Short answer
A voice evacuation system is a sound system installed to give clear spoken instructions to everyone in a building during a fire, earthquake or evacuation; it overrides all other broadcasts and keeps working when the power goes out. Which buildings require it and which standards it must meet are determined at the design stage, based on the building's use and the conditions in the fire regulation.
How is it different from a normal PA system?
A shopping mall's music and announcement system and a voice evacuation system can look the same from the outside: speakers in the ceiling, an amplifier in a room, a microphone on a desk. The difference is in how the system behaves on a bad day.
A voice evacuation system monitors its own faults. If a speaker line breaks or an amplifier fails, it shows this on the panel. When the power goes out, it keeps working on battery. When an emergency message starts, it cuts off music, advertising and other announcements. When installed with a connection to the fire detection system, it automatically broadcasts the pre-recorded evacuation message to the relevant zones the moment an alarm comes in.
That is why a voice evacuation system is treated more like a safety system than an audio device. It is designed, goes through acceptance testing and needs regular maintenance. The same speakers can also be used for music and announcements during the day; in an emergency, control passes automatically to the voice evacuation panel.
Why spoken instructions instead of a bell?
A conventional fire siren warns of danger but does not say what to do. When people hear a siren, they first look around and wonder whether it is real or a drill. A spoken message, on the other hand, can say who should go where and by which stairs.
In large buildings with phased evacuation, the difference is even clearer. While the floor with the fire and the floor above it are evacuated first, a separate message can tell the other floors to wait. The stairs do not get crowded.
Another advantage of spoken instructions is that they can be updated as the situation changes. An authorized person can announce over the microphone that an exit is closed, that another staircase must be used or that the danger has passed; a siren can only sound or go silent.
Where should it be considered?
A voice evacuation system comes up in buildings that hold crowds, where people who do not know the building well come and go, or where evacuation may take a long time. Examples:
Not every building on this list has to install a voice evacuation system; the list shows places where the need is often discussed. On a small office floor, the fire alarm sounder may be enough. On a large campus, however, you need to say who leaves which building, and in what order.
- Hospitals and healthcare campuses
- Schools, dormitories and university buildings
- Shopping malls and large stores
- Hotels and conference halls
- Factories and large warehouses
- Sports halls, stadiums and cultural centers
- High-rise office and residential buildings
Expert note: Ask whether it is mandatory not to the company, but to the authority that will approve the design and to the fire consultant. The Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings sets different conditions depending on the building's class; these conditions are checked at the design stage.
Standards and connection to the fire alarm
In Türkiye, the TS EN 54 family of standards is the reference for fire detection and alarm equipment. This family also includes parts covering the panels and speakers of voice alarm systems. Whether a voice evacuation system is to be installed with devices certified to these standards depends on the project requirements and should be stated clearly in the specification.
When the fire alarm panel and the voice evacuation system are connected, a scenario table defines which detection zone triggers which announcement zone. This table is prepared jointly by the fire consultant, the architect and the installation company. It can be changed later, but every change requires testing.
At the acceptance stage, every scenario must be tried one by one. A test alarm is triggered in a detection zone, and it is checked that the right message plays in the relevant announcement zones and that the other zones wait. The results of this test should be kept in the building file.
What to watch for during installation
The value of a voice evacuation system is measured by whether it works on the day it is needed. For that, a few points need attention from the start.
The number and placement of speakers is a separate calculation. The message must be heard in corridors, stairwells, restrooms and closed offices. In noisy production areas, speakers should be chosen so that their sound rises above the machine noise and, if necessary, supported with visual alarms.
After installation, the sound level and intelligibility should be tested in every zone and the results recorded. This record shows the condition of the system as it was handed over, for future renovations or inspections.
- Speaker lines should be run with fire-resistant cable along a suitable route.
- Battery capacity should be calculated according to the required standby and alarm time.
- The line layout should be planned so that a whole zone does not go silent when one line breaks.
- Intelligibility should be measured on site; especially in echoing halls, the message may not be understood even if the sound is loud.
- Pre-recorded messages should be short, clear and specific to the building. If needed, they should be recorded in two languages.
- The microphone should be in a place authorized people can reach but not everyone can use.
How to write a pre-recorded message?
In an emergency, people do not listen to long sentences. The message should be short, say what has happened and what to do, and be repeated several times. Usually three types of message are prepared: an alert message (attention, a situation is being investigated), an evacuation message (leave the building by the nearest exit) and an all-clear message.
The message may include building-specific instructions, such as not using the elevators and going to the assembly area. In hotels and hospitals with foreign guests, a recording in a second language should also be considered.
Expert note: Before recording the message, have a few people who work in the building listen to it. If there is a word they do not understand or an unclear instruction, fix it before recording.
Maintenance and drills
If the system is forgotten after installation, the battery weakens over time, some speakers are removed during renovations, and the pre-recorded message no longer describes the building's changed layout. Regular maintenance should check the battery, line monitoring, the speakers and whether the messages are up to date.
Drills are the best test of the system. On drill day you see in which zone the message is not heard and in front of which door the sound is muffled. These notes should be passed to the maintenance team and fixed.
When the use of the building changes, for example when a floor is turned into storage or a new section opens, the announcement zones and messages should also be reviewed. An announcement using old zone names can send people the wrong way in a moment of panic.
Desa Bilişim installs fire alarm and PA systems together. The right solution for your building's design is determined with a written quote after an on-site inspection.
Frequently asked
Can we convert our existing PA system into a voice evacuation system?
Some parts can be reused, but requirements such as line monitoring, battery backup, fire-resistant cable and connection to the fire alarm often call for additional devices or replacement. What the existing system covers is determined by an on-site inspection.
Does a voice evacuation system replace sirens?
That depends on the building's fire safety design. In some designs the voice evacuation system is used instead of sounders; in others both are required. The decision is made by the fire consultant and the authority that will approve the design.
Who writes the pre-recorded evacuation message?
The message is usually prepared together with the building management and the fire consultant. It should be short, calm and clear; it should say what has happened and what to do. If it is recorded in a professional voice, it is easier to understand.
Let's work out together whether your building needs voice evacuation
Share the building type and the number of floors, and we'll assess it together with the fire system.
