhere else. These were installed with the striker assembly at the top of the bell rather than the bottom. It’s been at least 5 years since I’ve been there, and I don’t recall seeing any smoke detectors, but the whole building had sprinkler protection. The rooms had a fixed-temperature heat detector and a single sprinkler head, as well as a typcal 120-volt smoke alarm. There were also 8-inch ceiling-mount speakers installed throughout, as part of an emergency communications system.
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Presumably an EST3 system. Edwards teardrop pull stations, Signature-series smoke detectors, and ceiling-mount Genesis speaker-strobes throughout. There was also an Integrity speaker-strobe installed on an outdoor balcony.
Lions Place Senior’s Residence
Old Mirtone voice evac system, recently replaced with Mircom system. Mirtone 73201 pulls. Mainly old ionization detectors, with a few new i3s here and there. 8-inch speakers.
Health Sciences Centre
CancerCare Manitoba: Pyrotronics system of some kind. Typical CP pull stations installed in stairwells only. 8-inch speakers.
Underground food court: Same pulls, but CP 10-inch bells.
Tunnel system & Variety Children’s Heart Centre: Same pulls, and old “Pyr-A-Larm” 6-inch bells. Just outside the elevator leading up to the Manitoba Children’s Hospital, I recall seeing an OLD Honeywell chime-strobe/speaker-strobe.
Brandon University
Queen Elizabeth II Music Building: Potter system replacing an Edwards 6500. 439D 6-inch bells. Edwards 270-SPOs. BRK detectors.
Centennial Auditorium: Most likely a newer system, replacing a 1967 Simplex 42XX system. Main pulls were 4251-111 Chevrons, with a few 270-SPOs. Main NAs were 6-inch Simplex STR bells, with a few 6-inch Mirtone and Mircom bells, and one 10-inch Potter bell.
Mall of America
Possibly a Simplex 4100 or 4120 system. No visible pull stations. Older TrueAlarm detectors, plus beam detectors in Nickelodeon Universe. NAs in the main mall were Federal Signal 8-inch speakers, some with a non-ADA strobe attached. All were ceiling-mount, but wall-mounted, for some reason. The Minnesota SeaLife Aquarium had rectangular Simplex speaker-strobes. In the underwater tunnels, there were Wheelock E-series speakers mounted at knee-level, and Simplex rectangular strobes mounted at waist level!
When I was at Mall of America, I also noticed several TrueAlert speaker/strobes and remote strobes in the restrooms around the mall, and many of the stores seemed to have them.
From what I’ve noticed the MOA has a very large Simplex voice evac system comprised of many different devices. The panel may be a 4100U as it has the old slow whoop tone with the pauses in between. If someone would like to go into detail on this system, feel free.
It would have to be a 4100. The 4100U doesn’t have pauses.
Keep in mind that there are CPU upgrade kits for all older series 4100 panels. A 4100 Classic, 4100 Plus, or 4100U can be brought up to the 4100ES CPU for new features or to use new hardware for building remodeling or expansion. All of the existing panel hardware can remain. That includes the audio controller which generates the tones and does the timing. So a system can have a 4100ES CPU with InfoAlarm display and have the same audio controller that was installed years ago as a 4100 Classic.
Simplex did a great job of making the 4100 series as backward compatible as possible. There is even a board that can communicate with 2120 transponders so a 4100ES can replace an old 2120BMUX head end but keep all the 2120 transponders in place. Very economical upgrade path for customers.
I bet the striker assembly was like that because they were most likely single stroke Adaptabels, doing the usual 20 BPM in alert stage and March time in second. I’ve seen a similar setup like this, at the national hotel and suites in Ottawa (has since been closed down I think?). They had basically the same FA setup, except they were 6" Adaptabels mounted behind grilles.
I-93 Hooksett Welcome Centers (Hooksett, NH)
Panel: TrueAlert 4100ES with voice evacuation (located in main vestibule)
Smokes: TrueAlarm smoke detectors
Pulls: Simplex dual-action T-bars
NAs: Red Simplex TrueAlert Speaker/Strobes and remote strobes (branded as “TrueAlert ES”), white TrueAlert ceiling-mount speaker/strobes (the round ones)
Great River Regional Library | St. Cloud, Minnesota | Built in 2008
White Simplex Truealert horn/strobes (4906-91XX)
White Truealert Strobes (4906-9103?)
