Make Up a System (2.0)

Fire Alarms
985

A relatively chunky conventional system for sprinkler monitoring and elevator recall in a 4-story mixed use building (first story contains 9500 ft2 of general commercial/small assembly, intended to be a restaurant, and 5400 ft2 of office, with apartments on the upper floors).

Panel & Comms

The panel is an Autocall 2008FS, using its DACT to report to a Napco SLE-LTEV-FIRE communicator.

Initiation

Fire initiation consists of:

  • 270-SPO pulls at each exit stair door and by the rear exits from the office and commercial bays
  • Waterflow and supervisory switches for the sprinkler system, on a single zone
  • A zone for duct detectors in the restaurant bay
  • A zone for monitoring the restauraunt’s hood suppression system
  • A 2WT-B at the panel for self-protection, located on the same zone as the 270-SPOs
  • 4WTR-Bs at each elevator lobby and in the machine room for recall service
  • A supervisory zone wired to an AGS Mini Merlin’s combo CO/FG contact to provide local CO and fuel gas protection for the restaurant kitchen
  • And a panic (aux alarm) zone wired to GR3045CTs in the walkins.

Notification

Notification consists of Autocall A4906-9129 non-addressable hornstrobes, along with a Brecco AB2406 bell on the panel’s other NAC to provide waterflow notification.

Residential Life Safety

This is handled using standard 120V smoke, CO, …alarms

986

Life Valley school for autism was made in 1988.
The system was
Gentex SHG
FireLite BG-10
Fire Lite SensiScan 1000
Fire Lite smokes
In 1990 a kid threw a Galaxy stand fan at a pull station, breaking it. It was replaced with the ADT version of it.
In 1992 a shooting happened. No one was hurt, but two SHGs were hit by bullets, destroying them.
They were replaced with Simplex 4903
In 1998 a FireLite smoke failed.
It was replaced with a FCi one.
In 2000, a shg got set on fire by a student.
It was replaced with a Sys-Sens Classic.
In 2004, the school got shut down because they were abusing kids at the school. The building was left abandoned.
In 2018, after being abandoned, the building got set on fire.
It was heavily damaged, and a exploring revealed that many devices were damaged or destroyed.
The panel was scrapped out.
It remains there to this day.
It is going to be demoed in 2026.

987

this one’s gonna be based off of my elementary school.

                                                          Arlington School
                                                            Circa 1884

The Arlington School, a school grades K-12, is a two story building, built in late 1883 and Early 1884. The school opened its doors on 1/12/1884. Since the building was built before the 1920’s, it had no alarm system. In 1929, IBM had claimed this school. IBM had placed out 6 inch single stroke bells through out the building and some manual trip bells. In the late 60’s, the alarm system was replaced due to it being outdated. The SCS (Shelby County Schools), had called up a good friend of ours, and which why the building still has this company today. Simplex. Simplex finally installed a 2001 panel in 1971. SCS had bought some land in Arlington. In 1974, the old building from 1884 had been demolished. The Arlington School had been moved. With this building being smaller. Simplex had put in the same 2001 in that building. In 1981, that 2001 was removed. In replacement of that, Simplex installed 4251-20’s as pulls, and some Simplex 4030’s in the building and the 2001-8001 was there for business. For the 2000-2001 school year, the school now taught grades K-5. This was because SCS had built our middle school. In 2003-2004-2005, new additions were made. The 2001-8001 worked perfectly fine, but one day, it was missing. Someone stole it. As the solution, Simplex installed a more modern system. Simplex 4903-9237’s as the NA’s and 2099-9756’s as pulls. The panel, well.. a 4005. In 2006-2007-2008, the final building was built. Having 4903-9426’s and 2099-9754’s as devices in the building. The panel was replaced with a 4010. In 2014, SCS would no longer be our district, as we now have our own district. Around that time, the panel was replaced with the 4010ES. The current building still stands to this day, as with the old building, it’s now a playground for the kids!

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988

Ok
This is Hillcrest science center
Built in 1988,
The wiring devices are Leviton, with a few ges and Eagles added later, and some Eatons replacing older Levitons
The breaker panels are Square D
The fire alarm system was a FCi system, with BRK smokes?
The exit signs and emergency lights are Dual-Lite
In 1997, a Leviton outlet broke, it was replaced with a new one
In 2000, a FCi horn strobe failed, it was replaced with a System Sensor SpecaAlert Classic
In 2002, the FCi system kept having issues with the power supply, so they gutted the system, and the new system was a GE rebranded EST3 system, with GE rebranded Siga-278 pulls (Single action) and EST Integrity alarms.
The smokers are also GE
In 2003, a Dual-Lite KSR failed, it was replaced with a Dual-Lite LX
In 2007, four Dual-Lite Ez-2 units and 6 Dual-Lite KSR units were replaced with sure-lites CC2 emergency lights and LPX combos
In 2009, someone vandalized a GE siga pull, it was replaced with a Fire-Lite BG-12
In 2010, a Dual-Lite KSR failed, it was replaced with a Dual-Lite LX.
In 2012, a EST Integrity died, it was replaced with a System Sensor SpecaAlert Advance
In 2015, a fire started in the cafeteria kitchen (which is very weird for a science center i know)
Luckily, the damage was confined to the cafeteria, so the new NAs were System Sensor SpecaAlert Advance ceiling mount, 3 new Fire-Lite BG-12 Pulls and new Fire-Lite smokes, the new exit signs and emergency lights were Lithonia quantum series
The wiring devices were Eaton.
In 2019, a Dual-Lite KSR was replaced with a Dual-Lite EVE
That’s all
(The annunciator for the panel has a broken display but no one cares to replace the annunciator)

