That’s the reason my school district went with EST, I won’t say exact numbers, but the difference in price between the Simplex installer’s bid and EST installer was quite a lot.
Only problem is you can’t use Simplex horns on it though.
We have an older MAPNET II panel (4020 2-bay) with 4009 NAC Extender at my school, circa 1994-95.
Now for a history lesson to get some context here:
My High School was originally built in 1951 and completed in 1953. At the time, it was one of the newest and most technologically up to date schools around my area at the time. Over time, the school went under many additions and alterations, so much so that the school has 35 different roofs!
In the late 1950s, a time system was installed by the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). It is my belief that throughout the schools’ early years there was no fire alarm system, as the older portions of the building contain Simplex 4251-1 chevron pull stations, which would have not been installed until the early 1960s.
In 1958, Simplex Time Recorder Co. acquired the Time and Fire Division of IBM. During the early 1960s, a Simplex fire alarm system was installed in the building. The signals were Edwards AC Vibratory “Fire Horn” Adaptahorns (only 1 remains to this day and is disconnected). Also during this time, a presumed coded IBM (now Simplex) alarm panel was installed along with the Edwards horns and the Simplex chevron pulls.
The school went through several additions over the years. In 1974, the main gymnasium was constructed. New Simplex fire alarm parts were added to the existing system: Early 4251 series Tbars with no arrow below the ‘PULL DOWN’. The system was later updated in 1982 when the auditorium was completed. A Simplex 2001 panel was installed with more common variants of the 4251-20. The existing signals were removed and replaced with surface mounted 2903-9101 strobe plates with 2901-9838 horns. Surface mounting was accomplished through Simplex 2975-9145 backboxes. The areas of the building with the Chevron pulls were only updated with new notification appliances; the existing pulls were retained, likely as a cost-cutting measure.
Years passed, and in 1994, the school district approved a renovation which would alterate existing spaces and create a school library, photography laboratory, and a new science department. The existing science classrooms were gutted and created into the World Languages department.
Upon the completion of the latest renovation, Simplex employees installed the 9846 combos in the renovated or alternated areas (the renovations were finished officially in 1995). Additionally, employees also installed a new Simplex time system that would be added on to the existing time system, also by Simplex. The 2001 and old IBM/Simplex panels were removed, and the science wing (as well as the altered spaces) were equipped with Simplex 2099-9761 dual action MAPNET II pull stations and Simplex TrueAlarm MAPNET II smoke detectors (smokes in science wing and altered areas only). The panel installed was a two bay Simplex 4020, which was also accompanied by a 4009 NAC Power Extender to run the older, conventional portions of the system and all existing notification appliances. At some point, the coding was changed to 120 BPM march time because it decreased time needed to evacuate by subconsciously creating a beat to which students and staff could evacuate in a quick and orderly manner.
Unfortunately, on November 8, 2016, voters approved a multi-million dollar bond issue that would replace the elementary school (constructed 1921) and the high school with new buildings. Upon completion, the existing structures will be demolished. I personally thought the issue was well needed, as these schools have tons of problems and are not up to code at all (like leaky roofs when it rains), but at the same time, I felt bad for the fire alarms :). Hopefully before demolition, I might be able to remove some of the alarms and maybe the panel too to salvage some of the history of the historic structures and their alarm systems.
I also forgot to mention that Simplex/STR AC bells, as well as 2 or 3 IBM AC bells are on the system (for the time system; now class change bells are just a chime sound played through the intercom; this is also on the time system in place of the existing bells). In addition, a couple of 2903 combos have died and were interestingly replaced by Wheelock Exceder HSR horn/strobes on Simplex retrofit plates mounted to the original Simplex back boxes. They are set to high volume and continuous (coded by panel to march time). There’s also 1 TrueAlert horn/strobe mounted in the same fashion near the main office.
Panel: Notifier (I think)
Initiating devices: BG-8’s and FCI MS-2L’s
Notification Appliances: Wheelock chime strobes
Other Stuff:
Each floor has a monitor module. One for pull stations and one for SD’s
There is a smoke detector in the kitchen (instead of a heat detector) which has been activated several times while baking cookies. My school is in the complex of a hospital, so someone was on the PA screaming,“CODE RED! CODE RED!” And of course, the fire department came out.
