Current building regulations insist that all new buildings with more than one storey provide refuge areas relatively safe places where people who cannot easily use fire escapes and evacuation lifts can call for assistance and wait until help arrives.

Simple, effective two-way communication in these areas is essential, firstly to assist rescue teams in determining where assistance is required and secondly to reassure people help is on the way.

Comprising a low-cost 1-8 line central control unit (expandable to 16 lines) and a range of high-quality stainless steel 'disabled refuge' outstations offering true duplex hands-free speech, SigTEL Compact provides effective, fully-monitored two-way communication between disabled refuge areas and a manned control room. An optional 'fire telephone' type outstation is also available.

"The launch of SigTEL demonstrates our commitment to meeting customer demand for a cost-effective but fully BS 5839 Part 9 compliant disabled refuge system. This product has generated a huge amount of interest already and I am confident it will exceed all expectations" says Charlotte Manley, C-TEC's European sales manager.

Ideal for hotels, offices, schools, shops, and any other non-domestic building with more than one storey, SigTEL compact can be easily interfaced to induction loop and disabled persons' toilet alarm systems.