High Tech Phone and communication systems
The coming melt down and
disaster
By:
Nick Markowitz Jr.
Citizen-
Patriot
Communications
Expert
In
the old days of Phone Lines and telephones a copper set of wires came from the
local telephone Provider such as Bell Telephone, ATT, GTE etc. to your house or
business and came directly to your good old fashioned heavy built desk or wall
phone.
In
the old days 99.9% of the time you could pick up the phone and there would be a
dial tone and you could dial who ever you were trying to reach even when all
the power in the neighborhood would go out.
Fast
forward to summer of 2003 and a massive East Coast power failure not only put
millions in the dark in many cases it left them with no phone service. No cell
phones
No
Internet in fact no communication at all even a large amount of AM/FM Radio and
TV Stations went down completely and those that were operating were doing so at
reduced power levels.
Welcome
to the nightmarish world of modern digital communication.
Today
communications are run by computers and electronics which require constant
power on both ends of the communications unlike the days of P.O.T.S. Plain Old
Telephone Service were the only power needed was provided by the phone
companies battery array at there central office. Today phone communication is
much more complex like T1, T3, DSL, ISDN, Main Frame and Cable TV Broadband
using Fiber Optics, Microwave, satellite and all offer high speed access and
efficiency and all are vulnerable to total failure when power is lost. Even the
old-fashioned phone service you may still have is done by electronic switching
which is more reliable than digital services but even it could fail. When a
major electronic switch goes out at the phone company central office. Which has
happened several times to large 911 emergency call centers.
And
even if you have old-fashioned phone service if you have a cordless [wireless]
phone it will not work during a power failure either, unless it has a back up
battery in the phone base and then it will only work for 1-2 hours .Plus many
systems can fail and take out entire blocks of phone service if just 1
amplifier fails some were between you and the phone company All of these
pitfalls of high tech communications are often times never explained to you the
customer and it can result in needless death and tragedy. Take the recent case
were one of my customers a large Pipe coating plant had been using POTS lines
for many years and had a modern multi line phone system
With
a small battery back up which kept the phones up for 1-2 hours and even if that
went out they still had direct emergency phone lines that operated even after
the main phone system failed. On those
emergency phone lines was an alarm system which called plant personnel by way
of 24 hr monitored central station it was critical in the plant they knew the
power was out because the tar that coated the pipes and flows thru the various
coating machines becomes rock hard in a matter of hours.
Well
an alternative phone carrier convinced the plant to switch over to high speed
digital phone service to save money and you guessed it the power went out at
the plant and because the digital phone service requires power from both ends
the signal did not get out because the small back up battery was not big enough
to allow the alarms to call out the result thousands in damage and 14 people
laid off for several weeks till repairs could be made. Just imagine this same
scenario happening with all the Fire alarm systems out there that communicate
over phone lines and how many times are the fires electrical in nature, it is
jut a matter of time till there is a major loss of life because of digital
phone service failing and the fire dept not getting called. Which brings up many other problems as well
with many older fire systems not being able to communicate because the digital
phone lines often times confuses older fire system dialers and thousands of
potential failures are waiting to happen. Plus with al the businesses and homes
installing DSL service many do not realize special filters must be installed on
fire and burglar panels so they dial out correctly. I have been very proactive
trying to get new codes adopted by NFPA National Fire Protection Assoc. to help
ensure calls get thru but I have been totally ignored as well as by the vast
majority of phone carriers. And until a major tragedy happens and litigation
forces the hands of all involved. The time bomb will keep ticking.
So
how do you protect your home and business to make sure the call gets out the following
is a checklist of items to watch out for and ask about?
1- How is the Phone service
provided- POTS – or Digital
Check
with your phone provider and find out what type of service you have how is it
backed up and can it be further backed up to keep communications operating.
Consider
installing 1 or 2 POTS lines to allow for emergency back up .If the digital
lines or its battery back up fails, also make sure alarms are regularly
inspected and tested and if phone techs come and do work at your home or business
make sure to check all alarms
Are
working and communicating before the tech walks out the door?