I never really got schools that were in the complex of another building.
The system is a Firelite voice evac system
I think the panel is an MS-9600 with an ACC-25/50 Audio Command Center
The Main alarms are System Sensor SPCSW Speaker Strobes
And System Sensor SCW Remote strobes
They also have System Sensor SPSR Speaker Strobes And SR Remote strobes
They have Firelite or System Sensor Duct detectors and System Sensor key switches
The Smoke Detectors are Firelite SD-355
The Pull Stations are Firelite BG-12LXs
The voice message has a slow whoop then it says
“May I have your attention please May I have your attention please The Signal you have just heard indicates a report of a fire in this building please proceed to the nearest exit and leave the building do not re-enter the building unless directed to do so by the proper authorities.”
My high school has an EST3 or an EST2 system (the annunciator is by the front entrance) with Edwards MB6-24 bells on EST 403-5A-R strobe plates. These are installed in all the hallways, the library computer area, and even the gym change rooms! In the gymnasium, the CTS workshop, and maybe the band room, although i’ve never been in there, have Edwards MB10-24 bells on the same strobe plates as the MB6-24 bells. Outside, there are 3 MB6-24 remote bells, one is located near the hill in between two entrances, one is located near the tarmac, and one near the CTS workshop garage. Surprisingly, there is an EST Integrity 405-7A-T strobe near the bike rack near the entrance, although it is hardly noticeable. When the fire bells are outside, they put an Edwards Adaptahorn next to it (the school bell system, model 874-N5.) The smokes are EST SIGA-PS. Pulls are all EST SIGA-270 (they are labeled for each zone, it is addressable). All strobes sync, and all bells do code-3. There are also lockdown strobes, colored amber, and labeled ‘LOCKDOWN’. They are located anywhere an MB10-24 is. Surprisingly, there is a lockdown strobe in the room next to the CTS workshop. The panel is not visible, it’s located in an electrical room.
NOW MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!
The system was an EST 6616 system with Wheelock MBS-G10-24 bell strobes for the most part, which were LOUD. Near the Kindergarten doors, and a classroom, a Wheelock bell/strobe broke down, and was replaced with an Edwards 439D-10AWC on an EST 403-5A-R strobe plate, which made a much louder racket. Near the end of the school, another bell/strobe broke down and was replaced with an Edwards 439D-6AWC bell on a Simplex 4903-9101 strobe plate with the strobe above the bell. The smokes were those Edwards “wiffle ball smokes”, and the heat detectors were Edwards. Pulls were all Edwards 270-SPO, however, near the bell on the Simplex strobe, was a classic version of the pull. Outside there were two Edwards 439D-10AWC remote bells, one by the Grade 1 doors, and one by the large field. The smoke detectors were becoming defective one by one, and were being replaced (and all of them now) with EST SC10U. The system did contiunois.
Unfortunately the system was replaced in June 2014 with a Vigilant VS-51 system with all bell strobes replaced with EST Genesis horn strobes (wallmount, red, no fire lettering) on double signal plates, and regular trim plates. Outside the bell by the Grade 1 doors is gone, nothing is in it’s place, however the bell by the large field is replace with an Edwards WG4RF-HVMC horn/strobe! All of the other parts of the system are still intact, even the Edwards classic pull.
The bell system has an older Edwards Adaptahorn by the front, (the school was build in 1964(older edwards), it was renovated in 1993 (EST 6616), and then 2014). however the other one is a newer adaptahorn!
Well that’s all
I’ve had to deal with Spectralert Classics up until college. Thank god they weren’t Advances. Here’s each of my school’s FA systems:
Elementary School:
The main system was a Notifier system with a Notifier AFP-200 panel. NA’s are Specralert Classic horn/strobes installed in the hallways, media center, kitchen, and front office. Classrooms and restrooms have Classic strobes. The gym and cafeteria have Gentex SPK-4 speaker/strobes with an EVAX voice evacuation system. There are also Gentex GMS horn/strobes located all over the exterior of the building. All pull stations are Notifier BG-10’s. Smokes are Notifier FSP-751 photoelectric smoke detectors. The Spectralerts do code 3, while the GMS’s do continuous. There’s also a 4" Edwards Adaptabell at the back exit of the kitchen.