989

Ok here’s a different one
In 1945, The Hills Road K-12 school was built
It have any fire alarms originally, It did have old exit signs
In 1966, they added a simplex fire alarm system
With simplex horns, pulls and a bell
In 1971 they added Lightalarms exit signs and emergency lights
In 1980, the system was replaced with a newer simplex 2001 system, and 4251-20 pulls and 4050-80 alarms
In 1990, two exit signs were replaced with Dual-Lite KSRs
In 1998, the fire alarm system kept malfunctioning, so the custodian took a hammer to the main panel destroying it.
It was offline until 2003, when they got in trouble, and got someone hired to replace it
The new panel was a Fire-Lite.
The new pulls were bg-12
The new alarms were System Sensor SpecaAlert Classic.
Now here’s where it gets weird, The fire alarm technician took the 4050-80s, placed a back box right on top of them and put the classics in the box
The pull stations were done the same way.
And the new panel was mounted in the beaten up cabinet of the old simplex 2001.
And by the way they didn’t replace the smokes, they just disconnected them
In 2010, the building was destroyed in a fire, and was torn down

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990

The fact that no one saw this…

991

675, N Chesterfield ST is a house
Built in 1986.
Original stuff
The wiring devices are Leviton
The breaker panel is GE
The service panel is GE
The smokes are BRK (hardwired)

In 1996, a Leviton outlet was replaced with a eagle one
In 1998, 3 BRK smokes were replaced with family gard units due to them failing
In 2000, 4 Kidde/Nighthawk CO alarms were installed
In 2002 a Leviton GFCI Outlet was replaced with a Cooper one
In 2004, a BRK smoke was replaced with a FireX one
In 2009, all the BRK smokes were replaced with Kidde-FireX units.
In 2012, one Family Gard was smashed off the ceiling because it kept falsey going off, it was replaced with a First Alert
In 2016, a Leviton outlet was replaced with a Eaton one
In 2017, 3 Leviton outlets were replaced with Eaton ones
In 2018, new First Alert CO alarms replaced the Kidde/Nighthawk ones
In 2023, The rest of the family Gard units and the lone Firex were replaced with USI Electric
In 2025, a Leviton light switch was replaced with a Pass And Seymour one

1 Like
992

I saw it, it’s very good

993

That stupid piece of crap Family Gard smoke detector that wouldn’t shut off that one night.

3 Likes
994

It actually was smashed because it stuck, like the horn just started going EEEEEEEEEE
and the owner took a hammer to it

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995

Eastland High School was built in 1980
Original stuff
The fire alarm system is a Fire-Lite
Sensiscan 1000
BG-6s
And Wheelock 7002s
And fire Lite smoke/heats
The exit signs and emergency lights are Lightalarms
The wiring devices are Pass And Seymour
In 1988, a Pass and semyur Outlet was replaced with a new Leviton outlet.
In 1990, some kid decided to go into the bathroom and take a hammer to the Lightalarms emergency light, qnd the Wheelock remote strobe.
They were replaced with a Dual-Lite EZ-2 and Wheelock LSM.
In 1996, a 7002 died, it was replaced with a Wheelock AS.
In 2000, the Fire-Lite SensiScan 1000 decided to catch on fire, destroying the panel and melting the 7002 above it
The panel was replaced with a FCi panel
The new n/a was a FCi rebranded System Sensor SpecaAlert Classic
And the pulls were replaced with FCi MS-7.
And the smokes were replaced with FCi smokes
But the N/A were not replaced.
In 2002, many of the exit signs and emergency lights were replaced with Dual-Lite Light forms series stuff
In 2005, three Leviton outlets were added on
In 2008, a FCi smoke was replaced with a system sensor heat detector because it kept being tripped
In 2010, 5 7002s were replaced with system Sensor SpertaAlert advances
In 2013, a 7002 was replaced with a System Sensor SpecaAlert Advance
In 2016, that LSM strobe only died, it was replaced with a System Sensor SpecaAlert Advance remote strobe
In 2023, six more 7002s got replaced with System Sensor L-Series.
In 2025, 10 Pass And Seymour outlets were replaced with Eaton ones.

996

I think they’re called LS1M or LSM strobes

997

Ok I forgot, thank you for telling me

998

This system is for a ~36k ft2, two story Group E-only daycare with associated accessory office and assembly (cafenasium) spaces.

Base System

The panel is a Potter AFC-50 fitted with 4 12Ah batteries (and the option to add 4 more in a Space Age SSU-00505 enclosure at the panel if extra standby current for boiler room CO/fuel gas detection is needed), alongside a SigCom VECP-50 EVACS fitted with 2 7Ah batteries. The SLC is wired as two parallel Class A loops with isolators.

Initiation

There are PAD300-PHD smoke/heat detectors set up

  • on the first floor as follows :
    • on the ceiling just inside the stem of the T off from the lobby to the corridor
    • outside the door to the north stair
    • at the first floor elevator lobby
    • in the elevator shaft (with a PAD300-RB, assuming this is a MRL traction elevator instead of a hydraulic)
    • on the ceiling just before the the cross-corridor door between the public/gym zone and the office zone
    • on the ceiling just inside the door between the main restrooms and the west corridor
    • on the ceiling just inside the cross-corridor door between the office & the classroom sections
    • on the ceiling of the west side corridor, aligned with the inter-classroom partition the west side
    • on the ceiling of the southwest corridor T junction
    • on the ceiling just outside the door from the gym to the south classroom corridor
    • on the ceiling just before the cross-corridor door from the south classroom corridor to the gym exit corridor section
    • just before the doors into the back stairs
    • over the play structure in the activity room
    • in the staff break area in the office space
    • and just inside the doors to the serving area from the gym
  • and on the second floor as follows:
    • outside the door to the north stair
    • at the elevator lobby
    • on the corridor ceiling aligned with the west side activity room partition
    • on the corridor ceiling aligned with the wall between the west side activity rooms
    • on the corridor ceiling at the southwest T junction
    • on the corridor ceiling aligned with the south side activity room partion
    • on the corridor ceiling at the southeast T junction
    • and outside the door to the south stair

There are also a pair of Fireray One conventional beam detectors protecting the gym, sharing a PAD100-DIM module, and PAD300-DUCTRs for both the supply and the return ducts on both AHUs. The kitchen hoods are hooked up to a PAD100-DIM as well, and there’s also one of those for sprinkler supervision purposes. A PAD100-OROI at the main access control supply monitoring a PAM-4 supervises the reentry bus after it hits the two supplies on the 2nd floor in addition to cutting power to the cross-corridor and gym door magnets in case of a fire, and there’s a PAD100-TRTI at the elevator handling elevator recall.

