Degrees of integration: three users' views

Mar 1, 1998 12:00 PM, KATE DOHERTY

How integrated should fire and security systems be? Texas Instruments, St. Joseph's Hospital and the World Trade Center find levels that work for them.

A successful integration of fire and security systems can create synergy among systems, departments, functions and goals by: - consolidating systems and personnel; - improving data efficiency; - enabling operators to monitor several systems on one workstation; and - enabling interoperability between equipment from different manufacturers. But is integration right for your facility? This article will profile three end-user examples representing varying degrees of successful fire and security systems integration. They are: - a computer chip manufacturer, where the systems have been partially integrated; - a non-profit hospital, where the systems have been fully integrated; and - the largest commercial office complex in the world, where total integration of the fire, security and access control is necessarily complex. The degree of integration that will benefit your facility is a function of the type of facility it is and its fire and security protection goals (see "To integrate or not to integrate," p. 25). Bigger is not always better in fire and security systems integration; sometimes, less is more.

Texas Instruments: perception matters Fire and security are integrated only in some areas of Dallas-based Texas Instruments' main facility, depending on area function, says manager of electronic security Bob Pearson. "In the fabrication front-ends where they make the chips, for example, the fire system automatically enables emergency evacuation and communicates to the life safety systems in the front end, shutting things down and communicating back to the control center," he explains. But Pearson says that what works for Texas Instruments would not necessarily benefit another facility, and could even be counterproductive to security and fire goals. "In a chemical plant, for instance, where fire could be more important than burglary, and the systems could be limited by compliances, you might not want security on your fire system, because you wouldn't want anything to interfere with it or slow it down," he points out. At Texas Instruments, the security department manages both security and fire/life safety; there is no separate fire/life safety team. According to Pearson, the combination has given rise to an important benefit of integration: capitalizing on one group of personnel to monitor both systems. Of the degrees of integration that are available today and the myriad ways it can be accomplished (see "Who should lead the race," p. 27), Pearson concedes that systems integration achieved using one communication protocol might be an ideal, however, he points out that the systems at Texas Instruments work fine. "We basically have an integrated system company-wide, but it wasn't done using one manufacturer's product - it was done through protocol conversions and interconnections." How fire and security systems are integrated does not matter, Pearson asserts. All that matters, he says, is that the operator perceives that the systems are integrated and can monitor systems data in one standard display.

St. Joseph's Hospital: "true integration" At St. Joseph's Hospital in Bellingham, Wash., the fire and security systems have been completely integrated. Ben Glassett, security supervisor for the hospital, describes the recent integration as a necessity that has created opportunity. "We integrated our Simplex security system with fire about six months ago when Simplex came out with a beta release of a fire system," he says. "We purchased the Simplex security system, in part, because the two systems would be able to integrate. "The definition of integration is subjective," Glassett explains. "In our case, the devices talk directly to the host PC. We've been able to integrate not only systems, but also departments. We don't have segregated people monitoring segregated events in the hospital, which is different from a lot of other hospitals I've seen. This is integration of systems and responsibilities," he says. The fire and security systems are monitored at a single PC by a switchboard operator who also handles the phones - not by security or fire personnel. It is a lot of responsibility for a lone switchboard operator, but they are well-prepared, according to Glassett. "The hospital provides operators with training for the fire and security systems as well as for the switchboard, and Simplex provided a two-day training session. "Consolidating monitoring personnel has been a source of financial savings," he adds. "Our resources are better utilized now, because one person can successfully do the work of three." There is no separate fire/life safety department at St. Joseph's, though the maintenance department maintains the fire annunication portion of the system. Life safety, fire and code blue alarms have been tied together so they are annunicated through the fire system. All other facility and security alarms come through the security system. "One of the key advantages of having all the systems on one line is you can prioritize," says Glassett. "We've designed a priority list of each event that comes through, so if, for instance, a fire system goes off, that's a number one priority. If it's a code blue system, it's a number two priority, and if somebody yanks a smoke detector off the system, it's a lower priority." Integration of the two systems has also enabled the hospital to move the switchboard to different places in the hospital - anywhere there is a PC and a phone line - which is a real benefit if an area has to close down or if there's a disaster, according to Glassett. "We can move the switchboard operator anywhere in the facility without disrupting the flow of information, which is vital because we're a 24-hour operation," he says. When the switchboard slows down at night, it is moved to the childbirth center so that the monitoring person functions as both a unit coordinator and a switchboard operator. Glassett points out that the value of fire and security integration to a facility hinges partly on financial assessments. Because St. Joseph's is a non-profit, private hospital, Glassett is called on to find innovative ways to cut costs, and he did so by not having to purchase other stand-alone systems. "We have what I consider true integration in the sense that we've integrated personnel, hardware, software and responsibility."