2- Find out what type of phone
system you are using in your home or business and If it needs power to stay
operating and if it can be backed up by battery etc and for how long and can it
be extended. Also is there emergency back up POTS jacks, which a single line
type 2500 device (plain old telephone) can be plugged into if the phone system
fails.
3- Establish a chain of command
call list so only 1-3 people make the critical calls to all needing called
instead of several individuals which will help lesson the chance of tying up
phone lines.
4- If you require battery back
up make sure that some one or some service provider is making sure it is being
maintained properly so it will function in an emergency.
5- If communications are
critical consider maintaining a 2-way radio system with appropriate battery
back up were needed and or the use of Satellite phones, which are pricey but
will work anywhere
Following
these guidelines is one way to help to insure the call will get out and
assistance will arrive when needed during a major power outage or disaster.
How did this Heat Detector Design
Get past the approving
agencies?
By
Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire
Investigator-www.securitymision.com
Walk
into almost any commercial building in fact many homes with a professionally
installed hard wired Fire or combo Fire / Burglar system and you will find
round white disks from 1 to 3 inches in diameter being used in the system for
the detection of heat
From
a fire were traditional Smoke Detectors can not be used with out going into
constant false alarm There are well over several million plus of these disks
made by many different manufacturers being used in the field they are not
intended for use as Life safety Protection but they still serve a very
important role of detecting a fire as early as possible. Some heat detectors
are fixed temp like the 190o units used in a attic or kitchen or they also
combine a rate of rise unit to detect a fast change of temperature in a room
generally 15o in 5 minutes time.
But
recently while servicing a number of fire systems I have taken the contract
over on and recently even finding brand new detectors were the terminal strip
has popped off the heat detector and a trouble signal has never sounded at the
panel, which it should to warn the heat detector has malfunctioned. The only
way you would find this problem is with the annual inspection in which many
cases if a system ever gets checked after it is installed you are lucky.
The
problem is the way the terminal strip is attached to the heat detector both the
incoming and out going wires are on the same brass strip which is attached by
way of a rivet and when either the rivet is not properly spread when the unit
is made which I found on several brand new units or when the installer puts too
big a wire or too much torque the strip pops off and the in coming and outgoing
wire strip terminal is left dangling off the detector and no signal is sent
because electrical circuit is still being maintained.
I
have also seen this design on some older smoke detectors as well, which is bad
news.
There
could be thousands of heat detectors all over the country not providing
protection.
Some
Fire Professionals will tell you heats serve no real purpose they take to long
to trigger but I have seen them operate and activate fire alarms several times
now in industrial environments and in residential and commercial garages after
all do not most sprinkler heads operate by heat.
So
here’s the problem this is a known problem with in the industry it has been
brought to the attention of those who design and approve yet nothing has been
done. Some companys have come out with a new heat design but you can still walk
into any supply house and for around $10.00 buy as many of these units with a
design flaw as you like.
With
all of the code changes now in the works this simple flaw has still yet to be
addressed and is still an on going concern.
How
many deaths and how many lawsuits is it going to take against all involved till
they get it right. With codes. Im afraid it is still going to be a long time
since the new UCC is still receiving a D- for implementation and enforcement.
Once
again Pa will lead in firefighter and civilian deaths this year. I am getting
tired of it what about you.
I bring you a Bed Time story of
“Arson for Fun and Profit”
By
Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire
Investigator
Real
Estate Development is like a big Chess Game there are winners and losers and
downright criminal activities sometimes involved. Arson being the Checkmate
plays in some cases by those who have no conscious or scruples when it comes to
developing.
For
it is these individuals who give a bad name to honest and hard working
developers.
