Emergency Voice Communication & Fire Command Centre

Emergency Voice Communication (EVC) & Fire Command Centre (FCC)

• Voice communication systems and the fire command centre provide the facility for command and control during fire rescue operations.
• An emergency voice communication system is a communication system to be used by both occupants and the SCDF (for 2-way systems).

Purpose of Emergency Voice Communication (EVC) System

• Facilitates coordination of firefighting and rescue operations by establishing the extent of the emergency, strategies to combat the fire, and deploying manpower and logistics.
• Facilitates coordination of evacuation by broadcasting an alert signal through the EVC system when a fire alarm activates.
• Floor wardens on each floor attend to the emergency intercom using a 2-way system.
• A chief warden advises on the extent of the emergency from the FCC and when evacuation is needed.
• The evacuation tone is manually operated by the FSM to floors requiring immediate evacuation.
• Occupants are kept informed to minimize panic.

Types of EVC System

• One-way EVC systems and Two-way EVC systems are the 2 types of EVC systems.

One-Way EVC System

• Consists of loudspeakers installed in strategic locations.
• Loudspeakers should be installed at basement floors, exit staircases, staircase & lift lobbies, main entrance lobby, corridors, service areas, areas of refuge, assembly areas, and other areas with occupancy.
• Equipment at the Fire Command Centre includes a microphone with a press-to-talk button, selector switches for speaker circuits, a fault detector for amplifiers, a fault indicator for each speaker circuit, an activation switch for pre-recorded messages, and a way to isolate background music.
• One-way EVC should be provided for large buildings under Purpose Groups III (excluding primary, secondary schools & junior colleges), IV, V, VI, VII & VIII with a gross floor area greater than 5,000 m², a total occupant load exceeding 1,000, or more than 24m in habitable height.

Two-Way EVC system

• Emergency announcements are made from the paging microphone of the one-way EVC.
• Consists of telephone handsets, located at each floor’s fire lift lobby (including the 1st storey), fire fighting related mechanical equipment rooms, rooms housing smoke control equipment, all air-handling unit (AHU) rooms, lift motor rooms, fire lifts (unless equipped with a compliant built-in intercom system), all areas of refuge, and any locations required by the relevant authority.
• Communication with all handsets is enabled via a main handset with selector switches, installed at the FCC.

Location of Handsets

• Every fire lift lobby, including the 1st story.
• All firefighting-related mechanical equipment rooms including, sprinkler pump rooms, wet rising main pump rooms, hose reel pump rooms, switch rooms, and generator rooms.
• All rooms housing smoke control equipment.
• All lift machine rooms.
• Fire lifts (where the lift car is equipped with built-in intercom system compliant with SS 546 can be exempted).
• Each area of refuge.
• Air-handling Control Rooms.
• The master handset is provided at central alarm & control facility to provide comms with emergency handsets on all floors.
• Two-way EVC systems are required in buildings listed in 7.3.1.

Mode of Operations

• Raising a handset on the floor will cause an audible and visual signal at the FCC.
• Raising a handset at the FCC will cancel the audible signal and replace it with a visual signal on a private line basis.
• The emergency telephone system has a press-to-talk bar.

Recording System

• All emergency broadcasts from the one-way and two-way EVC systems get recorded
• When the fire alarm activates, the recording system starts automatically and operates until manually reset.

Fire Command Centre (FCC)

• The FCC is a special room where major emergency situations are controlled and monitored by personnel and is under the control of the FSM.
• The FCC must be manned 24/7.
• The equipment installed in the FCC allows personnel to monitor and control the situation plus allow communication with all parts of the building.
• An FCC is required in all buildings except those under Purpose Groups I & II, single-dwelling and duplex-dwelling residential structures.

Requirements of Fire Command Centre

• Must be located on the same level as the fire engine accessway or access road.
• The fire lift lobby must be within 5m of the center's entrance.
• The system must be independent when air-con or mechanical ventilation is provided,
• It should have adequate sound resistance and illumination
• It must be housed in a 2 hour fire-rated enclosure.
• Must have a 2-hour fire-rated door with a vision panel.
• The working space (not including furniture and equipment) must be a minimum of 6 m².

Facilities in Fire Command Centre

• Includes building plans, fire alarm records, controls for sounding and switching off alarms, a voice communication control console, a fire alarm sounding device, indicator boards for fire alarms & sprinklers, a lift position indicator board, a status indicator board for AHU, wet riser and sprinkler pumps, and emergency generator; and a switch to isolate background music.

Testing and Maintenance of EVC Systems

• Conduct weekly tests that includes the combined monthly test fire alarm & EVC systems under simulated conditions, message transmission over loudspeakers and acknowledgement from master handset with log book recording.
• Conduct monthly tests including all devices and alarm signalling/silencing as well signal transfer, alarm sounding, actuation for loudspeakers and handsets operation.

Fire Evacuation Models

• There are 3 evacuation models based on building height.

Model 1

• Applies to low-rise buildings (height not exceeding 24m) without EVC systems.
• These buildings use a single-stage alarm that requires total evacuation.
• Occupants are expected to evacuate immediately upon hearing the fire alarm.

