The University of Southampton has strengthened its fire safety measures for deaf and hard of hearing individuals by introducing an innovative paging system. Advanced’s MxPro 5 fire panels, integrated with the ESPA Pager Interface, form the core of the new solution delivered by Premier Fire Security and Scope Communications, providing targeted alerts and improved accessibility.
With more than 200 Advanced panels installed throughout the campus, the University of Southampton needed a system capable of providing precise, location specific fire alerts directly to individuals, without depending on traditional audible alarms. The ESPA 4.4.4-compliant Pager Interface from Advanced provided the ideal bridge between the fire detection system and Scope’s PageTek Pro Mk2 transmitter and EPOCBLUM pagers.
The system has been configured so that each building or group of buildings triggers a distinct pager address. This means that only relevant alerts reach the end user, thereby avoiding confusion and enabling faster response times. The pagers can be manually programmed to activate or deactivate specific locations, while password protection offers added security. When it comes to nighttime safety, Scope’s pillow pad and nightstand accessories mean that alerts are received, even while users are sleeping.
The installation also features a dedicated paging group specifically for engineers, janitors, security and fire marshals, who receive diagnostic and fault messages from the Advanced network. These individuals can also trigger fire messages for specific locations, enhancing operational control and coordination.
“We’ve worked closely with Scope and Advanced to create a system that’s not only reliable but incredibly flexible,” explained Chris Chance, University of Southampton Contract Manager at Premier Fire Security. “The ability to configure pagers for any location means we can reduce hardware stock and improve coverage across the entire campus. It’s a huge step forward in inclusive safety.”
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Rob Shepherd (author)
Rob is Consulting Editor for InstallerELECTRIC. He is a well-respected journalist with a strong history in the electrical sector.
