Park Tower utilizes a full life-safety system that meets or exceeds all life-safety requirements. Each floor is serviced by a central building management computer system that keeps constant surveillance of all operational building systems. Fire detection alarms, illuminated exit signs on each floor, pressurized stairwells, fire sprinklers, smoke detectors and strobe lights are just part of the extensive life-safety system.

The following is a brief overview of the safety features that have been built into the Building for your safety.

Park Tower utilizes state-of-the-art, high-tech components within all phases of its life-safety system. System components and features include:

• Computer-Based Control System
• Automatic Fire Sprinkler and Standpipe System
• Manual Fire Pull Stations
• Smoke and Heat Detection Systems
• Smoke Evacuation Systems
• Automatic Door Release Systems
• Elevator Recall and Emergency Car Service
• Fireman's and Emergency Communications System
• Emergency Power Back-up for Fire Alarm Detection.
• Fireman's Command and Control Center

Computer-Based Control System: The Simplex Fire/Life Safety system oversees all of the automated life-safety and fire control functions within Park Tower. This method of "high tech" control greatly streamlines the control system eliminating many trouble-plagued electro-mechanical components used in older systems. This new approach allows for a much more reliable system with a greatly improved response time. The heart of the system is located within the Fireman's Control Center located on the ground floor. Various other remote computing devices are located throughout the Building. Remote data terminals are located in the Security Console and in the Engineering Office. Override control panels are located in the Fireman's Control Center to allow Fire and Engineering personnel access to the system in the event manual control of individual systems is desired.

Automatic Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems: The entire Building has been provided with an automatic sprinkler system. Individual sprinkler heads are designed to operate when surrounding temperatures reach 165 degrees. A high output, power-driven pump supplies water to the system either from a city fire main or from a water reservoir located adjacent to the fire pump room.  Standpipes, located in each of the two main stairwells, with access locations on each floor, provide fire hose connections, sprinkler services and test valves. Any water flow detected on a given floor will automatically sound the fire alarm on that floor, the floor above, the floor below, in the elevator cabs and in the stairwells and initiate emergency notification of Building personnel, as well as notification to our outside alarm monitoring contractor.

Manual Fire Pull Stations: Manual fire pull stations are located next to each of the two (2) main stairwell entrances on each floor, in the freight elevator lobbies and in each passenger elevator lobby. Activation of these stations immediately sounds the alarm and initiates the strobe lights on that floor, on the floor above and the floor below. At the same time, the alarm reports to the Building Security Console, as well as to an outside agency for Fire Department notification. Strobe lights are intended to provide a visual alarm to the hearing impaired.

Smoke and Heat Detection System: Various smoke and heat detection devices are located throughout the Building, both in occupied and non-occupied areas such as in the duct systems, which will upon activation annunciate an audible signal (whooping sound) as well as energize flashing strobe lights on the affected floor, the floor above and the floor below. At the same time, this will initiate notification to our outside monitoring agency for reporting to the Fire Department.

Smoke Evacuation System: These fan systems are designed to keep stairwells and other fire emergency egress areas clear of smoke and fumes.  These systems are automatically activated in the event of the detection of smoke by a sensor, by water flow or by a manual start command.

Automatic Door Release Systems: In the event of an alarm condition, this system will automatically close various doors that are needed to isolate fire and smoke.  These doors include all emergency egress doors and elevator lobby doors.  All fire exit stairwell doors will be automatically unlocked.

Elevator Recall and Emergency Car Service: Elevators are an inherently dangerous place to be during a fire. Heat and fire may cause damage to portions of the elevator control system, making it possible for elevators to malfunction and even to stop on a fire floor.  For this reason, elevator lobby and elevator shaft smoke detectors have been installed as a safeguard. In the event of fire or smoke in elevator areas, all cars in the affected bank of elevators would be recalled to a safe floor and all elevator doors will remain in an open position. At that point, control of elevator systems would be released to the Fire Department who has the option of operating individual cars in a manual mode via a key switch override.

The following chart indicates the "safe" floor to which the elevators will return depending on the location of the fire:

Firemen and Emergency Communications System: In addition to the portable communication equipment used by the Fire Department, a system of telephone jacks has been installed in stairway vestibules and elevator lobbies on each floor.

Handsets for these stations are stored in the fire control room. To further complement the phone jack system, a series of emergency telephones have been installed in the building stairwells on floors 2 (on the south core of the building), 3 (on the north core of the building), 7, 11, 16, 20, and 24. These stations may be activated by opening the cover and lifting the handset. The call will go directly to the Security Console in the lobby of the Building.

Emergency Power Backup System: A diesel-powered emergency generator serves as an emergency supply source to be used in the event of loss of commercial power. This system starts automatically and will restore emergency electrical service for approximately 6 hours. Emergency power serves the elevator system, fire and life safety systems and designated emergency light fixtures.

Fireman's Command and Control Center: The Fireman's Command and Control Center is located on the lobby floor adjacent to the Security Control Office near the freight elevator.

The Center is the focal point for control of fire and other related emergency operations. Its systems include:

• Telephone communication lines.
• Elevator location indicators and emergency elevator override controls.
• Fire alarm enunciator panel used to locate the floor reporting an alarm as well as the alarm type.
• Fireman's override panel used to manually operate building life-safety fans and systems.
• Emergency paging system used for emergency announcements.
• Fireman's telephone console for use in communications with remote jack system.
• Central computer system for control of entire life-safety system
• Smoke detector location panel.
• Emergency generator indicator.

Fire Pump The fire pump is located in the basement. The equipment is detailed as follows:

• One (1) centrifugal diesel fire pump.
• One (1) jockey pump.
• One (1) diesel fuel tank.
• One (1) 15,000 gallon water storage tank.