Fire Alarms & Mass Notification Systems

A vital component of keeping your facilities and employees safe is the implementation of fire alarms and a mass notification system (MNS). Fire alarms are very well known, but you may not be as familiar with an MNS. An MNS is simply a platform for sending signals or messages to staff and the public, in the event of an emergency. They can be activated in several ways, whether it is human activation or by sensing hazards such as smoke and carbon monoxide.

One facility where these systems are especially crucial is at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Ft. Knox uses both fire alarms and an MNS. They are both integrated with a Monaco brand transceiver to communicate directly with the on-base fire department.

Another feature of the fire detection system is that it also detects structural health problems in the building. This is especially helpful as water is the “enemy of anything that was built ever” according to Lead Fire Alarm and Electronics Maintenance Mechanic at Ft. Knox, Chip Irvin. With these systems in place, it eliminates the need for guards to walk through and inspect the facility.

We asked Chip what it’s like working with these systems. Chip leads the team that performs maintenance and repairs on anything that has fire alarm systems and access control systems, as well as performing those tasks himself, so he is an expert in the field! Chip’s primary responsibilities include 2,500 inspections per year, reviewing maintenance and forwarding the information to the fire department, working with dispatch to ensure functionality, handling communications failures, dispatching work requests to his team, managing new installation projects, and coordinating with technicians and suppliers.

There is so much involved with ensuring these safety systems are in working order, which is extremely valuable for the safety of the staff and public! We are proud of our Fire Alarm and Mass Notification Systems team here at The Ginn Group. 

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