[SML] Fire Alarms and Concerts

Thu Feb 13 22:09:00 UTC 2020

It kind of depends what the emergency is,and could easily be the next
real one is not even one we've thought of.  Crowd management with real
time information and direction - which requires a good working sound
system in most cases.The Life Safety Code and International Building
Code permit the house sound system to be the emergency system, only
requiring it to be on emergency power.  Taking away the tools - light
and sound - for a crowd manager to be heard and seen is not a good
plan.

On Thu, Feb 13, 2020 at 4:57 PM Richard Niederberg via Stagecraft
<stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>
> I am still concerned about the LIABILITY involved when you defeat or circumvent safety devices or procedures. If a sound company won't comply with the Local Rules promulgated by the AHJ, it is time for someone to contract with another sound company. As for lighting, the emergency House lighting circuits should go full ON no matter what happens with the Stage lights and provide at least the minimum amount of foot-candles of illumination at the specified distance from the floor. Not only do we NOT want injured patrons or staff, but we also don't want the Theatre to be out of business during an investigation or pendency of a lawsuit; nor do we want patrons scared from buying tickets or renting your Theatre by a report of Death or Serious Bodily Harm connected with your Theatre.
> /s/ Richard
>
> On Thu, Feb 13, 2020 at 12:51 PM Fritz Schwentker via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>>
>> We have had to work this through in the design of large dedicated concert
>> venues, and the details get a little complicated when we look from various
>> stakeholder points-of-view -
>>
>>  - For the house audio system, the solution is generally relatively
>> straightforward - contact closure to the DSP from life-safety system - that
>> mutes the program. Depending on venue and jurisdiction one then (1) relies
>> on the life-safety enunciation system, or (2) house system is provisioned
>> with backup power (and suitable microphone or pre-recorded source input) to
>> serve that purpose.
>>
>>  - For touring/rental audio is it is more complicated. Research shows that a
>> reasonable number of outside contracted sound folks would refuse to allow a
>> third party to hook into and reconfigure any part of their gear that would
>> mute their program remotely. They reason, they are being paid to provide
>> reliable sound for the band and nothing else. Similarly, it's pretty bad
>> audio practice to dump a sound system by just killing power. So, although
>> some AHJ will still require a shunt trip to that power on alarm, we have to
>> also assume no one will actually hook up to any of that that even if
>> provided/required.
>>
>>  - The most successful solutions depend on a documented plan (typically
>> involving the AHJ) to alert the mix that there is an emergency in progress,
>> pot down the program, and then announce. In other words, tap the operator on
>> the shoulder and tell them it's time to stop the music and deal with an
>> emergency. And in any really large venue, there is a likely already a fire
>> watch, first-responder, or other responsible individual being paid to be
>> there and handle emergencies.
>>
>> There are some other variations that can automate things a bit using
>> delay-action at monitored life-safety panels. But if you have a venue with
>> loud music and any decent sized audience, you really, really, really want to
>> have a documented and verified plan in place to handle things in case the
>> technology goes sideways and deals with the reality of show business.
>>
>> Obviously - mileage will vary....
>>
>>
>> Fritz Schwentker - ASTC
>> Associate
>> WRIGHTSON | JOHNSON | HADDON | WILLIAMS
>> Office: 210.561.9800 | Direct:  972.590.7506 | Email: fschwentker at wjhw.com
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>
>> It's unfortunate that the conventional wisdom seems to be to turn off the
>> sound, and maybe lights, in an emergency when crowd management is required
>> as the most successful examples of emergent crowd management have been live
>> people - usually a performer - directing the assembly in real time. Goes
>> back to at least Eddie Foy on stage at the Iroquois Theatre at the time of
>> that emergency.  Leaving the management of 500 or 5000 or more people
>> assembled to a recording made months or years earlier is insane.
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 12, 2020 at 2:09 PM Stephen Litterst via Stagecraft
>> <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>> >
>> > Our new-ish performing arts center has dedicated audio outlets on an
>> > isolated ground.  External audio systems are *supposed* to be plugged
>> > into them.  Those outlets are on the same shunt breaker as the house
>> > audio system and are cut off when a fire alarm is triggered.
>> >
>> > Steve L.
>> >
>> > On 2/12/20 1:30 PM, Fritz, Barry via Stagecraft wrote:
>> > > A discussion arose at a meeting this morning regarding emergency
>> alarms/announcements and events with loud sound systems.  The audio system
>> in one of our new venues has overrides built in to cut audio when the alarm
>> system and emergency announcement are activated.  The question that came up
>> is what happens when there is a concert with an outside sound company
>> providing audio.
>> > >
>> > > What is the standard industry practice/policy dealing with an external
>> concert/loud event audio system and being able to hear the emergency alarms?
>> > >
>> > > Barry
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > ____________________________________________________________
>> > > For list information see <http://stagecraft.theprices.net/>
>> > > Stagecraft mailing list
>> > > Stagecraft at theatrical.net
>> > > http://theatrical.net/mailman/listinfo/stagecraft_theatrical.net
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Stephen Litterst            Technical Operations Supervisor
>> > litterst at udel.edu           Mitchell Hall
>> > 302/831-0601                University of Delaware
>> >
>> >
>> > ____________________________________________________________
>> > For list information see <http://stagecraft.theprices.net/>
>> > Stagecraft mailing list
>> > Stagecraft at theatrical.net
>> > http://theatrical.net/mailman/listinfo/stagecraft_theatrical.net
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Bill Conner Fellow of the ASTC
>>
>>
>> ____________________________________________________________
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>
>
>
> --
> /s/ Richard
> _________
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-- 
Bill Conner Fellow of the ASTC