Let’s all take one giant step backwards!

By John M. Stofa ©


It was right there in my mailbox one day; a magazine that I’ve never picked up in my life. It was a publication that catered to the professional architectural industry. I figured; why not browse it real quick and see what it is all about? I’m in the construction industry so to speak so maybe I will find something relevant or useful that I can use to educate my customers. As I’m going through the pages, this picture stops me dead in my tracks…

It doesn’t matter where these buildings are located, or who the builders are. It also doesn’t matter if these buildings are protected with fire sprinklers or not. Of course it needs to be said that fire sprinklers are extremely important to protecting people and property and should be installed in every building. However due to the tremendous amount of wood used to construct these buildings, most fire sprinkler systems would be overpowered quite quickly during a fire, thus rendering them useless.

What does matters is that this is a series of buildings that are being built to be used as college dormitories. You got it, housing for a large group of people. How does this happen? How does a large university build a mid/high-rise building completely out of combustible (wood) building materials in this day and age? With everything that we know about non-combustible building construction and fire protection systems, why would we allow these large footprints combustible buildings to be built in order to house so many people? Haven’t we learned anything from the past?

It has been well documented that the trend in fire deaths has gone down significantly in modern times. This can be directly related to many factors including better building construction using non-combustible materials and quick response fire detection and suppression systems. This is not to mention better fire prevention education; quality manufactured safer appliances and better electronic furnishings that require less wattage. But let’s not be fooled into thinking that buildings do not burn anymore and then start to take shortcuts and find alternative materials that simply should not be used anymore no matter how good the technology looks on paper or the positive effect to the bottom line.

Now, we are going completely backwards and not only constructing the buildings with completely combustible materials, but also loading the buildings with materials that ignite and burn more readily and with a vigor that we’ve never seen before. It is also well documented that the modern dead load we see in a building today is very much a solid form of gasoline if you will that is masked as furniture, and thus when superheated it becomes and acts very much like a liquid petroleum product and it burns with the exact same intensity.

So how does this affect the occupant? You guessed it, just by changing the dead load to petroleum based products; we have shortened the amount of allowable escape time when a building is on fire. Then add the fact that the building is constructed entirely of lightweight wood products that are engineered to weigh less and fail sooner under fire conditions than traditional wood building materials and you have a perfect storm. Large masses of people, faster fires, more smoke generation and a quicker fail time all lead to a major loss of life.

In conclusion, this type of building construction in my opinion is criminal and has no place in modern America. If this is okay, why not go back to the lap belts that most cars had until the 1970’s, or maybe NFL football players should bring back leather helmets, better yet, why not allow for asbestos tiles or lead lined water pipes to roar back into fashion. Let’s continue to move forward and learn, and never allow ourselves to take that one giant step backwards.

Chinese Smoke/CO Detectors

Recently this combination smoke/carbon monoxide detector was purchased from Amazon by a Rhode Island homeowner who installed a number of these devices within a multifamily home. This detector was produced by Mengshen, and it is clearly a low cost knockoff of the trusted First Alert design that has been around for decades.

In addition to the fact that the unit did not work when tested by a local Fire Marshal, the other problem is a lack of any type of Listing by a national recognized testing laboratory or a label from the manufacturer identifying what this unit is with its specifications. Also note the blackened areas where the manufacturer tied to cover up markings on the detector housing that are no longer relevant. Finally, look at the unit's features and see that the Carbon Monoxide sensor is what they consider "permanent". What does that mean? Does it mean that this unit never needs to be replaced? This is clearly deceptive and dangerous and Amazon should remove this unit from its website. If you are an industry professional or just a concerned private citizen, please consider contacting Amazon and or the US Consumer Products Safety Commission to compel them to stop selling this detector before someone gets hurt.

Kudos to the Rhode Island Fire Marshals that found this detector and brought the problem to light!

