West Edmonton Mall

If you're looking for the hotel across from West Edmonton Mall, see West Edmonton Mall Inn.

System Specifications

FACP: Simplex 4100U FACP Location: Most Entrances System Type: Hybrid-Addressable (Two-stage) System Line Voltage: 120VAC NAC Voltage: 24VDC System Coding: 20BPM (first stage) Continuous: GA Strobes Synchronized: Yes Date of last known Upgrade: 2015 Year Opened: 1981, 1983, 1985, 1999

West Edmonton Mall also known as West Ed or WEM, is the LARGEST shopping mall in North America. It consists of a three-story mall with four phases, and a 12-story hotel known as Fantasyland Hotel. The mall had its first phase completed in 1981, the second in 1983, and the third in 1985. The hotel was opened in 1986, and the last phase (Phase IV) was completed in 1999. This is a MAJOR tourist attraction in Alberta. The fire alarm system is not original, however most of the pull stations, and most bells are original. Since this is a large mall, some tenants have their own fire alarm system. All of the systems are wired to trip each other when one goes into a fire alarm condition. Despite this being the LARGEST mall in Alberta and even North America, the fire alarm system is NOT voice-evac, and has bells instead. The fire alarm system is often triggered by false alarms. Users Twentytwo22 and Simplex NimrodES have heard the system go off.

System Specifications

Note: This is how the system looked as of January 2019, and there may have been replacements of bells and pull stations.

FACP

This mall is protected by a networked Simplex 4100U InfoAlarm hybrid-addressable fire alarm system. There are about 50-60 fire alarm panels, they are at most entrances. These fire alarm panels were most likely installed in 2004 after major damage, although it is possible that they were installed in 2007. They are all three-bays, and surprisingly, the fire alarm system has NO troubles. The 4100U system replaced a networked Simplex 4100+ from 1999, and before that replaced either a Simplex 2001 or 2120. The system partially runs Simplex's MAPNET II or IDNet addressable protocol, and is configured for two-stage operation. First stage coding is 20BPM, and general alarm is continuous.

Notification Appliances

Due to the size of the mall and the age, there are MANY notification appliances.

Phase I

This phase was completed in 1981. The notification appliances mostly consist of Simplex 2901-9330 vibrating bells (10" gong). They may or may not be original to the phase, but they are the most seen bell in that phase, along with lots of Simplex 2901-9724 motor bells added on later. By the Rec Room, there is a Sentron 6" vibrating bell that is original to the mall. The food court in this phase has Simplex 2901-9712 vibrating bells (MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA label) added on later. At entrance 6, there is a Mirtone 74303 vibrating bell above the 4100U panel in that entrance. Near the Hudson's Bay, there is a Cerberus Pyrotronics BDC-624C motor bell.

Phase II

This phase was completed in 1983. The notification appliances for this phase mainly consist of Simplex 2901-9330 vibrating bells (10" gong, MISSISSAUGA label), that are original to this phase. There are a few Simplex 2901-9322 vibrating bells (GARDNER, MASS) mixed in. The other main bells in this phase are Simplex 2901-9724 motor bells. Near the Dragon's Tale, there is an unknown 10" fire bell, that looks like the Wheelock 46T-G10-24 without the label. By the Galaxyland entrance, there is an Edwards 439D-10AWC vibrating bell. There is also a Notifier KMS-10-24A motor bell in Phase II somewhere, as a replacement for a fire bell sometime in 2014-2018.

