The area of refuge is a place designed to allow people, with specific needs and/or difficulties, to wait in safety for the arrival of rescuers. Areas of refuge are used in emergency situations, during the evacuation of a building, for example in case of fire. These refuges are necessary for those who cannot evacuate independently but at the same time they can become useful to anyone, if the evacuation to the outside is not immediately safe or possible. The Italian Fire Prevention Code (Ministerial Decree 3 August 2015) , at paragraph S.4.9.1, clearly prescribes that in every area of refuge the following must be provided: “A two-way communication system to allow occupants to signal their presence and request assistance”.
The Italian Fire Prevention Code does not mention a standard which two-way communication systems must comply with, however it is important to highlight that the EN 62820-2 standard details the characteristics that audio communication systems used for advanced security purposes, indicated by the acronym ASBIS (Advanced Security Building Intercom Systems), must have. These intercom systems are intended to be installed where critical situations are foreseen, where the safety and reliability of audio communications are essential elements. It is evident how the bidirectional communication devices for areas of refuge, as they are used for the request for assistance in the event of evacuation in case of fire, fully fall within the ASBIS classification and therefore it is good practice that they comply with EN 62820-2.
Zenitel intercom systems, designed to comply with the IEC 62820-1-1, IEC 62820-1-2 and IEC 62820-2 standards, are the natural choice for communication systems for the areas of refuge. Here are some commonly used products for communication with calm spaces.