CO detection, if needed, consists of CO1224Ts in each classroom (9 in total) on one half of another PAD100-DIM dual monitor module, along with ACI/QEL Q6-CO/CH4-100Ls in each mechanical room, with their relays programmed for prealarm/shutoff, common alarm, and failsafe trouble and monitored by the other half of the dual monitor module.

There are three PAD100-PSSA pulls:

  • one at the back exit from the main desk area
  • one at the exit from the office area
  • and one at the direct exit from the kitchen

There’s also a Midland WR120 weather radio wired to the auxiliary (weather message) input on the VECP-50 and powered from the VECP-50s batteries using a Recom R-78W9.0-0.5 DC-DC and a power jack adapter.

Notification

Notification consists of:

  • Gentex SSPK24WLPW speaker strobes:
    • on the first floor as follows:
      • 2 in the staff area, set to 30cd & 1W
      • 1 in each of the 2 west side classrooms, set to 60cd and 1/8W
      • 4 in the south side classroom, set to 30cd & 1/8W each
      • 1 in the laundry room, set to 15cd & 2W
      • 1 in the snackbar, set to 15cd & 1/8W
      • 1 in the fitness room, set to 60cd & 1/4W
      • 1 in the serving area, set to 30cd & 2W
      • 1 in the coatroom, set to 30cd & 1/8W
      • 3 in the lobby, all set to 30cd & 1/4W
      • and in the following points in the corridor, set to 15cd & 1/8W:
        • 1 in the short corridor section off the loby
        • 1 at the northwest T junction
        • 1 in the gym restroom corridor opposite the restrooms
        • 1 in the changing room corridor
        • 1 at the southwest T junction
        • 1 abeam the 1st floor classroom partition
        • 1 opposite the east door to the south activity room
        • and 1 in the gym corridor section to the south stair
      • with 6 Wheelock E-90 infill speakers set to 1/8W on an 18’ spacing on the corridor ceiling
    • and on the second floor as follows:
      • 1 in the media lab, set to 30cd & 1/8W
      • 1 in each of the 5 activity rooms on the 2nd floor, set to 60cd & 1/8W
      • 1 in the meditation room, set to 15cd & 1/8W
      • and in the second floor corridor as follows, set to 15cd & 1/8W:
        • 1 at the north T junction
        • 1 in the restroom stub corridor opposite the restrooms
        • 1 opposite the drinking fountains in the main corridor
        • 1 at the southwest T junction
        • and 1 at the southeast T junction
      • with 5 Wheelock E-90 infill speakers set to 1/8W on an 18’ spacing on the corridor ceiling
  • Gentex GES3-24WW remote strobes in the bathrooms (all 15cd) and spaces with separate speakers (6x 60cd in the gym, 2x 30cd in the kitchen, and 30cd each in the mechanical rooms)
  • a Gentex WSSPK24-15/75WW soutdoor speaker strobe for the outdoor classroom set to 1/2W,
  • AtlasIED VT-152UCs set to 1W in the mechanical rooms to go with the remote strobes there,
  • a pair of VT-152UCs set to 4W covering the kitchen,
  • 6 TOA SC-630TUs, set to 4 W each, covering the gym from the opposite walls,
  • a TOA SC-630TU set to 1W covering the outdoor play area on the north side of the building,
  • and an Eaton MT4-115-WH-VNS at the FDC to provide waterflow notification.

This setup requires using one of the panel I/Os as a NAC for the kitchen/gym area, one of the panel NACs to serve the first floor, and the other panel NAC to serve the second floor, but LED notification would come at a significant additional parts cost that would be hard to make up for with wire costs alone.

Communications and Surveillance

The security system meets PASS Tier I with the addition of partitioned intrusion to permit the gym to be used for public events as well as some additional cameras. The PA to the parking lots is also covered here as it’s not needed for fire evacuation, so it’s implemented instead using a Viking PA-IP to provide day-to-day paging into the EVACS via its aux audio input and a pair Valcom V-1080 self-amplified horns driven from the PA-IP’s output as well.

The CCTV system consists of:

  • 2MP dome cameras covering
    • the main dropoff point outside
    • the outdoor play area
    • and the parking lot
  • a 5MP outdoor dome camera covering the other cameras and providing an opposing view for the main entrance
  • More 2MP domes indoors covering:
    • the front and rear stair exits on both stairs,
    • both main restroom exits,
    • the staff entrance vestibule,
    • the fitness room exit,
    • and the kitchen exit,
  • as well as a 5MP dome at the back wall of the office covering the main entrance
  • two 360degree dome cameras covering the gym
  • and a 2MP corner camera (Speco CVC605CMT1 with an O5E1 encoder) above the speakerstrobe in the outside classroom.

The CCTV backend consists of a PoE switch and a Speco N32NRN2TB NVR with some spare spinning rust added for additional capacity. (Alarm outputs from the NVR can be brought into the ACS if need be.)

There are Grandstream GSC3510 POE intercoms in the classrooms connected to a dual button arrangement, with 1 16mm illuminated doorbell button for normal use and a second, double pole, 16mm button in red for emergency calls that trips the emergency zone on the alarm system in addition to making a call.

All the intercoms, as well as the Grandstream GDS3712 video intercom and Cyberdata 11484 SIP relay used to unlock the front door, are accessed via a Grandstream GXV3450 IP videophone at the front desk. This also is tied into a Viking E-1600-20-IPEWP two button weatherproof intercom at the main exit door, whose relay is used to trip the emergency zone.

The elevator videophone is a K-Tech Connect core with a Dedicated Micros ICE2-MW-720-3M6-I analog camera interfaced to it using a MyGica Capit UVC video capture card and a BNC T-piece. A Speco VID2412CONV 24V to 12V regulator powers the camera (with its IR LEDs turned off), and a Tycon TP-VR-2405-USB converts the the down-the-cable DC supply to 5V for the K-Tech Connect.

There is an Altronix AL175ULX2 set for 24VDC and fitted with 2 12Ah batteries to provide that 24V supply. The backhaul system, consisting of an Advantech ICR-2041 cellular router and an EtherWAN EX42005-00-1-A switch, runs off a diode-OR of fire panel power and elevator communications power, and also provides backhaul for the fire and intrusion panels. Altronix PaceKL1DCs are used to get Ethernet to the K-Tech Connect over a single pair.

