Why do I need a communication system in refuge areas?
What legislation supports refuge communication systems?
Can I prevent nuisance operation?
What is the range of coverage from the base station to an outstation?
Can it be installed and maintained by my current fire alarm provider?
How will I be made aware if the system has a fault?
What happens if the mains power supply fails?
The Refuge Alerter Base Station and Outstations communicate with each other by radio.
Pressing the button on an Outstation notifies the Base Station that a refuge is occupied. Rescue personnel at the Base Station then use a simple push-button interface to hold a conversation with the person in the refuge.
Rescue personnel can also use Portable Refuge Communicators to maintain contact when away from the Base Station.
Why do I need a communication system in refuge areas?
Firstly, a communication system allows the fire and rescue team to identify occupied refuges and to assess the help that will be required.
Secondly, two-way radio communication reassures the person in the refuge that their call has been acknowledged and that assistance is on the way.
What legislation supports refuge communication systems?
There is a variety of legislation and various standards relating to emergency evacuation for disabled people. For more detailed information, please consult the legislation section of our website.
Can I prevent nuisance operation?
If required, Outstations can be deactivated to prevent nuisance operation.
In the event of a fire they can be activated either manually or automatically via an interface between the Base Station and the fire alarm panel.
What is the range of coverage from the base station to an outstation?
We cannot give a general answer.
Since Refuge Alerter is radio based it can cover multiple buildings on a site. However, radio coverage depends on many factors including the layout of the site, the structure of the buildings within it and the location of the Base Station aerial.
We carry out a full survey to determine the best way of covering a site before installing a Refuge Alerter system.
Can it be installed and maintained by my current fire alarm provider?
Refuge Alerter is available through Deaf Alerter plc or its specially trained and approved suppliers.
For further information about how to become an approved supplier please contact us.
How will I be made aware if the system has a fault?
Outstations notify the Base Station immediately if a fault develops and the Base Station routinely checks all Outstations to ensure that they are communicating correctly.
If it detects a fault, either with itself or with an Outstation, the Base Station sounds an alarm buzzer and flashes a fault indicator. Other indicators on the Base Station show the location of the fault.
The buzzer can be cancelled but the indicators will continue to flash until the fault is cleared. The buzzer will sound again if a new fault occurs or if the existing fault has not been cleared after 8 hours.
What happens if the mains power supply fails?
The Refuge Alerter Base Station and Outstations have battery backup to meet the requirements of BS 5839 and will continue to operate if the mains power supply fails.
