Evendale Ohio Fire Station Case Study
November 16, 2020
The smart building market is erupting around the world, with the IoT industry expected to grow by 13.6% for the next two years. This increasing trend of companies shifting to IoT smart building technology, means buildings must adapt to be future-proof and ready to meet building goals. From the office space market, to data centers, buildings are embracing the implementation of smart building technology at rapid rates. With limitless applications of this technology, one fire department in Ohio, chose to invest in smart building technology to improve the lives of their firefighters and set the standard for the future of fire stations.
Firefighters have one of the most difficult and dangerous career paths. Every day these men and women risk their lives to save others. Being woken up at all hours of the day to answer emergency calls can have a significant impact on the health of these individuals. At Evendale Fire Department, this is no exception. With calls coming in at all hours, firefighters must spring into action within seconds of waking up to harsh lights turning on and alarms blaring. Leadership at the fire department recognized there could be a way of improving this system to make the transition from deep sleep to going on calls more accommodating and gentler for the firefighters.
Evendale Fire Department chose Igor’s Power-over-Ethernet technology after receiving a grant to update their station’s technology. Hearing about Igor from one of their partners, Evendale first became interested in Igor’s integration capabilities with Locution Systems, the emergency alert system the station uses. Through this integration, Igor installed 30 beacon lights in the station that gradually illuminate to wake the firefighters more gently when a call comes into the station. The newly installed Igor system also helps the firefighters to differentiate between different types of emergency calls with red lights flashing for fire calls and blue lights for EMS calls.
Siemon Company served as the cabling provider for this project. Using their CAT 6A infrastructure, Siemon provides Evendale Fire Department the fastest, easiest, and most reliable termination process, superior transmission consistency and customer focused usability, efficiency, and ergonomics. The solution includes Category 6A cable, outlets, modular cords, patch panels, trunking cable assemblies, and work area solutions, all allowing for better outcomes for the firefighters.
Within weeks of the installation of the Igor system, firefighters at Evendale Fire Department realized a noticeable difference. The ramp up lighting system installed by Igor helped firefighters wake up more pleasantly to calls and be more prepared to respond to whatever the situation may be. The lights in the station begin at 10% brightness and every six seconds increase in brightness by another 10%. This has made waking up to middle of the night calls much less jarring for the firefighters and improved their experiences at the fire station as well as their overall health. As a result of the new system, within 15-30 seconds, the firefighters are out of bed and into the bunk room.
Firefighters must go from zero to one hundred in a matter of seconds to respond to calls. The Igor system helps make this process easier on the firefighters and improves their cognitive function. By being woken up more gently, the firefighters are ready to respond quickly and efficiently.
With the lighting illuminating in different colors, blue for EMS, red for fire, and red and blue for both, the firefighters are easily able to distinguish between calls and are better prepared for the situation ahead.
Following a smooth and efficient installation process, Evendale Fire Department was able to quickly improve the lives of firefighters and provide a roadmap for the future of IoT and smart building technology for public spaces. This project is a clear example of the multitude of benefits that come with adopting innovative IoT smart building technology and the positive impact it can make on the lives of building occupants. Captain Bob Murray is excited to leave behind this legacy at his fire station where the lives of heroes will be positively impacted each and every shift.