BDA Systems Required in Florida

Public Safety First Responders need to have effective two-way communication in Florida commercial buildings so that everyone inside can get their messages across. This is especially true when first responders need to talk to one another in an emergency.

The Florida Fire Prevention Code requires that existing buildings are required to comply with minimum radio strength standards for fire department communications and two-way radio system enhancement communications by January 1, 2022.

To ensure that a call never gets dropped, BDA systems can be installed inside your Florida facility. However, these need to align with the mandates set forth by the local government. We’ll cover those mandates in this guide from BearCom.

What Is a BDA & Why Is It Important?

BDAs, or Bi-Directional Amplifiers, are signal boosters designed to sustain two-way radio communications throughout a building. They’re especially useful for hard-to-reach areas like:

  • Stairwells
  • Basements
  • Parking garages

As amplifiers/repeaters offered in different gain and power options, BDAs can boost and distribute signals through various frequencies. BDAs ensure first responders can effectively communicate with each other, not only within your commercial building, but with other users throughout the surrounding area.

Let’s say there’s been a fire, an injury, or some other emergency inside a building. If firefighters or police officers have to get in, they need to maintain communication with their team on the outside. By having public safety BDAs placed inside a structure, things like dead spots, building materials, and signal interference won’t be a hindrance for these emergency personnel.

BDA Systems Required in Florida

How Do BDA Systems Work?

BDA Systems Required in Florida

So, how exactly do BDA systems work? They often pair with a DAS, or Distributed Antenna System, to make up an in-building signal booster solution. These are often made up of three components:

  • Donor antenna: Mounted on a roof to grab a wireless signal from the outside.
  • DAS: A group of antennas placed throughout a building to boost signal coverage.
  • BDAs: Extend two-way radio coverage in aforementioned difficult-to-reach areas for those critical moments.

All in all, the benefits of having BDAs put into your building is two-fold. It makes sure that public safety radios can be used by first responders. This will help them effectively communicate with each other, which will increase their safety. It also helps public safety experts serve building occupants and visitors for everyone’s peace of mind.

Deployment Process

When installing a BDA/DAS system, there’s a certain process that takes place. First, a proper solution design and placement needs to be created, which is why many people turn to experienced wireless providers for assistance.

You may need to provide floor plans and wiring schematics, and the expert may need to conduct a site walkthrough. From there, they can determine where to place antennas, which typically consist of:

  • A directional one aimed at a donor site
  • A set distributing a signal throughout a facility

Depending on how BDAs are installed and programmed, they can help improve communications among first responders who use two-way radios with UHF or VHF bands. They can also meet public safety coverage requirements on 700/800/900 MHz bands.

BDA Systems Required in Florida

Florida Mandates for Commercial Buildings

Having BDAs installed into your facility isn’t enough, though. It needs to be in line with mandates created by the local government.

On December 31, 2019, the Florida Fire Prevention Code required “local jurisdictions to mandate in-building radio signal strength levels to assist first responders.” There are several codes that were put into place for public safety two-way radios.

One of them is the NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm & Signaling Code, 2013 Edition. It states that any building with zero to poor public safety radio signals must have a radio enhancement system installed. This would be a BDA/DAS system that’s used to boost signals for effective emergency radio communications—ensuring covering for both fire and police teams.

Top Compliance Requirements

There are many more mandates to consider before putting your future BDA project into place. This includes the following top rules:

  • Public Safety signal boosters need to meet FCC guidelines and should comply with International Fire Code (IFC) or National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) statutes.
  • There needs to be 95% in-building wireless signal coverage per the IFC 510 and 90% of that same coverage per the NFPA 72, Chapter 24.
  • NFPA requires 99% coverage in critical spots like fire pump rooms, exit stairs/passageways, and elevator lobbies.
  • BDAs need to still work in high heat and humidity, while also withstanding direct water sprays from firehoses.
  • Equipment that supports public safety radios has to be able to function up to 24 hours on a backup battery.
  • Coverage needs to be tested in a 20-grid or 40-grid process with any public safety radio.

Any building over 75 feet in height that wasn’t in compliance by December 31, 2019, needed to have applied for an appropriate local permit by that date. The building owner needs to also demonstrate that said facility will become compliant by the year 2022. Note that residential buildings are on a different schedule. Those owners will need to apply for a permit by December 31, 2022 and comply by January 1, 2025.

How to Know If Your Facility Is Compliant

So, now that you know what the top compliance requirements are, how can you determine if your building is mandate-compliant?

There are several action steps you can take to ensure that your facility is good to go. This includes the following:

  1. Contact a BDA/DAS Specialist at BearCom: Our BDA/DAS specialists will work with you to determine how requirements are enforced in your area.
  2. Measure the current signal strength in your facility: Once our specialists determine coverage is required, we can perform signal strength tests.
  3. BDA/DAS System design: If we determine a BDA/DAS system is necessary to improve coverage in your building, our system engineers can create a design to ensure your building is in compliance.
  4. Prepare a plan to meet a deadline: Our specialists will work with you through every step of the process to make sure you meet the required deadlines with a BDA/DAS system that conforms to your local requirements and standards.

Getting Your Building Up to Code

If you’re in need of a BDA/DAS Specialist, you can turn to the experts at BearCom.

As a trusted BDA/DAS Partner, we’re well-versed in “federal and local public safety communications coverage regulations.” As such, we’ve been successful in designing and deploying systems with a variety of building types, such as:

  • Manufacturing plants
  • School campuses
  • Office complexes
  • Airports
  • Distribution centers
BDA Systems Required in Florida

We’re all about designing and delivering high-performance wireless voice, video, and data solutions that not only boost operating efficiency but increase safety, as well.

If your building needs a BDA to allow for communication between first responders, we can help. We’ll handle every aspect of integration and installation.

See If Your Facility Meets Florida BDA/DAS Requirements

As you can see, it’s vital to have the proper coverage in place for first responders. When an emergency hits, you want to make sure that effective communication signals are always available. However, you also want the equipment for said coverage to fully comply with local jurisdictions to avoid any dire consequences.

If you’re not sure whether your building meets the appropriate Florida mandates, then don’t wait. Contact your local BearCom representative for assistance today!