Combining Situational Awareness and Emergency Communications

A Gamewell-FCI White Paper

Effective response to any emergency requires thorough understanding and awareness of the situation at hand, and the ability to communicate that awareness to everyone involved in the emergency and to those tasked with responding to it. The term situational awareness describes the thorough understanding of a situation required to provide greater insight through more knowledge. Today, physical security information management systems (PSIMs) supply new levels of awareness by combining disparate data from a variety of systems into a single, unified operations view. Emergency communication systems (ECS) or mass notification systems provide a critical communication element. In an emergency, using both types of systems together enables a more powerful and effective response.

PSIMs and emergency communication systems can be seen as complementary technologies — facilities need both. Information on situational awareness provided by PSIMs, especially predictive data, enables earlier warning of a possible situation that requires immediate notification. In the midst of an emergency, the existing framework and functionality of a PSIM system provides higher-quality, more-detailed information to expand the effectiveness of the emergency communication system. More data can help make notifications more precise, and thus more helpful. Separate messages can be provided to first responders and to the public to ensure appropriate response.

In addition to monitoring a facility’s internal systems, more advanced PSIM systems called Shared Situational Awareness Systems incorporate external information, too, such as traffic data, weather feeds, news pop-ups or events being held in an area. The addition of external data enables situations to be viewed in a broader context and provides earlier warning before a situation’s impact is imminent.

This white paper will explore the greater value situational awareness can provide in an emergency and how Advanced PSIM-type systems can expand and enhance the same emergency response situations that ECS and mass notification systems were designed to address.

What is Situational Awareness?

In simple terms, situational awareness involves being aware of what is happening, and what it means now and in the future. Situational awareness is especially valuable when people are required to make critical choices, sometimes at a fast pace and involving the operation of complex systems. More information means faster and better-informed decisions. Lack of situational awareness is a direct cause of most errors, and the consequences can be catastrophic — major accidents, or other incidents or near misses, or failures of building, campus or citywide systems. In an emergency, lack of situational awareness can be the cause of emergency responder errors or improper responses. Insufficient information can create missed opportunities.

Dr. Mica Endsley is a noted authority on situational awareness and its impact on decision-making; she has written two books on the subject. Dr. Endsley lists three levels of situational awareness. Level 1 is perception of critical factors in an environment. Level 2 involves understanding what those factors mean, particularly when integrated together in relation to an operator’s goals. Level 3 is an understanding of what will happen with a system in the near future. Achieving higher levels of situational awareness enables people to function in a more timely and effective manner, even with very complex and challenging tasks.

Although situational awareness provides knowledge of immediate threats in an emergency, it is also valuable related to ensuring continuation of operations and “business as usual.” Emphasizing situational awareness is a risk management strategy any organization can implement, providing real-time information about a single facility or entire enterprise. Situational awareness involves centralized monitoring, alerting and reporting for any and all alarm systems. It delivers information, including location data, to the right people at the right time to ensure business operations and/or to save lives and property.

Who Needs Situational Awareness?

People working in critical environments are highly dependent on situational awareness. Its vast benefits have emerged in industries such as air traffic control, aviation, space exploration and homeland defense. It is essential to transportation, power systems, medical environments and the military. Colleges and universities need situational awareness, as do K-12 schools, hospitals and healthcare facilities, and other campus environments. Cities and towns need it, as do transportation centers and large retail locations. Situational awareness ensures operation of large industrial complexes and refineries, as well as lodging and sports arenas. 

In all of these environments, situational awareness brings greater insight through more knowledge. It breaks down silos to promote sharing of information and a common operating environment. It develops proactive solutions to problems and is predictive as well as reactive.

Without situational awareness, operations are overworked, flooded with information overload or missing information that can jeopardize successful outcomes. This leads to ineffective teamwork, poor judgment and lack of coordination and even, dangerous behavior.

The importance of situational awareness increases based on the people, facilities and assets at risk. For example, when many people are at risk, whether at a crowded sports venue or a college or university, situational awareness is essential. Likewise in high-value facilities – such as those in a critical infrastructure application – the capabilities of situational awareness come into play.

The Power of Physical Security Information Management

To provide situational awareness, physical security information management (PSIM) systems comprise software that interfaces with multiple existing sensors and other hardware and software to present a unified view of current operations. Analytics and predictive capabilities pinpoint specific areas to be addressed and provide guidance to operators to respond based on standard operating procedures (SOPs). Incorporation of SOPs enables a PSIM to prompt an operator, for example, to lock down a facility if certain criteria are met.

