Do you need any special education for  integrating aspiration systems into fire alarm system design?

As a design firm, our company specifies and designs systems in order to provide biddable construction documents. To keep up with the latest in products and technology on the market, technical training seminars are attended. Our engineers also rely on their experience with designing fire alarm systems, so that the appropriate interfaces with the fire alarm systems are correctly specified.

In what applications has your company used aspiration systems?

Four years ago, our company was selected to design the fire alarm system incorporating the high-sensitivity smoke detection (HSSD), or aspiration system, for the National Park Service Hampton Mansion in Towson, Maryland.

Was this the first time you designed an aspiration system?

Our company has worked with aspiration systems in computer rooms. We replaced an entire fire alarm system where the building already had several aspiration systems in place. With the new fire alarm control panel, we provided interfaces for the aspiration systems, so that it would go into alarm when any of the control panels sent it an alarm signal.

Why was it important to integrate the aspiration system into your fire alarm system for the Hampton Mansion project?

There was a need to detect a fire in its very earliest (incipient) stage. Because the Mansion did not easily lend itself to alternative fire suppression systems such as water mist or chemical suppression, the main objectives were to protect the Mansion and all of the artifacts inside from fire, as well as water damage from the sprinkler system. Facilities personnel needed very advanced notice of an impending fire in order to investigate early, so that the activation of the automatic sprinkler system would only be a last resort.

The building is an artifact. It was owned by seven generations of the Ridgely family, including Charles Carnan Ridgely, one of Maryland’s first governors. The house dates back to the 18th century and was turned over to the National Park Service after 1948.

In addition, the National Park Service acquired the Hampton Collection, which currently contains 45,000 artifacts and 100,000 archives dating from the 18th through the 20th centuries, including furnishings, portraits, rugs and many other items from the family. These are on display in the Hampton Mansion. The purpose of installing this system was to protect all of the assets.

In addition to providing very early warning, use of the aspiration system was important for aesthetic reasons. To preserve the historic fabric of the building as much as possible, the design team did not want to have visible spot-type smoke detectors on the ceilings.  The aspiration system was designed to follow the new concealed sprinkler pipes that were trenched into the plaster ceiling. The aspiration system wasn’t designed into the  entire Mansion project because of cost. Instead, seven small panels for the piping system were used for areas open to the public.

The air sampling nozzles are smaller than sprinkler heads and blend well with the ceiling, so they aren’t noticeable. But in areas that aren’t considered to be public viewing areas, regular ceiling-mounted, spot-type smoke detectors were used.

Which building or NFPA codes need to be followed when designing an aspiration system?

One is NFPA 72 for the placement or location of air sampling intakes. There are a series of interrelated codes based on the occupancy classification of the building, or space within the building being designed, in addition to the other systems being interfaced, such as HVAC, fire suppression sprinkler, pre-action, deluge, chemical suppression and life safety. There are many other codes that need to be followed, depending on the project and the jurisdiction in which it is located.

What criteria do you use to determine the necessity of adding aspirated smoke detection systems?

• The need for very early warning of an impending fire.
• The value of the items in the protected area.
• Aesthetics: sensitivity to the historic fabric or appearance of the building.
• Controlled environment, no operable windows, especially if the protected area is near a roadway.

What are the basics to know before incorporating an aspiration system into a fire alarm system?

Know the ceiling heights and whether the ceiling will be smooth or sloped. Be familiar with the manufacturer’s specific limitations on sampling pipe run lengths in order to comply with air sample transport time. Discuss acceptable locations for the smoke detector panel with the design team. The air sampling tubes and ports might not be visible, but the smoke detectors will be.

Which steps are essential in designing a fire alarm system with an aspiration system?

The aspirator system is a smoke detector device. It alone will not notify occupants when it is in an alarm condition. The aspirator detector needs to be interfaced with a fire alarm system so that it can activate the appropriate alarms on the main fire alarm control panel, such as occupant notification. The design must include a main fire alarm control panel; the aspiration system is the smoke detection portion of the system on the main panel. First, lay out the room. Next, determine the area to cover with the aspirator sensors, and then design it so the system interfaces with the main fire alarm system.

Where else do you see applications for aspiration systems?

Normally, an aspiration system would be used in computer rooms or data centers, especially where the function of the data center is important for society, such as banking or security facilities. It can also be used in a facility where it would be beneficial to use chemical suppression or sprinkler systems as a last resort, so that investigators can figure out what’s causing the alarm.

*Statistics and historical information provided by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior Web site at nps.gov.

Can you tell us about your company?

Advanced Cabling Systems was founded as a structured cabling company in 1995. Now with more than 60 employees and two offices in Arkansas, we are recognized as the leader in low-voltage technologies in Arkansas. In addition to structured cabling, Advanced now offers fire alarms, mass notification, security, access control, school intercom, and nurse call. Advanced’s annual revenues were $1.5 million in 2002 and are expected to reach $10 million this year.

Why are you successful?

Through our System Sensor manufacturer representative, Mark Gilmore, and National Training Manager, Rick Swift, we have developed not only a close relationship, but have become known in Arkansas as a leader in training and implementation of System Sensor products to engineers and fire marshals. We run very successful twice-a-year, one-day product code and regulation seminars.

