BASIC FIRE ALARM

TRAINING
 What  is  a  fire  alarm  system?  
•  Per  the  defini+on  in  NFPA  72  –    
–  A  system  or  por+on  of  a  combina+on  system  that  
consists  of  components  and  circuits  arranged  to  
monitor  and  annunciate  the  status  of  fire  alarm  or  
supervisory  signal-­‐ini+a+ng  devices  and  to  ini+ate  
the  appropriate  response  to  those  signals    
Basic  Components  of  a  Fire  
Alarm  System  

Control  Panel  
Communica+ons  
Ini+a+ng  Devices  
No+fica+on  Appliances  
 Control  Panel/Communicator  
A  component  of  the  fire  alarm  system  that  receives  signals  from  ini+a+ng  
devices  and  processes  these  signals  to  determine  the  fire  alarm  output  
func+ons  
 Communica+ons  
DACS  –  Digital  Alarm  Communica+ons  Systems  

POTS  –  (Plain  Old  Telephone  System)  Loop  Start  with  

line  seizure  from  the  point  of  demarca+on  prior  to  
sending  it  to  the  home  or  business.  

Cable  Company  Service  –  assuming  you  have  no  

CODEC,  Voice  Compression  or  back  up  power  issues.  

One  Way/Two  Way  Radio  –  Mesh  Radio  and  GSM    

IP  Communicators  with  UL  lis+ngs  

Sole  Path  Communicators  with  UL  Lis+ngs  

2010  Edi+on  Na+onal  Fire  Alarm  and  
Signaling  Code  

NFPA  72-­‐2010  Housecleaning  Efforts  

Recently  removed  transmission  methods  

AcBve  MulBplex  
McCulloh  
Directly  Connected  Non-­‐Coded  Systems  
Private  Microwave  Radio  Systems  
ANNUNCIATOR  
 Ini+a+ng  Devices  

A  system  component  that  originates  

transmission  of  a  change-­‐of-­‐state  
condi+on    
Examples  of  Ini+a+on  Devices  
 Automa+c  Ini+a+ng  Devices  
•  Smoke  Detector  

•  Heat  Detector  
Duct  Detectors  
 Manual  Ini+a+ng  Devices  
•  Pull  Sta+on  
 Types  Of  Sprinkler  Systems  
Wet  Pipe:  Since  water  is  always  present  in  the  pipes  supplying  the  sprinkler  
heads,  these  types  of  sprinkler  system  are  quick  to  react  upon  the  opera+on  of  a  
sprinkler  head  in  a  fire  scenario.  These  are  the  most  common  systems  and  are  
used  in  buildings  where  there  is  no  risk  of  freezing.  Wet  systems  are  required  for  
mul+-­‐storey  or  high-­‐rise  buildings  and  for  life  safety  systems  for  UK  standards.  

Dry  pipe:  The  pipes  are  filled  with  air  under  pressure  at  all  +mes  and  the  water  is  
held  back  by  the  control  valve  outside  of  the  protected  area.  Should  a  sprinkler  
head  open  in  a  fire  scenario,  the  drop  in  air  pressure  opens  the  valve  and  water  
flows  into  the  pipe  work  and  onto  the  fire.  Dry  pipe  systems  are  used  where  wet  
or  alternate  systems  cannot  be  used.  

Alternate:  Alternate  systems  have  the  pipes  full  of  water  for  the  summer  period,  
then  subsequently  drained  down  and  filled  with  air  for  the  winter.  This  is  typically  
for  buildings  that  are  not  heated,  e.g.  underground  car  parks.  
 Sprinkler  System  Devices  
•  Water  Flow  

•  Valve  Tamper  
Sprinkler  Heads  
 No+fica+on  Appliances  

•  A  fire  alarm  system  component  such  as  a  bell,  

horn,  speaker,  light,  or  text  display  that  
provides  audible,  tac+le,  or  visible  outputs,  or  
any  combina+on  thereof  
Examples  of  No+fica+on  
Appliances  
•  Horn/Strobe  

