Well when he said no audible signals, I thought he meant NO signals at all. Not not audible fire alarm.
Agrium Western Event Centre in the Calgary Stampede has a Siemens FireFinder system, with Siemens rebranded Notfier KMS-10-24A bells on Siemens-rebranded bilingual Wheelock RSSP-24MCW strobe plates. Outside, there is a Siemens-rebraned Wheelock RSSWP-2475W strobe. At least one strobe plate is branded by Wheelock, and has only english lettering. Pulls are all bilingual Siemens HMS-S
St. Mary Mercy Hospital (Livonia) - This is the most complicated system I have ever had to explain, because the original building/patient tower was added onto several times over the years; consequently, upgraded systems and replacement alarms were included. Since I have never heard nor seen the main systems activate during my volunteering and clinical affiliation time there, I am basing parts of my NA descriptions below on logical judgement. For confidentiality reasons, no pictures are included and only generalizations of areas are used.
The original building/patient tower first opened in 1959, with an identical patient tower and addition opening circa 1971:
- The original system, judging by the square trim plates on both pull stations and NAs, likely consisted of bells and possibly coded pull stations. (I don’t remember the current detectors used here, but I know there are some models of ion detectors used above elevator pathways.)
- The pull stations are mostly a mixture of National Time 641 models and Simplex 4251-series t-bars. The 641 devices, in particular, were mostly mounted on large, silver trim plates where the original pulls were.
- The NAs are where things start to get complex. Most alarms are a mixture of Simplex 2903-series light/non-ADA strobes with Simplex 2902-series chimes from the original upgrade. Some of the replacement devices for the chimes were U-EC-series chimes/speakers in place of the old chimes. Most, but not all, of the alarms are mounted where the original 1959/1971 devices were, judging by the large, square trim plates around them. Most alarms are wall-mount, but there is at least one ceiling-mount example with a U-EC-series chime/speaker in a lobby.
- There is a standalone Wheelock CH70-24 chime/speaker in the cafeteria, which also has an Ansul kitchen suppression system.
- Upper floors of the 1959/1971 buildings consist of a mixture of the alarms from #1 above along with red, wall-mount Simplex 4906-9133 chime/strobes replacing the old devices. Some spots have white, ceiling-mount Simplex 4903 or 4906-series chime or speaker/strobes.
- The basement area consists mostly of the alarms described in #1 above, but also including standalone Simplex 2901-9332 bells, some of which have “FIRE” stickers on the gong mechanisms. At least one bell replaced a 2902-series chime. There are also gray Federal Signal Vibratone-series horns connected to red beacons used for general signaling purposes in one hallway.
- An unknown sprinkler bell exists outside on a wall of the 1971 addition.
The next part I’ll describe is the Pavilion/Marian Professional Building (1988) and the old Emergency Wing (circa 1995). The 1988 addition is my best guess for when the original 1959/1971 system was upgraded:
- The pull stations are mainly Simplex 4251-series t-bars, but it’s possible 2099 or 4099-series single-action pull stations may have replaced them in some spots.
- The NAs are Simplex 2903-series light/non-ADA strobe plates with 2902-series chimes. Some of the chimes were replaced by either U-EC-series chimes/speakers or CH70-24 chimes/speakers.
Next up is the West Wing addition from 1997:
- The pull stations are Simplex 2099 or 4099-series pull stations, some of which are double-action models. Some of them also have protective STI covers.
- Most of the NAs are white and red wall-mount Simplex 4904-series strobe plates with 2902-series chimes or replacement U-EC-series chimes/speakers. There are some color combinations of red/white devices (e.g., red strobe plate with white chime/speaker) and several devices also have “FIRE” stickers placed on them. It’s possible some of these devices were painted over with white paint.
- There is one Gentex GMS/SHG device near a bathroom corridor.
- The maternity section uses Simplex 4904-9301? strobes in addition to the alarms described in #2.
- While not tied into the fire alarm system, the maternity section also uses white, ceiling-mount Gentex Commander-series devices with yellow strobes, most likely used for child abduction emergencies.
- A SimplexGrinnell panel with a floor plan (circa 1997) exists near one entrance of the West Wing.
Lastly, the South Wing from 2012:
- The pull stations are Simplex 2099 or 4099-series single-action devices.
- The alarms are Simplex 4906?-series speaker/strobes with the TrueAlert branding.
The Sam’s Club in Brunswick, GA has a rather interesting system where the ceiling mount speaker/strobes also serve as the PA system speakers. The alarms are Wheelock S8-24MCCH 8 inch speaker/strobes in the main store area, and Wheelock E90-24MCC-FW speaker/strobes in the restrooms, offices, and other smaller areas. There is also a Wheelock ET70WP-2475W-FR behind a counter in the meat processing area. I’m unsure what type of voice evacuation system is used here or what the panel is, but I did see a Bosch annunciatior and a Bosch pull station at the front entrance. I also didn’t see any smoke detectors anywhere.
Winners in Beacon hill has an EST system, with EST G1R-HDVM horn/strobes. Pulls are all Edwards 270-SPO.
Nan Boothby Memorial Library has a Notifier SFP-10UD system, with Amseco MSB-6-PV4 bells on Wheelock RSSP-24MCW strobe plates. Pulls are all Grinnell-rebranded Notifier MPS-950B.