Access Control & Intrusion

Access control is accomplished using CDVI ATRIUM KRYPTO A22K controllers with KRYPTO K2 readers, and is present at the following doors:

  • the inside main entrance vestibule door
  • the inside staff entrance vestibule door
  • the kitchen exit door
  • the 2nd floor stair doors
  • the north stair discharge door to the play area
  • the door to the main office space
  • the cross-corridor doors that separate the office space from the classroom corridor and the classrooms from the gym back exit corridor
  • and an additional, offset, pair of cross-corridor doors that section the elevator and north stairs off from the rest of the 2nd floor (the stagger is about 3-4’ with the right leaf north of the left leaf, a security partition joining the two where the door should be, and both doors in right-hand reverse handing)

The locking for the doors goes as follows:

  • The kitchen exit and main office doors use Yale AUCN8891FL-REX or Hager 3880ELEU-RX WTN electrified mortise locks with SDC WPT power transfers
  • The right-hand leaf of both main exit doors has SDC IP100 kits on the panic hardware and Gianni WLP-100 power transfers set for 12VDC.
  • The stair doors on the 2nd floor use SDC Spectra HiTower S6303FH mortise panic devices (to avoid the need for wired power transfer to failsafe panic trim) with Marray USK1 REX switches retrofitted (as the Spectra doesn’t come with a factory REX option) and SDC PTM-2s for REX transfer.
  • And the remaining access controlled doors use Command Access ET27-M EU or Hager 45ET WTN trims with SDC WPT power transfers and REX switches retrofit into the panic hardware.

Other doors use mechanical hardware:

  • the classrooms and gym use panic hardware with special cylinder locking (on Von Duprin 99s, this is -2SI) and classroom trim
  • the first floor stair doors and remaining cross-corridor doors use fire exit hardware with passage (active lever) trim
  • tertiary exit doors (fitness room exit, south stair exit) use exit only fire exit hardware (to prohibit dogging)
  • closets use storeroom function hardware (ofc), and so do staff-only doors to the kitchen
  • the meditation rooms and single person restrooms have cylinder privacy hardware
  • the doors to the outdoor classroom are double-cylinder deadbolted with indicators, but otherwise have passage sets.
  • and individual offices use entry/office function hardware

(There is also a single institutional function lockset, on the back door from the gym to the south classroom hallway. This door is not part of any egress path from the gym or the corridor, and is either closed and locked or held open on a magnet, so it is OK.)

Seco-Larm DH151SQ magnetic hold-opens are not only present on that rear gym door, but on:

  • the other three sets of gym exit doors
  • all four cross-corridor pairs on the first floor
  • the cross-corridor pair added to the second floor
  • the double doors for the restrooms on both 1st and 2nd floors
  • and the doors between the gym and the cafeteria serving space

The second floor stair doors are powered via individual SDC 631RFA supplies with PAM-SD relays on their FAIs to accept the reverse polarity reentry bus; this reentry bus is generated from FACP auxiliary power by a SDC 705UATS DPDT keyswitch in the lobby wired as a reversing function. Each supply has 4 12Ah batteries in it for backup power to the doors. The main entrance doors are powered from an Altronix AL400ULXG with 12Ah batteries located behind the receptionist’s desk (as this hardware is thirstier than the rest), and the remaining doors, along with the door holders, are powered from an AL600ULACMCB that uses its FACP trip to handle the lockdown output from the ATRIUM, and is also fitted with 12Ah batteries.

Speaking of the ATRIUM system, it consists of 5 A22K boards, one master and four expanders, with 2 AIOM modules connected to the RS-485 bus and powered from the master. One of these AIOMs accepts inputs to supervise the non-controlled gym and cross-corridor doors. There are also a couple of spare inputs on base ATRIUM cards that supervise the doors to the outdoor classroom, and an input that monitors STI SS2434-LDs behind the main desk and in the main office area that serve as lockdown switches.

The other AIOM board is cross-connected to a HSM2108 and an HSM2208 driven from an IQPro001 intrusion panel to provide intrusion integration, using RIBMN12C relays for the interconnect where needed. This IQ Pro has a HSM2108 that handles the tamper switch and intrusion zones for windows and the outer vestibule doors, as well as various panic alarms, including:

  • IQ Pendant-S’s issued to staff for wireless panic alarm duty,
  • the aforementioned classroom emergency call buttons,
  • Potter HUB-T holdup buttons under the receptionist’s desk, cafeteria serving counter, and snackbar,
  • and STI GLR421EM-EN emergency callpoints on separate circuits for the first floor hallway, second floor hallway, and changing room hallway.

There are also GR3045-CT panic switches in the walk-ins connected to the IQ Pro, as well as Supco TA22 supervisory switches for the walk-ins and another TA22 for the snackbar reach-in. The panel has a 12Ah battery in it, and also monitors tamper zones for the keyswitches behind the front desk, as well as having an annunciation and reset system consisting of a SDC702TUL2SN keyswitch connected to two PGM outputs (one for alarm and the other for pilot/trouble) and an input on the IQ Pro. The panel’s bell output, though, is connected to a Seco-Larm SL-1312-SA/A siren-strobe in the kitchen to serve as a local panic alarm for the walk-ins, with the sirenstrobe tamper contact used for EOL supervision, and the alarm also sounding on the siren behind the main desk.

1 Like
999

What if my schools had been built with different fire alarm systems?:
In this post, I want to imagine “alternate realities” where the schools that I attended had different brands of fire alarm systems. This is my second time attempting to write this post, as the first time it got accidentally deleted after multiple hours of research and typing and getting around 2/3rds of the way done, so bear with me.

