BUILDING EVACUATION SYSTEM WITH POSITIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT

摘要

An emergency notification and response system is linked to a fire alarm system, a security system and to a communication network over which it sends and receives emergency messages to and from building occupants and to emergency response personnel. The emergency notification and response system comprises a notification module which operates to receive signals from a fire detection system and send one or more messages to building occupants to investigate the validity of a possible fire event, and to respond to the message with an indication that a fire event is in progress or not. Depending upon information received in the response, the notification module sends an evacuation message to a selected sub-set of the building occupants that includes instructions for evacuating the building.

主权项

1. An emergency evacuation method, comprising:
an emergency notification and response system receiving information from a fire alarm system indicating that a fire event is in progress; sending a first message to a communication device under the control of a first building occupant proximate to the fire event that includes a prompt requesting the first building occupant to respond by confirming that a fire event is in progress or not; and if a response to the first message is received from the first building occupant confirming that a fire event is in progress, using information in the response to select the most appropriate one of a set of two or more building evacuation plans stored in association with the emergency notification and response system, and sending an evacuation message to a first group of two or more building occupants including information prompting the occupants to leave the building according to the selected evacuation plan.