This self-paced online course covers details the requirements and operations of Emergency Voice and Alarm Communications Systems (EVACS) and the requirements for these systems in the 1999 Edition of NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code.

Upon completion you should be able to:

• Describe an EVACS
• Understand when an EVACS is required
• Outline the elements that might be included in an EVACS system, including amplifiers, tone generators, logic for complex switching decisions, storage media for recorded messages, microphone, and speaker circuit controls
• Outline the responsibilities of the incident commander (IC)
• Describe the elements of a fire command center (FCC), including location and physical requirements of the FCC and for two-way communication systems linking the FCC and emergency responders
• Define the concept of EVACS survivability and outline survivability requirements for an EVACS

Who Will Benefit

Anyone whose job involves designing, reviewing, evaluating or installing fire protection systems, including: designers, installers, engineers, electrical contractors, technicians, project managers, fire marshals, and architects

Course Summary

Definition

• An emergency voice alarm communications system is a dedicated manual or automatic fire alarm system for the origination and distribution of voice instructions, alert tones, and evacuation signals to the occupants of a building during a fire emergency.
• Only those voice systems installed to initiate the partial or selective evacuation or relocation of building occupants are considered to be�emergency voice alarm communications systems.

System Design

• In addition to the normal control equipment used for a fire alarm system, the controls for an emergency voice alarm communications system includes some or all of the following:
  • Amplifiers
  • Tone generators
  • Logic for complex switching decisions
  • Storage media for recorded messages
  • Microphone
  • Speaker circuit controls
• The voice messages transmitted over an EVACS may be either pre-recorded or live.

Fire Command Center

• Each emergency voice alarm communications system typically requires a fire command center (FCC). The fire command center is generally used by the fire department incident commander (IC) as a command post during the fire. From the FCC the incident commander can:
  • Control communications within the building
    
  • Track the progress of fire suppression operations
  • Monitor the status of the fire protection and life safety systems in the building
• The fire command center must be provided at the building entrance or other location approved by the authority having jurisdiction.
• In some cases, the fire command center is combined with control centers for other building operations, such as security or building system management.
• In addition to providing a method of transmitting messages to the building occupants, some EVACS are designed to provide two-way communication between the fire command center and emergency responders in the building.
• These two-way communication circuits are intended primarily for use by the public fire department, but may also be used by civilian fire wardens.