Daycare/Pre-School (At a church/Catholic school):
This church was built in the late 1800’s with a school being added at some point in the early 1900’s. There was most likely a pull rod system in the school when it was built, and then the school most likely got some sort of AC system in the mid 1900’s. In the late 90’s, the school got a complete fire alarm system overhaul. In 2009, the church was renovated, the FA devices got replaced, and the system was expanded to the church. The first floor of the school was renovated in 2015, and the devices remain mostly the same except for the addition of some new Notification Appliances in rooms that were previously lacking notification. For simplicity, I will only be discussing the 90’s system onwards.
Actual System:
Panel: Simplex 4005 (upgraded to 4010 in 2009)

Notification Appliances: The school has mostly Wheelock NS-24(XX)W-FR horn/strobes and RSS-24(XX)W-FR remote strobes with a few Simplex 4906-9127 TrueAlert horn/strobes added in 2015. The church got Simplex 4906-9127 horn/stobes and a 4906-9102 remote strobe installed in 2009. The horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: The school has Simplex 2099-9001 conventional pull stations that are likely original to the 90’s system. The church has Simplex 4099-9001addressable pull stations that were added in 2009.

Smoke Detectors: The school has Simplex 4098-9601 Conventional TrueAlarms that replaced Simplex 2098-9201s in 2015, while the church has 4098-9714 Addressable TrueAlarms that were added in 2009.

If it was a Cerberus Pyrotronics/Siemens System:
Panel: Cerberus Pyrotronics PXL (upgraded to a Siemens FS-250 in 2009)

Notification Appliances: The school has mostly Cerberus Pyrotronics U-HN-S17S horn/strobes and U-S17S remote strobes with a few Siemens ZH-MC-R horn/strobes added in 2015. The church got Siemens ZH-MC-R horn/stobes and a ZR-MC-CR remote strobe installed in 2009. The horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: The school has Cerberus Pyrotronics MS-51 conventional pull stations that are likely original to the 90’s system. The church has Siemens MSI-10B addressable pull stations that were added in 2009.

Smoke Detectors: The school has conventional Siemens OP121 smoke detectors that replaced Cerberus Pyrotronics PE-3s in 2015, while the church has FP-11 addressable smoke detectors that were added in 2009.

If it was an EST/Edwards System:
Panel: EST LSS4 (upgraded to a QuickStart QS4 in 2009)

Notification Appliances: The school has mostly EST 757-7A-T horn/strobes and 202-7A-001 remote strobes with a few EST G1R-HDVM horn/strobes added in 2015. The church got EST G1R-HDVM horn/stobes and a GCFR-VM remote strobe installed in 2009. The horns are coded to continuous (including the Genesis devices, which have their jumpers cut).

Pull Stations: The school has EST 270-SPO conventional pull stations that are likely original to the 90’s system. The church has EST SIGA-278 addressable pull stations that were added in 2009.

Smoke Detectors: The school has conventional EST 711U smoke detectors that replaced EST 6270Bs in 2015, while the church has SIGA-PS addressable smoke detectors that were added in 2009.

If it was a Fire-Lite System:
Panel: Fire-Lite Sensiscan 2000 (upgraded to an MS-9200UDLS in 2009)

Notification Appliances: The school has mostly System Sensor P2415 horn/strobes and S2415 remote strobes with a few System Sensor P2R horn/strobes added in 2015. The church got System Sensor P2R horn/stobes and an SCR remote strobe installed in 2009. The horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: The school has Fire-Lite BG-10 conventional pull stations that are likely original to the 90’s system. The church has Fire-Lite BG-12LX addressable pull stations that were added in 2009.

Smoke Detectors: The school has conventional System Sensor 2W-B smoke detectors that replaced 2400s in 2015, while the church has SD355 addressable smoke detectors that were added in 2009.

Elementary School:
This building was opened in the fall of 1994. In 2015, the FACP was replaced with an addressable panel and all of the initiating devices were replaced with addressable variants, but the original notification appliances were not replaced. In 2019, a portable building with four classrooms was added. That building received new fire alarm devices when it was brought in. In 2025, the addressable fire alarm initiating devices were removed from the portable building to be used as spares elsewhere, and the portable building was demolished.
Actual System:
Panel: Simplex 4002 (Replaced with a 4007ES in 2015)

Notification Appliances: Mostly Simplex 2901-9838 horns on 4903-9105 strobe plates with 4904-9105 remote strobes in a couple of restrooms. The portable building had Simplex 4906-9127 TrueAlert horn/strobes. The horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: Simplex 2099-9101 conventional pull stations (replaced with 4099-9006 addressable pull stations in 2015) The portable building also had Simplex 4099-9006 addressable pull stations.

Smoke Detectors: Likely originally Simplex 2098-9201 conventional smoke detectors (replaced with 4098-9714 addressable smoke detectors in 2015). The portable building also had 4098-9714s.

If it was a Cerberus Pyrotronics System:
Panel: Cerberus Pyrotronics System3 (Replaced with a Siemens FC922 in 2015)

Notification Appliances: Mostly Cerberus Pyrotronics MTS-15 horn/strobes with S15-SGL remote strobes in a couple of restrooms. The portable building had Siemens ZH-MC-R horn/strobes. The MT horns are set on continuous horn, and the other horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: Cerberus Pyrotronics MS-51 conventional pull stations (replaced with Siemens HMS-D addressable pull stations in 2015) The portable building also had Siemens HMS-D addressable pull stations.

Smoke Detectors: Likely originally Cerberus Pyrotronics PE-3 conventional smoke detectors (replaced with Siemens OP921 addressable smoke detectors in 2015). The portable building also had OP921s.

If it was an EST/Edwards System:
Panel: EST LSS4 (Replaced with an EST iO500 in 2015)

Notification Appliances: Mostly EST 792-5A-006 horn/strobes with 202-5A-001 remote strobes in a couple of restrooms. The portable building had Edwards G1R-HDVM horn/stobes. The horns are coded to continuous, with the Genesis devices having their coding jumpers cut.

Pull Stations: EST 270-SPO conventional pull stations (replaced with EST SIGA-278 addressable pull stations in 2015) The portable building had Edwards SIGA-278 addressable pull stations.

Smoke Detectors: Likely originally EST 6270B conventional smoke detectors (replaced with EST SIGA-PD addressable smoke detectors in 2015). The portable building also had SIGA-PDs.

