Code for outdoor installation of non-fire emergency strobes

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Debi

New User
Location
NY/NJ
Looking to find information on code or standards for non-fire emergency strobes that will be used outside buildings as a visual alert that the building is in lock down. The strobes will not be tied to the fire alarm. I am specifically looking for mounting height and synchronization requirements. Any help would be appreciated
 

mgookin

Senior Member
Location
Fort Myers, FL
Hi Debi and welcome to the forum.

That's a new one to me but I've been out of the business for a while. I can tell you though as far as synchronization, synchronizing strobes is to inhibit an epilyptic person from going into a seizure. We started doing that around 20 years ago. I think it became code about 15 years ago. Even strobes on many firetrucks are synchronized today (police may or may not catch on some day).

As to mounting height, I'd think the same as your fire notification appliance would be reasonable, but again, I've never dealt with that type of notification appliance for that purpose. I'll suggest you contact whoever required it in the plans or specifications to provide guidance on the installation. An RFI may be in order.

Does it call for a white strobe? Maybe a blue strobe in a blue box would be less confusing? I know if my kid was in that school and I saw what I perceived to be a fire alarm notification appliance in alarm mode I'd use whatever force necessary to get in there and get my kid, and with a building on lockdown and an armed cop on the other side of that door ready to shoot, that might be a very bad situation.
 
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