Emergency Responder Radio Coverage Site Surveys
Radio Coverage Testing for Construction Projects
Emergency responder radio coverage surveys are becoming a common requirement on commercial construction projects, renovations, and tenant buildouts.
In many jurisdictions, the building owner, general contractor, or electrical contractor must provide a completed radio coverage survey to the fire department or Authority Having Jurisdiction before the project can receive final approval.
Automatic Fire Systems, Inc. performs emergency responder radio coverage site surveys upon request.
These surveys may be referred to as:
• BDA site surveys
• ERRCS surveys
• ERCES surveys
• Emergency responder radio coverage surveys
• Public safety radio signal surveys
They generally describe the same basic process: testing the public safety radio signal throughout the building and documenting the results for the reviewing authority.
Why Is a Radio Coverage Survey Required?
Firefighters and other emergency personnel rely on portable radios to communicate while working inside a building.
A radio may work properly outside the building but lose signal after emergency personnel enter. Concrete walls, steel framing, low-E glass, basements, stairwells, mechanical rooms, and large interior areas can weaken or block the signal.
A site survey determines whether emergency responder radios can operate throughout the completed building.
The survey gives the city or fire department measured results instead of relying on assumptions about the building’s radio coverage.
When Is the Survey Performed?
Radio coverage testing is normally performed near the end of construction.
The building should be substantially complete because walls, doors, ceilings, glass, equipment, and other building materials can affect the radio signal.
Testing too early may not provide an accurate picture of the coverage that will exist once construction is finished.
The survey is often scheduled as part of the project closeout process, along with final fire alarm testing, inspections, and other required documentation.
Waiting until the final inspection to
address
the survey can delay project completion if testing has not been scheduled or the reviewing authority has not provided its required frequencies and procedures.
Is Every Project Required to Have a Survey?
Requirements vary by city, county, fire department, and adopted code. Some jurisdictions require surveys for nearly
all
new commercial construction and remodel projects.
Others base the requirement on:
• Building size
• Number of floors
• Below-grade areas
• Type of construction
• Building use
• Scope of renovation
• Materials that may interfere with radio signals
• Direction from the fire marshal
The project plans, specifications, permit comments, or fire department requirements will usually state whether a survey must be submitted.
When the requirement is unclear, the general contractor, design team, or building owner should check with the local fire department or Authority Having Jurisdiction early in the project.
What Does the Survey Include?
The building is divided into testing areas, commonly called grids. Radio signal readings are collected throughout each floor and in areas that may be important during an emergency.
Testing often includes:
• Offices and occupied areas
• Corridors
• Exit stairs
• Elevator lobbies
• Basements
• Mechanical rooms
• Electrical rooms
• Fire pump rooms
• Fire command areas
• Storage and warehouse areas
• Other locations selected by the fire department
The exact frequencies, testing method, signal requirements, and critical areas are determined by the local jurisdiction. Testing is not performed on areas outside of the building.
What Does Automatic Fire Systems Provide?
Our survey service includes:
• Reviewing available floor plans provided by you
• Reviewing the project’s testing requirements
• Coordinating the required public safety frequencies local to the area
• Dividing each floor into testing grids
• Measuring radio signal levels throughout the building
• Testing required critical areas per code
• Recording the individual readings
• Preparing a completed survey report
The finished report can be provided to the contractor, owner, design team, or reviewing authority as required by the project. Typically a copy is provided to the purchaser and the local authority for review.
What Happens After the Survey?
If the measured radio coverage meets the jurisdiction’s requirements, the completed survey report can be submitted as evidence that a radio enhancement system is not required.
A BDA system would not be required to be installed simply because a
survey was required. If weak coverage is found, the test results are submitted to the reviewing authority. The fire department or Authority Having Jurisdiction determines whether corrective action is required. Final approval or denial of findings belongs to the reviewing jurisdiction.
A Site Survey Is Not a BDA Installation
The survey and the BDA system are two separate parts of the process.
A site survey tests the radio coverage that already exists inside the building.
A BDA or emergency responder radio communications enhancement system is equipment that may be installed when the existing coverage does not meet the jurisdiction’s requirements.
The survey comes first. Many projects may be required to purchase and submit a survey even when the building ultimately passes and no BDA system is needed.
What Happens If the Building Does Not Pass?
A failed survey does not automatically mean that every part of the building requires extensive equipment.
The results identify:
• Which floors have weak coverage
• Where the weak areas are located
• Which frequencies are affected
• How much of the building does not meet the requirement
The reviewing authority will determine what must be corrected.
When a BDA or emergency responder radio communications enhancement system is required, Automatic Fire Systems can coordinate with an experienced BDA system installation partner upon request.
The installation partner/provider would be responsible for the system design, permits, equipment, installation, programming, commissioning, and acceptance testing.
Avoiding Project Delays
Radio coverage requirements should be reviewed before the project reaches final inspection.
Project delays can occur when:
• The survey was not included in the original project schedule
• Floor plans are not available
• The required frequencies have not been provided
• The fire department has its own testing procedure or report format
• Testing is requested before the building is substantially complete
• The building does not pass and additional work is required
Scheduling the survey early enough allows the testing to be completed once the building is ready without holding up project closeout.
Information Needed to Schedule a Survey
To prepare a proposal and schedule the testing, we will normally need:
• Project name
• Project address
• Approximate building square footage
• Number of floors
• Current floor plans
• Type and scope of construction
• Local fire department or reviewing authority
• Requested testing date
Request a Site Survey
Automatic Fire Systems, Inc. provides emergency responder radio coverage site surveys for commercial, industrial, government, and military construction projects.
Surveys are available upon request and are scheduled based on project location, building size, testing requirements, and equipment availability.