World Trade Center: total integration a tall order At the largest commercial office complex in the world, New York City's World Trade Center, total fire, security and access control integration is complex, says Michael Hurley, supervisor of fire prevention and life safety. "The extent to which you can successfully integrate systems depends on the size of the facility you want to protect," says Hurley. "If a smaller building is primarily operational during business hours and empty at night, you might need only one person to monitor fire and securityfunctions, but at the World Trade Center, which is tremendous, there is activity around the clock, so central systems monitoring requires dedicatd staff." Fire and security play on the same team here, aiming for the same goal, but in different positions. Hurley reports to Hermon Banks, the manager of the life safety and security division. Hurley and his contract staff are responsible for monitoring the complex's six stand-alone Class E Pyrotronics fire safety systems - one each in Towers 1 and 2, Buildings 4 and 5, and the Mall and subgrade areas. Each fire system has its own PC-based file server and operating system. The fire system controls the complex's smoke and fire detectors, which signal alarms that are transmitted to on- and off-site monitoring stations. Alarms, smoke detectors, sprinklers and public address systems are all integrated into the fire system. "Certain components of the fire system are integrated with security," says Hurley. "There is a lot of redundancy built into the system so that if something happens in Tower 1 - such as a fire that could disable part of the system - we can switch monitoring to Tower 2," he explains. The fire systems in each building are separate but networked, reflecting the design mission that one event cannot affect the whole complex - a tall order. There is the main building security system, which monitors doors that the buildings control and lock, and there are tenants who have elected to install their own security systems. All of that data is fed into the fire alarm panels and interfaces between the detectors and alarms on the floors. The fire system is interfaced with the main building system, so information can be viewed at fire command stations staffed by deputy fire safety directors. "We also require that tenants wire their individual systems so that activation of a smoke detector or sprinkler alarm will release any magnetically or electrically locked doors in their premises," says Hurley. Fire and security integration at the World Trade Center is necessary and has enhanced the complex's life safety program, according to Hurley. "Things that may not seem related on the surface can be connected successfully in a coordinated building management environment."

To integrate or not to integrate

Ron Kirby, vice president of industry relations for Simplex Time Recorder Co., Gardner, Mass., suggests that end-users should ask themselves the following questions when considering fire and security systems integration. On deciding whether integration would benefit your facility: - What is the end objective? What are you trying to accomplish? - Will the integrated system cost more or less than your current setup? - Will the integrated system be easier or more difficult to operate? - Will the integrated system be easier/less expensive to maintain? - Does the supplier have expertise across all applications? - Does the authority having jurisdiction condone integration?

On proceeding if you decide to integrate: - Define objective. - Confirm integration does not benefit one supplier without providing benefit to owner. - Obtain up-front quote on maintenance and service. - Involve all interested parties, including: * risk management; * fire safety; * security; * plant engineering; * human resources; and * payroll.

What you should know There are potential stumbling blocks on the road to fire and security systems integration. Avoid them by knowing where to look.

Responsibility issues - Few manufacturers produce all the components used in a fully integrated system. - Few organizations have the capability to inspect, test and service all the components used in a fully integrated system. - Integration of multiple manufacturers' components tends to create accountability issues when system problems occur. - Today's addressable and addressable-analog fire alarm control units have significantly more capabilities than traditional fire alarm control panels. This rapid evolution has produced a level of discomfort for some local authorities having jurisdiction and for fire officials. The addition of security monitoring capabilities could further alienate these officials and impede acceptability. - Hardware and software alterations to the systems require extensive documentation and reacceptance testing.

Fire alarm code issues - Fire alarm codes require that every component interconnected to the system be "listed" for the purpose of its intended use. There are few manufacturers that produce products listed for both fire and security applications. - Fire alarm codes require that the system give priority to fire alarm signals, and that could delay security signal reporting, which might not be acceptable, especially in a diversionary situation. - With respect to new construction, the size and installation schedule of security systems can hold up acceptance of the fire alarm portion, delaying partial occupancy.

Equipment and system issues - There is no accepted communication standard to allow direct interconnection and integration of multiple manufacturers' systems and equipment. - Failure of a security monitoring portion of the system could affect fire alarm reliability. - The cost and technology cycle of components and monitoring computers has been reduced to the point that they are considered disposable.

Staff issues - Training staff to understand the operational differences and priorities between security and fire signals on common displays is difficult. - The relative activity of security events is significantly larger than fire alarm activity, presenting potential for fire alarm signals to be overlooked.

- Lee DeVito, president of FirePro Inc., Andover, Mass., a fire consulting firm.

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