Get A Quote
PAVA Systems
Clear voice instructions that help to direct people to safety.
What is a PAVA System?
An alarm tells people something is wrong. A PAVA system tells them what to do.
When a fire breaks out, noise levels inside a building rise quickly. Alarm sounders, shouting, general panic and the sound of the fire itself all compete for attention at once. In that environment, a standard alarm tone does little to help people make the right decisions about where to go and how to get there safely.
A public address and voice alarm (PAVA) system delivers clear, intelligible spoken instructions directly to the people in your building. It can direct occupants away from affected areas, towards specific exits and to pre-agreed assembly points, in a way that a sounder simply cannot. For larger or more complex premises where not everyone is familiar with the layout, that clarity can make a significant difference to how an evacuation unfolds.
At Incognito Systems, we design and install PAVA systems specified around your building and the way your business operates, ensuring every area is covered and every message is heard.
Get A Quote
Where PAVA Systems Make the Biggest Difference
Large or multi-floor buildings
In a building spread across multiple floors or a large footprint, a single alarm tone gives occupants no indication of where the fire is or which route is safest. A PAVA system allows specific messages to be broadcast to specific zones, directing people on each floor or in each area according to the actual situation rather than triggering a blanket response.
Buildings with high visitor footfall
Staff can be briefed on evacuation procedures. Visitors, customers and contractors cannot. In retail environments, hospitality venues, healthcare settings and similar premises, the people most at risk during an evacuation are often those who have never seen the building before. Spoken instructions remove the reliance on prior knowledge and give everyone an equal chance of reaching safety.
Premises with background noise
Warehouses, production facilities and other industrial environments often operate at noise levels that make a standard alarm sounder easy to miss or difficult to distinguish. A PAVA system can be specified with speakers positioned and calibrated to ensure instructions are heard clearly above ambient noise levels throughout the site.
Integration with Your Wider Fire Safety System
A PAVA system works most effectively as part of a complete fire safety setup.
Linked to your fire detection system, it can activate automatically when an alarm event is triggered, delivering pre-recorded evacuation messages without requiring manual intervention. Combined with emergency lighting, fire stopping and suppression measures, it becomes one element of a layered approach that addresses life safety from multiple angles.
Where your premises also requires an emergency voice communication system (EVCS), the two can operate alongside one another. While a PAVA system broadcasts instructions to the building as a whole, an EVCS provides two-way communication for mobility-impaired individuals who may need direct assistance during an evacuation.
Where your premises also requires an emergency voice communication system (EVCS), the two can operate alongside one another. While a PAVA system broadcasts instructions to the building as a whole, an EVCS provides two-way communication for mobility-impaired individuals who may need direct assistance during an evacuation.
Get A Quote
Why Choose Incognito Systems for Your PAVA System?
Installed and maintained by a team you can trust.
Speaker placement, zone configuration and message content are all determined by a thorough assessment of your premises. We account for floor plans, background noise levels, occupancy and any areas that present particular challenges before a single component is specified or fitted.
Every PAVA installation we complete is carried out to the relevant British Standards and independently verified through our SSAIB accreditation. Full documentation is provided and kept current as part of our ongoing service, so your compliance records are always in order.
PAVA systems require regular inspection and testing to remain reliable. Our maintenance packages cover routine visits, functional checks and any remedial work identified along the way, with reactive support available between scheduled appointments should anything need attention in the interim.
Every PAVA installation we complete is carried out to the relevant British Standards and independently verified through our SSAIB accreditation. Full documentation is provided and kept current as part of our ongoing service, so your compliance records are always in order.
PAVA systems require regular inspection and testing to remain reliable. Our maintenance packages cover routine visits, functional checks and any remedial work identified along the way, with reactive support available between scheduled appointments should anything need attention in the interim.
Get A Quote
FAQs – PAVA Systems in Northampton
A standard fire alarm sounder alerts people to the presence of a fire through an audible tone. A PAVA system goes further by delivering spoken voice messages that tell people specifically what to do, where to go and which routes to take. This is particularly valuable in larger, more complex or high-footfall environments where a tone alone is not sufficient to guide an effective evacuation.
For most commercial premises, a PAVA system is not a blanket legal requirement in the same way that fire detection is. However, depending on the size, complexity and use of your building, a voice alarm system may be specified as necessary through your fire risk assessment. For certain building types, including large places of assembly and some high-rise premises, voice alarm systems are effectively required to achieve compliance.
Yes. PAVA systems are designed to operate alongside fire detection and alarm systems, activating automatically when an alarm event is triggered. We assess your existing setup as part of the design process and manage any integration work required to ensure the two systems operate together correctly.
Yes. One of the key advantages of a PAVA system is zone-based messaging, which allows specific instructions to be broadcast to specific areas. This means occupants in unaffected parts of the building can receive different instructions to those closest to the fire, supporting a phased or staged evacuation where appropriate.
A PAVA system broadcasts voice messages to the building as a whole or to specific zones. An emergency voice communication system (EVCS) provides two-way communication between individuals, typically those who are mobility impaired or unable to evacuate independently, and emergency marshals or the fire and rescue services. The two systems serve different purposes and can operate alongside each other within the same building.
Regular inspection and testing is required to ensure the system remains fully operational. Our maintenance packages are structured around the relevant servicing intervals, with all visits logged and documented to keep your compliance records up to date.
Speak To Our Team About PAVA Systems in Northampton
Call us on 01536 680988, email [email protected] or request a quote below and a member of our team will be in touch.
Request A Quote
Unit 10, 15 Constellation Park, Orion Way, Kettering, NN15 6NH