Lakefront Inn and Motel in Island Pond, Vermont has Wheelock 7002T horn/strobes with BG-10 pull stations mounted outside next to the doorways that lead into the rooms themselves under the eaves of the balcony for the first floor and the roof for the second floor. What concerns me however is that the pulls were eye level to me meaning no small kids or anybody who was shorter could activate the alarm if they saw a fire.
Sunrise Manor, the assisted senior living facility in Island Pond, Vermont where my grandparents moved to also has an interesting system. The panel is a Simplex 2001 that I saw when I went into the main building. Outside at the end of each walkway where the doors that lead into the apartment on on the first floor, are Simplex 2901-9806 horns on 2903 light plates. One was also eye level to me! The second floor and inside the main buildings there are Simplex 4903-9220 horn/strobes so I am wondering if the 2901-9806s are even still connected. They are HORRIBLY faded from sun exposure and there are only 8 of them in total. The horn was mounted in the front of the light plate.
McDonalds in Wheeling: Red wall-mounted Wheelock Exceeder horn/strobes and Notifier BG-12XLs. In the bathroom there is a ceiling mounted Exceeder strobe, and outside there is a horizontally mounted SpectrAlert Advance.
It seems that there have been more Exceeders being used instead of System Sensor alarms nowadays.
West Residence Hall–Greensboro College, Greensboro, NC
There’s a VERY interesting mix, resulting from a partial upgrade due to a fire on the basement and first floors three years ago. There was another Simplex system installed in the past 10-15 years, replacing an old high-voltage Pyr-A-Larm system. There are faint remnants of an even older system in the form of covered flush horn backboxes, but I can’t tell for sure what could have been there (they’ve been gone since the 1970s).
Panel
NEW Simplex Addressable Panel (not sure what—I’m willing to bet a 4010ES or 4100ES).
Initiating Devices
Simplex TrueAlarm addressable smokes throughout
Simplex 4099-9001 pulls (floors 2 and 3)
Simplex 4009-9004 pulls w/ visible polling LEDs (basement and floor 1)
Signals
Simplex TrueAlert 4906-9127 horn/strobes (basement, level 1 lobby)
Pyr-A-Larm HAC-120 120VAC horns (Vibratone 350 B1) (everywhere else)
Federal Signal Vibratone 350 120VAC horns (new versions–gray) (First floor residence hallways)
All signals sound in Temporal and all TrueAlerts are synchronized. Last Tuesday was my first time hearing Vibratone 350 horns in person, and let me say that not even SpectrAlert Advances can top those things! :shock: :shock:
That’s for sure! SpectrAlert Advances and TrueAlerts and Wheelock ASs are pretty loud and piercing, but they can’t top old AC electromechanical horns!
Anyways, my brother is staying at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, MA: the building he’s in has a rather interesting fire alarm setup. They have a big Honeywell voice-evac system of some kind. The main alarms are Wheelock ET-1080-SLM-24 speaker/strobes rebranded by Honeywell, but there are also a few Edwards/EST Integrity speaker/strobes (then again, EST is very common in Boston…) The restroom in my brother’s hospital room has a 4" Integrity remote strobe. The pulls are Honeywell S464As, and the smoke detectors are System Sensor 2151s with the Honeywell logo on the head.
WHOOPS! I said the 12 volt version of the bell. The bells there are Amseco EXB-6-PV4
Northland Professional Building has a Siemens FireFinder XLS system, with System Sensor SpectrAlert Advance P2R/P4R horn/strobes, even one in a very small room! :shock: There is one System Sensor SR by a dentist’s room. Pulls are all Siemens HMS-S. There is a Simplex 4080 bell (10 inch gong) by the 5th floor elevators, I doubt it is still in use, as I saw a SpectrAlert Advance not far from it.
The building was built in 1978, the Siemens system was put there in 2013, the original 4080 bells were still in use, and there was an Edwards 439D-10AWC bell in the lobby (now gone).
The SpectrAlerts were put there in early 2017.
L-Series NAs are starting to show up quite a bit: Cumberland Farms, Ashford, CT
Pulls: Fire-Lite BG-12s
Annunciator: Fire-Lite ANN-80
NAs: System Sensor L-Series horn/strobes, white, ceiling-mount
In the field, ceiling-mount L-series devices are almost identical to Advances, the only distinguishing characteristic being the horn grille. I fully expect we’ll be seeing these in the majority of new buildings from now on.
I checked the decibels on the data sheet and it looks like the L-series devices are a little bit quieter to their advanced predecessor. Thank freaking God.
Two System Sensors are at Sports Direct, Gravesend Town Centre, there are some Apollo XP95s there as well.
The attachments won’t upload, so I’ll try again sooner or later.
I know! The Advances are SO SO SO loud!!! I can’t believe the Northland Professional Building would have TWO in each room!!!
I saw one in a mall store around here too as well as a regular P2RL.
Attachments don’t currently work, use a photo hosting service such as Imgur (https://Imgur.com - may contain explicit content)
Instructions on how to are available here: https://forums.thefirepanel.com/t/correctly-posting-images-to-tfp-attachments-workaround/2255/1
Some of the larger rooms in our school have two ceiling mounted siemens ZH horn strobes, even when it isn’t a double classroom! (art rooms and health rooms) It’s really loud…