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.