Fire alarm playing music?

I was in Wal-Mart when I heard music in the bathroom playing from the fire alarm speaker. I want to know if there is a switchover in the panel that allows the alarms to be used as speakers until the system is activated and it switches to the panel.

By the way I'm not in the bathroom but I am by one so sorry about the toilet flushing at the beginning.

[NewAgeServerAlarm]

I am a fire alarm tech and I see this a lot. This is called a voice evacuation system. When the alarm goes off, an alert tone and a message plays instructing you to leave. The fire codes have allowed these systems to have an input from a radio or PA system and they do indeed switch over automatically.

[bjthedjdutchdude]

Yeah with a fire alarm you'll be 'safe and sound'. lol

[ccentralchannel]

The fire alarm makes you “Safe and sound!”









Okay I’ll leave.

[boiiiproductions]

This is the smart way to do it if you want your building to be safe but also play music

[UltimateManager]

This is a Wheelock S8 speaker strobe. Likely connected to a SAFEPATH 4 panel which allows music to be played and it can do announcements as well. The SAFEPATH 4 panel is NOT the main fire panel, its the speaker controller that has buttons for messages and the announcement microphone. The main FACP (which is likely a Bosch Radionics with D1255RB/D1256RB keypads or something like that) is the one that handles the strobes flashing and is what sends the signal to the SAFEPATH 4 panel to stop the music and play the alarm tone and message. When the panel is reset, it will play the music again.

So, when the fire alarm goes off:
1) Bosch Radionics panel gets the signal to alarm (from a pull station or smoke detector/sprinkler), keypads will start beeping, strobes start flashing.
2) The panel will send a signal to the SAFEPATH4 to stop the music and start the alarm tone and message.
3) When the Silence button is pressed on the Bosch keypad then it will send a signal to the SAFEPATH 4 to stop the alarm. (Strobes continue to flash)
4) When reset is pressed then strobes stop flashing and system resets. Then either the music will play automatically or someone has to resume the music.

That's how a voice evacuation system works at Walmart (at my knowledge)

[gare_moore]

Yes, the newer fire alarms have a relay that mutes the audio device (music, etc.), if the system activates.

Weather alert systems also do this. ☺️

[HappyJigg]

lol, these speaker strobes are designed to do stuff like this. They are designed for PA and fire alarm use.

[ezrav.]

LOL it's playing safe and sound when in reality, fire alarms keep you safe and sound! LOL :)

[mikesterthealarmguy]

this is definitely a wheelock S8 speaker strobe. it looks a lot more like the normal round PA speakers that you see all the time, but wheelock put their strobe on it. it can be used for music playing/PA as well as a fire alarm device, thus the strobe. i've seen an instance where i heard an E70 speaker strobe playing music through there at a walmart a little further south from me. EST put their integrity type strobe on it too as well.

[robinausbayern]

Capital Cities - Safe and sound is heard in the background - This makes me wanna dance to it!

[Simplex]

Voce evacuation systems utilise speaker strobes. Those speakers can play anything. That's what allows them to play those sound effects as the alert tone as well as an instructional message. That also allows them to play music when they are otherwise not doing anything.

[coondogtheman]

Good song. Walmart always plays the best music. Every time I'm there they play good music.

[MaxTheRealmTC_]

In my opinion, this was a You Had One Job😂

[railgunsforlife]

Fun fact: First Alert now makes a new brand of smoke/carbon monoxide alarm called "Safe and Sound" which also functions as an Alexa-enabled smart speaker.

[awesomefeeling]

Yep, a fire alarm playing music will keep you "Safe and Sound."

[seanjuth]

yes in the facp but you can either attach your own audio set or play music directly from the panel

[masteraustin]

Safe and Sound Thanks for Telling me xD
Wait what? That’s jus the music playing Whoops

[VintageTubeProductions]

The fire alarm is mounted on a speaker that’s playing the music.






It’s still “Safe and sound” in there!

[trainerred]

Yeah the s8 series of speakers can double as PA and Fire Alarm speakers

[gunnarbondank]

That’s weird the fire alarm plays music