I've been tasked at my job to find an intercom/paging system as it is being a requirement that now any and all of the education facility must be equiped with one.
I would like to explore a few options such as implementation with current phone system (s) Merilin and/or Cisco systems as well as a stand alone system, which for some reason I think might be an easy solution.
I've found Bogen 25 and 75 station systems which I believe will fit our need, but these are only main consoles and the rest of the equipment must be purchased as well which includes speakers, amplifiers if need be, obviously cabling, and the switches for locations where the need would be to contact DON's office which would be mostly classrooms.

https://www.bogen-paging.com/products/school-paging-intercom-systems/school-intercoms.aspx

Does anyone have recomendations for brands or type of systems to implement for a small/medium sized privately owned higher education facility?

Thanks

I'd contact one of the local sound companies that supplies Rauland, Dukane, Telecor etc.
Let me know if you need a recommendation. This is not a do it yourself job IMHO.

Thanks Jeff,

I have the Bogen rep coming out Friday to take a gander at what needs to be done. I am sure that the owners would like to get several quotes for the system, as well as different solutions available.
I kind of like the idea of being able to use the phone system for this, but then I am not sure how it would be setup in a classroom for example it should not be a phone, but a speaker type of setup, how would that be connected?
We have two phone systems here, one of them is Cisco for which I am sure "there is a license for that"

You need to check into the new Life and Safety Code requirements for Mass Notification Systems in an educational location.

It is now required that the fire alarm system have the ability to broadcast pre recorded messages. You can use a paging/intercom system for this purpose so long as it meets all of the requirements.

This is definitely no a job if you don;t know about all of the various requirements. The days of just having a paging/intercom system in an educational location are long gone.

To that end, you may also want to consider IED
https://www.iedaudio.com/

I believe that they were approached to this from point of view the possible shooter being on premises and having the ability to notify everyone of a lockout procedures. I will need to double check how extensive this should be.

The fire alarm system is a separate stand alone set of 3 panels, one of which is housing battery and a phone module that connect to 2 phone lines in server room, the same two lines that were punched in a lousy manner pictures of which were posted in ugly work post in cabling section of the forum.

Where would be a good place to obtain the info on Life and Safety Code requirements for Mass Notification Systems in an educational location.? A local city fire department, police or city hall?

Thanks

I will say that overhead paging from our Cisco system was accomplished very simply. The same gateway that handles our PRI has an FXO/FXS card that connects to our existing paging system.

As far as codes go, you could start with NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm & Signaling code.
Your local AHJ will probably have their own requirements as well.

I installed a very large IED system at JFK International Airport (American Airlines). They manufacture a quality product, have excellent support and overall provide a real good system.

Sam

****what tim10 said above. Quote didn't come up for some reason....

Life & safety information is found in NFPA 101: Life Safety Code and/or your local building department.

NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signal Code tells you how to install what is require to meet the Life & Safety requirements.

Your first step is to talk to whoever has jurisdiction over the facility you are at. That's normally the building department.