If it was a Fire-Lite System:
Panel: Fire-Lite Sensiscan 2000 (Replaced with a Fire-Lite MS-9200UDLS in 2015)

Notification Appliances: Mostly System Sensor MASS2415ADA horn/strobes with SS2415ADA remote strobes in a couple of restrooms. The portable building had System Sensor P2RL horn/strobes. The MASS devices are set to 800hz continuous, and the other horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: Fire-Lite BG-10 conventional pull stations (replaced with Fire-Lite BG-12LX addressable pull stations in 2015) The portable building also had Fire-Lite BG-12LX addressable pull stations.

Smoke Detectors: Likely originally Fire-Lite SD400 conventional smoke detectors (replaced with Fire-Lite SD355 addressable smoke detectors in 2015). The portable building had SD365s.

Middle School:
This building was originally opened in the fall of 2008. That section of the school has all wall mount speaker/strobes and remote strobes, and no signals in the classrooms. The 6th grade wing was added a year later in 2009. That area also has wall mount speaker/strobes and remote strobes, but the classrooms have ceiling mount remote strobes. In 2018, a few additions were added onto different sides of the school. Those areas also have wall mount speaker/strobes and remote strobes with ceiling mount remote strobes in the classrooms, but there are also wall mount horn/strobes outside.
Actual System:
Panel: Simplex 4100U with voice evac (possibly upgraded to ES at some point)

Notification Appliances: The 2008 areas have Simplex 4906-9151 TrueAlert speaker/strobes and 4906-9101 TrueAlert remote strobes. The 2009 area has the same devices, but with the addition of 4906-9102 ceiling mount remote strobes in the classrooms. The 2018 areas have the same setup as the 2009 areas, but with the addition of 4906-9131 TrueAlert horn/strobes outside. The speakers play this message and the horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: The 2008 and 2009 areas have Simplex 4099-9001 addressable pull stations. The 2018 areas have 4099-9004 pull stations.

Smoke Detectors: All areas have Simplex 4098-9714 addressable TrueAlam smoke detectors

If it was a Siemens System:
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with voice evac (possibly upgraded to Modular at some point)

Notification Appliances: The 2008 areas have Siemens S-LP70-MCS speaker/strobes and U-MCS remote strobes. The 2009 area has Siemens SEF-MC-R Speaker/Strobes and ST-MC-R remote strobes in most areas, and ceiling mount ST-MC-CR remote strobes in the classrooms. The 2018 areas have Siemens SE-MC-R speaker/strobes and ZR-MC-R remote strobes in most areas, with ZR-MC-CR ceiling mount remote strobes in the classrooms and Siemens AS-HMC-R-WP horn/strobes outside. The speakers play this message and the horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: All areas have Siemens HMS-S addressable pull stations

Smoke Detectors: All areas have Siemens OP921 addressable smoke detectors

If it was an EST/Edwards System:
Panel: EST3 (Upgrade to EST4 planned for the summer of 2026)

Notification Appliances: The 2008 areas have EST G4RF-S7VM speaker/strobes and G1RF-VM remote strobes on G1RT trim plates . The 2009 area has the same devices, but with the addition of GCFR-VM ceiling mount remote strobes in the classrooms. The 2018 areas have the same setup as the 2009 areas, but with the addition of WG4RF-HVMC horn/strobes outside. The speakers play this message and the jumpers on the horn/strobes are cut for continuous coding.

Pull Stations: All areas have EST SIGA-278 addressable pull stations

Smoke Detectors: The 2008 and 2009
areas have EST SIGA-PS addressable smoke detectors, while the 2018 areas have Edwards SIGA-PD detectors

If it was a Johnson Controls System:
Panel: Johnson Controls IFC2-3030 with JDVC

Notification Appliances: The 2008 areas have System Sensor SPSR speaker/strobes and SR remote strobes. The 2009 area has the same devices, but with the addition of SCR ceiling mount remote strobes in the classrooms. The 2018 areas have the same setup as the 2009 areas, but with System Sensor SRL and SCRL remote strobes instead of the SRs and SCRs, and the addition of P2RK horn/strobes outside. The speakers play this message and the horns are coded to continuous.

Pull Stations: All areas have Johnson Controls JBG12-LX addressable pull stations

Smoke Detectors: All areas have Johnson Controls 2951J addressable smoke detectors

High School:
This building was opened in the fall of 2024. The system is fully voice evacuation and is compliant with modern codes for signal coverage. The fire alarm system also doubles as the lockdown alarm.
Actual System:
Panel: Siemens Cerberus PRO Modular with voice evac

Notification Appliances: Siemens SLSPSWW-F, SLSPSCW-F, SL2SPSWW, and SC-SS-CW-F speaker/strobes and SLSWW-F and SL2SWW-F remote strobes. The speakers play this message .

Pull Stations: All areas have Siemens XMS-S addressable pull stations with STI Stoppers

Smoke Detectors: All areas have Siemens OP921 addressable smoke detectors

If it was an Autocall System:
This would have been almost as likely as the Siemens system, as my school district’s security system partner is the Autocall distributor in my area, and the Siemens distributor in my area is my school district’s technology and automation partner.

Panel: Autocall 4100ES with voice evac

Notification Appliances: Wheelock/Eaton ELSPSTW and ELSPSTWC speaker/strobes and ELSTW remote strobes. The speakers play this message.

Pull Stations: All areas have Autocall A4099-9004 addressable pull stations with STI Stoppers

Smoke Detectors: All areas have Autocall A4098-9714 addressable smoke detectors

If it was a Potter System:
This would have been less likely, but still possible, as there is a Potter dealer in my area.
Panel: Potter AFC-1000V

Notification Appliances: Potter SPKSTR-24WLPW and SPKSTR-24CLPW speaker/strobes and GES3-24WW remote strobes. The speakers play this message.

Pull Stations: All areas have PAD100-PSSA addressable pull stations with STI Stoppers

Smoke Detectors: All areas have Potter PAD300-PD addressable smoke detectors

If it was an Edwards System:
This would not have been too likely, but it would have been possible, as there is still an Edwards dealer in my area.

Panel: EST4 with voice evac

Notification Appliances: Edwards G4SVWF and GCSVWF speaker/strobes and G1VWF remote strobes. The speakers play this message.