Middle School:
This system is similar to my elementary school’s system. It’s another Notifier system with an AFP-200 panel. NA’s are Spectralert Classic horn/strobes. At least one has been replaced with a Spectralert Advance. Classic strobes in classrooms and restrooms. The cafeteria has Gentex SPK-4 speaker/strobes with an EVAX voice evacuation system. The gym has Spectralert Advance speaker/strobes, also with an EVAX system. Smokes are Notifier FSP-751’s. Pulls are Notifier BG-10’s. In the outdoor portable classrooms, there are Spectralert Advance horn/strobes with BG-12LX’s.
High School:
Couldn’t find the panel, but it’s a Notifier system. Main NA’s are Wheelock MTs set to continuous horn in B-F, H wings, large classrooms, and media center. A and G wings have Spectralert Classics. The cafeteria, gym, and wrestling room have Wheelock E-7025-LSM-24 speaker/strobe with a Notifier voice evac system. One in the gym had its strobe knocked off with a basketball, and it was replaced with a Wheelock ET80-24MCW-FR speaker/strobe. Weight room has Spectralert Classic speaker/strobes. There’s a Gentex Commander 3 in the art room. Spectralert Classics in the protables. Pulls are a mix of Notifier BG-10’s and BG-12’s. Smokes are Notifier FSP-851’s.
College:
Notifier voice evacuation with EST Genesis speaker/strobes and strobes. All classrooms and restrooms have a remote strobe. Pulls are Notifier BG-12LX. Some have Stopper covers on them. The newly completed cosmetology classrooms each have EST Genesis horn/strobes. Smokes are Notifier FSP-851’s.
Elementary:
First 3 years SpectrAlert classics P1224MC inside all classrooms and hallways about 15 feet apart (which is really close). Outside there were 3 P1224MCK horn strobes in the courtyard and one by the main entry on the other side of the building. All were pink with yellowed strobes due to the extreme exposure to the sun and heat. I do remember them being red in kindergarten but by the time I was in second grade they were horribly faded. Also classics were high volume code-3 electromechanical. After these years they tore down the cafeteria and replaced all the classics with SpectrAlert Advances which came out just months before. These were set on high volume and 75 candela. There were about 6 in the cafeteria. Along with this contraction job they also installed a new art room. This 20x20 room had TWO advances on high volume and I remember the first drill and the first time I heard them, it sounded so scary to me and I keep hearing the “fire drill” sounds in my dreams when I slept. That was scary.
I graduated elementary school nearly 6 years ago, but I live right next to it. About a year ago they replaced 3 of the outdoor classics with 3 P2Rks at high volume, but weeks later I noticed two of them were fin and they raised on of them about 20ft up in the wall. I don’t really know why. Maybe to spread the sound and only use one device. They also added two HRKs on the complete opposite of the campus, but removed one, and replaced another with a P2RK. All specatralert classics are still in the bulging and the one outside by the main entrance.
In third grade I lived in Oregon for 6 months for my dad’s work (Intel corp.) and my elementary school there had an Edwards system with red and white Genesis’s. Classrooms had horn/strobes and hallways had them too as well as the stairwells. The elevator had a genesis horn in it too which I thought was very interesting. In addition, the bathrooms had Genesis CHIME strobes which was cool and I thought they sounded very nice. Outside, there were white Genesis’s which I don’t think they make weatherproof genesis’s but they’re there anyways. Here in New Mexico, nearly every elementary school has Genesis’s on the exterior though, most of them don’t have the white cover on them though. Obviously that should be changed. But this stated doesn’t give a poop about fire code because tons of buildings still have Wheelock 7001 and 7002-Ts
Middle school:
1st campus:
Building one had Wheelock AS’s and RSS’s and the divine bulidng had SpectrAlert Advance P2R’s.
