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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: Conventional (Two-stage) System Line Voltage: 120VAC NAC Voltage: 24VDC System Coding: 20BPM (first stage) Continuous (GA) Strobes Synchronized: Yes: Wheelock Sync (Phase IV) SmartSync (Tenants) |
West Edmonton Mall (aka 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. 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 system is not voice-evac, surprisingly.
The fire alarm system is often triggered by false alarms. Users Twentytwo22 and Alberta Fire Alarms have heard the system go off.
System Specifications (1981-present)
FACP
This mall is protected by a networked Simplex 4100U conventional fire alarm system. There are about 50-60 fire alarm panels, they are at most entrances. They are all three-bays, and equipped with the InfoAlarm Command Center. The 4100U system replaced a networked Simplex 4100+ from the Phase IV expansion, and before that replaced either a Simplex 2001 or 2120. There is also a Simplex 4100ES panel in Galaxyland, also equipped with InfoAlarm Command Center, networked to the 4100U system; this one is addressable and runs IDNet. The whole system 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 are mostly Simplex 2901-9329 vibrating bells (10" gong), along with Simplex 2901-9724 motor bells (10" gong), either added on later or deficiency replacements. By the Rec Room, there is a Sentron 6" vibrating bell (6" gong) that is original to the mall. The food court in this phase has Simplex 2901-9712 vibrating bells (MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA label, 10" gong) added on later. At entrance 6, there is a Mirtone 74303 motor bell (6" gong) above the 4100U panel in that entrance. Near the Hudson's Bay, there is a Cerberus Pyrotronics BDC-624C motor bell (6" gong). Both bells were installed as deficiency replacements. There are also Potter MBA-10-24 motor bells (10" gong) recently installed along one strip.
Phase II
This phase was completed in 1983. The notification appliances for this phase mainly consist of Simplex 2901-9329 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 (10" gong). The other main bells in this phase are Simplex 2901-9724 (10" gong) motor bells, some as deficiency replacements. Near the Dragon's Tale, there is a Wheelock 46T-G10-24 (10" gong) vibrating bell. By the Galaxyland entrance, there was an Edwards 439D-10AWC vibrating bell (10" gong) as a deficiency replacement, removed in 2022. There is also a Notifier KMS-10-24A (10" gong) motor bell in Phase II somewhere, as a deficiency replacement in the mid 2010s. The washroom hallway near Entrance 48 has an Edwards 439D-10AWC vibrating bell (10" gong).
Phase III
This phase was completed in 1985. The notification appliances for Phase III are mainly Simplex 2901-9329 vibrating bells (10" gong, MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA), along with Simplex 2901-9724 motor bells (10" gong). However, several bells were replaced with Edwards 439D-10AWC vibrating bells (10" gong), notably in the hallway to the Sport Chek, and outside the Starbucks. There are also Simplex 4080-5 vibrating bells (10" gong) in some areas. On the second floor near the view of World Waterpark, there's a Wheelock 46T-G10-24 vibrating bell (10" gong). There is a Notifier KMS-10-24A motor bell (10" gong) right beside Kurves, as a deficiency replacement for a Wheelock 46T-G10-24-WS motor bell/strobe (10" gong, 1.5cd) around 2016. The hallway to Ed's Bowling has Simplex 2901-9723 motor bells (6" gong), added on later.
BRBN St. has two Simplex 2901-9724 (10" gong) motor bells, 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 (10" gong) on a Wheelock LSP-24-HFR strobe plate (15cd) controlled by the 4100U, but after the transformation to BRBN St, it got its own system.
Sea Life Caverns has a Simplex 4080-5 vibrating bell (GARDNER, MASS, 10" gong).
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 (10" gong), mostly on Wheelock RSSP-24MCW (multi-candela) strobe plates. Some bells are installed remotely. There is a Potter MBA-10-24 motor bell (10" gong) recently installed near Bubba Gump as a deficiency replacement.
Tenants
The tenants that are controlled by the 4100U have Simplex "TrueAlert" 4906-9127 (red, wall-mount, SmartSync) horn/strobes, on a seperate NAC.
Galaxyland
Galaxyland was opened in 1986. The main notification appliances consist of Simplex 2901-9362 single-stroke bells (10" gong). There is a Potter MBA-10-24 motor bell (10" gong) from the entrance within the mall, installed last year. There is one Notifier KMS-10-24A motor bell (10" gong) as a deficiency replacement installed in 2014-16, and a Simplex 2901-9724 motor bell (10" gong) in the Galaxyland vestibule. There are also Simplex "LifeAlarm" 2902-9711 re-entrant speakers, it is unknown what they are used for. There was an Edwards 439D-10AWC vibrating bell (10" gong) outside the original entrance accessible from the mall, removed in 2022.
Fantasyland Hotel
The hotel was added in 1986. The notification appliances for the hotel are mainly the original Simplex 2901-9329 vibrating bells (10" gong). There are three bells per floor. The 6th and 8th floors of the hotel have Simplex 2901-9724 motor bells (10" gong), and the 3rd floor has Simplex 2901-9712 vibrating bells (10" gong). The stairway across the hotel has a Mirtone 74306 vibrating bell (10" gong). The front desk has two Simplex 2901-9330 bells next to each other, and there are two 2901-9724 bells installed as deficiency replacements. The 2901-9330 by the elevators on the 11th floor is missing its mounting screw.
There are Simplex 2902-9314 8" round speakers on the floors, only used to give announcements, confirmed due to "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 due to thin walls, and the guests have to open their doors to hear announcements.
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 conventional pull stations. Only a few of them have their original glass still intact, others still have their hammers, and others have their break glass functions removed altogether. There are a few Simplex 4251-40 two stage, single action pull stations as well. In Fantasyland Hotel, there are also two bilingual variants of the Simplex 4251-40, located in the entrance and in the lobby. The main pull station for Phase IV are Simplex 2099-9107C single-action two stage pull stations. The mentioned pull station can also be found as deficiency replacements throughout the first three phases, and newer Simplex 2099-9107C conventional two stage pull stations in all phases. However, in Galaxyland under the Notifier bell, and in Phase I in between two stores, 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, mounted on 4098-9788 bases. There are NO smoke detectors in the Scotiabank Theatre, likely due to the former fire-breathing dragon. There are Simplex 4098-9714 addressable photoelectric smoke detectors near Galaxyland, mounted on 4098-9792 bases.
Photos
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One of the 4100U panels here, this one is at BRBN St. Entrance.
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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