Cal State Fullerton to Test New
Fire Alarm System
Test of entire system scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday, October 27

October 23, 2006 :: No. 51

Cal State Fullerton is completing the installation of a unified alarm system that will make it easier to notify individuals both inside and outside the buildings in the case of an emergency.
           
A test of the exterior system is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 27, followed by a test of the entire system at 3 p.m. the same day. During the afternoon test, buildings will be evacuated.
           
The alarm system is part of a fire-life-safety upgrade project begun last year that includes additional fire hydrants, magnetic holders on doors opening into corridors, and enhanced classroom signage showing how to leave the building and where occupants can assemble once outside. Funding for the project came from the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2002.
           
When the project was launched, the campus had 25 various systems of different age, manufacturer and reporting ability, noted Tom Whitfield, director of environmental health and instructional safety.
           
“The old systems ensured the safe evacuation of campus buildings, but they needed to be upgraded with the ability to work together,” said Whitfield. “The new system, using a fiber-optic network, allows building alarms to be set off from a central location, as well as from individual buildings.
           
“Besides the traditional horn sound, a strobe and voice system will notify occupants that a fire alarm or smoke detector has been activated,” said Whitfield. University Police dispatch will have the ability to provide a customized message to most campus buildings. This can be used to warn occupants of issues, hazards or incidents specific to their location.           

Further, the upgraded campus emergency notification system includes external speakers that allow notification to those outside of buildings of a campus emergency. The speakers, said Whitfield, are grouped in zones that allow University Police to notify specific areas or the entire campus.
           
In addition to the audible alarm, University Police will continue to receive an alarm signal, but will be able to see the location where the alarm was triggered on a graphic computer interface that includes building floor plans and identification of any high hazard areas. According to Whitfield, this will allow police officers and emergency responders to be dispatched to the exact location of an incident.

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