The Wheelock were at high volume. Oddly enough, when a fire drill was conducted, they would always set of the AS’s in the first building but never the SpectrAlert’s in the second building. The second bulidng was pair with another company however.
Middles school/high school:
My school built a brand new building replacing the two previous I just talked about and there’s nothing fancy, just Wheelock ZNS’s everywhere.
Its happening…all electromechanical horns are being replaced…
AAAAAHHHHH!
Schoolcraft College (Livonia) - All buildings on campus are predominantly modern EST systems and share nearly the exact same components, so this will be quite a bland description of devices here. There are some odds and ends thrown in, however.
Annunciators/Panels:
All buildings contain either older EST3 Remote Annunciators or EST3 panels. All devices are capable of manual voice-evacuation; I do not know the codings for any of them since I have never heard any of them activate.
Detectors:
All buildings contain older EST heat detectors.
Pull stations:
All buildings contain EST-branded 270-SPO models with glass rods.
The Liberal Arts Building contains an older 270-SPO without any company logos in an office hallway. A picture is provided below.
Notification appliances:
Applied Sciences Building
>Red EST Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes
>Some spaces contain Genesis ceiling-mount strobes
Biomedical Technology Center
>Red EST Genesis wall-mount speaker/strobes
>Red EST Genesis wall-mount chime or horn/strobes in smaller rooms
Bradner Library
>Red EST Genesis wall-mount speaker/strobes
>Red EST Genesis wall-mount chime or horn/strobes
>One or two Wheelock AS horn/strobes used for mechanical signaling purposes in a hallway
Forum Building
>Red EST Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes
>One FOS-branded 2901-9332 vibrating bell, used inside behind a lecture hall room, purpose unknown. A picture is provided below.
Grote Administration Center
>Red EST Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes
Jeffress Center
>Red EST Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes
>One weatherproof SpectrAlert Advance horn or speaker/strobe near the front entrance
Liberal Arts Building
>Red EST Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes
>Some spaces contain red Genesis ceiling-mount strobes
>One Wheelock MB-series 10" vibrating bell outside, next to a mechanical room entrance. A picture is provided below.
McDowell Center
>Red EST Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes
>One EST Integrity chime, speaker, or horn/strobe outside, next to a mechanical room entrance
Physical Education Building
>Red EST Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes
Schoolcraft Bookstore/Service Building
>Red EST Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes
>At least two outdoor vibrating bells in the Service Building area–one is 6" and the other is 10"
VisTaTech Center/Waterman Wing
>Red EST Genesis wall-mount speaker/strobes
>Red EST Genesis wall-mount chime or horn/strobes
Notes:
The McDowell Center building (circa 1994) originally contained a system with Wheelock MT-series horn/strobes prior to being upgraded.
The Schoolcraft Bookstore’s second alarm system consisted of SpectrAlert classic horn/strobes as part of their devices prior to being upgraded.
The VisTaTech Center originally contained a system of ET70 speaker/strobes. There is still a surviving weatherproof device of this kind–mounted sideways–near the American Harvest patio area. A picture is provided below.
The Waterman Wing originally contained National Time 411F horns as part of its system. Most have been replaced by metal plates (painted over), but there is one in an office that is still intact except for the horn, which was removed and retrofitted with an EST Genesis wall-mount speaker/strobe. That space was originally part of the adjacent activity room in the basement prior to being divided into offices.
*The Applied Sciences Building, Bradner Library, Forum Building, Grote Administration Center, Liberal Arts Building, Physical Education Building, and Schoolcraft Bookstore/Service Building all originally contained mechanical horns as part of their systems. There are metal plates identifying where those old devices once were along with their original pull stations. The Liberal Arts Building has a large, vertical rectangular plate where a bell used to be.
Schoolcraft College - Radcliff Campus (Garden City) - This satellite building was originally a junior high school prior to being acquired by Schoolcraft for college use. The devices are identical to what is seen throughout the main campus: An EST3 remote annunciator, EST heat detectors, 270-SPOs with glass rods, and red Genesis ceiling-mount speaker/strobes and strobes.
