Fire alarm one-way voice evacuation speakers in dwelling units

[Tainted]

I am designing a fire alarm system for a residential apartment building.

In NYC you are required to put speakers in dwelling units if the building is over 75ft tall.

What is a good rule of thumb for placement and spacing of speakers? Do you need one in every room?

What decibel levels do I need to achieve?

 

[gadfly56]

I am designing a fire alarm system for a residential apartment building.

In NYC you are required to put speakers in dwelling units if the building is over 75ft tall.

What is a good rule of thumb for placement and spacing of speakers? Do you need one in every room?

What decibel levels do I need to achieve?

Generally, we place them above or adjacent to the entry door. There is usually no additional requirements for system connected notification in the dwelling units.

 

[Tainted]

Generally, we place them above or adjacent to the entry door. There is usually no additional requirements for system connected notification in the dwelling units.

I wasn't talking about temporal 3 speakers. I was talking about voice evacuation speaker when FDNY picks up the mic by the building entrance and tells people to evacuate. (one way voice) Specifically this section of building code 907.5.2.2

 

[gadfly56]

I wasn't talking about temporal 3 speakers. I was talking about voice evacuation speaker when FDNY picks up the mic by the building entrance and tells people to evacuate. (one way voice) Specifically this section of building code 907.5.2.2

View attachment 2579005

I was actually talking about speakers. We have a Jersey City 26-floor residential high-rise with this arrangement. It is usually much easier to throw in a fire alarm voice system speaker than try to get the building intercom approved by the FD. The next intercom I see that's UL864 certified will be my first.

 

[Tainted]

I was actually talking about speakers. We have a Jersey City 26-floor residential high-rise with this arrangement. It is usually much easier to throw in a fire alarm voice system speaker than try to get the building intercom approved by the FD. The next intercom I see that's UL864 certified will be my first.

The difference is in New Jersey they don't require the speaker to be in dwelling units for one-way voice like NYC does

 

[gadfly56]

The difference is in New Jersey they don't require the speaker to be in dwelling units for one-way voice like NYC does

While technically true, Jersey City has pursued this as a "policy" looking for "voluntary" compliance. Again, if you need one-way voice to the dwelling units, do it with the fire alarm system. Unless you are talking about being able to do one apartment at a time. That's still doable with fire alarm voice, just more expensive. Better to do it a floor at a time, which is what you want anyway.

 

[Tainted]

While technically true, Jersey City has pursued this as a "policy" looking for "voluntary" compliance. Again, if you need one-way voice to the dwelling units, do it with the fire alarm system. Unless you are talking about being able to do one apartment at a time. That's still doable with fire alarm voice, just more expensive. Better to do it a floor at a time, which is what you want anyway.

I am doing it with fire alarm. Thing that sucks is that it's an existing building and putting speakers in existing dwelling units is going to be invasive and piss off a lot of people. I am not sure if it's required in kitchens, bathrooms or even bedrooms since it does not say where to put them in dwelling units.

 

[gadfly56]

I am doing it with fire alarm. Thing that sucks is that it's an existing building and putting speakers in existing dwelling units is going to be invasive and piss off a lot of people. I am not sure if it's required in kitchens, bathrooms or even bedrooms since it does not say where to put them in dwelling units.

The IBC/NYC requirement is hazy in my mind, but I believe it was to accommodate one and only one device, location decided by the AHJ. We don't do many, and no one so far has kicked about it being near the door to the apartment.

 

[Tainted]

The IBC/NYC requirement is hazy in my mind, but I believe it was to accommodate one and only one device, location decided by the AHJ. We don't do many, and no one so far has kicked about it being near the door to the apartment.

I might just do one for now and send it to FDNY for review after plans are done. If they want more, I will add more.