No pull stations as far as I can tell.
TrueAlarm Smokes.
Detroit Medical Center (Detroit) - Multiple buildings are covered in this post.
Old Hutzel Building
Panels/Annunciators:
EST 3 annunciator
Faraday RDC1 annunciator
Detectors:
Unknown EST SIGA series detectors, mounted above fireproof doors
Unknown heat detectors
Pulls:
Much of the building uses National Time 641 pull stations.
Renovated spots have EST SIGA-270 pull stations installed.
NAs:
Older parts of the building use National Time P806 bells behind silver grilles.
Renovated portions have wall-mount Genesis horn/strobes, minus the “FIRE” lettering.
Near the P806 bells are ceiling-mount Genesis strobes.
There is one white SpectrAlert classic horn/strobe used as an oxygen alarm.
Other:
I noticed part of an Ansul suppression system used in the building’s cafe, but I don’t know what devices are used.
What appeared to be a series of fire alarm junction boxes can be found in a room just outside the lobby. The EST and Faraday annunciators are in the same room. Based on signage, it’s possible that a public address alarm system may be installed for renovated parts of the building.
Detroit Receiving Hospital
Detectors:
Unknown EST SIGA series detectors (same as Old Hutzel)
Pulls:
This was a very interesting setup. Most of the pull stations in this building are protected completely by these Edwards-branded pull covers. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures, but I know the older Edwards shield logo was used on the covers, which were all red. The pull stations not covered are 270-SPO models.
NAs:
Red wall-mount Genesis horn/strobes
White ceiling-mount Genesis horn, chime, or speaker/strobes and regular strobes
Near the entrance, there is one Gentex Commander series strobe used as part of a suppression system discharge alert.
Detroit Children’s Hospital
Detectors:
System Sensor i3 series detectors
Unknown photoelectric(?) detectors, possibly Edwards/Fenwal
System Sensor 2400 heat detectors
Gentex photoelectric detectors (above elevators)
Pulls:
Autocall 4050 series pull stations
NAs:
Ceiling-mount Genesis speaker/strobes and strobes
Ceiling-mount Wheelock E-90 series speakers and speaker/strobes
Wall-mount Wheelock LSM series strobes
There is a rare Wheelock AMT series horn/strobe with “GAS” lettering on both sides, most likely used as part of a gas discharge system.
Another uncommon device was a ceiling-mount RSS strobe with “AGENT” lettering on both sides, used in a suppression system.
Other:
An Alarm Lock 11A exit alarm is found on a metal access gate near the main entrance.
Kresge Eye Institute
Detectors:
System Sensor 5551 series heat detectors
Unknown ion detectors (elevators)
Pulls:
Simplex 4251 series pull stations
NAs:
White ceiling-mount SpectrAlert classic horn/strobes
Other:
Multiple gray ceiling grilles throughout the building denote the original NAs. They were designed to fit an 8" or 10" bell inside, and all the grilles I looked through were empty.
Kresge Parking Deck
Detectors:
Unknown white ion detectors (elevators)
Today I went to Boston with a friend. I have a few updates to share.
The main building at Quincy Market is currently undergoing a fire alarm system replacement. Prior to this, they had a Simplex system of some sort, with TrueAlert horn/strobes as the main alarms, though a pub had TrueAlert speaker/strobes installed. Pulls appear to be 2099-9754 T-bars for the most part, and at least one 2099-9756, most with Stopper covers. Covered-up 4050-80 backboxes could be seen in a number of areas; clearly remains of the previous Simplex system.