PSIM systems can operate either in the cloud (encrypted and secure) or installed on a server at a facility’s premises. Implementation of PSIM systems does not require investment in additional hardware; rather PSIM software leverages existing hardware and software systems to combine information from multiple silos onto a common platform and available on a single screen. (The screen can be a desktop or laptop screen, in a command vehicle, or a mobile device such as a smart phone.) In an Emergency Operations Center, PSIM information can be displayed on a video wall to be seen by everyone in the EOC. After an incident, PSIM information is a major driver of post-incident reviews and audits.

When a user needs to bring information together from disparate sources to achieve a realistic assessment of a bigger picture, PSIM can fill the need. Furthermore, these solutions need to be able to integrate information sources from outside the facility to determine wider impact. An example of external information that could impact a facility’s operation can be seen in a banking application, where tracking the incidents and locations of street crimes could impact the operation of ATM machines throughout a geographic area. Based on GPS locations, armored trucks could be dispatched at the safest times to service 

ATM locations in crime-ridden areas and avoid hotspots based on real-time information.

The benefits of PSIM systems are different for each customer, dependent on various application needs. For some, preventing downtime and loss of revenue are important; for others, safety of personnel might be the major concern. An owner of a large building might want to know that HVAC and other systems are working and occupants are comfortable. PSIM systems can address the concerns of any of these applications, and of hundreds more.

For example, consider a rural community college, where operations include access to security cameras, access control data, burglary systems, emergency response and fire systems, blue light emergency stations and a trained police force. How useful are these systems during an active shooter event? They are considerably more useful if they are linked to a common platform to share information, if there is an emergency response plan agreed upon by the stakeholders, and if operators have been trained to respond.

Bridging the Gap between Awareness and Communication

Bridging the gap between situational awareness and emergency communication systems can ensure optimal response in an emergency. The situational awareness/PSIM system collects data, helps to interpret it and feeds anticipated outcomes to an incident command center. Based on the best available information, an emergency communication system can notify the public or first responders, provide information about what’s happening around them, and guide them what to do next. Stakeholders thus have the ability to act based on the collected data in real-time.

Systems can integrate with fire alarms, HVAC, security, card access systems and video cameras. They can also integrate with blue light emergency stations, gas detection sensors, vehicle location systems, computer aided dispatch (CAD), smart phones, any public database and can monitor virtually any protocol.

The ability to share information and provide a predictive element also makes PSIM systems especially valuable to emergency response. Historically in emergency situations, police have had one set of information, the fire department another, and so on. Now those silos can be brought together and made broadly available so all related agencies, first responders and other stakeholders have access to the data. 

In the midst of an ongoing event is when PSIM capabilities really kick in as an adjunct to emergency notification. Information culled from access control systems, emergency pull stations, video, GPS systems, outside news feeds, and multiple other sources provides up-to-date (and unprecedented) awareness as a situation unfolds, supplying additional help to first responders and facility security directors to guide an optimum emergency response. 

Working in conjunction with a PSIM, the communication abilities of an emergency notification system could be used to provide alerts of non-emergency situations, too. Alerts are more available and detailed. When implemented as part of a comprehensive solution, use of cell phones, in-building audio or video systems, voice systems and more can be leveraged for everyday operations.

A Flexible System for Shared Situational Awareness

Meeting customers’ situational awareness needs, Gamewell-FCI’s FOCAL4 Shared Situational Awareness (SSA) platform brings diverse data sources together in a unified view, enabling users to streamline operations and support critical decision-making whether during routine operations or in times of crisis. The software system uses an open, layered and networked architecture to integrate and present information and events from previously disconnected systems into a single interface. Displaying easy-to-understand, interactive icons, navicons and alerts, the software integrates existing CAD floor plans, GIS maps and other graphic assets. It geo-locates building features such as electrical panels, control panels, security devices and fire protection equipment. It supports use of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to align response with policies and regulations. Additionally, FOCAL4 is flexible and scalable, allowing it to easily adapt to future requirements. A fixed or portable deployment option enables rapid relocation of a Command Center if needed.

