Experiments have shown that only a limited number of people were able to recognise the sound of a fire alarm. This can be a big problem for buildings that rely on alarm systems in case of emergencies as such systems are not of much use if nobody responds to the alarm being sounded. Further investigation has shown that the use of voice messages in an emergency situation improve responsiveness from building occupants, meaning PAVA Systems offer a clear advantage over more basic alarm systems.
Poor Response to Fire Alarms Explained
Poor or limited response to a fire alarm puts lives at risk and understanding why certain fire alarm systems are so ineffective is extremely important. There are a number of varied reasons:
Non-recognition of the alarm, believing that a genuine fire alarm would sound different.
Belief that the alarm being sounded is a false alarm.
Seeing the work or activity they are doing is more important than taking the alarm seriously.
Considering the situation to be low-risk
PAVA Systems Explained
Public Address and Voice Alert Systems assist in evacuating buildings safely and effectively in the event of an emergency by giving clear instructions. The system can be utilised by the emergency services during the process to provide updates and information. The system should be advanced enough that it allows intelligent control of the entire system, flexible enough to be configured in various ways, and intuitive enough that it can be operated and programmed easily.
Benefits of Using a PAVA System
The PAVA system can be used to transmit pre-recorded messages and information that are activated depending on which detectors have been triggered. They are most useful when being used to communicate live messages as this is far more likely to generate a response than a pre-recorded message. Live messages can be used to update anyone that is trapped inside a building on developments or to convey an appropriate level of urgency.
Safer Evacuations With PAVA Systems
When a fire alarm sounds people often try to leave a building the way they entered it, which is often the opposite of what they should be doing. A PAVA system can be utilised to guide people to the safest exit from the building.
PAVA systems are particularly useful in high-rise building evacuations in a way that can potentially save lives. An example of this is evacuating the floor on which a fire has occurred first, followed by the floors above and below, before evacuating the rest of the building. This process avoids the risks involved in everyone in a building trying to evacuate at the same time, which can cause panic and lead to injuries. This can only be achieved using a PAVA system to communicate with each floor with specific instructions.
Where is PAVA Most Useful?
PAVA systems that enable tailored communication is of particular importance in large, complex buildings in which the occupants may be unfamiliar with the emergency procedures and emergency exits. This includes buildings such as shopping centres, transport hubs (train stations etc), hospitals, schools, and office buildings.
Speak to the PAVA System Experts
If you want to know more about PAVA Systems then contact us with any questions you may have and we’ll be more than happy to help. You can also visit our PAVA Systems page to read more about this subject.