•  Strobe-­‐Ceiling  Mount)  
•  Speaker  

•  Bell  
Fire  Alarm  Requirements  
 Interna+onal  Building  Code  
•  In  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  many  other  states,  the  
Interna+onal  Building  Code  (IBC)  is  the  model  
building  code  for  the  state.  
•  Each  building,  based  on  it’s  use,  is  assigned  a  Use  
and  Occupancy  Code  
•  The  Use  and  Occupancy  Code  then  determines  if  
a  fire  alarm  system  is  required.  
•  Fire  alarm  systems  may  also  be  required  by  other  
authori+es,  such  as  insurance  companies  
 NFPA  72  
The  Na+onal  Fire  Alarm  Code  
•  Once  it  is  determined  that  a  fire  alarm  system  
will  be  installed,  NFPA  72  then  tells  us  how  to  
install  the  system  
 NFPA  70  
The  Na+onal  Electric  Code  
•  Once  it  is  determined  that  a  fire  alarm  is  
required  by  the  IBC,  and  has  been  designed  
per  NFPA  72,  the  Na+onal  Electric  Code  (NEC)  
tells  us  how  to  wire  the  system  
Underwriter’s  Laboratories  (UL)  
 What  is  UL?  
•  UL  is  a  global  independent  safety  science  
company  with  more  than  a  century  of  
exper+se  innova+ng  safety  solu+ons  from  the  
public  adop+on  of  electricity  to  new  
breakthroughs  in  sustainability,  renewable  
energy  and  nanotechnology.  Dedicated  to  
promo+ng  safe  living  and  working  
environments,  UL  helps  safeguard  people,  
products  and  places  in  important  ways,  
facilita+ng  trade  and  providing  peace  of  mind.  
 Huh?  
•  Basically,  UL  is  a  company  that  has  developed  
standards  on  how  products  should  operate  
safely.  Manufacturers  send  their  products  to  
UL  to  be  tested  by  UL  to  UL  standards.    If  the  
product  passes  the  tests,  the  manufacturer  
can  place  the  UL  mark  on  the  product.  
 What  about  fire  alarms  and  UL?  
•  Fire  alarm  service  companies  and  monitoring  
centers  apply  to  UL  to  become  listed  
companies  
•  UL  inves+gates  the  company  and  ensures  the  
company  understands  and  can  comply  with  
applicable  standards  
•  UL  audits  listed  companies  once  per  year  to  
ensure  the  company  is  maintaining  
compliance    
•  Authori+es  Having  Jurisdic+on  (AHJ)  will  
require  a  UL  cer+ficate  on  a  system  
•  The  UL  Cer+ficate  is  the  UL  mark  for  fire  alarm  
systems  
•  The  UL  cer+ficate  on  a  fire  alarm  system  
ensures  the  AHJ  that  the  system  was  designed,  
installed,  tested  and  maintained  properly  
•  One  of  the  main  reasons  an  AHJ  will  require  a  
UL  cer+ficate  is  to  reduce  false  alarms  
 Factory  Mutual  (FM)  
•  FM  basically  provides  the  same  service  as  UL.    
At  one  +me,  when  a  property  was  insured  by  
Factory  Mutual  insurance,  they  required  the  
fire  alarm  system  to  be  FM  approved.  
Commercial  Fire  Alarm  Monitoring  and  
Dispatching  Requirements  
•  Fire  Alarm  system  alarm  transmissions  require  
immediate  dispatch  of  the  fire  department  
(unless  otherwise  required)  
 UL  Runner  Response  
•  Runner  response  is  required  on  all  UL  Listed/FM  Placard  fire  alarm  systems.  

•  Central  Sta+on  is  responsible  for  the  dispatch  of  Runners  in  accordance  with  
procedures  based  on  NFPA  72  aaer  normal  business  hours.  During  normal  business  
hours,  Customer  Care/Service  is  responsible.  

•  Runner  Service  is  defined  as  a  service  performed  at  the  protected  premises,  
including  resebng  and  silencing  of  all  equipment  transmibng  fire  alarm  or  
supervisory  signals  to  an  off-­‐premises  loca+on.    

•  A  UL  Runner  is  a  person  (other  than  the  required  number  of  operators  on  duty  at  
central,  supervising,  or  runner  sta+ons)  available  for  prompt  dispatching,  when  
necessary,  to  the  protected  premises.    

•  A  Runner  shall  not  be  required  if  there  will  not  be  a  fire  department  or  customer  
representa+ve  on-­‐site.  
 Fire  Alarm  Response  

•  Dispatch  runner  or  technician  to  the  protected  premises  

within  1  hour  of  receipt  of  a  signal  if  the  equipment  needs  
to  be  manually  reset  by  the  prime  contractor.  

•  A  runner/technician  response  may  be  waived  by  the  fire  

department  or  other  Authority  Having  Jurisdic+on  (AHJ).    
The  customer  may  not  call  off  a  runner  response.  

•  A  runner/technician  is  not  required  if  the  signal  results  

from  a  prearranged  test.    If  a  runner/technician  is  required,  
they  must  arrive  within  1  hour  of  the  signal  being  received.  
 Supervisory  Signal  Response  
•  Dispatch  a  runner  or  maintenance  person  to  arrive  within  1  hour  of  the  signal  
being  received  to  inves+gate.  