FOCAL 4 lets organizations coordinate all available assets in real time – surveillance cameras, sensors, floor plans, emergency devices and other disparate systems. Raw data is transformed into comprehensive awareness and actionable knowledge. By bringing a variety of systems together in a unified view, the FOCAL4 Shared Situational Awareness system streamlines day-to-day operations and supports decision-making in times of crisis.

The system can be used on-site at command centers or remotely with smart phones, iPads, tablets, laptops or other Web-enabled devices. A mobile app available with the system can be loaded during an emergency to provide geolocation data and immediate communication. For example, in an active shooter situation at an elementary school, responders could know the location of a teacher holed up with students in a closet, and the teacher could communicate with first responders through audio and video. The app could also be downloaded during an emergency by a neighboring jurisdiction providing mutual aid.

A combination of emergency communication systems and greater situational awareness is particularly useful to property owners, building managers and security directors with responsibility over large properties, large numbers of occupants or multiple properties in scattered locations. The value of the system is fully realized in those facilities considered risk-averse, such as data centers and other high-security buildings.

The FOCAL4 product provides a new opportunity for fire system distributors, whose fire customers may also be part of a company’s emergency response and development team or security department. Gamewell-FCI’s FOCAL4 can expand a fire distributor’s business.

The Next Generation of Emergency Communications

Incorporating greater situational awareness is an essential element for the next generation of emergency communication systems, providing new levels of useful information to guide effective and timely response. Systems must be compatible with a range of existing systems – from video to HVAC to toxic gas detection to local traffic and weather feeds. Integration of situational awareness enables timely dissemination of actionable information.

Shared Situational Awareness Systems can be a seamless part of future emergency communication systems, providing the ability to be predictive as well as responsive. In fact, the complementary operation of PSIMs and emergency communication systems suggests that one day the systems will operate as one. End-users will demand a product that can unify separate systems into a single platform to provide as much real-time information as possible to be able to make critical decisions. This useful tool is an invaluable complement to current emergency communications systems.

Gamewell-FCI Distributor of the Year!

Real-World Solutions for Improved Communication in High-Rises
By John M. Stofa ©2014


In the months following a deadly Hell’s Kitchen high-rise apartment fire, calls have steadily increased for improved fire safety legislation in New York City’s towering residential buildings. The horrible death of one man, and the hospitalization of his partner, seems to have mobilized an entire city to action; however, what is the best way to ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again?

The beauty of modern technology is that there are countless solutions available to building owners that could help first responders better communicate with residents during an emergency. The key will be identifying the systems that are best-suited for this all-important task.

This is a huge problem for people living in high-rise buildings. It is counter intuitive to decide to stay in a building that is on fire, but often times that is the safest place for the tenants of a non-combustible high-rise. People have died and been seriously injured simply because there is a lack of regulation around residential high-rises communication systems. In many emergencies, residents don’t know what to do: shelter in their apartment? Evacuate via a stairwell? Depending on the nature of the fire (or, other emergency, such as a tornado or terrorist threat), the best course of action may vary. That’s why first responders must have a way to effectively communicate with everyone in a building — and I do mean everyone. Tenants, delivery people, visitors, etc. We can’t just leave it up to the public to decided “go or no go” without giving them real time information to base their decision on.

Strong notification systems are especially necessary for communicating to the most vulnerable members of our society, including young children, the elderly and those who with limited mobility. Some of these individuals may have very limited resources and, in many situations, aren’t able to save themselves. The more information we can give these populations to help themselves during emergencies, the better.

If new legislation does get passed requiring building owners to install an emergency communication system, there will be a lot of businesses touting their solution as the best option. So, let’s take a closer look at how some of the technology available might perform in a high-rise, residential setting:

Paging system: One-way or two-way paging is a good first step. This will enable, for example, fire fighters to notify residents about the location of a fire and advise them to stay in their apartments. However, your average PA system contains no redundant qualities for back-up, so when the system’s communication backbone is damaged, the system simply doesn’t work.

