| Imperial College London, rated the fifth best university in | | | | buildings could be secured by only nineteen |
| the world for 2009, is the latest college to install | | | | DeafWatch transmitters, which meant that, along with |
| DeafWatch - the Fire Alarm for Deaf and Hard of | | | | the bulk purchases for such a large project, significant |
| hearing people developed by Wireless Alert Solutions. | | | | savings were possible. The flexibility of the Wireless |
| Fire Alarms for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People | | | | Alert Solutions approach meant that a strong working |
| Imperial College is a science-based institution with such | | | | relationship was built with the in-situ electrical |
| a superb reputation for excellence in teaching and | | | | sub-contractor, simplifying the installation. Having local |
| research that it attracts 13,000 students and 6,000 | | | | engineers on site with resources and facilities in central |
| staff of the highest quality. The innovative research at | | | | London also proved a significant cost saving. |
| the college explores the interface between science, | | | | Imperial College London has the legal title 'Imperial |
| medicine, engineering and business, so naturally they | | | | College of Science, Technology and Medicine' and this |
| would insist on the highest quality products and | | | | is reflected in department after department of |
| systems to be used in and around the Imperial College | | | | sophisticated technology. The laboratories of |
| Campus. When such systems are to be used to help | | | | Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautics, Biochemistry and |
| protect students and staff, then such a prestigious | | | | Electrical Engineering all threw up unusual and difficult |
| college places paramount importance on choosing the | | | | challenges. A combination of different small antennas |
| right systems. | | | | and a maximum power output of 5W meant that |
| Coverage Problems | | | | DeafWatch could securely cover all buildings. |
| Imperial had previously looked into fire alarm solutions | | | | Within the college Halls of Residence, DeafWatch |
| for Deaf and Hard of hearing people in the past, but | | | | utilized its daytime and night time programming |
| the large scale buildings of the South Kensington | | | | protocols, ensuring that daytime messages would not |
| Campus meant that paging licenced and unlicenced | | | | be received by sleeping students, while those still |
| systems always encountered coverage problems. | | | | awake would still receive Fire Alarm for the Deaf |
| Poorly licenced options required multiple transmitters to | | | | coverage. |
| cover just a single building, while the size and complex | | | | Cost-Effective Conclusion |
| nature of the laboratories and dense materials | | | | Imperial College London provided an excellent example |
| contained within them made full coverage difficult. | | | | of a cost effective Fire Alarm for the Deaf solution |
| Further Testing | | | | despite the challenging circumstances. Even though the |
| For DeafWatch, the scale and variety of the Imperial | | | | inter-building infrastructure was not able to be exploited |
| College buildings proved less troublesome. A single fire | | | | in most cases, a flexible approach meant that a cost |
| alarm and a single DeafWatch transmitter achieved | | | | effective solution was possible in Central London. This |
| complete coverage of whole buildings from the ground | | | | resulted in Imperial College London considering a |
| floor using only a low power five inch antenna. Imperial | | | | comprehensive approach to their Fire Alarm for Deaf |
| College earned its place as the fifth best university in | | | | and Hard of hearing people system within a year's |
| the world by detailed investigation, testing and problem | | | | budget. |
| solving. One problem occurred when DeafWatch was | | | | After a successful expansion from the original two |
| used in conjuction with Imperial's sophisticated central | | | | transmitters, Imperial College have already expanded |
| control system for identifying fire activations and | | | | the DeafWatch Fire Alarm for Deaf people system |
| co-ordinating the management. The system operates | | | | two a total of twenty two transmitters, covering a |
| over a variety of cabling, the correct method for | | | | total of twenty nine buildings across the whole South |
| information only services that are operating and | | | | Kensington Campus and other sites besides. |
| performing well. Appending DeafWatch to this system | | | | "DeafWatch has turned a potential risk into a thorough |
| would make it part of the fire alarm system, so | | | | success within six months. We have achieved |
| non-fire retardant cable was inadequate. This meant | | | | complete coverage at a reasonable price. Their |
| that the college buildings would have to be considered | | | | flexibility with our strategic partners and their approach |
| individually or in clusters. | | | | to corporate responsibility has been crucial. We are |
| Deaf Fire Alarm Solutions | | | | very pleased with the results. For their size, Wireless |
| With the infrastructure of Imperial College meaning | | | | Alert Solutions Limited punches comfortably above |
| some buildings are securely interconnected, twenty six | | | | their weight. |