Access to an alert method
People with access = total people × the selected access percentage. Additional people = proposed access − current access. This describes access to the selected method, not guaranteed signal coverage or an individual safety outcome.
Time before a response can begin
Scenario time = activation time + notification time + location-identification time. The model treats these as consecutive steps. Difference = current total − proposed total. A negative difference means the proposed scenario is slower. It excludes responder travel, intervention, and resolution.
Some real workflows overlap these steps. Use observed timings from your site and adjust the assumptions to avoid double counting.
Dollars saved by upgrading
Net upfront savings = new installation total − legacy upgrade total. A negative result means the upgrade costs more; zero means equal costs. Both totals should cover the same site and functions, including equipment, installation, commissioning, removal, and applicable taxes. The upgrade total should include bridge hardware, gateways, required replacement devices, and integration work.
Wired4Safety’s planning figures are $10,000 for a new installation and $1,000–$5,000 for a legacy upgrade. The calculator starts at the $3,000 upgrade midpoint, showing $7,000 in upfront savings. Across the upgrade range, savings are $5,000–$9,000. These editable figures depend on site scope and are not a final quote.
A four-floor building with precise location can use $4,000 in hardware. That hardware-only figure is separate from the $10,000 installed comparison; it is not an all-in installation price.
Ongoing subscriptions, maintenance, and future replacements are excluded from this upfront comparison. Use a separate like-for-like lifetime cost comparison for those expenses.
The homepage alert-time comparison
Seconds saved = current alert time − Wired4Safety alert time. The starting comparison is 75 seconds to 5 seconds, or 70 seconds saved. This measures the time from requesting help to alert delivery. Separate location-confirmation delays, responder travel, intervention, and resolution are excluded. You can replace the starting values with your own measured or assumed alert times.
Published retrofit evidence
Advanced reports approximately $20,000 saved compared with a new installation in a Coconino High School fire-alarm retrofit, where existing wiring was reused. This is a specific manufacturer case study, not a statistical average or a Wired4Safety LoRa deployment. Read the original case study ↗
We did not identify a representative published average for the value of existing campus alarm systems or the savings from converting DSC, Honeywell, and Napco panels to LoRa. Existing invoices, inventory, and comparable installer quotes are the appropriate starting point for your site.
From assumptions to evidence
- Inventory the people, devices, zones, and workflows in scope.
- Record the current process with representative drills.
- Define a pilot with acceptance criteria and fallback procedures.
- Measure the proposed process under comparable conditions.
- Keep limitations, failures, and unavailable results in the review.
What we do not calculate
There is no universal “percent safer” result. This model does not estimate injuries prevented, lives saved, crime reduction, regulatory compliance, or the probability of an emergency. Those claims require evidence beyond a planning calculator.
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