FOCUS: SMART BUILDINGS & CONTROLS
communications out of the “dead zone”
keep emergency Stadiums can I
At stadiums across the country, first responders including police, fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) depend on reliable two-way radio communication when lives and property are at risk.
n-building radio signals are often blocked or attenuated by structures that are large and primarily constructed of metal and concrete and with below grade areas. When this occurs, weak or obstructed signals result in radio communication “dead zones” that can jeopardise emergency coordination among first responders. Signal failure in any critical area
will require installing an Emergency Responder Communication
Enhancement Systems (ERCES),” says Deron Bone, president of RF DAS Systems, Inc., a national provider of emergency responder radio coverage systems for more than 30 years. ERCES are mandated by fire code in most places for the construction of new stadiums and some existing stadiums. These advanced systems boost the signal within all areas of the stadium, providing clear, two-way radio communication without dead spots. “Basically, all stadiums from high school to college to pro need an ERCES since there can be communication dead spots throughout. Many do not have these systems, so testing is essential to support safety and compliance,” adds Bone. State-of-the-art ERCES are available that amplify and accommodate all the necessary emergency signals required, even in the largest stadiums. The approach facilitates meeting all codes while reducing overall installation cost and complexity –helping to expedite tight project deadlines.
A world-class stadium
Recently, RF DAS Systems installed an ERCES at a new West Coast stadium with more than 30,000 seat capacity, that hosts both professional and collegiate sports as well as large festivals, concerts and events. According to Bone, when RF DAS Systems initially conducted a pre-test on the stadium, there was no signal in much of the first floor and the entire lower level, so installing additional antennas was required in the ERCES system throughout these areas.
“Even though a radio transmission tower is close, there were a number of weak points in coverage that needed to be accommodated,” says Bone. ERCES systems function by connecting through an over-the-air link that the installer optimises to the public safety radio communications tower network using a rooftop directional antenna. This antenna is then connected via coaxial cable to a bi-directional amplifier (BDA), which increases the signal level to provide sufficient coverage within a stadium based on life safety standards. The BDA is connected to a distributed antenna system (DAS), a network of relatively small antennas installed throughout the structure that serve as repeaters to improve the signal coverage in any isolated areas. In stadiums, multiple amplifiers are usually required to drive an adequate signal level across the system. To streamline the process, Bone selected the Fiplex by Honeywell BDA and fiber DAS system. The compliant, FCC-certified system was developed to reliably provide superior RF amplification and coverage without noise, enhancing two-way radio signal strength inside buildings including stadiums. The system is specifically designed to meet NFPA and IBC/IFC code compliance with the UL 2524 Second Edition listing. For the stadium project, RF DAS Systems relayed the specific fire, police, EMS and public service frequencies to Fiplex, which programmed the RF signal band. Bone appreciates how the ERCES system enhances design flexibility. This can be particularly important after a stadium project is complete if modifications are made or a certain material is denser and more prone to blocking RF signals than originally believed. “With a BDA software upgrade, I can change the amplifier from a half-watt to a two-watt BDA. That flexibility is key because it allows easy adjustment, so I don’t need to purchase and install another amplifier if a structure is denser than I thought,” says Bone. For Bone, installing a reliable system that works as expected is the most important aspect of any project. “When there’s an incident at a stadium, like an injured player who is taken off the field by ambulance, it is a communications frenzy with RF signals flying everywhere – which is tough on an ERCES system, but if you are installing a quality system, then everything is okay,” says Bone.
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