Pull Stations: All areas have Edwards SIGA-278 addressable pulll stations with STI Stoppers

Smoke Detectors: All areas have Edwards SIGA-PD addressable smoke detectors

If it was a Gamewell-FCI System:
This also would have been possible, as the Gamewell-FCI dealer in my state services my school’s fire extinguishers.

Panel: Gamewell-FCI E3 with voice evac

Notification Appliances: System Sensor SPSWL, SPSWLED, and SPSCWL speaker/strobes and SWL and SWLED remote strobes. The speakers play this message .

Pull Stations: Gamewell-FCI MS-7 ASF single action pull stations with STI Stoppers

Detectors: Gamewell-FCI ASD-PL3s

1000

2 posts were merged into an existing topic: Fire Alarms in Buildings (2.0)

1001

Ok here’s one
Valley City School was built in 1935.
The original system was a unknown IBM system with IBM break glass pulls and IBM bells
No detectors were installed
In 1950, Pryotronics heat detectors were added onto the existing system.
In 1965, two IBM pulls were replaced with Couch Chevrons.
In 1973, a addition was made to the building.
They replaced the entire system in the original part- The new panel was a Simplex 2001, horns where 4050-80s on light plates, and the pulls were Simplex 4251-20 t bars. The smokes were Simplex wiffleball smokes.
In 1978, one of those couch Chevrons were replaced with a new Simplex 4251-20
In 1983, Simplex quit servicing the school (this will be important later)
In 1985, after many hits with balls, the 2 4251-20 Tbars and the 4050-80s in the gym were replaced. They new pulls are Fire-Lite BG-10, the horns are Wheelock 7002.
In 1988, a Wheelock 7002 got smashed clean off, it was replaced with a Wheelock 7002T.
That 7002T got smashed off in 1993, it was replaced with a Wheelock MT and cages were placed around the alarms.
In 1998, 5 Simplex wiffleball smokes were found dead, they were replaced with system Sensor 2400.
In 2003, that remaining Couch pull was replaced with a Fire-Lite BG-12.
In 2005, a stupid mod was made to a 4050-80 and it’s light plate, they ripped apart the horn, and used the internal Wiring from the horn to run to a backbox, and on that box? A Wheelock NS.
In 2008, a kid knocked into a tbar, destroying it.
It was replaced with a bg-12.
In 2012, the school was destroyed in a flood, and it’s ruins still lay abandoned to this day.

1002

Lightwater Valley Middle School
This school was built in 1995, With a Cerberus Pyrotronix MXLV, The devices are CERBERUS PYROTRONICS SM25-S15-F Speaker strobes. Only those, with remote strobe versions of them. With CP Rebranded RSG TBars.

1003

Samuelsville Union Station (Samuelsville, Ind.); built in 1935 and expanded in 1949-50 with some significant changes in the early 70s. the design is a scaled-down copy of Cincinnati’s Union Terminal (10 track concourse rather than 16) by Fellheimer and Wagner with a new Railway Express/mail wing and an Emery Roth [& Sons]-designed art moderne 16 story office tower added in 1949–a scaled-down copy of NYC’s Look building. The structural members of the additions are reinforced concrete due to the postwar steel shortage. all office tower windows are aluminum and were made by the William Bayley company of Springfield, Ohio. entrance doors throughout the property are all Ellison Bronze Co, with Kinnear roll-up doors used on the trackside portals of the baggage and mail handling areas; other exterior ones are from Aetna Steel

HISTORY:

this station was constructed to replace a smaller 1890s union depot and four separate stations. The highest record of passengers was during WW2 and Korea. passenger traffic started declining in 1958 and the city proposed other uses for the property; the first being a new public auditorium/arena in 1963; a second was a two-level shopping mall seven years later as a final effort to keep some retailers downtown (which somewhat worked in the end). One by one, the private railroad services disappeared over the course of the decade (also due to industrywide mergers). The last private passenger train left on the last day of April 1971. (only six Amtrak services stop here and two tracks are used for light rail service in 2025.) Half of the train concourse was demolished two years later for a nearby freight yard expansion and parking garage; most of the main building was later converted into a mall, which opened in 1973, since there was already a significant presence of office space. the remainder was remodeled as the official Amtrak station. fast-forward to 2016, the mall began losing tenants due to online shopping and “big-box” chains. four years later, the whole property was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the office tower nearly abandoned (with the exception of medical offices). once the restrictions were lifted, the mall+office tower were never the same again, with a quarter of tenants fleeing after declaring bankruptcy. over the next two years, the vacancies increased, attracting many dead mall enthusiasts. The decline finally ended with an announcement to repurpose the office tower for mixed use–a mid-tier hotel in the upper half, with the lower half still being office space and a mini AI data center for the mostly empty basement slated to start operations in early 2026. The hotel opened in 2024.

original station tenants were the B&O, CI&L (Monon), CMSTP&P (Milwaukee Road), C&O, Erie, KI&S, New York Central, NYC&STL (Nickel Plate Road), PRR, & Wabash. This property was owned by the city until 2023, when it was sold to a local commercial real estate firm. The office tower’s tenants were a mix of various accountants, advertising agencies, insurance agencies, employment agencies, law firms, medical practices, six local corporations leased halves of three floors, a handful of national corporations had sales offices in this tower as well. A branch of a national bank was present on the first floor.

FA Systems:

–main station

Coded IBM system with Autocall-designed NYSP pulls (semi flush in common areas; surface in lower material handling rooms) and 10" SS bells (OEM was also Autocall) in the common areas with Faraday-designed 4030-1s/2s in the baggage/parcel/express back rooms; 1949 expansion uses the same hardware except the 4030s are Benjamin Electric-designed. two four inch RV-4016–4 trouble bells (yet another Autocall design) are on the system; one in the stationmaster’s office and the other next to the panel. A sprinkler system was installed by Grinnell in the lower handling rooms and has a flow switch tied in.

Part of the system was upgraded for the 1973 mall conversion (the current one still in use). this is tied into the original IBM system still protecting the back areas. The set up is a Simplex Time Recorder 4247-4 with S. H. Couch-designed 4263 coded pulls and Statitrol-designed 4262 ionization smoke detectors. Signals are early 4050-80s with Faraday-designed 4080 10" SS bells.