Our fictional story begins in the 1950’s in the
back room of an exclusive men’s club in a big city along a winding river valley
filled with industrial factory’s and steel mills all going great guns in this
room are the heads of government, business and organized crime they are there
to hatch a plan to split up this valleys territory into sections for when the
day that casino gambling comes to town so that not only will everyone get a cut
but that they will all get very rich including there family’s and there
children’s children with the taxpayer footing the bill .They make sure every
one involved gets cut into the plan one way or another including judges
,lawyers and legislators if needed to make sure that no outside competition
even has a chance to bid on the property.
Their
plan is to slowly, quietly and completely buy up complete acreage around
riverfronts were the land is flat and easily developable and they would have
complete control of all development. They would do it buy having straw buyers
buy portfolios of property who would then sell it to the developer it got to
the point
No
one knew for sure who owned exactly what And thru the 50’, 60’ and 70’s this is exactly what they
do with most people paying no attention as to who owns what as companys and
community’s come and go ,and every one is employed and happy .But still no
gambling has come thru because the economy is still to good and there would be
strong opposition to gambling in the strong church going towns.
But
this was not to be in the late 1970’s the steel industry started declining and
with it the entire manufacturing base and thousands were out of work and
governments could not afford essential services like police and fire. Many
people picked up and left for other states leaving behind many abandoned
property’s which fell into a state of disrepair Fast forward to late 80s were
long decaying steel and manufacturing facilities now line the river and
railroad towns and homes and business are mostly boarded up and gone.
Except
for the mystical town called River Stone This town is one of the few survivors
Of
the rust belt. Its clean streets and friendly shopkeepers and well kept homes
gives you that old town feel this is an old money town.
Compared
to its neighbor town Broken Stone
Which
still had many little shops but whose population was older and on the decline
Times have been much harder here boarded up
buildings have deteriorated to the point they fall into the street. It is a no
mans land down in the flats compared to the up town side, which still has most
of its residents.
And
once again the cry goes out from local governments and citizens we need
riverboat gambling like other states to help with our tax base. The time is now
right for our developers to strike and start buying up the final parcels they
need to complete their plans .River boat gambling is not far off or so they
thought . But they know they will never be able to buy up the property they
need in River Stone and besides the educated and well to do of River Stone
would never allow it.
But
this does not stop the developers plans they’re plenty of ripe land right over
in broken stone and other depressed towns. Plus the bonus is the blue-collar
population is exactly who they want to target
these are the people who will gamble and not ask questions , not like
the majority in River Stone who would not. The problem is though how to acquire
those properties cheaply because even thou many were eager to sell to the straw
buyers and take the money and run the original families and others were just
not going to leave. Plus what politician in his right mind would commit suicide
recommending taking peoples property
By
eminent domain for a casino.
And
so the developers put forth a brilliant yet devious plan to get the property’s
they wanted and get paid by the government the whole time there dirty deeds
were done.
It
would take several years but by then people would become so desperate gambling
would be seen as a way to rescue the community’s from crushing property and
other taxes. With all the tax revenue and jobs they would create.
So
they set forth there plans with there straw buyers buying from the surviving
children the homes of those whose parents have died the kids no longer want the
homes they live out of town and the fast cash they make is tempting because the
property values have slid on the flats. So with the homes they have bought the
plan now comes full circle as these straw buyers do the minimal repairs needed
and turn them into section 8 housing with now absentee landlords and the
section 8 tenants and there reputation for trouble is quickly exploited as even
more elderly people and families move out .the plan is succeeding as they
slowly take over the flats and with the section 8 housing comes the crimes the
burglary’s the hold ups, assaults and the vandalism which drives even more out
of the town. But as they make there play for the flats they make sure some
other developer does not come in and scoop them by giving parcels of land to
town planning and state officials even the state governor who will all get rich
when the land is sold to the right gambling group. There plan is going like
clock work But yet there are the hold outs this is were the plan for “Arson for
fun and Profit is hatched” the villains in our story find the perfect patsy to
work there plan as they get a young mentally disturbed man to do there bidding
when they fill his head with the thoughts that every one in the town is trying
to get him. So late one evening the fires start. First in abandoned buildings
and homes .As the young man exacts his revenge on imaginary enemies. And besides
he is insane who would believe him even if he does talk. Every week it seems
the fire dept is putting out a suspicious fire. No one has gotten hurt so far
but then one evening a local business goes up a lumberyard and a night watchman
is seriously hurt.
Then
more unoccupied homes till finally occupied homes start catching fire along
with other business. The town folks begin to panic and set up a block watch but
the fires continue and get bolder even a church is set a blaze Up to this point most of the fires are hardly
investigated there’s no insurance so those involved do not have to worry
private insurance investigators showing up and in fact a couple of the business
that went up were deliberately set by the owners. Trying to cover their tracks
by making it look like the unknown serial arsonist did it. The town Fire
Marshal is old and ready to retire so he is in no position to track down the
criminal so he calls in outside help from the county, state and feds,who have there own man power and
jurisdictional issues along with investigators and detectives from hired
political hacks to true professionals. But the fires continue as the various
agencies’ point fingers at each other.
The
young man who was having his fun is caught and convicted but not before over 75
fires in the town and surrounding area have occurred .All during the rampage
some try to get to the bottom of what is going on an try to get the
investigators and town officials o listen to them but they are ignored or
driven to nervous break down because they are constantly ignored .The damage
now done and so many people have now left town with complete blocks burned down
there is little hope for the town. Some companys come and propose factories and
jobs but their plans are always foiled by constant union demands and town
demands for taxes, permits etc. they pull out of their proposals and build
elsewhere. But then a shiny knight arrives a casino gaming group wants to build
a new magnificent shopping and gaming complex complete with hotels, and restaurants
and other forms of entertainment. The town approves it with out problem and
gives them all kind of tax breaks because the towns so desperate for funds have
finally got gambling legalized in the state all those involved in owning the
property are well paid off
In
the end .
A
nice neat little package for all involved in the dirty deeds. They have there
Casino and there control .
There
is no happy ending just a lot of graft
and corruption continuing as the casinos are shaken down property values continue to decline ,crime
and prostitution is rampart as is embezzlement
the promised development and jobs the casino was to bring never happens
Just
another sad little river town in a dying valley.
Now
not that I hate gambling and think it should not be If you want to gamble or
you want casinos so be it.. But my little story has more painful truth to it
than many of us want to admit.
Just
keep repeating to your self “this is
just a fictional story” this is just a fictional story.
If a serious disaster requiring an evacuation during the
weekend occurred
Would the AM/FM and TV
Station in your area be able to get
Your message out to the
public
You might be surprised to
know the answer could be no?
By:
Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire
Investigator / Broadcast Engineer
nmarkowitz@earthlink.net
If
during the weekend a train carrying hazardous materials were to rollover and
crash and start leaking a toxic cloud in your town and you needed to get the
word out thru the media that the whole town needed to evacuate along with
residents up and down the valley were the accident occurred.
Would
you be able to notify all the Radio and TV stations in the area to broadcast an
emergency evacuation message for you?
Do
not count on it.
As
Radio stations merge and budgets get cut on air personalities actually working
at the station and broadcasting are becoming thinner every day.
The
vast majority of stations particularly in the smaller markets are using
automation systems to allow the stations to be operated with no personnel on
site. Sure you hear a disk jockey talking on the air but he is not there often
times entire days of programming can be pre-recorded and then played at the
appropriate time. We do it at the little 5K AM station were I work as the On-call
Engineer. If you listen to our station you would think some one is in the
studio when in realty the afternoon disk jockey came in the morning and voice
tracked (recorded) his entire afternoon show which leaves him time to go out
selling advertising.
So no
one is at the station.
The
FCC - Federal Communications Commission requires that stations be manned from
8:00
am to 5:00 Pm Monday thru Friday, which means a station, can be run by
automation
All
weekend.
