The VoCALL fire Telephone and Refuge Section has been completely redone, with the latest literature, VoCALL compact has been added; all manuals are updated and the VoCALL configuration software for Rev 4 Systems is now available to download.

Unity has been updated, with the user manuals and literature updated.

Failed links have been repaired and the ET120 and ET 60 page have been updated with the correct manuals and instructions.

With this year’s Wimbledon Championships just a few days away the redevelopment of the world’s most famous tennis venue has moved another stage forward—and a North East company is involved.

Sunderland-based Current Thinking, which specialises in audio equipment to meet the most exacting fire and safety regulations, has recently extended its ground-breaking VoCall system, which combines both fire telephones and disabled refuge points with incident logging facilities, into the Wimbledon Court Number 2. 

Explains Current Thinking Managing Director Anthony Smith “We were delighted when we were asked to play a part in the Wimbledon redevelopment project and we developed a system specifically to meet the needs of a venue which during the Wimbledon tournament attracts around half a million spectators.

“Our network is designed to provide easy communication for members of the public who cannot easily use usual methods of evacuation and also to assist the emergency services to locate people during an incident.

“Most of our system was installed in time for last year’s tournament, but Court Number 2 was then under refurbishment. It is now being brought back into use and will be covered by VoCall.”

Current Thinking equipment is installed in many leading developments and buildings in the UK—including Tate Britain, Dublin Airport and many of the tallest towers in Dubai—and the company was recently awarded recognition from Network Rail for the quality of its products.

A North East based audio equipment specialist has received endorsement for the quality of its products from the organisation which looks after Britain’s rail system.

Network Rail, which runs, develop and maintains rail tracks, signalling and other infrastructure such as tunnels and bridges together with 18 of the country’s biggest and busiest stations has chosen fire telephones and induction loop systems produced by Current Thinking for inclusion in its St Pancras Thameslink Box project.

Many rail stations on the East Coast Main line are already equipped with fire telephones and induction loop systems produced at Current Thinking’s Sunderland factory and Managing Director Tony Smith says Network Rail’s (PADS) endorsement follows installation of its products at St Pancras International, as well as Stratford, Ebsfleet and Ashford International stations.

He explains “We’re delighted to have received this recognition from such an important organisation as Network Rail. In fact our equipment is already in use in many different sites across the county’s rail system, including, for example, St Pancras International Station and the Heathrow Express service at Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

“The benefit of gaining PADS qualification is that our fire telephone and induction loop systems no longer need specific approval from Network Rail before being considered for future schemes, which provides assurance to contractors and installers tendering for projects that our equipment meets the very demanding standards required.”

Current Thinking safety and audio products are in use in many major developments in the UK and across the world—including, for example, the multi-million pound redevelopment of the Wimbledon tennis complex, the Tate Britain Art Gallery in London and many of the biggest construction projects in Dubai such as the undersea Jumeria Road Tunnel linking the mainland to the impressive Palm development of the world’s three largest artificial islands.

Equipment produced by a North East company is helping to ensure the safety of one of the UKs top visitor attractions, the Tate Britain Art Gallery in London.

The gallery, through its facilities managers SPIE Matthew Hall, faced the challenge of replacing its ageing voice alarm system and one of the key benefits of using Current Thinking’s state-of-the-art products was that it could be installed with the minimum of disruption to the fabric of the historic building.

Attracting over one a half million visitors a year, the gallery, at Milbank in London, has joined the list of major building across the world using products from Sunderland-based Current Thinking, recognised as an international leader in the development of voice alarm systems, fire safety telephones and induction loop products for people with hearing problems.
Explained Current Thinking Managing Director Anthony Smith “What appealed to the gallery-and to the installers VA Systems-was that our equipment enabled the use of the existing speaker installations at the same time as enabling the upgrading of the overall system to meet the latest regulations without having to re-cable the entire site.
“Minimising disruption on a project of this scale-and in a building visited by so many people-is obviously of benefit to everyone concerned, including the gallery and the installers.”
Added Mick Walsh of VA Systems, sub-contractors for Spector Lumenex “It was an easy decision to choose Current Thinking’s technology. Not only did the compatibility of their equipment mean that the project virtually became ‘plug and play’ but their voice alarm rack systems are installed with an ease not achievable with other manufacturers’ products.
“Current Thinking’s flexible approach to projects and its willingness of ‘individualise’ equipment makes the work of an installer so much easier.”
Tate Britain joins a long list of major buildings in the UK and abroad where Current Thinking safety and audio products are in use-including the multi-million pound redevelopment of the Wimbledon tennis complex, rail stations on both the East and West coast routes, as well as the new St Pancras International terminal for the Channel Tunnel–and many of the huge construction projects in Dubai including over 50 of its tallest towers and the undersea Jumeria Road Tunnel linking the mainland to the impressive Palm development of the world’s three largest artificial islands.

The head of a North East company has been appointed to another key post in the body which oversees industry standards worldwide and reminds Facility Managers of the importance of carrying out risk assessments of their fire detection systems.

Anthony Smith, Managing Director of Sunderland-based Current Thinking—a world leader in the development of voice alarm systems, fire safety telephones and induction loop products for people with hearing problems—was last year elected to membership of the British Standards Institute (BSI) EPL100 Committee overseeing induction loop technology and has now also joined the committee involved in standards for voice alarms and fire telephones.

