Hmm…
An original SpectrAlert remote horn huh? Those are rare to find in actual systems from what I’ve seen (so are MIZs for that matter).
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The one other time I’ve seen an MIZ in person was when I was at a hotel many years ago, and coincidentally enough they also had Edwards Integrities, like what my junior high school had alongside the MIZ’s.
However the MIZ’s at the hotel had a strobe on the top and a horn on the bottom, instead of having the strobe on the side.
Interesting…not sure I’ve ever seen any MIZs in person myself to be honest.
That was likely an MIZ-24-HSW-VFR you saw (search for it online & you should find a few photos plus at least one video of it).
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I’m pretty sure it was that model, though I could have sworn it had the same strobe as the Edwards alarms, but that could just be my memories getting mixed up.
Here’s another video of the chaotic system
That is quite the chaotic system! Definitely unusual with that original SpectrAlert remote horn too! (since normally one would think that a horn/strobe would have been installed there instead)
The TrueAlert in the one room wouldn’t happen to be a remote horn as well, would it? (since I don’t think I saw a strobe flash at any point)
Metropolitan Community College: Building 23
Panel - Either a Notifier NFS-640 or NFS-3030
Annunciators - LCD-160s with ACS Button Panel and a remote microphone
NAs - System Sensor Spectralert Speaker Strobes, White, ALERT labeling, both ceiling mount and wall mount.
System is most likely a part of a network system, and I am guessing they use OnyxWorks to monitor the system. I am also thinking that it is integrated into the campus mass notification system, since the strobes are labeled ALERT
Just today (8 October 2024) we had our yearly fire drill (at work). Those TrueAlerts pack quite a punch, though I wish they were even louder.
Middle School:
Currently has 2 systems, not in sync. The entire building will be upgraded to the new panel (already servicing half of the building). and the old panel will be removed.
System 1 (New)
Panel
Edwards EST4 with voice evac.
Annunciator(s)
Edwards EST4 annunciator by the front door.
Detectors
Edwards SIGA-OSD detectors.
Pulls
Edwards SIGA-278 pull stations.
N/A’s
Edwards LED “ALERT” speaker strobes.
System 2 (Old)
Panel
Notifier NFS2-640.
Annunciator(s)
2 Notifier FDU-80’s, one by the main entrance, and one in the office.
Detectors
Notifier FSP-851’s/951’s (replacing the many that have caused false alarms)
Pulls
Notifier NBG-12LX’s
N/A’s
SpectrAlert Advance & L-Series (replacing a few advances that have failed)
Future High School
1 networked system, consisting of 2 EST3 panels with voice evac
Panel(s)
2 EST3 panels
Annunciator(s)
2 EST3-ANN annunciators (that I know of), one by the front entrance, and one by the back entrance.
Detectors
Edwards SIGA-OSD detectors
Pulls
EST SIGA-278 pull stations, under alarmed Stopper II covers.
N/A’s
EST Genesis “ALERT” speaker strobes, and remote speakers.
UPDATE
In my future high school, there are at least 4 EST3 panels, 2 networked inside the main building, one for the field house, and one for an extremely small storage shed. there are also and excessive amount of annunciators, with one by every main-ish entrance.
My school’s system is basically just all System Sensor devices, with L-Series speaker/strobes everywhere (ceiling mounts mainly, but some wall mounts in weight & gym rooms).
There’s also what I believe are ceiling mounted variants of SpectrAlert Advances only found in the locker room shower area.
N̶o̶ ̶p̶u̶l̶l̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶s̶c̶h̶o̶o̶l̶ ̶u̶n̶f̶o̶r̶t̶u̶n̶a̶t̶e̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶t̶r̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶k̶i̶d̶s̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶e̶.̶ Also, all of the alarms here are white.
TL;DR - My school’s a System Sensor fanboy and the system itself is kinda boring (for me)
EDIT: To add on to this list, there are SPWKs on the outside of every building, what I believe are ceiling mounted L-Series remote strobes, and a single Notifier BG-12 in the main office.
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I have already talked about the systems in all of the schools in my city’s school district. In this post, I will be sharing all of the information that I could find about the schools in the neighboring city’s school district.
1st Note: If I do not list the pull stations, the school is not equipped with any.