But
some stations still sound like some one is live from the station. Just another
Radio Magic Trick often times stations are run completely by remote control
from another state NYC and Chicago often have DJ’s sitting in massive studios
who handle announcing for several stations at once over high speed computer
lines you call the 800 number to enter the contest but the DJ is actually miles
away who answers your call.
Then
you have FM stations that can be operated over what is known as translators.
Similar
to the repeaters we use for 2 way radios in the Fire Service
Translators
rebroadcast signals from radio stations so they can penetrate into other market
areas.
So
if you have an emergency and called the local broadcasters on the weekend will
some one answer you it all depends.
So
what about the severe weather reports you hear on weekends how do they get out
over the air?
The majority of broadcasters are required to
have what are known as EAS –Emergency Alert System receivers required by FEMA
and at my station we monitor the local big AM station signal and an FM station
and the NWS- National Weather Service. Any time one of the emergency
transmissions alert signal is received we automatically rebroadcast them.
Our
transmitters are set up to override the music were playing and broadcast the
message.
So
we can run automated and still get major emergency messages out.
But
one big glitch to the whole system is getting the signal and being able to
retransmit it.
Lets
say that tanker that rolled over was during a storm and the power went out our
little station like many other little stations have no back up generator.
When
the massive black out hit the east coast this year only 60% of stations managed
to stay on the air by back up generators or sending transmissions from back up
tower sites.
The
rest were off the air completely till the power came back on. And many that
were able to stay on the air lost their high-speed phone lines, which means
they did not receive national programs. Many more were operating at only half
their normal power as well.
To
help make sure messages get thru
The
State Emergency agency PEMA starting this year will be providing all stations
big and small
With
Satellite based computer systems so stations can stay in constant 2 way contact
with Harrisburg and eliminate the retransmission of emergency massages so they
go out all at once and are always received. Because some times the atmosphere
causes problems in receiving the EAS message at stations who retransmit it.
My
station some times has problems not getting the EAS message because our 910AM
Signal
is close to the 1020AM signal we monitor and our 910 signals over powers the
1020 signal. Satellites will hopefully eliminate all of the related problems
with the EAS system. As well as Back up generators many stations are hoping to
get funding for including the one I work for.
So
knowing everything about why your emergency message may not get out
What
can you do?
Contact
your local broadcaster and find out how they broadcast emergency messages and
if the station is manned all the time or not if they have a emergency number
you can call to either get the message sent from the remote broadcast site if
there programming originates out of state or if a Board Operator or Engineer
can make an emergency trip to the station to give the message out.
This
is one situation were assuming a resource is 100% available could come back and
bite you. Pre planning is essential to make sure emergency’s are effectively
handled.
Illiteracy
It is a bigger problem then
most experts
Want to admit.?
it is a leading cause for accidents and
injury’s ?
By
Nick Markowitz Jr.
Fire
Investigator
Did
you ever go into McDonalds or Burger King etc. and when you see on the menus
the picture of what you are getting and the numbered meals that is easy to
order that it has a much more significant reason?
It
is because of the high rate of illiteracy not only in Pa. But across the
country.
And
Illiteracy kills.
If
you ever listen to CB=Citizen Band Radio some call it Children’s Band you here
truck drivers asking for high way exit numbers. How many times myself and many
times myself will answer back you want the such and such exit. The driver will
answer back what’s the exit number. The reason and not to pick on Truck drivers
is because there are many truck drivers who are illiterate and this is a known
and sadly tragic fact. When you see the
undeserved stereotype dumb truck driver it is often because they are
illiterate. They know numbers can recognize
certain road signs but if you say a community’s name they can not find that
exit they drive by exit numbers and street names printed on there shipping
papers.
