User Manual

24
Siemens Switzerland Ltd
Building Technologies Division
Emergency lighting The primary purpose of emergency escape lighting is to illuminate escape routes,
but can also be used to illuminate other safety equipment. Following a power
failure the emergency lighting should automatically switch on within 5s. The size
and type of the premises and the risk to the occupants will determine the
complexity of the escape lighting required.
Elevator controls Due to the risk of power failure during a fire, the use of the elevators as a means
of evacuation is not generally permitted. Appropriate signals from the fire
detection system will direct the public elevators to a predetermined floor, where
they remain out of service with the doors open. This is usually the hotel lobby;
however, if the fire has been detected in the lobby area, then the elevators will
be automatically dispatched to a preprogrammed alternative floor.
Members of the fire department, who are better able to assess the risks involved,
may still be able to use some elevators (e.g. to transport firefighting equipment)
by means of a special key.
3.5. Applications in various types of hotels
Hotels vary considerably in size and complexity. For the purposes of this document we will limit the discussion to
the following four categories:
• Roadside hotels/motels
• Regional hotels
• Metropolitan hotels
• High-rise hotels
3.5.1. Roadside hotels/motels
Characteristics One- or two-story buildings - in some cases multiple buildings spread out over a
relatively large area, with individual buildings often separated by parking lots.
Alarm and evacuation For single buildings a fire detection system alone may be considered sufficient to
alert the occupants by means of a general alarm, followed by a simultaneous
evacuation of the building. In the case of multiple buildings, however, it would
make little sense to evacuate all buildings if a fire is detected in one location
only.
3.5.1-1 Roadside hotel/motel