2nd Note: I do not go to this school district. Because of this, I don’t know a whole lot about the schools. Most of this information is from the internet. Some of it may be incorrect or a few years outdated (my oldest sources are from 2019). I also left out several schools where I could not find sufficient information.
Bismarck High School (Opened in 1935):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZR-MC-R remote strobes (Voice Evac is tied into the PA system)
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-D’s
Detectors: Siemens HFP-11’s (Or similar looking Siemens addressable detectors)
Century High School (Opened in 1975):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZR-MC-R remote strobes (Voice Evac is tied into the PA system)
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-D’s
Detectors: Siemens HFP-11’s (Or similar looking Siemens addressable detectors)
Legacy High School (Opened in 2015):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZR-MC-R remote strobes (Voice Evac is tied into the PA system)
Detectors: Siemens FDO421 Detectors
Wachter Middle School (Opened in 1967):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZR-MC-R remote strobes (Voice Evac is tied into the PA system)
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-D’s
Detectors: Siemens HFP-11’s (Or similar looking Siemens addressable detectors)
Horizion Middle School (Opened in 2001):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens U-MCS remote strobes (Voice Evac is tied into the PA system)
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-D’s
Detectors: Siemens HFP-11’s (Or similar looking Siemens addressable detectors)
Northridge Elementary School (Opened in 1954):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens SL Series speaker strobes
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Highland Acres Elementary School (Opened in 1958):
Panel: Some Siemens or Cerberus-Pyrotronics panel
Notification Appliances: Cerberus-Pyrotronics MC-S17-S horn/strobes
Pull Stations: Mostly Edwards 270-SPO’s
Detectors: Random assortment of conventional detectors
Roosevelt Elementary School (Opened in 1954):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens SL Series speaker strobes
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Rita Murphy Elementary School (Opened in 1969):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS?
Notification Appliances: Siemens UMMT’s or similar looking horn/strobes
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Jeannette Myhre Elementary School (Opened in 1973):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS?
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZH-MC-R horn/strobes
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-S’s
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Theodore Jamerson Elementary School (Opened in 1974):
Panel: Some addressable Simplex panel (Most likely a 4010 or 4007ES)
Notification Appliances: SmartSync Simplex TrueAlert horn/strobes
Pull Stations: Simplex 4099-9001’s
Detectors: Simplex TrueAlarm’s
Solehiem Elementary School (Opened in 1987):
Panel: Some addressable Simplex panel (Probably a 4010 or 4007es)
Notification Appliances: White EST Integrity remote strobes and Simplex mechanical horns
Pull Stations: Simplex 4099-9001’s
Detectors: Simplex TrueAlarms
Centennial Elementary School (Opened in 1989):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens SL Series speaker strobes
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Sunrise Elementary School (Opened in 2010):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZH-MC-R horn/strobes
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-D’s
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Liberty Elementary School (Opened in 2014):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZH-MC-R horn/strobes
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-D’s
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Lincoln Elementary School (Opened in 2014):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZH-MC-R horn/strobes
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-D’s
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Silver Ranch Elementary School (Opened in 2022):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens SL Series speaker strobes
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Elk Ridge Elementary School (Opened in 2022):
Panel: Siemens FireFinder XLS with Voice Evac
Notification Appliances: Siemens SL Series speaker strobes
Detectors: Siemens FDO421’s
Bismarck Career Academy (Opened in 1974):
Panel: Siemens FS-250
Notification Appliances: Siemens ZH-MC-R horn/strobes
Pull Stations: Siemens HMS-D’s
Detectors: Siemens HFP-11’s (Or similar looking Siemens addressable detectors)
I began tutoring at a school this week. I don’t know what the panel is, but it’s a Gamewell-FCI system installed around 2011 (at least that’s when they got the grant for it). It has BG-12 pull stations, System Sensor 2151 detectors, and SpectrAlert Advance horn/strobes. I’m quite relieved that the regular classrooms only have remote strobes. EDIT: And having heard them go off, I can confirm that they do code 3 and that there’s no additional tone on the PA system.
