What We Install
- Voice evacuation amplifiers and control equipment integrated with fire alarm control panels
- Listed fire alarm speakers rated for voice intelligibility in corridors, large open areas, and high-ambient-noise environments
- Emergency telephone and firefighter telephone systems for high-rise and large-facility applications
- Pre-recorded message storage and playback equipment with automatic trigger from fire alarm conditions
- Live paging microphone stations for staff-initiated announcements and emergency communications
- Multi-zone amplifier routing and switching for selective or building-wide notification
- Auxiliary input interfaces for integration with building management and security systems
NFPA 72 Chapter 24 Requirements
NFPA 72 Chapter 24 establishes the technical requirements for Emergency Communication Systems (ECS), which include voice evacuation systems, mass notification systems, and in-building mass notification systems. Key requirements that affect commercial facilities in Greater Houston include:
- Voice evacuation messages must achieve a minimum Speech Transmission Index (STI) of 0.45 at the point of highest occupant density in each notification zone
- Fire alarm signal priority — fire alarm signals must take priority over all other system functions including paging and background music
- Amplifier capacity must be sufficient to simultaneously drive all notification zones at required output levels
- The system must provide intelligible audible information about the nature of the emergency and the actions occupants should take
- Pathway survivability requirements apply to speaker circuits in some occupancies, requiring circuit integrity wiring or conduit protection
Note: Many of the same occupancies that require NFPA 72 Chapter 24 mass notification systems are also required under IFC Section 510 to install an in-building Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement System (ERCES) — commonly referred to as a BDA (bi-directional amplifier) or public safety DAS. This is a separate scope of work from fire alarm and mass notification. For ERCES and in-building wireless requirements in Houston, we recommend BDA Houston.
Areas We Serve
Vector Fire installs mass notification and voice evacuation systems for commercial properties throughout the Greater Houston area, including:
