A voice-alarm system does not act on its own; it responds to the fire alarm. What it does, which zones play which message, in what order, is defined in a cause-and-effect matrix agreed between the fire alarm designer, the voice-alarm designer and the authority.
What the matrix defines
- Which fire zones trigger messages in which PA zones
- The order of phased evacuation, if used
- Alert and evacuate message stages
- How the fire team takes live control
- Interaction with lifts, doors and signage
Why it must be deliberate
Get the logic wrong and the system could evacuate the wrong area, or fail to move people at risk. The cause-and-effect is a safety-critical design, not a setting to improvise on site.
Tested at commissioning
The matrix is proven by witnessed cause-and-effect testing at commissioning, with the authority present where required, and documented in the handover pack so future changes are controlled.
Related: Public Address & Voice Evacuation
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