Oasis Academy Wintringham has installed Vimpex Fire-Cryer® multi-message Voice Sounders to ensure safe evacuation in the event of an incident.
The Oasis Academy opened in September 2007, and replaced Wintringham School. In its first year the Academy was housed in the existing school buildings, but during the 2008/2009 academic year it will transfer its 1,100 students and staff to brand new buildings. It is in this new development that ADT Fire & Security has installed over 230 Fire-Cryer® Voice Sounders.
The majority of the voice sounders are the Mini Fire-Cryer® model, which is a slimline base sounder that fits discreetly beneath the ADT detector bases. This means that they are very easy to install and create an overall detector/voice sounder combination with a very low profile. The voice sounders have been used throughout the new buildings including classrooms, corridors and halls.
The advantage of using multi-message voice sounders in schools is that traditional fire alarms can be mixed with everyday messages such as class change. It is common practice for schools to use the fire bells or sounders to announce class changes with the potential for confusion during an actual fire or routine test. By using a 'Class Change' message coupled with specific messages for fire, test and all clear, the Fire-Cryer® ensures there is no misunderstanding. Whilst the alert messages are activated by the fire alarm system, the school's existing class change timing module can be used to trigger the 'Class Change' announcement. The 'Class Change' message can even be preceded by the familiar fire bell sound.
The Fire-Cryer® range is the most extensive range of voice sounders available on the market today with five models to choose from and literally millions of message combinations, ensuring that any site requirement can be fulfilled.
The units require no special wiring and can be retrofitted to existing installations. They can be fully synchronised and have a low current consumption allowing simple replacement of existing sounders and bells.