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In case of fire ...

When was the last time you had a fire drill at your place of work? If a fire is detected in your office, how many people would know where to go?

The chances are that very few people have taken note of emergency exit notices and do not know where they should exit the building in an emergency.

In a crowded shopping centre, station or airport, millions of people who are not familiar with the building are at a loss to know where to go in the case of a fire. A fire detection system that sounds alarms definitely attracts attention, but without clear instructions to the unknowing public, this situation can create panic, which often turns an emergency into a calamity. History has shown that more people have been killed or injured due to stampedes and poor crowd control than have been injured as a direct result of a fire.

In situations like this a voice evacuation system is essential as a part of the life safety systems designed for public protection.

In the event of a fire, the fire detection system automatically sends a command to the voice evacuation system. Depending on the design of the system, the evacuation can be done in stages, with the people closest to the danger being the first to leave, followed systematically by the other areas if necessary. The system can also illuminate exit signs to make them easier to find, as well as open fire doors and emergency exits.

Clear, calm and concise voice messages instruct the public exactly where to go, and what to do, leaving security personnel free to assist the public.

As with all life safety systems, it is important that the system is kept operating at all times.

The Praesideo System from Bosch fulfils all these requirements. Each part of the system, from the microphone capsule to the last loudspeaker is constantly monitored, and faults are reported immediately. Spare amplifier switching coupled with redundant cabling ensures operation, even if the cables are cut or an amplifier is switched off. The system can even continue working if the network controller is removed!

Fully programmable control inputs and outputs allow you to integrate the Praesideo into an existing or new security system infrastructure, while compliance to EN60849 and SOLAS ensures that the system meets worldwide standards for safety.

And lastly, any messages can be recorded onto the system in WAV format. So it is possible to have the messages broadcast in multiple languages, ensuring that the messages are clear, concise and understood!

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