Digital signage: There are many options on the market for wall-mounted communication devices, many of which feature speakers, digital text and flashing strobes. These displays could be useful on the lobby of each floor and/or by stairwell entrances, to quickly tell residents (and other people in the building) what to do in an emergency. Strobes and other visual communication are especially helpful for deaf residents.

Social media integration: A building’s communication technology could be integrated with social media sites, like Twitter and Facebook, to provide emergency updates in real-time. While this is a useful tool in some cases, it shouldn’t be a primary means of communicating with people in the event of an emergency. However, social media integration provides fantastic redundancy in cases where other systems, such as one-way paging systems or phone lines, fail.

Fire alarm system with voice capabilities: In my experience, a fire alarm system with voice capabilities is going to be a building owner’s best bet for emergency communication. This technology is built to survive a fire and to operate in intense heat. With this type of system, residents could be notified of a fire or other emergency with an audible alarm and strobes; then, first responders could communicate with them using speakers installed in each apartment, the hallways or floor lobby.

To fully solve the problem facing New York’s and other cities’ high-rise residences, first responders need not one, not two, but three or four or more effective ways to “talk to” people inside a building. A winning solution would bring all of these technology pieces together. Of course, there is a cost involved. And, if new legislation requires the installation of communication technology in every high-rise residence, the building owner will be responsible. Consider the average cost of a system, and divide that by the number of residents in a given building, which might be into the hundreds. Then the price per person is very small. So is that the cost of a life? It’s a matter of a couple dollars a day.

I think this legislation is timely and very important. I urge those advocating for the new legislation, as well as any legislators who get involved, to do their research on the available technology. Together, we can find the right system that will work effectively to make sure tragic incidents like the fire death in Hell’s Kitchen never happen again and maybe influence other cities to do the same.

Change – Is it already happening? By John M. Stofa ©2014

It has been often said that change never seems to happen in the fire alarm industry and that we just plod along from one year to the next without keeping pace with other adjacent technologies. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is evidenced by the very fact that when one educates Fire Responders on the technology changes and product introductions that we’ve seen just in the last 10 years, they are quite simply amazed and even skeptical.

If you want proof for yourself, schedule a lecture with your local fire department and spend an hour providing them with a technology update. Talk about products like Video Smoke Detection/Verification that utilize ordinary security cameras as smoke detectors. Or maybe discuss Multi-Criteria Smoke Detectors that “learn” the room they are in and effectively reduce nuisance alarms. Or how about Aspiration Smoke Detectors that can sense the byproducts of combustion before we as humans can see or smell them, often detecting a hotspot before a fire breaks out. And last but certainly not least discuss the evolution of the low frequency evacuation tone and when and where it is more effective than a traditional evacuation device. More often than not when I discuss these products, they perceive them as science fiction rather than fact because they simply haven’t been exposed to them. However, they are always appreciative of your knowledge and your desire to share it with them to make their jobs safer and easier.

But now let’s think back to some of the changes that we have witnessed in the fire alarm industry and then forecast what is around the corner. We saw the xenon strobe become the industry standard in visual notification back in the 90s, and of course this kick started the remote NAC panel industry that was nonexistent before then. We watched conventional zoned FACP sales be converted almost entirely to addressable FACP systems because of the superior information they provide. We also witnessed the Liquid Crystal Display become the choice of manufacturers rather than populating FACPs with numerous LEDs that offer limited information.

So what does the future bring? Plenty. Just the topic of communications/alarm transmission itself will be a future blog subject. We will also see our entire industry shift from simply being considered a Fire Alarm System to now a Life Safety System. Of course this has already started to happen with the advent of ECS/MNS, but the difference is the acceptance of the system being considered a Life Safety System will be widespread rather than selective, based on the type of end-user or subject to the whim of the AHJ.

What are some of the other changes that we’ll see? Well, if you have 20 more years left in this industry before your retirement you will see the day that the last xenon strobe is sold, whereas all strobes will be LED because of their flexibility, foot print and life span. You will see the last horn device placed on a CAD shop drawing because soon speakers will be the gold standard as Voice FACPs continue to get smaller, more powerful and more economical. And finally, you will no longer see the radioactive symbol on the underside of a smoke detector because ionization detectors will be long gone from our offerings; replaced entirely by more effective photoelectric smokes or better yet multi-criteria smoke detectors.