According to archived pictures of Schoolcraft’s Radcliff campus online, the original system consisted of Simplex-branded projector horns and 4251-series pull stations. There was a second system that replaced the original system prior to the third and current EST system being installed, but I am unaware of what the devices from the second system were.
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The “unbranded” Edwards pull is actually an AIP 270-SPO made by Edwards but rebranded by AIP; hence no logo.
A FirstAlert smoke alarm.
I work in a small clinic with a total of 6 rooms, so I guess we didn’t need a system? I don’t know how that works. At the main hospital there’s an EST voice evac system with genesis speaker strobes and 270-SPOs.
So you have no clue what the system was prior to the 1980s when Simplex came in? My junior high school was a bit like that switching over to Simplex years after it was built. Originally it was an Edwards system with 360-L explosive proof horns before it changed over to Simplex in the 1970s with 4051s on 4050-80 light plates.
I know they came in mid 60’s early 80’s because that’s when many additions were added which had them extend the time system. One of the wings added on in the 60’s was the old science wing (now foreign languages department) and it has an OLD Edwards Adaptahorn that’s the old circular ones that say ‘FIRE HORN’ in the middle. I’m assuming that’s what they used in the original building, however I am unsure as the original portion of the school was finished in 1953 and has IBM bells, which I assume were the original time system bells because those areas have Simplex 4251 Local Alarm Chevron pull stations. I’m not even sure the original part had a system because all reminants are gone bedsides all the disconnected IBM/Simplex bells. Now my school has been running a Simplex Time Recorder Time Clock system since the 60’s so I’m assuming that’s likely what the bells were. Besides from the 2903’s and the equipment currently installed, there is absolutely no evidence of any system prior to that; although I’m sure there was, but Simplex probably took it out when the stuff went in. There is a first generation 4251-20 with a metal handle and no arrow; the Simplex fire alarm system migration started in what I can only think the late 60’s to early 70’s, that’s when the Chevrons went in. The 4251-20s and 2903s however are original to certain parts of the building which were added on during the early-mid 1980’s; which I can imagine was the time Simplex took the bid to upgrade my entire districts system; I know this from the abandoned school that I got the alarms from in my town that the district sold in the early 2000’s; that school is currently being torn down as we speak…I took pictures of the demolition process; if interested I could put them on my channel.
At my work “Sandoval County Regional Medical Center” up in New Mexico, there are about 7 stories. The entire hospital has a pure Edwards system. Lift and pull SIGA stations, SIGA smoke detectors (the ones that are kinda skinny and stick down from the ceiling a bit and have a big base…think it’s the most recent series). And you would guess that hospital would have speaker strobes but NOOOOOO they have an unnecessary amount of horn strobes and strobes. Some genesis strobes are red and blue to signal different things, (flatline, a door is closing) I am very very sure these are horn strobes with the unlikely chance they could be chimes. They are all white with fire lettering. There is also one beam detector in the main lobby, but idk the brand becuase it is very high up, but my guess would be Edwards as well.
My old elementary school (Country School, Weston, MA)
Panel: Simplex 4100 (panel located at back recess doors, 4603-9101 annunciator at main entrance)
Pull stations: 4099-9001 (single-action)
Smoke detectors: Like any newer Simplex system, newer TrueAlarms
Signals: TrueAlert speaker/strobes (4903-9357)
This system does the code-3 tone, but does not play any messages. (why?)
These were the first fire alarms I ever heard, and they were very quiet. LOVED this system!
My current school’s fire alarm system will be posted sometime within 24 hours from now.
FORGOT TO MENTION: 4902-9716 TrueAlert remote speakers in classrooms.
TrueAlert remote strobes in restrooms and small offices.
I tried to make the following into a long story/explanation, but I think you’d all probably like it more if I summarized it. Basically…
Lots of renovation work… no more fire alarm system… no more exit signs… no more lighting… no more anything really aside from the structural walls.
So yeah… more developments to come. I really have no information at this point.
(By the way, this building I’m referring to is my high school, in case you can’t figure that out from the title of this topic.)