–office tower

The office tower uses a similar system as the main station with a few differences: Fenwal heat detectors in closets, mechanical rooms, penthouse, and basement; Photoswitch beam smoke detectors on the HVAC fan-coil units; signals are flush mount versions of the 10 inch SS bells; a second trouble bell is in the lobby

the upper half was upgraded to a Simplex 4007 ES voice system in 2023 with ADA addressable T-bars and TrueAlarm smokes (sounder base equipped units in all the rooms) along with TrueAlert ES wall speakers (49SO-APPLW); a mix of wall and ceiling speaker strobes are in the hallways and common areas (49SVC-WWFIRE; 49SV-APPLC); all signals are white. A sprinkler system was also added to the whole tower as part of the hotel conversion–includes various Potter Electric Signal Co. sensors. The lower section is a separate system

The AI data center will have a Stat-X clean agent fire suppression system.

no system in 1974 parking garage, though it is protected with a Grinnell sprinkler system and Protectowire, tied into a supervisory zone on the IBM/Simplex 4247-4 system

Clock & communication systems:

All IBM; the master program clock (model 17) controls a bunch of early “digital” clocks using a series of B&W dots on rotating drums (Plato clock): The exterior clock is 10 feet in diameter with the movements being made by Seth Thomas. 2100-series employee punch clocks are also used on the system. The office tower system is a later IBM 25MC master clock, model 780 punch clocks, and round white (hallway units are double sided) slave/remote clocks. The remote clocks were re-installed as functional decorations during the hotel conversion.

PA systems:

RCA MI-6719 with an MI-6226 microphone and MI-6294 12" wall speaker cabinets; MI-6260 horn units are used in the back handling rooms. part of the system was replaced with Soundolier equipment; including model 310 wide angle ceiling and 420/60 wall speakers during the mall conversion. The office tower uses a Stromberg-Carlson system for radio programs and BG music with “round air diffuser-style” ceiling speakers and RH-26 molded plastic wall cabinets (many of these were modified for use with TV “surround sound” systems during the hotel conversion); the hotel received a generic Pyle Sound amp to power the original S-C speakers of the upper half.

Elevators are all Otis and consist of the following: “signal control” in the main station building; Two hydraulic scenic “Lexans” were installed during the mall conversion; office tower uses early Autotronics with the black “pop-out” buttons (the latter were surprisingly left alone during the hotel conversion except for one bank, which had newer MAD buttons installed alongside the existing fixtures to meet ADA requirements). The 1974 parking deck also has five story traction “Lexans.”

Electrical:

–original

all equipment is Westinghouse; wiring devices are a mix of Harvey Hubbell and Pass & Seymour; lighting fixtures are a mix of Lightolier (including exit signs) and Holophane units in lower back rooms.

–1973 mall conversion

newer Westinghouse equipment; light fixtures (and exit signs) were replaced with Keene Corp. fluorescent units (along with some newer Lightolier suspended fixtures) when the Armstrong drop ceiling grids were installed. exit signs were also installed by them Newer Hubbell wiring devices were installed too. The 1974 parking garage has Holophane mercury vapor fixtures

–office tower

original:

BullDog/I-T-E equipment with a mix of Hubbell and Leviton wiring devices; lighting fixtures and exit signs are all Day-Brite; emergency lights are U-C Lite MFG. Co. units. all wiring is run through channels in the floors.

all the equipment in the upper half was replaced with Siemens featuring newer Leviton wiring devices and newer Lithonia LED light fixtures and exit signs (also emergency lighting units)

HVAC systems:

–original

all air diffusers and reigsters were made by Anemostat and Hendrick MFG Co. (custom art deco design) all equipment was made by Boston’s [B. F.] Sturtevant Co. (purchased by Westinghouse in 1945.) with AAF filters. the 1949 mail wing uses L. J. Wing Co., “revolving” vertical discharge heaters; the original Sturtevant ones were subsequently replaced with these in the lower back rooms and the originals were scrapped; other equipment was made by successor Westinghouse. roof ventilators are all powered units made by DeBothezat. Boilers are H. B. Smith Co. “HY-TEST” oil-fired units.

1973 mall conversion:

some HVAC units were replaced with Buffalo Forge Co. units; boilers were converted for natural gas operation; newer air diffusers were made by the Carnes Co.

–office tower:

supply diffusers were made by Air Devices, Inc. with return vents made by A-J MFG. Co.

all equipment was made by the York corporation with AAF filters and blower fans made by New York Blower Co. Boilers are York-Shipley packaged units installed in the penthouse. ducts are aluminum to save on weight and have silencer sections in key areas made by Industrial Acoustics Co. Roof ventilators are ILG PRV units.

hotel conversion:

everything in the upper half was replaced with newer York equipment. boilers are still the originals that were rebuilt. roof ventilators were replaced with Greenheck spun-aluminum units

cooling towers of both buildings were made by the Marley Co. of Kansas City

Plumbing:

all piping is a mix of rolled steel and copper (supply lines). Roof drains are cast-iron units made by JOSAM MFG. Co.. all fixtures were made by the Kohler Co. The 1973 mall conversion had Elkay refrigerated drinking fountains installed; ADA units were installed during the hotel conversion of the office tower. Pumps are Myers and Yeomans

door hardware:

mix of LCN (concealed overhead and floor type door closers on all exterior doors and some interior ones), Corbin “Unilocs”, Von Duprin panic bars & Best Lock Co. Model B emergency exit alarms; Independent Lock Co. RFID locks used in the hotel conversion

other things:

Cutler Co. mail chutes and Wilkinson waste disposal chutes (located in a separate room with a fire rated door) in the office tower. (halved during the hotel conversion) all high rises in downtown Samuelsville have these. The whole complex has four large Onan emergency generators to power essential systems in the event of a power failure

The control tower (above the start of the train concourse) uses a large General Railway Signal interlocker. controlling the approaches on either end and two nearby junctions. some sections were removed in the early 70s when the concourse was halved. The tower is still active in 2025.

1004

Jeffersontown High School Is Somewhere Else (Not In Kentucky)