NIKOS – Volksfest

Evacuation announcements for the Oktoberfest in Munich

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 instructions despite fairground noise

At the Oktoberfest in Munich, delivering evacuation announcements is particularly challenging because of the dense crowds and the constant noise generated by the fairground attractions. Music, rides and conversations make it difficult to communicate warnings and instructions clearly in all areas. In addition, the mobile phone network may become overloaded when visitor density is high. This further complicates the reliable transmission of important evacuation instructions.

Solution

One unified solution for everyday use and emergencies

NIKOS combines announcements, alerting, visitor information and control in a single, network-independent platform. NIKOS [audio]² can interrupt the fairground operators’ sound systems for the duration of an evacuation announcement. This reduces the ambient noise level and significantly improves the intelligibility of announcements. If required, the existing sound systems can be used for the announcements, eliminating the need to set up a separate announcement sound system. By combining multiple control and monitoring functions on a single platform, NIKOS reduces the need for separate loudspeaker systems, dedicated control devices and specialist personnel to install and manage different subsystems. This reduces material, installation and operating costs.

FAQ

Information for planners and organisers

Are announcements made via NIKOS standard-compliant?+
Yes — NIKOS fully meets DIN EN 50849 (electroacoustic emergency warning systems). The system was designed specifically for safety-relevant announcement and alerting tasks, technically built for everyday operation as well as for emergencies. For ELA systems, DIN EN 50849 sets out the relevant framework. Because NIKOS — unlike mobile network-based solutions — does not depend on any external network, it is always immediately usable and fully meets the requirements set out in the standard. Other safety-related standards such as DIN EN 54, DIN VDE 0833-4 or DIN 14675 (voice alarm systems) concern a different field of use and functional scope and are therefore not relevant for NIKOS in terms of approval. Since 2017, NIKOS has been used successfully many times a public address system for temporary and mobile applications in mission-critical communication tasks. RADACOM and your regional NIKOS partner will be happy to advise you on the wide range of NIKOS functions and support you in implementing the requirements cost-effectively.
Where does NIKOS deliver cost benefits?+
Depending on the application, NIKOS can implement various functions via a single, unified communication platform. These savings can quickly offset the rental and installation costs of NIKOS. You can find some specific examples of potential savings here. Consistent use of its wide range of functions not only increases the level of safety and makes employees’ work easier, but often also leads to savings in the overall budget. NIKOS mainly reduces the effort required for separate loudspeaker, control and communication solutions. Material requirements and cabling work are reduced, and information and emergency announcements can be made from a single location. In addition, NIKOS can be used to replace personnel in a targeted manner: tasks that would otherwise require several security, reporting or operator posts distributed across the site can be handled from a single location through central announcements, remote control and status monitoring. This allows staff to be reduced or deployed more effectively at safety-critical points. The greatest savings potential arises at fenced events: monitoring emergency exit gates with NIKOS can replace their physical guarding, allowing security posts at emergency exits to be eliminated or deployed more effectively elsewhere. In this way, rental and installation costs are offset by savings in personnel and other technology. Especially for temporary, time-limited events, this significantly reduces the costs of planning, setting up and operating safety technology.
Can NIKOS be deployed at short notice and used flexibly?+
Yes, NIKOS was specifically developed for flexible outdoor deployments without permanent infrastructure. One or two people can mount the modules on various structures, such as lampposts, stages, stands or trees, within just a few minutes and configure them individually. A standard Schuko power connection is sufficient for continuous operation. NIKOS uses an existing digital radio network.
Is NIKOS resilient in a crisis?+
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. Because NIKOS does not rely on cables but communicates via radio, the connection is automatically re-established after an interruption. NIKOS is therefore far more resilient to disruptions in normal operations than many other systems and demonstrates the crisis resilience of this communication system. NIKOS [audio]² has an internal battery with a runtime of up to 16 hours and also powers connected accessory modules. Even if the mobile phone network is overloaded, the internet provider has been hacked or someone has unplugged the wrong cable, NIKOS continues to operate. This ensures that evacuation announcements for the Oktoberfest remain reliably functional even in the event of a power failure or disruptions to public communication networks.
Evacuation announcements for the Oktoberfest in Munich: Where can NIKOS be rented?+
NIKOS is rented by the day through certified partners, including advice, instruction and technical support. Your regional partner coordinates the deployment with you. Find a partner and request a rental

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