What other technologies will be developed further and become more readily available within our offerings?

Fiber Optic SLCs
Cellular & Satellite Communications
VOIP & VOLTE Communications
More Robust Wireless Devices & Networks
Advanced Human Interfaces
Artificial Intelligence within Devices

But these are just a few of the changes that we will see. Every day as technology advances, our engineering teams will continue to work on how that technology can be embedded into Life Safety Systems to make us safer. So if you think that our industry never seems to catch up to the times, just look around. We’re more cutting edge than you think!

Fiber Optic Cable & Fire Alarms – Light Years Away from Trouble Free?

By John M. Stofa ©2013

One of the challenges that sophisticated modern fire alarm systems face is the possibility of damage or performance issues caused by lightning, interference due to localized “noise” in the area, or the introduction of water into network cable conductors.  Any one of these conditions could cause the system to operate erratically or perhaps not at all. The best way to overcome all of these problems is the use of Fiber Optic Cables (FOC) for the alarm system backbone or fire alarm network.  But this has also brought with it new challenges that are caused by the very people installing the system; a lack of training resulting in poor installation. 

There are many factors to think about when working with FOC, and this blog will discuss just a few of the heavy hitters.  It is my hope that this discussion will compel one to seek more education and training on how to properly install FOC.

Electricians and installers since the beginning of the modern fire alarm system have been installing copper cables for the fire alarm system with great success.  After the install, the low voltage alarm company is typically responsible for terminating the panels or connecting the wires and then “turning the system on” as it were.  For the most part with some exceptions, the pulling or installing of the copper wire has been a fairly straightforward process.  The difference between copper wire and FOC however is the quality of the end connection or termination, and the ability to send light or communication data down the FOC without it being compromised or degraded to the point where it is useless. 

When pulling copper wire, deep bends in the conductor are not really a problem and poor connections can usually be overcome or easily dealt with.  This is not necessarily the case with FOC.  Deep bends in a FOC can cause performance issues that could present as system “troubles” throughout the network.  See example Photo 1.  Note the grey fiber strand and the deep bends being forced by the copper conductor lying on top of it.

Photo 1

This is a very poor installation and one that should be dealt with immediately.  The grey strand needs to be reconnected and allowed to bend gently as seen with the green strand next to it. 

The next photo is another example of an installation that was perhaps done by an electrician that was more familiar and comfortable using copper than FOC.  Photo 2 shows what happens when the FOC is too long and rather than making it the right length and properly terminating the strands, the installer just loops the extra FOC between the patch panel and the fire alarm panel on a 4” module resulting in deep bends which could cause back scattering of the light, and again possibly putting the system in “trouble”.

Photo 2

The FOC end termination or connector is a delicate part of the puzzle that could result in a poorly operating system.  Often the connector and couplings could be of such poor quality or installed improperly that the overall dB loss for the fiber run could exceed

the allowable limits. They could also have too many couplings installed which also adds to the overall dB loss budget.   In this case the fiber run must be tuned and excessive or poor quality connectors and couplings must be replaced.  This should be dealt with early on in the process before the equipment is even turned on. 

Having the fiber runs measured and certified from end-to-end is critical to creating a fiber network that will perform flawlessly.  This certification is often not performed and the installer simply attempts the plug ‘n play method of let’s see if this works.  Compounded by the fact that most low voltage installers are not qualified to terminate fiber ends and you see installations like Photo 3.  This installer may have an acceptable fiber run from end-to-end, that being patch panel-to-patch panel, but the orange patch cord is now adding extra length and deep bends that could decrease the fiber’s performance and possibly fracture the fiber stand itself.

   

Photo 3

The fact is, FOC is going to be much more prevalent in the next 2 years as the Telcom Industry sunsets copper phone networks in favor of FOC.  This will ultimately force the fire alarm industry to also acquiesce or be left behind.  If you think your lack of knowledge in FOC is going to be a hurdle for your team to overcome, then you must start now in building upon their education and experience rather than face an uphill battle in the months to come.