With recent code updates that have led to significant advances in the technology, fire alarm signaling devices prove that being loud and flashy isn’t a bad thing.
The sound of a fire alarm going off can elicit different feelings, depending on who you talk to. The dedicated office worker might perceive the strobes and noise as a distraction from writing a business report, interrupting the focus they had just achieved. A rascally young student bored in class might consider the beeping as a sign from above.
But, to those working in the fire and life safety industry, the sound and strobes of a fire alarm is more than a trek out of the office or an outdoor reprieve from class. “In the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic, our relationship with commercial buildings has changed,” says Chris Hill, global product manager, notification, Edwards/Kidde Systems, Bradenton, Fla. “Now, occupants are much more spread out throughout buildings and campuses, making it more important for buildings to increase the visual and audible coverage of the building.”