What’s now included? According to the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code Handbook, a mass notification system should now include two forms communications, “one from Tier 1 [sirens, indoor and outdoor loudspeakers, electronic signage, etc.] and a secondary method from one of the other tiers,” which includes short message service (SMS) text messaging, emails and location-specific audio broadcasting to name a few.

Many university campuses rely on a “Personal Tier” of communications to contact those in distress, e.g. SMS text messaging and automated dialing systems, according to Samuel Shanes of Talk-A-Phone. It is certainly good to send a message blast to individuals on the emergency contact list, Shanes says, but what about those recipients who don’t notice the blast or are not registered on the list at all? It is because a single form of communications might not be sufficient that experts and NFPA 72 emphasize multiple notification layers, he suggests.

Instead, says Shanes, a mass notification system should not only be versatile enough to contact individuals regardless of where they are, but also able to reach out to pre-defined areas regardless of whom is situated there. And those two types of notifications serve different purposes and should be approached differently.

For one, the regulations distinguish between a timely warning notification and an emergency notification, which previously were often confused with each other. Campuses are not required to issue immediate (emergency) alerts if there is no immediate threat to the health or safety of students and employees. However, it must provide an adequate and timely follow up. 

A campus security department is also required to establish and release, in its annual security report, procedures on how it determines the content of a notification and who is notified. So not only is a university required to confirm that there is a significant event, decide on the content of the notification and execute it, but it also must define an appropriate segment or segments of the campus community to receive a notification. 

Further, the regulations also stipulate that not every emergency situation requires a mass notification. If the emergency procedures are being followed and it is determined by the responsible authorities to the best of their professional judgment that the notification would hurt the safety of a community, such notification does not have to be issued. The regulations also specify the testing requirement of emergency response and evacuation procedures, which should be performed at least once per calendar year and be fully documented.

According to Shanes, while the new regulations will take time and effort to comply with the new law by the set deadline, it is a change for a better and safer life on campus.

Another system that is taking a proactive approach is the University of Texas System (USTA), which has pushed the importance of audio communications to ensure it is doing everything possible to be prepared if such an event should occur. 

For example, at UTSA, all AlphaCom exchanges are in the process of being upgraded to the latest VoIP technology from Stenofon. The new technology will connect to the University’s IP network and allow for future expansion possibilities. The IP communication solution is an integrated audio platform that provides voice, image and data links by using standard Ethernet network architecture. Ultimately, it allows integration of all streams into one cohesive solution. Additional features include standard intercom calls, archive logging of events and real time audio announcements.

Kelly Neish, director of hospital safety and security, is responsible for preparing the facility and staff for possible emergencies, such as fires. Her job is not easy when you consider the fact that most residents of VDHH have varying degrees of physical incapacity. In addition, the home offers special care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Unfortunately, VDHH was working with an older fire alarm system that was draining resources to maintain, says Neigh. She wanted a new system that would provide fast, consistent protection and that would give her the ability to provide intelligible voice instructions throughout the facility. 

Local security and life safety systems integrator, Syracuse Time & Alarm Co., Inc. (ST&A), overhauled the system and ensured it complied with code requirements. ST&A implemented an E3 Series Expandable Emergency Evacuation system, manufactured by Gamewell-FCI, as the heart of the new fire protection network. 

It also included a fire alarm EVAC (emergency voice audio communications) system that is flexible to meet future needs. 

Beyond general EVAC capabilities, the system has selective paging for mass notification. A newly installed phone system will soon be integrated with the fire alarm EVAC system so that Neish can make public address announcements to particular floors or the entire building just by dialing the floor’s extension from a desk phone.

Survivability and intelligibility are key components of the new system, says Mark Simpson of ST&A. Rather than depending on a central command center to make decisions, the decision making is done by (fire alarm control) panels on each floor. Most importantly, he says, the installation uses high-fidelity speakers and 100-percent digital communications. If you can’t understand the message, you might as well use horns.