NIKOS – Festumzug

Evacuation Announcements for Cologne’s Rose Monday Parade

autonomous reliable cost-effective

NIKOS is not a conventional PA system, but a radio-based public address, alarm and control system for large events, construction sites and crisis situations, which you can rent by the day through certified partners and either integrate into your PA or use on its own.

Challenge

Clear warnings despite parade noise

At Cologne’s Rose Monday Parade, evacuation announcements are particularly challenging due to dense crowds, loud music and moving groups. Everyone along the parade route must clearly understand instructions, even though visitors and parade participants are spread over a wide area. In an emergency, overloaded public communication networks can also make it difficult to reliably deliver important warnings.

Solution

One unified solution for everyday use and emergencies

Instead of multiple separate solutions: NIKOS unites visitor information, system monitoring, visitor guidance and control in a single network-independent platform. NIKOS [dispatcher]² controls the announcement units for individual announcement locations, specific areas or the entire parade route. This allows announcements to be triggered centrally, security personnel to be deployed precisely, and separate control technology and distributed operator stations to be reduced.

FAQ

Information for planners and organisers

Does NIKOS adhere to the applicable standards for announcements?+
Yes. The basis is DIN EN 50849 for electroacoustic emergency warning systems, whose requirements NIKOS fully meets. Developed specifically for safety-relevant announcement and alerting applications, NIKOS is technically designed for everyday use as well as for emergency situations. For ELA systems, DIN EN 50849 forms the relevant framework. Because NIKOS — unlike mobile network-based systems — does not depend on an external network, immediate usability is guaranteed at all times, meaning the standard is fully met. Other safety-related standards such as DIN EN 54, DIN VDE 0833-4 and DIN 14675 (voice alarm systems) concern a different field of use and functional scope and are not relevant for the approval of NIKOS. Since its market launch in 2017, NIKOS has been the leading public address system for temporary and mobile applications, used successfully at some of the largest open-air events in Europe. RADACOM and your regional NIKOS partner will be happy to advise you on NIKOS’s wide range of functions and support you in implementing the requirements cost-effectively.
Do evacuation announcements for the Rose Monday Parade remain operational if the power supply or mobile networks fail?+
Yes. NIKOS operates via its own autonomous radio network and is completely independent of public communication networks and their availability. This makes the system highly resistant to external influences. Since NIKOS does not rely on cables but communicates via radio, the connection is automatically restored after an interruption. NIKOS therefore responds much more resiliently to disruptions in normal operation than many other systems, demonstrating the crisis resilience of this communication system. NIKOS [audio]² has an internal battery with up to 16 hours of operating time and also powers connected accessory modules. Even if the mobile network is overloaded, the internet provider has been hacked or someone has pulled out the wrong plug, NIKOS continues to operate. This ensures that evacuation announcements for the Rose Monday Parade remain reliably operational even in the event of a power failure or disruptions to public communication networks.
Can NIKOS be deployed quickly and flexibly for the Rose Monday Parade in Cologne?+
Yes. NIKOS was specifically developed for flexible outdoor use without fixed infrastructure. The modules can be mounted by one or two people within just a few minutes on various structures such as streetlights, stages, stalls or trees, and configured individually. A standard Schuko power connection is sufficient for continuous operation. NIKOS uses an existing digital radio network.
How can evacuation announcements be heard during the Rose Monday Parade in Cologne despite loud music?+
NIKOS [LED]² signals to the conductor, bandleader or DJ via a flashing light that the music must be interrupted immediately. In response to the light signal, the performance is stopped so that announcements can be clearly understood. This ensures that important announcements reliably reach the audience even when loud music is playing and along the parade route.
Where can an evacuation announcement system for the Rose Monday Parade in Cologne be rented?+
NIKOS is rented by the day through certified partners, including consultation, instruction and technical support. The partners assist in putting together the components required for the Rose Monday Parade. Find a partner and request a rental

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