Military_Mass_Notification_System.docx

Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti Giant Voice Requirements

Military Mass Notification System (MNS)

Capability: Mass notification provides real-time information and instructions to people on DOD installation using intelligible siren tones and voice communications. MNS are intended to protect life by indicating the existence of an emergency situation and instructing people of the necessary and appropriate response and action. MNS are designated as life safety systems in a manner similar to DOD-required fire protection systems.

System Type: Wide area MNS are installed to provide real-time information to outdoor areas of a DOD installation. These systems are normally provided with and operated from two or more central control stations. Communications between central control stations and individual building MNS is provided.

Communications between the central control stations and regional or national command systems may also be provided. The requirements to install wide area MNS are specific to each DOD component. A general DOD requirement to install these systems on all DOD installations has not yet been established.

A wide area MNS shall be a component of and connected to the Installation Notification and Warning System (INWS) as defined by Air Force instruction (AFI) 10-2501. The INWS typically includes a “giant voice” system for outdoor notification of personnel.

System Signals:

1. Voice Signals. Wide area MNS shall be capable of providing intelligible live and pre-recorded voice signals

2. Music: Wide area MNS shall be capable of providing music such as the national anthem and other musical signals such as Attention to Colors, Reveille, and Taps.

3. Tones: Military-specific warning tones shall be provided as specified by the DOD installation, and should include tones for conventional attack warning, non-conventional attack warning, all clear, and a system test tone. Such tones should be similar to Civil Defense tones originally developed during World War II and the Cold War era.

Subsystem: Wide area MNS includes several subsystems: central control stations; high power speaker arrays (HPSA); communication links; and ancillary equipment.

1. Central Control Stations. These stations operate and control the system

2. HPSA. The speakers are used to provide the sound signals to the outdoor locations on the DOD installation

3. Communications Links. Communications links are used for sending signals between the central control stations and the HPSA, and between the central control stations and regional or national command centers. A redundant (backup) means of communication shall be provided unless the primary means of communication is highly reliable, well protected, and constantly monitored by the central control station for operational status.

HPSA Specifics:

HPSAs shall be arranged into zones so that each zone can be individually controlled by the control station. HPSAs shall be designed with directional characteristics that will minimize the distortion of voice signals by interface from other zones, and will minimize the transmission of voice, siren, or other sound signals into environmentally sensitive areas or off the DOD installation. HPSAs with omnidirectional (i.e., approximately spherical shape) sound transmission characteristics may be considered for specific areas of the installation but should be used only for isolated areas having minimal concern for mutual interference between HPSA zones. Each HPSA site for each zone shall include a field-mounted local control unit, microprocessor, amplifier, standby batteries, charger, power supply, radio, mounting brackets and loudspeaker assembly for pole or building mounting. Those HPSA sites designated by the DOD installation shall be capable of microphone input and shall be provided with a microphone designed to prevent feedback at that particular microphone location. All equipment for each HPSA speaker site shall be housed in modular, mountable cabinets suitable for the local environmental conditions, including space heaters and ventilation fans, as appropriate. All external conductors (conductors passing outside of the HPSA equipment cabinet) shall be provided with surge suppression tested to Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) standards as specified by UFC 3-520-01.

HPSA Performance. The HPSA control units shall provide at least these components and features:

1. A digitally addressable controller

2. The ability to receive and store messages via the primary (and redundant, if required) communication link with a confirmation signal sent back to the primary and redundant central control stations. Alternately, the DOD installation may authorize use of fixed, pre-recorded emergency messages that are physically installed in each HPSA (typically by installing an EPROM or flash memory device).

3. A charger/ power supply that will accept alternating current (AC) input , battery input and solar power cell input

4. The capability of storing at least 60 minutes of pre-recorded messages

5. The capability of providing a minimum of 7 standard tones. In addition, the systems shall have the capability to provide custom tones.

6. The ability to accept and play an auxiliary input from a digital recording device such as a compact disk (CD) player or Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Layer 3 player

7. An amplifier efficiency of not less than 90 percent. The amplifier shall have not more than 0.1 percent total harmonic distortion (THD). The amplifier frequency response shall be at least 200 hertz (Hz) to 10,000 Hz. There shall be no more than 2 percent THD at the speaker at 1000 Hz.

8. The capability for local control at those HPSAs designated by the DOD installation. Designated HPSAs shall be able to function independently of the central control station. Designated HPSAs shall be furnished complete with a local microphone and local controls. The local microphone shall be designed to prevent feedback at that particular microphone location.

9. A headphone output port to permit private listening of the system broadcast at each HPSA designated by the DOD installation for testing purposes.

10. An input port for connecting a laptop computer or digital device to make field changes. Alternately, the DOD installation may authorize use of fixed, pre-recorded emergency messages that are created elsewhere and physically installed in the HPSA (typically by installing an EPROM or flash memory device).