For example, as to state and local fire safety regulations, we invite responsible government employees to the System Sensor seminars to make them more knowledgeable about codes, device placement, testing and inspections.

We also have a bidding department that keeps up with the bid process through Dodge and CMD. We are most successful in the design build and negotiated markets. We offer a full line of products and consider ourselves a one-stop shop for our customers’ needs…one place to buy, one place to warranty and one place to call if concerns arise.

We believe strongly in customer service, we automatically notify our customers when their detection devices need updating or scheduled maintenance is required. We have a dedicated sales and service department just for testing and inspections. This helps our clients to maintain a fully working system for emergencies.

What are the benefits of System Sensor products?

System Sensor offers a full line of life safety products that are on the cutting edge in development, are easy to install, are clearly superior in sound quality, and are well known. System Sensor also offers a full line of horns, strobes, horn strobes, speakers, speaker strobes, and both wall- and ceiling-mount devices. System Sensor products are all competitive in pricing.

What suggestions do you have for installers?

Read your instructions and take advantage of the ease of installation, especially of System Sensor products. Wiring and testing of your circuits is much easier with System Sensor products like SpectrAlert^® Advance. You no longer have to wait until the walls are completed to test.

How do you approach “green”?

We are a leader in green or LEED^® certified projects and installations. Some of our more notable LEED installations in Arkansas are Heifer International Headquarters and Winrock International which are both nonprofit organizations; Pulaski Heights Methodist Church; Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality; Caldwell Toyota; and Hewlett-Packard’s new call center in Conway, Ark. (a large System Sensor project).

Do you have System Sensor in your offices?

Yes, although code did not require our office to have a fire alarm system, we chose to install a full system showcasing the System Sensor product line and others we install.

Do you know of any time a System Sensor product was actually used in an emergency?

Recently the new First Security Center, a multi-use facility in Little Rock, put its NetSOLO 7100 fire panel system with System Sensor products to the test. A condo resident attempted to light a gas fireplace. Failing to properly ventilate the area before bleeding the volatile gas line, the tenant lit the fireplace, causing an explosion. Fortunately, it wasn’t too serious — there wasn’t a huge wall-blowing explosion — but it “popped” pretty well.

The fire system responded instantly, detecting the heat (as there was not a great deal of fire or smoke) and sending the whole system into full alarm mode. The system detected that this was more than just a smoke detector sensing a little dust or smoke particle. It made the occupants aware by setting off the full alarm and emptying the building. It really worked exactly like it was supposed to, preventing further damage and injury.

Due to the addressable features of the fire panel system, building management was able to determine which device activated first, as well as the succession in which the other devices activated. A System Sensor heat detector was the initial activator, followed by the fire pump running the sprinkler water flow, a System Sensor smoke detector and finally a carbon monoxide detector. The fire department responded within eight minutes of the alarm.

Any concluding comments?

In all aspects of our business, especially life safety, we must take the life of our customers and their families as being the most important thing we think about. You never know whose life you may save and, on the other hand, whose life may not be saved if you do it the wrong way. This is especially true when designing a fire alarm system. Notification is at the top of importance. If everyone is not aware of an emergency, a life could be lost or someone hurt.

Thomas Trask is an acoustical engineer and senior associate at Newcomb & Boyd, an Atlanta, Ga.-based multidiscipline consulting and engineering firm providing innovative solutions for facility design, construction and maintenance. His acoustical engineering responsibilities have included acoustical analysis of performing arts centers, museums, laboratories, houses of worship, data centers, commercial buildings, production studios, high-rise residences, hospitals, academic buildings, and judicial facilities.

What piece of the building design puzzle pertains to acoustical design?

Typically an acoustical engineer is tasked to do an acoustical design for a few specific spaces in an entire facility. It can be anything from every space to only one or two spaces. Mainly it will be the most critical spaces in respect to clarity, such as a lecture space. It also depends on what you are trying to achieve: Are you trying to keep noise from getting into or from getting out of the space? Or are you trying to have the noise in the space meet a certain quality or quantity? Low background noise is beneficial in a learning environment, whereas an open office environment prefers a higher level to mask the conversations. Mainly, acoustical designs are for spaces that need critical engineering analysis on the acoustic end, such as an auditorium, sports venue, or another big, reverberant space where the role of audio reception is of importance to the occupants.

What is the tie-in with fire and life safety designs?

In the past, the fire alarm industry primarily focused on audibility requirements, assuming that if the sound was loud enough, it would be sufficiently intelligible. With the increasing use of voice messages for controlled and staged emergency evacuation, intelligibility now plays a role. The first objective standards for speech intelligibility in the context of fire and evacuation were introduced as an appendix to NFPA 72, 2002. This intelligibility requirement is intended to help ensure that the messages from voice evacuation and fire systems can be heard and understood by the occupants of a building.

