System Sensor Reducing Evacuation Time The Role of Directional Sounders

June 2007 Paper Evacuation Time Role of Directional Sounders Evacuation Time The Role of Directional Sounders is important to quickly exit a building during a re because minutes seconds could mean the difference between life and death A re system plays a crucial role in alerting people to a potential threat once an occupant has made the decision to evacuate the re alarm to ful ll a function It is up to the occupants to nd their way of the building They need to know how to quickly locate the nearest buildings use visual means to identify exits usually signage which easily be obscured by smoke As a result the signs lose their value a guide In addition the signs have little or no value to the visually What is needed is an audible exit sign one which provides direction for building evacuation Challenges is imperative that evacuation times be decreased during a re emergency order to reduce or eliminate loss of life and or injuries Today re alarm notify occupants to evacuate or relocate via noti cation appliances or evacuation messaging however various situations can delay or hinder or relocation most building occupants do not start evacuation immediately partly due public apathy Also most people will try to determine what is happening evacuating human behavioral studies show that occupants tend to exit a building the same door they entered usually the front door This is rarely the exit partly because this is the way everyone else is exiting so the is crowded and movement is slowed Occupants may avoid nearby re exits because of their reluctance to open a door they have never used and of their fear of not knowing where the door leads As a result not all exits are utilized egress routes in most buildings are identi ed by visual means such as signage which is often obscured even when smoke levels are low And has little or no value to those with impaired vision Also traditional can be dif cult to spot in visually cluttered areas such as airports shopping malls where exit signs have to compete with numerous other Another problem with traditional visual signs is that they may become to occupants who have seen the signage frequently As a result may fail to use them in emergency situations Sensor Advanced Ideas Advanced Solutions Evacuation Time The Role of Directional Sounders an Obvious Solution became clear to System Sensor that reliance upon visual means is not good in modern evacuation practice Another means to locate exits must used and the obvious solution was sound Trials have shown that using speeds evacuation horns or voice evacuation speakers over exit doors is not the answer occupants would not be able to locate them Standard alarms and use narrowband sound which is excellent for alerting people to but are dif cult to locate However tests show that directional which employs broadband low mid and high frequency sounds can pinpointed by the human ear Sensor solution is ExitPoint a self ampli ed speaker which produces pulsating noise consisting of broadband low mid and high sounds The noise makes it possible for those in the building to determine the location of the sound even if they are unfamiliar with the building or the exit signs are obscured by smoke which was improved in Spring 2007 now also includes voice The device is capable of playing a recorded alert message which occupants of the action to take as they approach an ExitPoint device instructions include up down of refuge or ExitPoint has a total of 15 single and combination language choices English English Spanish and English French device features a number of eld selectable power settings has a low le compact design and is aesthetically pleasing The ExitPoint PF24V sounder has an optional disable feature for use in conjunction a relay module or heat sensor It is listed to UL 464 solution to faster evacuation is System Sensor ExitPoint with Voice the newest concept in re safety The innovative device makes it for occupants even those who have never before heard an ExitPoint to react quickly and con dently using ExitPoint consistently show an improvement of up to 75 percent evacuation times in smoky conditions and up to 35 percent when smoke not present This reduction in evacuation times could mean the difference life and death for a building occupant caught in a perilous and situation Sensor Advanced Ideas Advanced Solutions Evacuation Time The Role of Directional Sounders information regarding ExitPoint Sounders from System Sensor contact Sensor Ohio Avenue Charles Illinois 60174 1 800 SENSOR2 6 07 1790 Sensor Advanced Ideas Advanced Solutions