11. A tamper switch that will signal the central control station that the HPSA enclosure door is open.

12. Speakers shall be able to operate between temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius (C) (-40 degrees Fahrenheit (F)) to +80 degrees C (+175 degrees F). Enclosures shall protect the HPSA control unit from external temperatures ranging from -40 degrees C (-40 degrees F) to +80 degrees C (+175 degrees F).

13. Each HPSA site shall be equipped with backup batteries to supply power for a minimum of 72 hours of electrical supervision following the loss of normal charging power, followed by a total of 60 minutes of full load operation at the end of the supervisory period.

Connection to Portable Electrical Power Generator. Each HPSA site so designated by the DOD installation shall be capable of direct connection a military-approved secondary distribution panel (SDC) via 60 Amp cabling (NSN: 5935-01-076-5738) Part number (MS90558C32413P).

HPSA Elevated Supporting Structure: A contractor supplied elevated supporting structure (e.g., pole, tower) shall be provided at each HPSA site.

1. Structural Loads, Wind and Seismic Design. The supporting structure shall be designed for the structural loads listed in UFC 3-310-01, except that the design wind speed shall be not less than 100 miles per hour (mph) (161 kilometers per hour (km/h), 86.8 knots). The supporting structure shall be sized to accommodate the static and dynamic loads produced by the sound systems and all attachments.

2. Mounting Height: The HPSA shall be attached to the elevated supporting structure. The minimum mounting height of the speakers shall be based on the rated output of the speakers and shall prevent hearing damage to anyone directly below the speakers. Do not exceed noise exposure limits as specified in paragraph 3-6.5. The height shall not be less than 6 m (20 ft) or greater than 9 m (30 ft) above ground level. Ensure that the location and height of HPSA supporting structures do not interfere with aircraft flight operations

3. Mounting of Cabinets. HPSA equipment cabinets shall be mounted on the elevated supporting structure with the top of the enclosure no more than 2 m (6 ft) above ground level. The equipment cabinet and power boxes must be capable of being locked shut.

COMMUNICATIONS LINKS

CENTRAL CONTROL STATIONS. The wide area MNS shall be provided with at least one primary and one redundant central control station.

Locations. The locations of the central control stations shall be coordinated with the first responders on each DOD installation. The primary central control station should be located at the installation control center (ICC), command post, emergency operations center (EOC), or similar location. The redundant central control center should be located at a physically separate location such as a security forces building, military police station, fire station, or director of emergency services office.

On-Installation Control. The central control stations shall control the operation of outdoor speakers on the DOD installation. The wide area MNS shall have the capability to communicate with other notification systems on the DOD installation such as the telephone alerting system, paging system, commander’s channel on public access television stations, and highway advisory radio and sign control system (used for dynamic control of radio information and traffic signs for emergency information and traffic management).

Central Control Station Requirements. The central control unit shall consist of these components and features:

1. Backup Power. Each central control station shall be equipped with batteries to supply power for a minimum of 4 hours of full-load operation when the central control station is provided with a permanently installed backup electrical power generator. This electrical power generator need not be dedicated solely to the central control station but may be intended to supply other important electrical loads in addition to the central control station. If not provided with a permanently installed backup electrical power generator, a portable backup electrical power generator may be used if procedures are established that ensure that the central control station is provided with electrical power within 4 hours.

2. Inputs. The central control station must provide capability for at least these features:

F. Automatic status reporting for each HPSA and for all activations and the status of the activations G. The ability to record and send digital messages to the HPSA via the primary (and redundant, if provided) communication link and to receive confirmation that the messages were received and stored at the HPSA. Alternately, the DOD installation may authorize use of fixed, pre-recorded emergency messages that are physically installed in each HPSA (typically by installing an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or flash memory device).

H. The capability to target specific messages to any individual HPSA, zone of HPSAs, or to all areas on the DOD installation I. Means for dynamic or “on-the-fly” configuration of zoning, with a minimum of 8 zones available (4 active with 4 for expansion) J. Secure method for easily creating or modifying recorded messages K. Microphone for live voice announcements L. The capability to perform silent tests, including a test of the amplifiers, controllers, and sound drivers, and tests to verify that communications are operational M. The capability to control individual speaker zones of those HPSAs designated by the DOD installation

3. Primary Communications Link. Primary communications shall use radio frequency-type systems that comply with National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) requirements. The systems shall be designed to minimize the potential for interference, jamming, eavesdropping, and spoofing.

4. Licensed Radio Frequency Systems. An approved DD Form 1494 for the system is required prior to operation. When available, use systems designed for digital communication standards such as the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Standard 25. The frequency range of the radio equipment should at a minimal cover the 135-150 MHz spectrum.

5. Off-the-Shelf Equipment. Communications equipment furnished as part of the wide area MNS shall be commercial off-the-shelf (COTS). All programming codes or passwords required to access, update, modify, and maintain the communications equipment shall be provided to the DOD installation no later than the date of final system acceptance.