Also of note is that some of the original Simplex 4037’s from the 1960s additions were never removed, though they were painted over. A few other parts (built in 1922 and 1957-58) have some red plates that indicate where old signals would have been. I don’t know what the other sections would have had, or if there was any system used in between the 1950s-60s components and the current ones. (EDIT: And no, I can’t find any evidence of pull rods, but they do still have conduit from 1950s-60s era chevron pulls in the 1922 wing, which some old yearbook photos confirmed.)
I wonder if the older sections would’ve used 4030s. System probably would’ve been an IBM 4200.
Also, is there any evidence of a pull rod?
So my elementary school has Simplex 4906 TrueAlerts with the dual-action T-Bars for the interior, and Wheelock MTs with the horizontal weatherproof strobes for the exterior. Along with some renovations to the front office around 2017, the Gentex Mini Horns and older Break-Glass T-Bars in the portables were replaced with Wheelock Exceeder LEDs and newer T-Bars. In fact, the school is so close to the house I have lived in all my life that I could probably hear the MTs all the way from outside the house, but have yet to find that out! Everything is still Code 3 I believe.
Most of the buildings in my high school were built in the 60’s, and about seven years ago, the school received a new 4100ES Voice Evac System with the newer TrueAlert ES devices. It plays three rounds of the Code 3 500 hz tone followed by three rounds of “Attention, Attention, Attention. There is a fire emergency in the building. You are to leave the building by the nearest exit, or exit stairway.” The loop is then completed by three more rounds of Code 3 before continuing to repeat the loop until the system is silenced. Notice there is no mention of elevators, since the school is all one-story.
Now for my middle school, the district is actually in the process of constructing new buildings and recently just demoed two older ones. When I was there, the campus had a mixture of old and new Simplex devices. The main building was the newest at the time, with the devices being the 4906 TrueAlerts, another having the 4903 mechanical horns, another having older horn and strobe plate combos, and many older TrueAlerts here and there. Panel is a 4100U just like the elementary school. I have yet to find out what the new buildings will have. We shall wait and see!
My current college has a LARGE mix of systems throughout each building. A lot of the buildings are so old, that the devices are only installed in the hallways/corridors, and restrooms.
Here are some examples of that:
This is an older Wheelock Electronic Horn-Strobe coupled with an FCI MS-2 Pull on the exterior portion of the building:
And here is an older SS MASS in the internal wing of the same building:
The newer buildings (mid-90’s or so) on the other side of campus, however, have older Simplex TrueAlert Horn-Strobes (without the TrueAlert label, dubbed QuickAlerts) throughout every classroom and even every little restroom (boy that’s gotta be LOUD)! All of these buildings have Simplex 4020s visible in plain sight.
Now here’s where things get interesting. That older side of campus has most of the buildings connected to one another via walkways and bridges, and it appears that each of them has their own system. I’m not sure if they’re tied in any way, but I do think they should be! I know this because some have panels in plain sight, while others are behind doors labeled with a sign saying there is an FACP behind it.
Here is an example in a small men’s restroom ( this is the same one with that bizarre setup with a speaker/strobe and remote-strobe right next to each other, which I made an earlier thread about):
Now all of that being said, the college is currently undergoing a major rebranding project, as well as renovations already underway to several classrooms and even restrooms, and elevator modernizations, so this is all subject to change, but I just thought I’d post the interesting finds on campus, since I don’t know how much longer they’ll be there.
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When I went to school today, I realized that they had installed STI stoppers over almost all of the Siemens HMS-S pull stations. I think this is a really good thing because the Siemens pull stations are incredibly easy to accidentally activate. They have already caused a couple of false alarms in just a couple months of the building being occupied.
One concerning thing is that they decided to do the installation jobs last night while hundreds of people were in the building for the public tour of the brand new building. Because these are so easy to activate, they had the signals and door closers disabled (keep in mind there were still hundreds of people in the building). That wasn’t a good idea because the alarm wouldn’t have gone off for a real emergency. Hopefully they had someone sitting by the panel to watch if it went into alarm and to investigate it. It was sort of justified, though because I did hear the annunciator go into alarm because someone working on a stopper must have bumped a pull station. Fortunately, it turned out well because no emergencies occurred and they didn’t end up evacuating hundreds of people.
A couple of new workplace discoveries this week.
