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The life safety risk of car park is relatively low as it is a transient space and the occupant load is low. Including the car park area in the calculation of accessible floor area will result in many developments  requiring FCC and one-way emergency voice communication system, which could be excessive and may not be practical.

( No illustration )

During fire emergency, the one-way emergency voice communication system will be used to notify occupants in the building. Under phase evacuation, occupants will be advised to relocate to ‘Safe area of refuge’ in which to wait out the fire. Occupants could also be advised to evacuate the building during fire emergency. In phase evacuation, communication with these people can be maintained to prevent panic and to allow further relocation, if necessary. 

The one-way emergency voice communication system shall consist of microphone input, selector switches, amplifiers and remote  loudspeakers to perform the functions specified. Loud speakers operated from the FCC shall be of sufficient number and appropriate design to provide effective voice communication to the following areas:

a. all habitable rooms;

b. all basement floor areas;

c. all escape staircases;

d. all staircase lobbies and lift lobbies forming parts of the means of escape;

e. the main entrance;

f. all corridors leading to exits;

g. all service areas where people may be working;

h. all areas of refuge;

i. all assembly areas;

j. all patients accommodation floors, hotel bedroom floors etc.; and

k. all other areas as may be required by the SCDF.

The provision of ordinary public address system serves to effect early and orderly evacuation of occupants in times of emergency.

( No illustration )

To address the concerns of transient guests and sleeping risk in hotels, boarding houses and the like which are less than 24m in habitable height, an ordinary public address system shall be provided to effect early and orderly evacuation of occupants in times of emergency.

The ordinary public address system shall consist of the microphone input, selector switches and remote loudspeakers to perform the functions specified. Loud speakers shall be of sufficient number and appropriate design to provide effective voice communication to the following areas:

a. all habitable rooms;

b. all basement floor areas;

c. all escape staircases;

d. all staircase lobbies and lift lobbies forming parts of the means of escape;

e. the main entrance;

f. all corridors leading to exits;

g. all service areas where people may be working;

h. all areas of refuge;

i. all assembly areas;

j. all patients’ accommodation floors, hotel bedroom floors etc.; and

k. all other areas as may be required by the SCDF.

( No illustration )

1. The requirement would be applicable to buildings having any basements greater than a depth of 9m from the averaged ground level outside the building.  This is to complement the need to provide fire lift to serve the basement storeys under Cl.6.6.4 of the Fire Code.

2. In view of the adequacy of the lift intercom system, the SCDF will accept the lift intercom system in-lieu of the handset provided it complies with SS 546 on ‘Installation and Power Supply’.

( No illustration )

The two-way communication system shall consist of the main telephone handset and selector switches at the control console located in the FCC and the other remote handset installed at various locations as mentioned in the Cl.8.2.2b(1) to (7).

In general, at least one emergency handset shall be located on each floor. When a floor is divided into two or more fire-isolated zones used as areas of refuge for one another, each zone shall be provided with a handset. The criteria to be considered in determining the position of each handset shall be such that, wherever possible, the handset is near the protected staircase or near the central position of the zone covered by it, and as remote as possible from the nearest alarm sounding device.

In view of the adequacy of the lift intercom system, the SCDF will accept the lift intercom system in-lieu of the handset provided it complies with SS 546 on ‘Installation and Power Supply’

Planal isometric view

Figure 8.2.4b. :  Fire Command Centre

The actual size of a FCC should be provided at plan submission stage. The minimum net working space of 6m² shall exclude spaces for equipment and furniture.

Figure 8.2.4c.(1) - 1

Figure 8.2.4c.(1) - 2

For both scenarios, it is desirable that a “line of sight” could be achieved from the door of FCC to the door of the fire lift and the door of the exit staircase adjacent to the fire lift lobby.

This arrangement would assist the communication linkage amongst the areas greatly & lead to better command of firefighters operationally.

However, where direct linkage between FCC & fire lift/exit staircase could not be achieved, prior approval from the SCDF should be obtained before building plan submission.

As the term “adjacent” previously used is ambiguous, it is replaced with specific distance for clarity. 5m is considered a distance reasonably close to the fire lift lobby.

The purpose of having independent ductwork for the ACMV system serving the FCC is to prevent fire or smoke from being conveyed into the FCC via the ducts.

Figure 8.2.4e. :  Mechanical ventilation to Fire Command Centre

The critical usage of FCC during fire emergency requires that lighting/ventilation and other power supply should come from standby power source e.g. generator set. The supply & exhaust ductworks of  the mechanical ventilation shall be independent of any other ductwork serving other parts of the building. This is to prevent heat or smoke from being conveyed into the FCC via the ducts.