Emergency Voice Communication (EVC)
Not everyone can walk down the stairs when the alarm sounds, and firefighters entering a large building need to talk to each other and to a control point. Emergency voice communication systems exist for exactly these situations. Many fire alarm engineers install and maintain EVC alongside the fire alarm, so understanding the basics — refuge points and fire telephones — is worthwhile. This guide gives that overview.
EVC is about communication during the emergency, which complements the fire alarm's job of detecting and warning.
Who this is for
This is for competent fire alarm and security engineers who install or maintain EVC alongside fire detection. The experience level assumed is competent engineer. Use it for the concepts; EVC design and provision come from BS 5839-9 and the building's fire strategy.
What EVC is
An emergency voice communication system provides dependable two-way voice communication for use during a fire or emergency. The two most common elements are refuge communication — outstations at refuge points connected to a control location — and fire telephones for the fire and rescue service. A master station, usually at a manned or accessible point, ties the system together. EVC is covered by BS 5839-9 and is a separate system from the fire alarm, though the two are frequently installed and maintained together.
Refuge communication
A refuge is a relatively safe place where someone who cannot use the stairs unaided can wait for assisted evacuation. On its own, a refuge leaves that person isolated; a refuge outstation gives them a way to communicate with a control point, so they can be reassured and their assisted evacuation coordinated. Providing communication at refuges is a central part of an inclusive evacuation strategy, and it is a common reason EVC is specified in buildings with multiple storeys.
Fire telephones
Fire telephones provide fixed, reliable two-way communication at defined points for the fire and rescue service, typically wired back to a master station. They let firefighters coordinate operations in larger or taller buildings where radios alone may be unreliable through the structure. Whether and where fire telephones are provided is set by the building's fire strategy and the relevant standards, not by a general rule.
EVC and the fire alarm
EVC is distinct from the fire alarm and has its own standard, but it is part of the overall life-safety provision and is often installed and maintained by the same engineers. The fire alarm detects and warns; EVC supports communication during the response. Where the two systems interface, that follows the design. From field experience, EVC is sometimes neglected at service because it is quiet in normal use — yet it is exactly the system that matters most for vulnerable occupants, so it deserves proper attention.
Common points to check
Recurring issues include refuge outstations that have never been function-tested, fire telephone points obstructed or mislabelled, and EVC that was not maintained alongside the fire alarm because it sat outside the usual service scope. Confirming EVC coverage and function against the design is worthwhile on any building that has it.
When not to rely on this alone
When not to use this article: do not use it to design an EVC system, decide refuge or fire telephone provision, or set test regimes. Those come from the current BS 5839-9 and the fire strategy, applied by competent professionals.
Relevant standards
Emergency voice communication systems are designed, installed and maintained to BS 5839-9, a code of practice. Refuge and inclusive evacuation provisions relate to Building Regulations statutory guidance in Approved Document B and the fire strategy, and the legal duty for fire precautions and safe escape in most non-domestic premises sits under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Separate the legal duty from the recommended methods when advising a client, and always work to the current editions.
Professional disclaimer
This is an educational and workflow resource for competent engineers and does not replace the current British Standards, the fire strategy, manufacturer documentation, or competent judgement. Verify EVC provision and testing against current documentation.
Related documentation
Use this with the current BS 5839-9, the EVC manufacturer's documentation, and the building's fire strategy and evacuation plan. Record EVC function tests in the service documentation.