Although a specific measure of intelligibility is noted, but not currently specified, by NFPA 72, the Code’s Annex recommends the use of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60849 and a Speech Transmission Index Public Address (STIPA) of 0.50 or Common Intelligibility Scale (CIS) measurement of 0.70. CIS = 1+log10 (STIPA). For example: A voice communication that comes over the alarm system says to evacuate. From a design standpoint, the code says that voice communication – whether it’s prerecorded or a live person – has to meet a CIS level of 70 percent voice/speech intelligibility. Because the code doesn’t mandate proof that this will be met during the design phase, it is left up to the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) official to require a measureable quantity.

To an acoustical engineer, 70 percent is still a very marginal measure of intelligibility. We’d like 90 percent, especially for clarity and comprehension. If you were having a phone conversation and could only understand 70 percent of it, would that be adequate?

How is the proper CIS level calculated or determined?

Intelligibility, by definition, is difficult to quantify. Right now, it is calculated only in instances where some authority mandates it or it’s stated in a job’s RFP. When this does happen, it brings everyone on a level plane, knowing that they now have to do an acoustical assessment when they are doing the fire protection design.

Of the places that have adopted the NFPA 72 code and require intelligibility measurement, the IEC 60849 code provides a procedure to measure the CIS levels. In reality, such places have typically been limited to airports, convention halls, and sometimes sport centers/stadiums. It’s usually instances where you have large groups of people at any one time. That makes a lot of sense from a safety perspective.

The question becomes, when do you measure it? You start with a reference signal that you are measuring against. In an airport concourse, for example, do you measure it when there is a large group of people present or when it’s empty? Ideally, the code prefers that testing be conducted while occupancy is near typical levels, but the AHJ will be the final arbiter. While instrumentation is readily available to conduct intelligibility measurements for life safety systems, only qualified staff are currently allowed to conduct the actual measurements.

As an acoustical engineer, how do you design to that standard?

For the most part, acoustics is not considered to be life safety, life structural or fire safety. However, an acoustical engineer would look at the architectural design of the space. That is going to have the greatest impact on the intelligibility of the room once you get past the device placement. These factors are usually going to be the quantity and types of finishes that go in the room. Background noise can have an effect on it, but usually the fire enunciators are capable of providing a signal high enough to overcome background noise in most spaces. The only time you would not be able to do that is in a large space like a stadium, where it would work better if the annunciation/evacuation system is tied into the house sound system, which uses large, professional-grade loudspeakers. Typically, the fire system is a separate entity.

Placement of devices, on the other hand, depends upon the room size and the ceiling height. For a low ceiling, you place them closer together. But for a high ceiling, the typical approach is to put more devices into that space in hopes that the extra devices will make up for the poor acoustic design. The intelligibility from an acoustics/voice standpoint in the room design, meaning the volume, the finishes and background noises in the space, all have proportional implications.

Do more units offer greater intelligibility?

Not necessarily, but if you have them closer to people, then it can because you don’t have to drive the signal as loud and still retain a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio. It’s somewhat analogous to headphones; when you put headphones on, you will hear a lot more clearly. This approach will require more speakers in order to maintain decent sound level uniformity over the speaker’s coverage area without having to overdrive the signal to meet audibility requirements. But this design approach is better able to compensate for acoustically challenged spaces that typically exhibit poor intelligibility due to the space’s inability to absorb sound as it propagates around the room. If you put acoustically absorptive finishes in the room, then this sound is more likely to get absorbed. By the time it arrives back to the people, it will be at such a level that it won’t matter anymore.

Are there any tools that you use to help with design issues?

There are 3D modeling programs typically used by audiovisual professionals that assist in predicting a number of acoustic attributes within a defined space, including intelligibility, but these programs have not traditionally been applied to emergency evacuation systems. For this to happen, life safety manufacturers will have to begin to offer modeling data for their speaker devices.

How does the issue of intelligibility differ in a healthcare setting?

Healthcare is a bit more acoustically challenging because of the desire for microbial-resistant finishes, which typical sound absorptive materials, such as fiberglass, do not possess. However, proper space planning and the introduction of new “green” sound absorptive materials can help to mitigate distracting noise that occurs from activities and equipment.

A joint sub-committee, the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE), is trying to pass a guideline: Sound and Vibration Design Guidelines for Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities. This guideline is not directed to fire and life safety A/V devices and does not mention NFPA 72 or voice emergency systems. It primarily addresses the criteria that would make the facility most beneficial to the patient by reducing the noise level while they are trying to recuperate.

Q. What does a fire safety consultant do?

A. We provide plan review services for municipalities, building owners, architects and engineers. We review the building and/or the fire protection plans, specifications and hydraulic calculations for strict compliance with state and local codes. Additionally, we provide complete building code consulting, site review and inspection services, seminars, fire service planning and management, and fire investigations.

Fire consultants inspect and witness both new and existing fire protection/building code system testing. We will typically perform a cursory site visit, prepare a proposal for the work to be performed and contact the local code official for more information. For municipalities, for example, we inspect the systems for compliance with required codes and approved plans. Then we provide the municipality with a report on the inspections, tests performed and recommendations.

Q. What does a report usually contain?

A. A report outlines actions needed to meet requirements about any code issues related to fire protection or fire protection systems and good fire protection practices. Fire consultants’ reports normally will outline options available and explain each of them fully, including their financial impact.

