OT: radios for office evacuation

[MSmith]

My employer leases a large office building. There are about 500 of us on 3 floors in the building. There are 3 stair towers that provide 3 exits on 3 different sides of the buildings.

We have discovered after our first fire drill that we need better communication between sides of the building. We plan to put 2-way radios in an "emergency box" near the exits along with vests for the Floor Marshals.

We have the following requirements:
1. All radios operate on the same band.
2. Radios operate over at least 1000 feet distance
3. Radios are preferably powered by non-rechargeable batteries (they're gonna be sitting in a box unused for long periods)
4. Radios will not interfere with emergency responder equipment
5. Fairly cheap and minimal paperwork required

When I say "fairly cheap", I mean that a set of 49MHz walkie-talkies is good enough if they work. The facilities director did say that I can't come up with Spongebob radios or something silly like that.

Any ideas?

 

[wsuffa]

Get some of the license-free FRS radios that are sold in a bunch of stores. Try 'em out to see how well they'll work. That'll be your most cost-effective solution if they work.

 

[ScottM]

Yep get eh FRS radios. They operate at 450MHz and can be keyed with a subaudible tone to minimize interference. If you get the higher powerd GMRS radios that operate in the same band you will need to get a license form the FCC.

The FRS radios can also come with WX radio installed to help keep your emergancy people up to date with WX info.

Go here, http://direct.motorola.com/ENS/NationalHome.asp?Country=USA&language=ENS&SelectedTab=5 and look at the talkabout radios.

 

[MSmith]

Thanks. I found a set of 2 Uniden FRS radios at Amazon for $12.99 (for the pair). Can't beat that.

 

[ScottM]

Thanks. I found a set of 2 Uniden FRS radios at Amazon for $12.99 (for the pair). Can't beat that.

Yep always good to get the cheapest junk you can find on the Internet for emergancy communications. I would want my name associated with that decision.

 

[Skip Miller]

Yep always good to get the cehapest junk you can find on the Internet for emergancy communications. I would want my name associated with that decision.

Hey Scott, they will be great as a proof of concept: Will the signal pierce the building steel and concrete and get the job done? If yes, time to get some more reliable radios. If they don't you haven't made a dent in the petty cash....

-Skip

 

[ScottM]

Hey Scott, they will be great as a proof of concept: Will the signal pierce the building steel and concrete and get the job done? If yes, time to get some more reliable radios. If they don't you haven't made a dent in the petty cash....

-Skip

I giving him a little $%^&

But one of the things you can do if it is just for a PoC is call the local 2-way distributor and have them demo models to you in your facility to help with the decision.

 

[Skip Miller]

I giving him a little $%^&

But one of the things you can do if it is just for a PoC is call the local 2-way distributor and have them demo models to you in your facility to help with the decision.

That is a better idea!

-Skip

 

[mdreger]

What about cell phones? I would imagine that everyone in your office has one, they would likely make sure they had them on the way out. Just set up a type of phone tree, or POC for everyone to call once they get out.

If you use radio's, everyone has to remember to grab one on the way out. If they forget, or the radio doesn't work, the system is compromised. With a cell phone system even if they manage to leave their phone behind, the person next to them is likely to have one and they can call the designated number.

 

[gismo]

Yep get eh FRS radios. They operate at 450MHz and can be keyed with a subaudible tone to minimize interference. If you get the higher powerd GMRS radios that operate in the same band you will need to get a license form the FCC.

The FRS radios can also come with WX radio installed to help keep your emergancy people up to date with WX info.

Go here, http://direct.motorola.com/ENS/NationalHome.asp?Country=USA&language=ENS&SelectedTab=5 and look at the talkabout radios.

I'd recommend going with the GMRS radios. First, while a license is technically required, of the 50 or so GMRS users I know (including myself) none have bothered to apply for a license and I've never heard of anyone getting fined for that. Second, if you really want to comply with the FCC rules, it's pretty simple to get a license for GMRS and it costs something like $75 every 10 years.

FMS frequencies are usually more congested and the range usually falls far short of the advertized distance, especially if there are any buildings in the way. The cost delta is minimal anymore so the only downside I know of is shorter battery life, something that wouldn't matter much for your situation.

 

[silver-eagle]

Many NEXTELs have 3 modes. Phone, Walkie-talkie (the chatter you hear prefixed by the NEXTEL chirp), and DirecTalk. The latter (if I remember correctly) is like FRS radio in that it's a descreet channel and doesn't use their network. The range is reported to be 2 miles. They would be like FRS radios but should be better equipment. I don't know if NEXTEL offers this on all equipment they sell, but you might be able to get obsolete stuff (eBay or others). Since they don't use the NEXTEL network, there shouldn't be any costs other than the purchase.

 

[MSmith]

A little more background on the need may be required.

These radios would only be used outside the building, to facilitate communications between exit groups. The evacuation rally points are as far from the building as possible on 3 sides. We have line of sight between the sites at each end and the site on the side of the building.

If the radios fail, we simply fall back to walking. It's only a 2-3 minute walk between rally points.

 

[TMetzinger]

In that case, the FRS radios will probably work well. But no requirements ever survive the purchase phase, so as soon as you buy them, I guarantee somebody will find a way to get "extra" use out of them.

 

[MSmith]

In that case, the FRS radios will probably work well. But no requirements ever survive the purchase phase, so as soon as you buy them, I guarantee somebody will find a way to get "extra" use out of them.

It won't be easy. They'll be in boxes at the building exits (well, except for the one belonging to the facilities manager) with reflective vests for the floor marshals.

I suspect the boxes will only be secured with breakaway ties (like fire extinguishers), so the possibility of theft is there.