First, I had noticed in at least one part of the atrium that there is a Notifier FSP-200 beam detector! I don’t know if this unit runs off a Notifier panel or is it tied into one of the Simplex systems, but I’m leaning toward the latter.
Second, I noticed that there is another decommissioned Cerberus Pyrotronics MXL panel! It was one of at least two such panels as part of the hospital’s then-second fire alarm system prior to a major expansion that led to its existing Simplex system being installed; the original system was from National Time and Signal Corporation (Natsco).
My school uses EST 270-SPOs and red EST Genesis xenon horn strobes in most areas. The gym and the cafeteria use red EST Genesis xenon speaker strobes. The portables use SpectrAlert advances with 270-SPOs, as well as heat detectors. A recently added building uses white EST Genesis LED horn strobes with EST 278 style pull stations under stoppers. The library also has a Potter Select-a-Strobe Horn Strobe inside, but I don’t know what it is for.
My school is not too interesting… In the halls, they use wall mounted Simplex 4906-9101 TrueAlerts. Inside the classrooms, Ceiling-Mounted Simplex 4903’s, they all run on continuous. Dual action T-Bar pull stations, one of them is outfitted with an STI Stopper, and some smoke detectors and Sprinklers.
You can find a 4603 LCD near the entrance and in the office.
Here are the alarm systems at my previous / current school:
Pre-School
A/V’s
Wheelock MT’s on Continues (in EVERY classroom)
1 Faraday 6234-M Mechanical Fire Alarm Horn/Strobe in the front
Pulls
Cereberus Pyrotronics 531-8131 Fire Alarm Pull Station.
smokes
Siemens FP-11 Fireprint Smoke/Heat Detector
Elementary
A/V’s
In the front / entrance hall there are about 4 White Spectralert advances on the left side (same devices in the gym)
White ceiling mount advances everwhere else, with the exeption of about 2 ceiling mounts being replaced with L- Series cause one teacher accidentally caused a fire. (Same devices in the K bldg)
One left over Wheelock EHS in the music room (the one that looks like a MT with the frosted strobe) Not sure if it was connected to the Silent Knight system though/
Pulls
BG-12’s rebranded by silent knight
Smokes
SK - Photo
Silent Knight system
Intermediate
I recall this being a siemens or Pyrotonics system but its wtv
A/V’s
Indoor:
Siements white UMNT’s on a weird coding, for in classrooms the tone was somehow like a smoke detector tone but continues. For the hallways and gym they had the regular annoying tone. (One thing i noticed with the continues tone is that it had a little like 0.00001 pause that made it weird, not sure if it was a coding issue or something.
A singular Siemens U-S75S-W Sync Strobe White
Out door:
Red FARADAY 6123B-0-14-24-DC HORN and FARADAY 6250B01424DC HORN 21-30VDC RED’s with the same weird continues tone. aswell as red spectralert horn only doing a weird temporal pattern, more like a temporal 2 since they skip a beep .
Temporary Buildings:
Red gentex commander 3’s, unknown tone since i was never in there when they went off.
Smoke detectors are Siemens FP-11 Fireprint Smoke/Heat Detector, same ones in my Pre school.
Pull Stations
Siemens (MSI-20B) Dual Action Pull Station 500-893081
A/V’S
White EST ceiling genesis’s with some sucky installation, in the libary there is a ceiling mount just dangling.
2nd Gym
Wheelock E70’s white
White ceiling RSS
And a Celing E70 cirlce thingy thingy.
(note, the Voice Evacuation message for the 2nd gym is the fast whoop simialr to a sped up notifier message, its an EST message)
Pull stations
Silent Knight Sd500-Ps Addressable Singlel-Action Pull Station
Smokies
Silent Knight SD505-APD photoelectrics
SIlent Knight SD505-AHS Heat detectors.
Note, the district has implemented the Centigex crisis alert system, the little weird rectangles. and yes this district has some weird devices.
Pics:
(forgot to mention they had these outside)
And thats about it! ALl of the photos are in order in which said from the beggining!
Bonus: at a stem camp in the district i went ot there were ceiling mount white advances and gentex SHG’s on a weird tone also, 2 long beep followed by a temporal 3, and it repeats
Ok enough yapping lol
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