It has been asserted in various chapters of this guide that the design
of a fire detection and fire alarm system should be based on a proposed
fire evacuation strategy, rather than vice versa. Nowhere is this truer than in the case of a building that necessitates a staged fire alarm system. In complex buildings, a fire alarm system that was not designed to accommodate a fire evacuation strategy that is formulated at a later date may be quite difficult and expensive to modify. In particular, hard-wired sounder circuits might need to be completely reconfigured to accommodate the alarm zones (see Chapter 12) needed to facilitate the staged alarm arrangements that are ultimately required by the building user. Moreover, in, for example, the case of phased evacuation of a tall building, normally a voice alarm system will be required to support the evacuation strategy. The strategy may also require additional facilities, such as fire telephones, so that fire wardens on each floor can advise those responsible for controlling the evacuation when their particular floors are cleared. (BS 5839-941 provides recommendations for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of these fire telephones.) Clause 19 of BS 5839-1 is dedicated to the subject of staged fire alarms. Much of the benefit of this clause lies within the commentary, which provides an excellent discussion of the applications for staged fire alarm arrangements and the forms of staged alarm that are used. However, up to 11 specific recommendations are given, according to whether or not the staged alarm system incorporates a staff alarm arrangement (see below). 41 BS 5839-9, Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings Code of practi ce for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of emergency voice communication systems. 136 Design, installation, commissioning and maintenance As noted in the commentary of clause 19, there are a number of circumstances in which a staged fire alarm arrangement may be appropriate. Those cited in the code comprise the following. Buildings with phased evacuation. These are normally high-rise or large buildings, in which those closest to the fire (such as those on the floor of fire origin and the floor immediately above) are evacuated in the first phase , with other areas evacuated in a series of further phases, which, in the case of a high-rise building, each traditionally comprise two complete floors of the building. In tall buildings, a phased evacuation arrangement can reduce the number and/or widths of stairways, as the entire population of the building will not need to evacuate at the same time. This is appealing to architects, as it increases the lettable floor space. In the event of false alarms, phased evacuation may avoid disruption of the entire building. It is generally accepted, however, that phased evacuation of tall buildings is suitable only for office buildings, as, in other types of building, a controlled and managed evacuation may be more difficult to achieve, and the rate of fire development may be such as to preclude prolonged delay in the evacuation of certain floors. However, phased evacuation is also sometimes used in other types of building in which staircase capacities are not reduced. Examples are leisure complexes, shopping centres and transportation termini. In these latter cases, usually the first stage of evacuation is horizontal, rather than vertical. Caution should be exercised in the use of phased evacuation in buildings, such as leisure complexes, where family groups might be separated; evacuation of some members of the family group, while others are expected to remain in occupation,