For spoken evacuation, choose the system by the number of speaker zones and how it links to the fire alarm. Smaller sites can use the Soft-Chip fire alarm panel with integrated PA (100 V RMS output, up to 11 minutes of digital voice recording, listed to IS 15908:2011), the Honeywell Evacpro-G2 with 16 loudspeaker circuits, or the Ravel e’Scape and REVAC Nx consoles for 1 to 16 zones, expandable up to 128 zones with RE-EX or RE-XP expanders. Larger buildings use networked PAVA systems: the Honeywell Intevio HCU-2000 works on its own as an 8-zone system with its built-in 500 W amplifier and grows with HEX-8 and HEX-24 expanders, the RAAGA 4 controllers support configurations from 16 to 256 zones, the Ravel Ekonics routes 4 audio inputs to 8 zones, expandable to 64, and the Honeywell X-618 and Variodyn D1 systems extend over Ethernet. For UL based projects, the Notifier DVC-EM digital voice command plays 8 messages at once and is listed to UL 2572 and UL 864.
Size the amplifiers to the total speaker load with spare capacity, and check the line voltage: most amplifiers here feed 100 V lines, and several Honeywell models also give 70 V. Options run from the Ravel 125 W and 250 W Class D amplifiers and the Honeywell RAAGA 4 mixer amplifiers (60 W, 90 W and 150 W) to Honeywell X-618, Variodyn D1 and RAAGA 4 power amplifiers up to 8 x 500 W, and the Notifier DAA2, DAX (35 and 50 watt) and DS-AMPE amplifiers for the DVC system. For speakers, Ravel offers 6 W and 10 W ceiling speakers, 6 W to 20 W wall speakers, a 30 W bi-directional projection speaker and a horn speaker, and Honeywell offers RAAGA 4 two-way speakers with 6, 8 and 10 inch drivers and an IP65 horn speaker for outdoor areas. Honeywell noise detectors measure ambient noise, and with the Variodyn D1 HN-D32N the system adjusts its output volume to the noise level.
Add call stations where staff will make live announcements: Honeywell offers Evacpro-G2, Intevio, X-618 touch screen and Variodyn D1 call stations, several listed to EN 54-16, and Ravel offers the EK-714 remote paging microphone with up to 64 zone selection keys. For fire fighter telephones, choose a master station and the points around the building. The Soft-Chip master station comes in 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 zones on a DTMF, 2 wire, 24 V telephone circuit and is listed to IS 2189:1999. The Ravel master console offers conference calling and monitored wiring, with BS 5839 Part 9 listed, and works with wall mounted handset stations and stainless steel jacks. Agni offers the FYRLAAST fire telephone panel with addressable extension telephones, mobile handsets and jack sockets, and Notifier offers UL listed FPJ phone jacks, FHS handsets and six-handset cabinets.
For remote alerts, an auto dialer calls key people when the alarm panel triggers it. The Agni AD-01 GSM dialer calls up to 20 numbers with a recorded message of up to 20 seconds and is set up through its keypad and backlit LCD. The Soft-Chip Intelligent Auto Dialer calls up to 9 telephone or mobile numbers with a message of 20, 40 or 60 sec, comes in 1, 2, 4 and 8 channel versions on GSM or a fixed line, and is triggered by a 12 V or 24 VDC alarm panel, so it also suits security and building automation alarms.