I recently saw a Space Age AV-32 speaker/light on eBay. On the back of the unit, it said “Not to be used as an indoor evacuation signal or for the hearing impaired.” It clearly wasn’t a weatherproof unit, so it couldn’t be used outdoors. It also lists the manufacturing date as 1995, five years after the ADA. What gives?
Did the AV-32 have fire lettering?
That answers your question right there. After the ADA of 1990, lights were no longer suitable as evacuation signals for the hearing impaired. For an installation to be ADA-compliant, strobes had to be used.
Yes, it had “FIRE” lettering. So where could the signal be used?
That label basically just means that it does not satisfy the current codes (as of the device’s manufacture) for signaling devices for the hearing impaired. It could still be used to supplement the other evacuation signals in the system, but would not be ADA compliant. A potential application could be for “private mode” signalling.
Could you explain what “private mode” signalling is?
NFPA separates fire alarm notification into two operating modes, which are “public mode” and “private mode.”
“Public mode” is pretty much the ‘standard’ fire alarm system, used to warn people in the building that there is a fire. These are public places, for visitors, workers, residents, etc.
“Private mode” is reserved for places where workers are trained to respond to an emergency. Places such as nursing homes, hospitals, etc. The nurses are trained exactly how to respond in the event of a fire.
To wrap it up really simple, it is basically:
“public mode” - signals occupants to evacuate
“private mode” - signals authority in the building to assist in the evacuation