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If you’ve ever played a game of telephone, you know that messages can lose meaning as they get passed from one person to the next. In times of emergency, there’s no room for misinterpretation. 

The new fire alarm system being rolled out across University Hospital will help ensure we’re all quickly alerted and well-informed should a problem arise. Currently, the new system is active in the South Tower and is being installed on floors G through 2. Floors 3 through 8 will follow.

“The new fire alarm system went in when we added the South Tower in 2020,” explains Kevin Fox, Director of Facilities Planning and Capital Development and member of the Safety and Security Subcommittee. “This update was mandated by a change in fire safety codes.”

One of the key differences in this new system is the way alerts are disseminated. The fire alarm system being replaced has a multi-step alert process. The problem is reported electronically to a call center and a member of the call center team then shares a verbal message indicating the location of the fire. How that location is described may vary from one person to the next, opening the door for ambiguity.

“If someone says, ‘Call to station, University Hospital Five East, fifth floor,’ and someone else says, ‘Call to station, University Hospital fifth floor, Behavioral Health,’ then there’s a chance for misinterpretation,” explains Fox.

Misinterpretation can lead to delays in response, and that can lead to a greater risk of injury or worse for our patients and staff. This is why the new system is more standardized in its alerts.

“The new system is automated and it has a recorded announcement specific to each area that has been reviewed and approved for consistency,” says Fox. “If there’s a fire alarm in a particular geographic area, the message will always be the same.”

These geographic areas are identified as “smoke zones” or “smoke compartment designations.” Knowing which smoke zone you’re in is key to making sure this new alarm system is effective.

Regular fire drills led by David Hartman, a former fireman and our Fire Safety Coordinator, are ongoing throughout University Hospital. “Dave is the man in the field who conducts fire drills with each unit. He uses this opportunity to educate staff on what they did well during the drill, to answer any questions and also explain the smoke compartment designations,” says Fox. 

It’s up to all of us to learn the designation of our work area so that we can respond quickly to an alert, and to know how to egress from that location in an emergency. 

Consult your Red Book for fire evacuation maps specific to your area.