Anthony is now representing ISCE (Institute of Sound & Communications Engineers) interests on FSH12-5 Committee which is now starting work revising BS5839-9 the UK standard for fire telephones and disabled refuge systems.

This latest appointment is further recognition of Anthony Smith’s expertise and the achievements of Current Thinking which he founded just seven years ago after leaving university for the lure of the stage!

In 1998 he was he was on degree course in Digital Engineering at Sunderland Polytechnic when the chance came for him to swap his studies to became the college student’s union’s stage manager. A year later he was a partner in AVX Systems and then went to hold key posts with SigNET (AC) until forming Current Thinking in 2001.

He sees his role with the BSI committees as a chance to contribute to the development of an industry which, with the ever-increasing emphasis on safety standards, is of real importance.

Explains Anthony “Coming from our small team at Current Thinking, I am convinced that  is not always the big companies which can lead technological developments and  that ‘hands on’ operations have the ability to stay ahead of the game.

“Legislation rightly demands very high levels of public safety and support for people with disabilities such as hearing problems and the BSI is at the forefront of ensuring that standards are useful, relevant and authoritative.”

Anthony, reminds Facility Managers that “The introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and the enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work Act mean that those responsible for the voice alarm system, Fire telephone and disabled refuges (EVCS),   (and indeed all fire detection) systems installed on their premises should follow the life cycle and maintenance guidelines laid down in British Standard BS5839pt8. A risk assessment may be necessary for the maintenance of older systems and if it no longer meets the guidelines and a major incident occurs resulting in death or serious injury the assessor (responsible person) may be held liable.”

Current Thinking products are now in use in prestigious developments across the globe—from the Tate Britain art gallery and  multi-million redevelopment of the world’s most famous tennis centre at Wimbledon to more than 50 of the tallest buildings in the world in Dubai.

Using the latest techniques, the company is constantly bringing new products and concepts to the market, from its new range of installer friendly induction loop amplifiers to its fibre optic based voice alarm system. All products are designed and manufactured in its Sunderland factory.

It’s one of the biggest sporting festivals in the world and the safety of its half a million visitors will be protected with high technology equipment designed and produced by a North East company.

Current Thinking, based in Sunderland, has supplied the massive network of integrated fire telephones and Disabled Refuge points installed throughout the Wimbledon complex during the multi-million redevelopment of the world’s most famous tennis centre.

The system, called VoCALL is a fully distributed Emergency Voice Communication System (EVCS), complying fully with BS5839-Part9:2003 and combines both Fire Telephones and Disabled Refuge Points. It covers all buildings including offices, media centre, main court complexes and museum across the South London site.

Through a network of a master controls, exchanges and outstations (handset and hands free points) VoCALL provides an easy and effective two-way communication for the reassurance of members of the public who cannot easily use the usual methods of escape and to assist the emergency services to locate them and reassure them during an emergency. VoCall is particularly suited to large flat sites making it ideal for venues such as sports stadiums and event arenas.

An important requirement of the Wimbledon system was that it should be able to produce a detailed record of every time it was activated. No such product existed in the Fire Telephone and Disabled Refuge sector. However, Current Thinking was able to design a tailor-made incident logging system software package. This enables logs to be made of all faults and telephone actions. It records conversations made over the VoCall system and creates a ‘time line’ audio file which can be played back at a later time.

The Incident Logging System remains unique to Current Thinking and is now available for all VoCALL systems. The choice of VoCALL equipment was greatly influenced by the ability of Current Thinking to create the software and was a joint decision by The All England Lawn Tennis Club, and the London based installer Comlite Ltd.

Chris White of Comlite said, “I hadn’t worked with Current Thinking or the VoCALL system before this project, and though the learning curve was steep I have found the company easy to work with and was and was impressed by the attentiveness of its staff, technical support, system testing and client handover. I have found them very flexible and we have worked very well together on designing a system for the Wimbledon Championships.”

Says Current Thinking’s Managing Director Anthony Smith “We were delighted to be chosen as the supplier for this project by Comlite. Wimbledon clearly wanted the best quality safety systems in the redevelopment and that’s what we were able to provide.

“Given the nature of Wimbledon, with its courts complexes, together with a wide range of administrative buildings and a museum, it has been a challenge to develop a network to cover all parts of the site and we have worked very closely with Comlite as the installer on developing the system including the creation of the unique Incident Logging System.

“Building regulations require that Emergency Voice Communication Systems are installed in all non-residential buildings over one storey. VoCALL has been designed to be the most modular and flexible system available and the logging software designed for the Wimbledon project keeps the company at the forefront of developments in the market place.”

Wimbledon is just one of many high-profile projects across the world where Current Thinking has gained recognition as the international leader in the development of fire telephones, voice alarm systems and induction loop products for people with hearing problems.

Current Thinking has developed a broad range of products including the latest in Voice Alarm Systems which have established it as the leader in the field

The company’s systems which assist hearing-aid users listening to information in noisy environments are in use on mainline stations on both the East and West Coast routes, as well as the new St Pancras International terminal for the Channel Tunnel.