Phase III

This phase was completed in 1985. The notification appliances for Phase III mainly consist of Simplex 2901-9330 vibrating bells (10" gong, MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA), along with Simplex 2901-9724 motor bells. However, some bells were replaced with Edwards 439D-10AWC vibrating bells, notably in the hallway to the Sport Chek, and outside the Starbucks. Near the Marshall's and by the Ice Palace, there is a Simplex 4080-1 vibrating bell (10"). On the second floor, with the view of the World Waterpark, there's another unknown 10" Wheelock 46T lookalike bell. There is a Notifier KMS-10-24A motor bell right beside Kurves, as a replacement for a Wheelock 46T-G10-24-WS motor bell/strobe in 2014-18. The hallway to Ed's Bowling has Simplex 2901-9723 motor bells, added on later. BRBN St. has one Simplex 2901-9724 motor bell, and an Edwards 439D-10AWC. Before the transformation to BRBN ST. in 2011-2014, The Old Spaghetti Factory formerly had a Simplex 2901-9722 motor bell on a Wheelock LSP-24-HFR strobe plate controlled by the 4100U, but after the transformation to BRBN St, it got it's own system. Sea Life Caverns has a 10" Simplex 4080/2901-9322 vibrating bell as well (GARDNER, MASS). Tenants controlled by the 4100U have Simplex "TrueAlert" 4906-9127 (red, wall) horn/strobes.

Phase IV

The last phase to be completed, it was completed in 1999. The notification appliances for this phase consist of Simplex 2901-9724 motor bells on Wheelock RSSP-24MCW strobe plates. There seems to be no replacement notification appliances for this phase.

Galaxyland

Galaxyland was opened in 1986. The main notification appliances consist of Simplex 2901-9362 single-stroke bells. There is a Notifier KMS-10-24A motor bell as a replacement as well. There are also Simplex "LifeAlarm" 2902-9711 re-entrant speakers, it is unknown what they are used for.

Fantasyland Hotel

The hotel was added in 1986. The notification appliances for the hotel mainly consist of the original Simplex 2901-9330 vibrating bells (10" gong). There are three bells per floor. The 6th and 8th floors of the hotel have Simplex 2901-9724 motor bells, and the 3rd floor has Simplex 2901-9712 motor bells. The stairway across the hotel has a Mirtone 74306 vibrating bell. There is a Simplex 2901-9724 motor bell as a replacement in the lobby as well. There is also a 2901-9330 in the main desk. There are Simplex 2902-9314 8" round speakers on the floors, only used to give announcements. It is confirmed that they are Simplex due to having "FIRE ALARM DEVICE - DO NOT PAINT" on the grill, however many floors have them painted. They are somewhat ineffective as the fire bells are very loud, and the guests have to open their door to hear announcements. The 2901-9330 by the elevators on the 11th floor is missing it's mounting screw.

Initiating Devices

Pull Stations

For the first three phases, the hotel and Galaxyland, the pull stations mostly consist of Simplex 4251-50 two-stage, break glass pull stations. Only a few of them have their original glass still intact, others still have their breakglass hammers, other have their break glass functions removed altogether. In Fantasyland Hotel, there are also two bilingual variants Simplex 4251-50 in the entrance. They are beside the panel, and in the lobby. There are a few Simplex 4251-40 two stage, single action pull stations as well. Replacement pull stations and the main for Phase IV include Simplex 2099-9107 single-action two stage pull stations, and Simplex 4099-9004CA addressable two stage pull stations as replacements in all phases (some have the current Simplex logo). However, in Galaxyland under the Notifier bell, and in Phase I at one point, there are Sentron-rebranded Mirtone 73303 pull stations.

Automatic Detection Devices

The automatic detection devices consist of System Sensor C2W-BA i3 photoelectric smoke detectors, and Simplex 4098-9601 "TrueAlarm" photoelectric smoke detectors. There are NO smoke detectors in the Scotiabank Theatre, likely because of the former fire-breathing dragon.

Photos

One of the 4100U panels here, this one is at BRBN St. Entrance.
A Simplex 2901-9330 on the 11th floor of Fantasyland Hotel.

Videos

Fire alarm going off in first stage, taken in Sea Life Caverns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-K1V1TFvdI
Fire alarm going off in first stage, taken in various parts of the mall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdu7P4pvlD0