Recently
a Driver who came from Eastern Europe was sentenced to a long prison sentence after
he ran a stop sign and killed a family in Butler County. When he was arrested
an interpreter had to be called in to give him his rights. So the big question
at the time was how did he get his CDL Commercial drivers License. Obviously
some one helped him out and what is even scarier is the number of individuals
who are driving hazardous loads who are not literate. If you cannot read the
signs this is how accidents happen when flammable loads go thru tunnels when
there not suppose to. This has been a very serious issue that has been known to
the transportation industry and our government and the CDL was suppose to stop
these types of drivers from getting the license but they are still being handed
out by corrupt or apathetic officials.
Or
take the case the other day were a painter painted all the heat detectors at my
customers business there by rendering them useless. When the painter was
confronted and will now pay for there replacement was asked did you not see the
clearly worded?
Detectors
saying do not paint. He said he did not see the printing. Was he being lazy and
just painted every thing? No it ended up he could not read.
This
is why more and more you are seeing symbols on instructions and products
because of the illiteracy problem. I will never forget a Castle and knights themed restaurant our
family eat at while we were on vacation when I was a teenager the men’s and
ladies rooms was marked Wenches and Cavaliers. You would be surprised the
number of men and women who waited outside till a man or woman went into the
appropriate side so they would not get embarrassed because they could either
not read or had no idea what a wench or a cavalier was which any one who was in
a history class should have known.
Do
you know the difference between a Cavalier and a Wench .Which room would you
have entered.
There
is absolutely positively no reason in this country that our citizens cannot
read and comprehend what they are reading..
As
some one who suffers from Dyslexia you may notice it in my writing style but I
knew I had a problem and got help for it. There are all types of free programs
available to learn how to read and tutors who can work with any type of
learning disability. All it takes is commitment by the individual who wants to
learn how to read and write.
But
instead of improving there skills they are content to live a life of dead end
jobs or get by on there better paying job by using others to help them keep it
thru various means and excuses. Many times when we think were being helpful we
are actually empowering those who are illiterate and do not even realize it.
When the pizza deliveryman hands some one the bill and the customer asks how
much the pizza is instead of looking at the bill is it laziness are is it
because they cannot read. Is the print really to small for some one to read or
can they truly not read it.
If
I suspect some one is illiterate I will
try to find out from them in private and then try and encourage them to get the
help they need.
No
one should have to go thru life this way. And many accidents and injury’s could
be avoided when illiteracy is done away with.
IMPROPERLY MAINTAINED
FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS
AND SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
CATASTROPHES WAITING TO HAPPEN
Submitted By: Nick
Markowitz Jr.
Volunteer Firefighter/
Alarm Systems Contractor
One of the most
unfortunate things the Booming Economy has caused is the lack of properly
trained Alarm and Sprinkler System Technicians.
Which has resulted in a
whole new crop of improperly installed and improperly maintained Fire and
sprinkler systems. And as Alarm Providers keep buying up smaller Alarm and
Sprinkler Company’s and the bigger these company’s get the worse their service
gets.
My own business has been
steadily growing because of dissatisfaction of building owners with these large
companies.
Recently I picked up 2
large customers, one being a large Chemical Manufacturer and the other a large
5 building School district, and in both cases you would think the level of
concern of technicians would be high. Due to the potential for disaster at both
these locations . However I found all of the many different systems improperly
maintained and in some cases not working at all. In the school district I found
sprinkler systems which had not been flow or annually tested for over 5 years.
The water when I tested these systems ran black and gray putrid for 20+ minutes
when opened .All of this debris I flushed from the systems could have had the
potential for sprinkler heads Jamming and Water Flow Alerts not working.
Then when it came to
testing the Fire Alarm Systems in the schools ,again I found Smoke Detectors
which had not been cleaned for many years, Alarm signals malfunctioning and not
sound coordinated, battery packs corroded and split.and panels not sending
required trouble signals and in The Middle school fuses were bypassed with
jumpers in one panel, again a disaster in the making. Again many false fire
alarms that did not have to happen. And the best part to this whole situation
was the School district was paying nearly $1000.00 a year per building for
system Preventive Maintenance Contracts
Which was to include
annual cleaning and testing and they were not receiving it.
