Fairmont Banff Springs

The Fairmont Banff Springs aka Banff Springs Hotel is a luxury and historical hotel in Banff, AB. The hotel was originally built in 1887, but was expanded in 1911. There was three more wings to be added, the Conference Center in 1991, and the Stanley Thompson Wing from 1997-99 which was renovated as Gatehouse in 2018. There were renovations in 2018, and the fire alarm system is from 2018 in the main building and Gatehouse. The conference center's system is original from 1991. The main building has 9 floors, the top floor having some 2-story suites, and the Gatehouse wing has 5 floors, making it a "15 story hotel". The conference center only has 2 floors.

System Specifications (Gatehouse and Main Hotel)

FACP

The Gatehouse and the Main Hotel are protected by a HUGE two-stage networked Simplex 4100ES addressable fire alarm system. The fire alarm panels were installed in 2018, after renovations in the Vermilion Room, as well as the Gatehouse (formerly Stanley Thompson Wing) that year. There are about 12 alarm panels, and most are in the former Simplex 4100+ cabinets, due to the easy replacement of the control units. They replaced Simplex 4100+ fire alarm panels, which were installed 1997-99 when the Gatehouse was built. Most FACPs are not visible, but there is one at the Gatehouse entrance. The 4100ES does the chime in first stage, aka "Pre-alarm Signal" in the directory, but it is said as "Slow Ringing Tones" as the fire alarm sound. For "General Alarm", though the guest directory says "Fast Ringing Tones", it does the whoop tone, and possibly the default Simplex voice evac message because it says "Follow directions given on hotel speaker system." The second stage alarm comes on after the first stage alarm, according to the directory. The tones were confirmed by an employee here. The 4100ES currently has no troubles.

Notification Appliances

There is a huge mix of notification appliances in the two wings. The main lobby has Wheelock ET-1070-LSM-24-VFW speaker/strobes from the late 1990s. There are also a lot of Wheelock ET-1090-LS-24-CFW or E-9070-LS-24-CFW speaker/strobes in the main building, seen in hallways from 1997, the shops, a few restaurants, and the front registration at the Vermilion Room. Some are on the wall with fake wall orientation FIRE labels with Gentex font, and some were replaced with Wheelock E90-24MCC-FW speaker/strobes. Throughout the main hotel floors, in main hotel public washrooms, the stairwells and some hallways in there, you can find Simplex 2902-9316 8" square speakers. Quite a few are painted over, like the one above a doorway on the wall in the mezzaine elevator area. Most are on the ceiling, but on the 9th floor, one part of the 8th floor, the conservatory, and in the hallway to the Alhambra room, they are on the wall. The one on the wall on the 8th floor is projecting out from a backbox. Some 2902-9316 speakers, such as in the conservatory, in two hallways have RARE Simplex 4904-9101 strobes next to them on the ceiling, but Conservatory ones are on the wall. The Cascade Ballroom, Alberta Room, a few hallways, Mount Stephen Hall and the hall to the ballrooms have Simplex 2902-9734 "LifeAlarm" speakers, some with Simplex 4904-9101 strobes near them. Some 4904-9101 strobes are on the ceiling, but the one that makes the weirdest installation is a 4904-9101 installed sideways right beside a 2902-9734 by the stairway after the Cascade Ballroom. The fitness center, pool and spa areas were added in 1991, and they have Simplex 2902-9314 8" ceiling speakers and Wheelock WS1T-24 strobes. Some 2902-9314 speakers in the pool are rusty, however, all are on the wall in the pool. Oddly enough, the exit stairwell in that area has no audible signals, but two Wheelock WS1T strobes. In the main buildings' hotel rooms, there are usually Simplex 2902-9734 speakers, but at least room 381 has a Simplex 2902-9310 4" round ceiling speaker for a replacement. They are usually right in front of the door on the ceiling. In the Vermilion Room, there are Simplex 2902-9734 speakers at the back, but the renovated parts at the front have Wheelock E70-24MCW (red) speaker/strobes from 2018. The Gatehouse wing, also controlled by the 4100ES system, has mainly Wheelock ET-1090-LS-24-CFW/E-9070-LS-24-CFW speaker/strobes on the walls, and in the rooms themselves. They are mainly in the bedrooms of the rooms, but some in the living area. Other signals are Wheelock ET-1070-LSM-24-VFW speaker/strobes, in the public areas of gatehouse, and in some rooms. Some have been replaced with Wheelock E90-24MCC-FW speaker/strobes. Some rooms may have Wheelock E70-24MCW speaker/strobes, although not confirmed. By the elevators on the 10th (ground floor) and 12th (second) floors of the gatehouse, there are VERY rare Wheelock E7070-WS-24-VFW speaker/strobes from the early 1990s!! They are not seen anywhere else in the whole building.

Initiating Devices

Pull Stations

The main pull stations in the main building are Simplex 4251-40 two-stage single action pull stations from 1988-91. Replacement pull stations and the main pull stations in the gatehouse wing are Simplex 2099-9107 two-stage pull stations. Other replacement pull stations seen are a newly installed Simplex 4099-9004CA (addressable) in Mount Stephen Hall where there's 2902-9734 speakers and 4904-9101 strobes, as a replacement for a 4251-40 that died.

Automatic Detection Devices

The smoke detectors can range from Simplex 4098-9601 "TrueAlarm" smoke detectors, or oddly enough, System Sensor C2W-B i3 smoke detectors.

System Specifications (Conference Centre)

FACP

The fire alarm panel for this wing is original from 1991. It is a two-stage 16-zone Simplex 4002 fire alarm system. It is at the bottom of the stairwell where you can enter from outside. The directory also says for this wing as "Slow Ringing Tones" for pre-alarm and "Fast Ringing Tones" for general alarm, so most likely the bells sound at short blasts in prealarm and do march time in general alarm. The 4002 is wired into the 4100ES so they can trip each other for when one goes into alarm. This system is serviced by Banff Fire & Safety.

Notification Appliances

The notification appliances, unlike the 4100ES are bells. The notification appliances that are in the entrance to the stairwell, the room floors, and the hallway from the main building to this wing are Simplex 2901-9720 motor bells with Simplex 4904-9101 strobes under them. The hallway to the main building has a 2901-9720 without a strobe. The main entrance, theater hallways, and ballrooms have Simplex 2901-9722 motor bells with Simplex 4904-9001 remote incandescent lights under them. The store, public areas, washrooms, and main hallway have Simplex 2901-9722 motor bells without a visual notification appliance. The bowling center has Simplex 2901-9711 vibrating bells, one with a Simplex 4904-9001. One end of the theater hallway has a Simplex 2901-9330 vibrating bell and a 4904-9001, the only non 2901-97* bell in the wing. All notification appliances mentioned are original.

Initiating Devices

Pull Stations

All of the pull stations are original Simplex 4251-40, but there is one Simplex 2099-9107 on the 2nd floor.

Automatic Detection Devices

The smoke detectors are System Sensor i3 and Simplex 4098-9601.