Fire Safety for High-Rise Buildings: The Role of Communications: Fid-Bau Portal

Fire Safety for High-Rise Buildings: The Role of Communications

R. A. Glass / A. I. Rubin

This literature survey reviews the communications requirements for fire safety in buildings from the standpoint of the building occupant and the control operator. It traces the development of the problem of communications in buildings and the specialized needs that exist today. An examination is made of the purposes of a communications system in buildings as well as some of the psychological design requirements necessary for such a system. The communications requirements of the building occupants are also covered, with emphasis on the type of information communicated by signals and the integration of those signals into an overall system design. Personnel requirements for staffing a control center are also discussed, along with common problems in several operational communications systems. Detailed examples of communications systems are provided. Portions of several model codes which cover communications systems are presented. Suggested areas for future research on fire safety in buildings are identified.