Plus the company providing
the service was no little outfit like myself it was one of the largest Fire System
Company’s in the country.
Now that I have taken over
the systems and I am in the process of getting the systems up to 100% The false
Alarms have been greatly reduced, and there have been few maintenance problems,
Then last month I picked
up a large chemical plant which has large quantities
Of every chemical you can
think including Methyl Ethyl bad stuff. Again I found a Fire System not working
in some places and improperly installed for the most part, again a large
company was being paid to maintain this system and was not doing its job. And
again Firefighters were putting their lives on the line every time they answered
a False Fire call. Let alone the plant
workers who would not know there was an Emergency in the plant as it is very
large and isolated.
And worse of All the
Technicians for the vast majority of these systems have been certified by NICET
who sets the standards of how technicians are suppose to do there jobs, so they
know there doing wrong and they still could care less it is not there company
so there’s no skin off there backs if all hell breaks loose.
So then you would have to
ask where was the code enforcement people responsible
To make sure these systems
are being maintained properly.
Well they were aware of
the problems but every year they would get the proper paper work the systems
were being tested and maintained and because these systems were extremely
complex it would take another technician to know if it was being maintained or
not. Again we have the problem of technology getting way ahead of those
responsible
To inspect it. And for any
Fire Marshal or Code enforcement Officer doing there job it is difficult if not
impossible because not only do they need to know Fire and sprinkler systems but
Building construction codes, fire Prevention codes etc. etc.
And alarm company’s and
technicians know they can pull the wool over Inspectors eyes
And get away with it. Plus the way they write their contracts it is
extremely hard to get any satisfaction from these companies.
Until those responsible
for inspection of systems can receive the proper training
So that they can apply and use both civil and
criminal codes against those who abuse a
An Industry built on trust
no none is Safe. No matter how new or old or well built a building is.
INDOOR USE ONLY MEANS
INDOORS ONLY
THIS GOES FOR FIRE ALARMS AS
WELL
By: Nick Markowitz Jr.
Private
Industry Fire Investigator
Member
Emsworth VFD
Recently
when I was contracted by an out of state Alarm Company to do work in a college
town in southwest Pa. I came upon a situation which should never had been
allowed to happen if truly qualified people were doing the work.
The
apartments for students were designed were the pull stations; strobe horns and
Annunciator were located either directly outdoors or in the atrium type
breezeways
Which
meant they were to be weather proof in design to meet the NFPA 72 requirement
of
1-5.5.2.4
Equipment shall be installed in locations were conditions do not exceed the
voltage, temperature and humidity limits specified in 1-5.5.1
Exception equipment specifically listed for use in
locations were conditions can exceed the upper and lower limits of 1-
5.5.1
1-5.5.1
states Voltage, temperature and humidity variations.
Equipment
shall be designed so that it is capable of performing its intended functions
under the following conditions
1- * at 85 % and at 110% of the
name plate voltage
2- At ambient temperatures of
32 degree and 120 F
3- At a relative humidity of 85
% and an ambient temperature of 86% F
Clearly it goes below 32 degrees in Pa. during
the winter and we get 100% humidity so indoor equipment should never have been
used.
Yet
it was not only installed but several inspectors passed it as ok to use. There
was also
Emergency
Light packs which were clearly labeled indoor use only being used outside and
again passed all inspections.
I
found a similar situation in Leechburg Pa.
Were
the entire fire panel was installed in an entry way of an apartment building
open to the weather.
I
checked with the AHJ who showed me a stamped set of plans by an engineer that
specked weather proof equipment but the contractor failed to follow plans and
Engineer/Architect never followed up as well yet full inspection passing
documents were given to the AHJ as being done properly.
Now
all of this indoor only equipment will have to be replaced with weatherproof
equipment to prevent malfunctions and possible fire when it comes to the
emergency lights, which have a 120-volt power board.
This
once again proves why we need statewide codes and trained competent AHJ or
forget even implementing the codes because the same non sense is going to go
on.
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