Model 2

• Applies to low-rise buildings with EVC systems but atrium spaces, such as shopping malls.
• In such systems, a two-stage alarm system with total evacuation upon the second alarm is used.
• The first alarm (lasting <1 min) serves as an alert signal.
• Occupants are notified via the EVCs.
• Upon fire confirmation, a second continuous alarm sounds for immediate evacuation.

Model 3

• Applies to low-rise buildings (with EVCs and compartmented floors) and high-rise buildings (height exceeding 24m).
• Two-stage alarm with phased evacuation is used.
• A first alarm rings on all floors as an alert signal.
• Occupants learn through the EVC system the investigation is being carried out.
• The second alarm confirms an actual fire situation and will initiate phased evacuation.
• Notification through the EVCs to specific floors.

First Phase Evacuation

• Involves the fire floor and floors 2 above and 2 below.
• Instructions will be given through the EVC system.
• Remaining floors will standby for more instructions.
• Second phase happens once the "all clear' signals.

Second Phase Evacuation

• Requires evacuation of the floors above the fire floor.
• Evacuation of (Max. 20 floors at a time)

Third Phase Evacuation

• Requires evacuation of the floors below the fire floor.
• Evacuation of (Max. 20 floors at a time)
• Note that Floors above the fire floor should be evacuated first because hot smoke rises upward.
• The circumstances will dictate if a full evacuation is required in an actual emergency.
• A fire drill will demonstrate the effectiveness of a full evacuation.

Activity for Fire Wardens after Alarm Activation

• After the activation of the fire alarm, the Fire Warden is required to check the sub alarm panel on location of activation;
• The FSM requires the following information from the Fire Warden;
• Where is the fire, which room?
• How big is the fire? the size of the room, or what equipment is burning
• What is the burning content, printer, chair, table, oven.
• Anyone trapped?
• Anyone fighting the fire?

Selection of Assembly Area

• At least 2 or 3 alternate locations outside the building should be identified based on the following criteria:
• Easily accessible by the evacuees,
• Be able to accommodate the full occupant load
• Far enough to avoid falling debris or structures
• Located far enough from the building, at a distance no less than the building's height and more than 20m.
• Shall allow the Fire Fighting operations to carry on unhindered.
• If across any road, someone designated to control traffic so that no traffic accident will occur due to occupants crossing the road to the AA.

Recommended Emergency Procedure (Incident Management)

• All zone fire wardens (FWs) should standby and await instruction from the FCC.
• FSM should find the alarm originating zone and use the one-way EVC system to call the area for report on casualties, actions or type of fire.
• Receiving information using the two-way EVC system via telephone handset at their location.
• FSM should assess and initiate necessary action based on the information received.
• If there is nothing unusual, all fire wardens on the alarmed area will continue to standby until they are dismissed by the FSM.
• Dispatch CERT team to put out fire if necessary.
• FSM will convey message via the one-way EVC to non-alarmed storeys.
• Evacuate an area if necessary.
• The FSM should await their arrival and let them know of situation.

Emergency Scenario Actions

• Alarm has sound
• Fire wardens go to their assigned floors.
• FCC sends alert message to ALL floor.
• If alarm is indicates the 31st storey
• FCC instructs the FW of 31st storey to investigate;
• FW of 31st storey confirms fire.
• FW (31st storey) to FCC reports fire spreading & recommends 1st evacuation phase.
• FCC tells (via one way system) occupants of 29th to 33rd storeys to evacuate.
• FWs of 29th to 33rd storey directs occupants to the exits. then reports to FCC that "storey is cleared.".
• Other floors remain on standby.
• SCDF arrives and extinguished fire.
• FCC informs ALL other storey to resume normal duties.

Sample Alert Message (Fire Comand Centre to ALL Storeys)

• -Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please. A fire alarm has been activated in the building. We are investigating the cause of the alarm. Please remain calm and standby for further instructions.” (REPEAT)
• the alarm signal is continuously played until silenced or until a second message is heard (evacuate)

Sample Alerts (FCC to 31st Storey)

• "Attention please, will Fire Warden on the 31st Storey report the cause of the alarm?" (REPEAT)

Sample Alerts (Fire Warden on 31st Storey to FCC )

• "A fire has occurred on this storey"

Sample Evacuation Messages (Fire Warden (31st Storey) to FCC

• -The fire is spreading. 1st Phase or partial evacuation is necessary.
• (REPEAT)

Sample Evacuation Message (FCC to 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Storey)

• is a fire emergency situation on the 31st storey. All occupants please evacuate now, using the nearest exit staircase.(REPEAT)

Actions upon announcement

• Fire wardens of storeys will lead respective occupants down the exit staircase to the assembly area.
• The fire wardens will report before leaving their areas;
• Once the floor is clear, the floors will relay that to that the storey is clear.

Subsequent stages

• If the fire is not brought under control, the storeys will be evacuated via subsequent phases based on those in need;

Sample Actions upon announcement SCDF Arrival

• Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please. The SCDF has been informed of the emergency situation and are on their way.(REPEAT)

Sample Alerts (FCC to All other storeys once brought under control)

• "Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please. The fire emergency situation in the building is now under control. You may now resume your normal duties,

Explore emergency voice communication (EVC) systems and fire command centers (FCC) for effective command and control during fire rescue operations. Learn about the purpose of EVC systems in coordinating firefighting, rescue operations, and evacuation processes. Understand the roles of floor wardens and chief wardens in emergency communication.