Q. What types of inspections and tests are required in fire inspections?

A. The required tests and inspections depend on the type of system(s) that are present in the project or occupancy. The plan review letter details the required tests that must be scheduled for each type of system that has been submitted for approval.

Q. What is the sequence for the required tests and inspections in buildings with multiple systems?

A. During site work, the underground fire service water main is completed and tested first. Once the underground has been flushed for both the clean water sample and the required NFPA 24 flush test, the sprinkler system can be connected to the lateral feed main. Then the fire sprinkler system hydrostatic test and rough inspection takes place. The fire alarm system acceptance test is performed when the system is installed and connected to the monitoring agency. Commercial kitchen wet chemical systems, FM200 systems and dry chemical systems can be inspected and tested whenever they are completed. Final inspections on all systems then verify full operation at the time of occupancy.

Q. What suggestions do you have for contractors and installers to make the process go more smoothly?

A. First, get a copy of the latest NFPA 72. There are useful, reproducible forms in the annex, such as submittals, testing forms and the latest information on the decibel requirements. In many renovations or additions, voltage calculations should be addressed. Make sure the voltage to the new area meets requirements. Caution should be used not to overload the system. The audibility at the end of the line could vary as much as 20 dB or more.

Recently, we determined that the smoke/fire detection system for a five-story high-rise with multiple wings and hundreds of units did not meet audibility requirements. Almost the entire building had to be rewired.

Q. How do you prevent such a problem from happening?

Companies such as ours can provide the up-front review of drawings before the actual work begins. We strongly suggest this before submitting to the Authority Having Jurisdiction. Also, allow for new technologies in your plans, and submit complete and accurate plans with as much information as possible. Check for obsolescence of upgrades of existing detectors or alarms. Rapid changes occur regularly in the industry.

Q. How much do inspections typically cost? Who is responsible to pay inspection costs?

Costs depend on the jurisdiction and the fees paid for the plan review. In some cases, the plan review fee includes one or two site inspections. If more than two site visits are required for system(s) approval, additional fees may be required based on an hourly rate.

Typically, the contractor is responsible for all costs associated with site work. If additional fees are required for field work, the responsible party must pay those fees in advance unless other arrangements are made.

Q. How much responsibility does the architect assume for life-safety matters?

King: The architect leads the design, and the engineer follows up with the details. The engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of making sure there is adequate egress lighting and signage and that they are powered correctly. The location of these elements is up to the architect.

Q. Who is responsible for code compliance?

King: It depends on the components. For example, lighting has to be compliant with the National Electrical Code®. Therefore, the engineer would be in charge. In terms of suppression, you would have a licensed professional designing the sprinkler system. Both of these items are outside the scope of the architect’s work, but overall compliance with the building code is the architect’s job.

Q. Are clients more concerned with initial cost or operation/maintenance cost?

Wells: That varies. Clients with low operating budgets are typically willing to pay more upfront for lower operational costs, whereas others are less concerned with the long-term operating costs and are more concerned with the initial cost. We try to determine which approach is most desirable for the individual client. The duration of the lease, the life cycle of the equipment specified for the space, and the initial capital spending available are a few factors that need to be analyzed to determine the appropriate specifics for the design.

Q. Will owners who plan to keep the building spend more money initially for greater savings in operation and maintenance?

King: That’s true. And then there are some who plan some obsolescence into their development and they add more time for that cost over the life of the space. It really is not that significant to them.

Q. What if you could cut 40 percent current draw from the fire notification device circuit?

King: In terms of the overall building, it really is not a significant amount. But at the end of the day, savings add up. You need to take a holistic approach. Even if it is more expensive, sometimes the expense is minimal in terms of what the building could achieve in the long run with energy savings.

Q. Do larger retailers tend to build their own facilities or take over space?

King: It’s a mix. It can vary from location. You might have the same retailer in different locations go into a strip mall or stay in their own box. It’s really location, location, location.

Q. Do the larger retailers usually rent or own their facilities?

King: Both. It just depends on the location and the availability of property. If there is not much land available, they’ll go into an existing facility or have it built to suit their needs.

Q. What do you recommend when a client is looking to take over existing space?

Wells: The space should be appropriate for the proposed use in terms of construction classification and square footage. The function and proposed floor plan should be reviewed to ensure that the suppression system and fire alarm system are adequate and to determine whether redesign of the items will be necessary. The building codes have several requirements: providing lit exits, lights on battery packs that provide a path to the nearest exit and minimum travel distance to the nearest exit. The design should provide a clearly evident means of egress. Clear identification of egress paths is vital because patrons may be unfamiliar with the space. Some factors for egress design consideration include size, clarity, lighting and signage.

King: There are a lot of factors that could be involved based on the differing uses. Think of an Internet café, which would have a wide, open space, versus a craft store that could have a lot more shelves, material and flammable elements. You may need to have a suppression system engineered, depending on how the store is laid out. Or, you may need additional smoke detectors to trigger the alarms. You definitely need a design professional to evaluate the space.