The new system is a Notifier NFS2-640 panel, located right in the entrance for the dining seating area. It was already active. But there were also several backboxes for wall and ceiling-mount SpectrAlert Advance speaker/strobes and BG-12 pulls. Some new NBG-12LX pulls were already installed, and I think I saw at least one of them active (with the blinking LED.) A few new SpectrAlert Advance speaker/strobes were already in place, but I remember a couple covered up with a “NOT IN SERVICE” label. Near a set of restrooms was an NBG-12LX pull also covered up with a “NOT IN SERVICE” label. The TrueAlert missing its’ cover is now gone. Also, when my friend and I were in one area of the building, I noticed a Simplex pull with Stopper cover at one side of an entrance, and the other side had a Notifier pull backbox. We did some more browsing around, and then when we got back to that area, the Simplex pull was gone and an NBG-12LX had already taken its’ place, Stopper intact and all! Or maybe it was a similar-looking area that already had a pull replaced.
Also at Quincy Market, the North Building had a full fire alarm upgrade. The Simplex system was replaced with a Gamewell-FCI system, and the old 4051+4050-80 horn/lights that were there last time I was there were replaced with Wheelock Exceder horn/strobes. The Simplex pulls (a mix of 4251-30s and 2099-9756s) were replaced with Gamewell-FCI -branded BG-12s. The SpectrAlert Advances in the Newbury Comics were left intact.
But in all this, another new Simplex system was installed in Boston, at the freshly-renovated MBTA Government Center subway station! I was very surprised to see they went with a full Simplex voice-evac system, as the MBTA subway stations usually use Honeywell-subsidiary systems with horn/strobes. The panel is probably a Simplex 4100ES, or it could very well be a smaller panel like a 4010ES with a 4003EC voice panel, given the size of the station. All the alarms are 4906-9151 TrueAlert speaker/strobes, and the pulls are 4099-9003 dual-action T-bars (maybe they were clearing out old stock, instead of going with those new LED ones.)
Also in Boston, the Museum of Fine Arts recently got a newer fire alarm system. It’s some kind of EST voice-evac system, probably an EST-3 (as I said, EST is quite common in Boston, along with Simplex and the Honeywell group.) There was a graphic annunciator near the ticket counter. All of the alarms were white wall and ceiling-mount Genesis speaker/strobes, there were the slightly bigger EST smoke detectors everywhere, and the pulls were SIGA-278s, with at least one covered with a Stopper II.
If I recall correctly, the main building at Quincy Market had a Mircom FX-2000 panel despite being equipped with Simplex devices. There was a Mircom annunciator inconspicuously mounted at one of the dome’s entrances, and I also recall seeing a Mircom MS-700 pull station (mounted on what appeared to be a Simplex backbox) at the pub you mentioned. It was definitely an unusual setup; my guess is that the Mircom panel was replacing a conventional Simplex panel from the early 2000s.
I think I actually remember seeing the Mircom annunciator. Thanks for the correction!
The South Building also had a Mircom system with Wheelock AS horn/strobes, also replacing 4050-80s. They still have the Simplex pulls (mostly 2099-9756s and 4251-20s, along with at least one 4251-30.) One store I remember had 4903 horn/strobes still in use, and I did see a Mircom MS-700 at one store entrance.
A refresher on the old alarms in the North Building, photo taken in 2010:
Looks just like the 4051+4050-80 I own (with black “FIRE” lettering.) They also still had an old Simplex annunciator at one entrance, but I think the panel was a Simplex 4010.
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Today I took a visit to a Walmart in Ocala (bad idea in the first place). I did not expect to find anything interesting in regards to fire alarms as most walmarts have spectralerts everywhere. However, this Walmart must be rather old. On the poles in the middle of the store they have 4 Vertical Strobe Wheelock AS’s on each side. What surprised me the most was that along each outer wall of the store were 1-2 of those USP FHS-24 Horn Strobes mounted upside down. If you don’t know what those are they’re basically Wheelock 7002 knockoffs with a circular grille instead of the X style. It’s pretty surprising to see such a rare and ambiguous alarm throughout an entire Walmart store.
Yeah, most of the older ones have ASes and/or MTs. There’s one in Queensbury, NY where the MTs and Spectras coexist. That is quite an odd sight, as the areas with MTs also have SpectrAlerts.
Of course, every Walmart I’ve seen that has opened in the past 5-10 years has a Radionics EVAC system with ceiling-mounted Wheelock speaker/strobes.
Bad Idea Indeed. :lol: