Chicago High Rise Office Space Fire Alarm Speaker Requirements

Like other major metropolitan areas, the city of Chicago requires emergency voice and communication systems in its high rise buildings (over eighty feet in height).  Rather than sound a general alarm when a detection device activates, the fire department is notified without any audible warning provided to the high rise occupants until the fire department arrives and assesses the situation.  This is done to control building egress and keep the occupants from flooding the stairwells in a panicking manner.  Once the fire department determines that a partial evacuation should commence, an announcement is made to the floors affected from the fire command center, usually in the main lobby.  High rise buildings are required to have fire alarm speakers in elevator lobbies, within five feet of any egress stairwell and spaced no greater than 75 feet in common corridors.  Where does that leave the occupants of the various offices on each floor?  The Chicago Building Code only requires fire alarm speakers in office spaces greater than 5,000 square feet, so specifiers may need to reconcile the Chicago requirements with the building owners to ensure any other life safety requirements they may be required to comply with are being met (insurance, federal funding, etc.).  These speakers are spaced at no more than 75 feet, but more may be needed to get proper intelligibility of the announcement. Additionally, per the Illinois Accessibility Act, visual devices are now required in employee work areas that require fire alarm audibility.  In the end, a thorough review with the owner will help avoid having to go back into finished spaces to add additional fire alarm equipment.

Affiliated Fire Systems has the experience, knowledge and personnel to answer thee and other life safety application questions.  Hiring an experienced, proactive fire alarm vendor that can spot upcoming conflicts can make all the difference between profitability and losing your margin.  Feel free to contact us at your convenience to discuss your application questions or for more information on how Gamewell-FCI life safety products can meet your installation requirements.

Gene Rowe