Q. At what point should building space be evaluated? What are the code implications?

King: The time to review and evaluate a facility is when you are doing alterations to an existing facility. In Ohio, you do not have to bring the whole building up to current standards, depending on the scope of the work you’re doing. It really is an interpretation by the building official. Design professionals with experience have a feel for what will be permissible and what will not be.

Q. What do you do to prevent false alarms? How do false alarms affect your clients and your business?

Wells: The detection and notification systems should be maintained. Facility operations should budget funds for adequate testing and maintenance of these systems. Designers should locate these items appropriately and ensure installation is tamper proof. It is important that the designers provide systems that operations can maintain. Businesses are exposed to shrinkage due to false alarms.

A. Yes. We cover the NFPA requirements and how they relate to real-life situations, and we discuss how to interpret or understand what the NFPA says.

Q. What is new and what has changed over the past 5, 10 and 20 years?

A. Going back a little bit further, I would say 30 years ago, sprinkler protection was installed primarily to protect the property with no expectations or thoughts about life safety. In the ’80s with the adoption of ADA, the industry began to focus more on life safety in more applications. Ten years ago, sprinklers became important for protection of life and property. Smoke detection and fire alarms became more of a design criteria, specifically for evacuation.

Within the past five years, I think most of the building standards have been written with the assumption that fire sprinklers are in place. With fire sprinklers, you reduce the requirements for wider corridors and the number and size of exits. A fully sprinkled building is much different than one that is not, which is good and bad alike, in my opinion.

Q. Tell us the first steps you take to design the fire- and life-safety system for a building that is going to be renovated for a completely different use.

A. I think the most important step is understanding what the impact of changing the use will be, especially when you are changing the building for healthcare use. There can be substantial code implications.

In other cases, if a building owner is making a lot of changes, the occupancy of a building could be altered. The owner might think of it as just tearing out a wall here or there, but you really have to consider the big picture and understand the overall scope and magnitude of the project.

The other thing that is really a key — and unfortunately, it is not done enough because it is very simple, especially related to fire-protection systems — is giving the local building department and fire department a call. Ask them not only what major codes they follow, but what ordinances they’ve adopted that might vary a little bit from major codes. That’s one of biggest stumbling blocks I see when engineers are not brought in for a job.

For example, the City of Chicago has things they like to have done in a certain way. City officials even wrote their own code about it. But outside of the city, every municipality has little variations of things that they require based on their ordinances.

Q. At what point in the project are your services required?

A. We’re normally brought in during the planning or pre-design stages when building owners are still brainstorming the big picture. I think that is the most important time in the project. During the planning stages when you’re trying to pull budgets together, before you get to a detailed design, you have to develop the right concepts and define the general scope. This way, everyone understands what the project is going to entail from the very beginning.

During the design phase, everything is just words and lines on a piece of paper. Changing the general scope can be very simple. You have the time to go to the authorities and review the plans with them. That’s when we can be influential by explaining to the code authorities what the plan is and how we will meet code.

As long as the plan and the code align, we have a project that should be successful. If there are gaps somewhere, or if there’s some point where the two aren’t on the same page, the design phase is the best time to make corrections. All it might cost is a few clicks on a computer to change things around.

If those errors continue and they are caught during construction, or worse, after the building has been built, a fix that could have been a few dollars in the beginning is now a very substantial change-order in the construction process.

Q. Does the emergence of more national players in the building industry present a problem in complying with local codes?

A. I think so. We’ll see property management companies come in and because they manage all these big buildings, they will have a good understanding of the national codes, but not the local code. Even if you did it that way in XYZ city, it doesn’t mean you can necessarily do those things the same way in the local area. This is true especially in large markets like Chicago or New York. While it may parallel the national code, there may be a lot of minor changes, mainly because that is what the local trades have seen and that is what they are comfortable with.

Q. How does the design-build process affect your work?

A. Design-build is advantageous, especially for building owners because what you are doing, then, is you are getting an engineer involved early. An engineer helps the building owner or property manager define the expectations of the project.

Obviously, you start with the code as a minimum. But a lot of times, there are elements that building owners want: small upgrades that could have big property impacts, but low dollar impacts if incorporated into the specifications.

From there, the design-builder takes the job and runs with it. They are able to create some efficiencies because they know the requirements of the project. They know what the code says, and they know what the owner is looking for beyond code. But how they get the end-result is really up to them and how they take advantage of the efficiencies. All the time, energy and money that a design-build contractor can save on a job while still meeting the requirements of the project is money in their pocket. That means they’re going to do the best they can to deliver the best product, but in the most efficient, cost-effective manner. Design-build is a good way to go. It gives the owner the most cost-effective solution.

Q. A functional, cost-effective building is always the goal, right?

A. It really is. It’s about maintaining that balance. The nice thing about being involved with the design is that sometimes there is a big wish list that owners want. There is sometimes a misconception about what fire protection systems can and cannot do. By working with the owner early, we can make sure there are no misunderstandings about what the final product will be. Again, when it’s words and lines on a piece of paper, changes are easy and cheap. But if the contractor installs the system, and then the owner says, “I thought this was going to happen, and that has to happen,” well, it’s a little late in the ball game to realize that.

Q. How do you manage fire safety in more than 270 facilities?

A. The size of the district does create challenges. South Florida is continually growing. We’ve added 20 new schools in the past eight years and expanded another 40.We also use more than 2,000 modular buildings for classrooms. Our facilities department oversees the majority of this new and renovated construction, and all aspects of life safety are managed through a coordinated effort among the physical plant operations, facilities, and internal building and safety departments.

Needless to say, it’s a large task and communication is the key. Maintaining multiple technologies is another constant challenge due to the diversity and age of the fire-alarm systems in our facilities. Fortunately, several of our department technicians are NICET certified, and all are factory trained on a variety of manufacturers’ technologies: Simplex, NOTIFIER, FCI and Fire-Lite. We have, therefore, become an all-inclusive service organization and can address the majority of service issues internally. Coordinating with all these departments, we formulate strategies that allow us not only to address current service issues, but also to move our fire- and life-safety systems into the 21st century.

Q. What are some of your team’s technical challenges?

A. One of the biggest technical obstacles is integrating multiple systems from various manufacturers so all systems function as a single unit. Staying current with ever-changing fire alarm technologies is also a challenge, so we work diligently with our equipment suppliers to identify trends to keep us current. We attempt to identify equipment that is nearing the end of its lifecycle so that we can upgrade to newer, more modern equipment.

An equally important issue is maintaining system integrity, which is paramount when you have multiple people working on the same system. In addition to our large staff, we have numerous vendors that work on our systems. Any time someone accesses our systems, we are responsible for ensuring the systems remain fully operational and that building occupants are safe at all times.

Q. What system features do you look for to meet those challenges?

A. It is important that the system is user-friendly; both school-based staff and maintenance personnel need to understand the life-safety systems. When we construct a new building at an existing campus, we might have to combine intelligent technology with hardwire technology, and it must appear seamless to the end user. We also have about eight to 10 networked fire-alarm systems and expect to install more of them. This technology seems to be the trend in the industry.

Q. Have Broward County Schools had any major fires?

A. We haven’t run into anything that we weren’t able to resolve with early detection. For example, there are certain areas of a building our systems cannot supervise through manpower or CCTV, such as restrooms. Actually, the highest fire incidents occur in restrooms because they are unsupervised by our systems. Based on this fire incident data, our safety department requires us to install detectors in all group restrooms with tamper-proof covers. We’ve had our group restroom incidents and end-of-year pranks, but we haven’t had any permanent damage to buildings, and nothing has gone undetected. We’ve been able to put out all small fires with minimal damage.

In fact, we’ve lost more time to hurricanes than any fire incident. When Hurricane Wilma hit (in 2005), Broward County looked like a war zone, but the schools were opened and occupied in less than two weeks. That’s a major accomplishment. Every fire-alarm system was checked and operable before students were permitted to return. We had to respond with, literally, truckloads of new batteries for the systems because the power had been out for several days.

Q. That must have taken a lot of time and energy to get back up to code, given the size of the district.

A. Due to the devastation that occurred countywide, there were many factors that needed to be addressed before the facilities could be reopened. The entire staff of physical plant operations came together and worked non-stop for 15 days until all buildings were deemed safe. I cannot say enough about all of the people who worked tirelessly until our district was re-opened and serving the community again.

Q. What are some of the ways your district exceeds code?

A. Being familiar with the tendencies of our students, we have installed pull station covers with sounders to deter any false alarms. In regard to notification appliances, System Sensor was instrumental in making the equipment vandal-resistant when we communicated our needs to them. We also put a smoke detector within 10 feet of all stoves that are in classrooms. It’s important for us to find new ways to become proactive. Exceeding minimum code is only one of those ways.

In addition to meeting NFPA guidelines, we developed a construction specification that includes other device requirements, and it is included in all new construction. One other way we exceed minimum code is by discontinuing the use of heat detectors and installing smoke detectors everywhere, except where environmentally prohibitive, which provides us with earlier detection.

Q. Are your fire systems integrated with other building systems, such as HVAC or security?

A. In regard to HVAC, we use general alarm control functions throughout all our buildings. We shut down all gas, air handlers, et cetera, on every alarm. We are, however, discussing more selective control. We have one high school with more than 5,000 students and four different buildings. We want to avoid releasing 5,000 students simultaneously due to security reasons and are looking into selective evacuation control with this particular facility. This has been approved by the local authority having jurisdiction in conjunction with our safety department.

Initially, there hasn’t been much integration of other building systems technologies, but as technology changes and bandwidth increases, we probably will include other systems, specifically security and CCTV. If Homeland Security puts a school in lock-down mode, and the fire-alarm system goes off, we are developing a process to follow. We need to refine and address this.

Q. Do schools in general receive the necessary resources to implement high-quality fire- and life-safety systems?

A. I know for a fact that Broward schools do. Our PPO management team and safety department are committed to ensuring the effectiveness of our systems – new and old. We are highly respected by neighboring school systems and have provided them direction on ways to improve their systems. As for Broward County schools, we are compliant in every way possible. We make repairs immediately and try to identify equipment that might become obsolete so that it can be upgraded before a critical failure occurs. There is no sense of avoidance on our part. We take whatever means necessary to exceed minimum code when possible. We have to protect a huge amount of property and people, and we all take it very seriously. Not repairing something related to fire safety is not an option.

Q. If you could offer one piece of advice to other districts, what would it be?

A. Establish and maintain strong relationships with manufacturers and their distributors. The equipment manufacturers are on the forefront of fire-alarm technology, and forging partnerships with them makes us better prepared to implement these new technologies. For example, we have been very well received by System Sensor and value that relationship. They help provide the resources we need to get the job done.

Q. What are the current life-safety requirements for educational facilities in Illinois?

A. It is mandated in Illinois that every 10 years schools are required to have life-safety surveys performed on their buildings. It often takes several years to get all the various school districts through the 10-year cycle. I’m sure there are a wide variety of programs designed to achieve the same goals in different states (see “Fire- and Life-Safety Requirements for K-12 Schools by State”).

Q. Is there a standard life-safety survey that you must follow?

A. Yes, Illinois has a standard protocol developed by the state board of education that we follow and submit (downloadable at www.isbe.state.il.us/construction/health_safety). Sometimes the district will ask us to go above and beyond what we’re doing in the life-safety survey. In other words, while we’re in looking for life-safety issues in the school building, we would also look for other issues that would not be funded by life-safety money, but require some attention and maintenance — for example, tuck-pointing on a building. Some districts want us to look at everything that they might be facing with their building in terms of future capital maintenance problems because there are a lot of other things that need attention in a building every year.

Q. How long do life-safety surveys usually take?

A. There is some field work involved because the architect is required to prepare a base plan for the school, which shows the location of all the exits and fire-safety devices. We have to research all that, and then we generally put the information in an AutoCAD (computer-aided design) electronic file. That’s the way most districts want it. If the district already has good drawings in hand, then it’s not that big of a time issue. Otherwise, it can create a lot of work measuring up the school and making a drawing of it.

It usually takes about 30 days to do the actual survey. Then it has to be presented to the owner for review and to the board of education for final approval. The whole process generally takes 90 days.

Q. At what point in the process do you make recommendations to the school?

A. After the board of education accepts the survey report, the next step is for the architect to specifically state what the recommended projects are. These recommendations are then submitted to the state to obtain approval for use of life-safety funds to proceed with the projects.

Q. How does a school typically address any life-safety problems discovered by your survey?

A. When items are discovered that need to be addressed, they are what we call amendments to the life-safety survey. In other words, the survey itself describes the condition of the school building. Then the architect writes amendments to identify items that need to be corrected. The life-safety survey is like a benchmark for the health of the facility — similar to your annual physical. It is part of a continuous process that includes interaction between the architect and the school district every year in between the years we survey.

Q. How are amendments prioritized for each school building?

A. An amendment is listed on the survey as either an A-, B- or C-level item. An A-level item requires immediate attention; B is a must-do item, but one that could be done within three years; and C is an item that is discretionary, funded by life-safety dollars, but not a threat to health or safety. An example of a C-level item is a roof-replacement project. A roof replacement might have other implications, however, because, what does a leaky roof mean in a school building? It means mold. And then that’s a health problem. So the roof project might move up in priority to a B-level item.

Q. Once life-safety funding is approved for a project, what is the next step?

A. At that point, we create the drawings, put the project out for bid and the lowest qualified bidder proceeds with the work. After the work is completed, we do the inspection and sign off on it. We don’t actually get involved in the project work; we’re involved in securing the contracting groups to do that work.

Q. What is the general condition of smoke detection and alarm systems in the schools you have surveyed within the past few years?

A. The facilities of our clients have been in compliance with rare minor exceptions. Most school districts recognize the importance of these systems and have made a good effort over the past five years to update these systems to current technology. We have seen a marked increase in the number of total system replacements in the past three years. Smoke detection and fire-alarm systems are annually tested and certified. Many are older systems that still function well. Coverage and location of the devices is prescribed per Health/Life Safety Code for Public Schools.

Q. What types of fire-safety issues have you encountered that are unique to school life-safety projects?

A. School facilities are generally similar and abide by the same requirements. One issue we have seen is the question of how many detectors are required in a library. This seems to be the topic of some debate among local code officials and engineers.

In a related issue, Illinois state legislation recently has required sprinkler systems to be installed in all new school buildings and major additions. For a long time, school buildings were not required to have sprinklers. That’s a major step forward and that happened within the past five years.

Q. How does your work with schools differ from that of an architect in the private sector?

A. As a school architect, you really have to be a specialist in school life-safety issues in order to keep up with the changes, understand the processes and advise the owners. It is distinctly different from what the private sector architect would be involved with. It truly is a specialty.

Q. How do retail facilities, in terms of life safety, differ from other types of facilities?

A. There is rapid initial build-up. Everything is done to the building shell and the common space in a short amount of time. In covered-mall buildings, you must be able to activate and commission all building systems, including the fire-protection and life-safety systems, outside of the tenant spaces and then allow for continuing changes to tenant spaces due to the build-out sequences typically seen in fast-paced retail projects. That requires a lot of coordination with the owner and various design teams, but you must know everyone is on the same page and the system is free of trouble when the grand opening occurs.

Another difference is the flexibility that is built into the fire-alarm system to allow future tenant build-outs and expansion without affecting the operation of other tenants and the main covered-mall building. You need a solid and flexible backbone for your fire-alarm system to add devices to the circuits without having to re-wire or change software.

Q. Can you give examples of others?

A. A fire-alarm system that meets the minimum requirements may not be truly effective. It has to fit with the unique building situation. It’s hard to rank factors that should be addressed, but certainly, beyond code, we look at initial cost for the equipment, as well as installation and maintenance. You have to consider the life span of the system: Will it serve the building as long as it needs to? What about retrofitting to expand the facility?

Q. What other factors go into designing a life-safety system?

A. You have to be concerned about the owners’ preferences for design and the aesthetics of the building. You also have to consider the systems you’re integrating, relative to other features. For instance, are you using sprinkler protection to gain flexibility with extended-travel distance or interior finish? You have to consider those give-and-take elements in the codes and standards and how each system is going to impact the overall system. There are also performance-based fire-safety designs that require specific suppression thresholds, egress times, fire containment or smoke-spread issues. These additional factors need to be taken into account and coordinated with the intelligence gathered during a building fire emergency by the fire detection and alarm systems.

Q. What would you recommend to an independent, medium-sized company taking over space for its retail operation?

A .It’s important to compare the existing system to your fire-protection goals and objectives. Obtain original design documentation — things like shop drawings. Oftentimes, all you may have on file are the design drawings, which can be dramatically different from what is in the building.

Do a gap analysis to determine cost before moving into the facility. For instance, a building has A, B and C elements in the fire-alarm system. Then you determine,“I need to upgrade A and maybe add D and E elements.” Once you figure out what you have and where you need to go, you can plan what you need to do to get there.

It is also important to know the specification to which devices were installed and if any violation notices have been filed with the local code official. Know what you are getting into — that might be the reason the space is vacated. Find out if the systems have been tested and maintained. Get those test results from the prior owner, or maybe the local code official has them on file.

Q. After a retailer takes over space, what should they be concerned about?

A. Retailers can do things that trigger upgrade requirements to the system. A good example would be what the Life Safety Code® calls a bulk-merchandising retail facility — or “big box” retail stores where you not only have highly piled merchandise, you’re locating your stock and displays in the same area. You don’t have a back-of-house, per se, or a warehouse section. You are bringing more of a hazard closer to the occupants. That needs to be considered in the fire-alarm and sprinkler system designs.

The type of stock on display can also alter requirements. For big-box stores, you have everything from pottery to lawn mowers to pool chemicals, so it’s important to look at the types of merchandise and where it is located. Think about things like, “Is standard protection going to be adequate, or do I need additional detection or specific detection devices?” That depends on the fire effects of the merchandise, the storage arrays present, and many other factors such as loss tolerances and specific fire test results on the commodity.

Also, consider the impact of re-locating merchandise. If you had chemicals in the northeast section of the building and you moved them to another section of the building, you may not have adequate protection because the sprinkler system, ceiling heights, obstructions and storage arrangement may be different. The same goes for fire detection. A beam smoke detector may work perfectly for a given situation, versus a spot detector, but if you change merchandise around, that may no longer offer adequate protection or it may increase false alarms.

Q. What are the effects of false alarms in a retail setting?

A. The direct effects are fines and penalties for the amount of false alarms. Business interruption is obviously another impact. One of the indirect results is occupant complacency. The more we hear alarms, the less likely we are to respond. This is actually quite common in retail facilities. People do not rush to the exits when they hear an alarm, especially in covered-mall buildings. People typically stand around and look to see where the fire is. They are looking for response from other people as a trigger for them to get out of the building. That’s why voice-communication systems are so important. Give people instruction — verbal instruction — that says, “There’s a fire in the building. Please move to the nearest exit and out of the building.” In large occupant situations, it is a significant benefit to provide instructions that can direct people to move out of the building. The more information occupants can understand, the better their response.

Q. How do you prevent false alarms?

A. You can’t prevent false alarms completely. There’s never going to be a way to fully prevent them, but there are means to reduce unwanted alarms. First of all, you need to properly design and install the fire-alarm system. Use appropriate devices such as multi-sensor detectors that look for a specific fire signature. Proper installation is a must — if you are not installing the way the manufacturer recommends, you will have more false alarms. It’s important to properly commission the fire-alarm system. Properly maintain and test your fire-protection systems — I can’t stress this enough. Stay on top of your maintenance and routine testing required by codes and standards.

Q. What about field-proven performance on new technologies?

A. For fire alarm or sprinkler systems, it’s important to have market recognition for certain technologies and systems. It’s similar to not wanting to drive the first model year of a car. You want to see what kind of advantages or disadvantages come about from that system or technology or what potential problems show up after the system has been out and in full use in real life applications for a while. It also helps to get buy-in from an owner who has to pay for the system and from the local authorities having jurisdiction that have to approve it.