•  Central  sta+on  must  dispatch  a  runner/maintenance  person  to  the  protected  

premises  if  a  supervisory  signal  is  received,  even  if  the  signal  has  reset.  

•  A  runner/technician  is  not  required  if  the  signal  results  from  a  prearranged  test.      

•  In  addi+on,  a  runner  would  not  be  required  if  a  prearranged  procedure  is  in  place  
with  the  subscriber  on  the  handling  of  supervisory  signal  and  the  subscriber  is  able  
to  reset  the  supervisory  signal.      

•  If  the  subscriber  is  unable  to  reset  the  supervisory  signal,  a  runner/technician  must  
s+ll  arrive  within  1  hour  of  receipt  of  the  signal.  

•  Supervisory  alarms  are  defined  as  alarms  received  from  sprinkler  system  
supervisory  appliances.    These  include,  but  are  not  limited  to,  valve  tampers  
switches,  low  air  pressure/temperature  switches,  fire  pump  supervision,  tank  
level/temperature  switches.    Addi+onally,  when  duct  detectors  are  configured  not  
to  provide  fire  alarm  response,  they  shall  be  considered  a  supervisory  signal  
 Trouble  Signal  Response    

•  Dispatch  personnel  to  arrive  within  4  hours  to  ini+ate  maintenance,  if  necessary.  

•  This  is  interpreted  to  mean  the  central  sta+on  must  dispatch  a  technician  to  the  
protected  premises  if  a  trouble  signal  is  received.      

•  If  a  reset  signal  to  the  trouble  signal  is  received  before  the  technician  arrives,  the  
technician  would  not  have  to  respond.      

•  The  customer  should  be  no+fied  of  the  reset  signal  and  asked  if  they  s+ll  require  
runner  response.    

•  Trouble  signals  also  include  such  signals  as  AC  power  loss,  badery  trouble,  phone  
line  trouble,  failure  to  test,  and  other  related  control  panel  problem  signals.  

•  If  the  trouble  is  due  to  a  known  cause  that  would  not  be  able  to  be  repaired  by  the  
technician,  runner  response  is  not  required  (i.e.  AC  power  to  the  building  is  off  due  
to  storm  damage).  
 AddiBonal  Runner    Requirements  

•  The  UL  Runner  should  complete  a  Select  

Security  Service  Ticket  and  clearly  mark  the  
+cket  as  a  UL  Runner  so  that  the  customer  is  
charged  accordingly.  This  +cket  is  for  the  reset  
only.  

•  If  addi+onal  work  or  services  are  required  at  

the  site,  the  UL  Runner  should  contact  the  
primary  on-­‐call  Technician.  
 AddiBonal  Fire  Alarm  Requirements  

•  No  Select  Security  personnel  shall  place  a  fire  alarm  system  or  any  part  of  a  fire  alarm  system  on  
test  without  first  inves+ga+ng  the  cause  of  the  problem  on-­‐site.    Select  Security  personnel  may  
place  a  fire  alarm  system  or  a  part  of  a  fire  alarm  system  on  test  at  the  request  of  the  customer.  

•  If  it  is  determined  that  a  fire  alarm  system  or  any  part  of  a  fire  alarm  system  will  be  placed  on  test,  
the  reason  for  the  system  being  on  test  and  the  person  placing  the  system  on  test  shall  be  
documented  in  the  account  history  on  the  central  sta+on  soaware.    

•  If  it  is  determined  that  a  fire  alarm  system  or  any  part  of  a  fire  alarm  system  will  be  placed  on  test  
for  a  period  of  more  than  8  hours,  the  Authority  Having  Jurisdic+on  shall  be  no+fied.    The  person  
who  was  no+fied  and  the  person  that  made  the  no+fica+on  shall  be  documented  in  the  account  
history  on  the  central  sta+on  soaware.  

•  No  Select  Security  personnel  shall  disconnect  a  device  on  a  fire  alarm  system  for  a  period  of  more  
than  8  hours.    If  a  device  must  be  disconnected  for  a  period  of  more  than  8  hours,  the  Authority  
Having  Jurisdic+on  shall  be  no+fied.    The  person  who  was  no+fied  and  the  person  that  made  the  
no+fica+on  shall  be  documented  in  the  account  history  on  the  central  sta+on  soaware.    
Addi+onally,  an  out  of  service  tag  shall  be  placed  on  any  device  that  is  disconnected  and  at  the  fire  
alarm  annunciator.  
 Fire  Alarm  Inspec+ons  
•  Fire  alarm  inspec+ons  shall  be  conducted  per  
the  requirements  of  the  current  version  of  
NFPA  72  and  contract  documents.    The  fire  
alarm  inspec+ons  will  consist  of  the  following:  
 Quarterly  Inspec+ons:      

•  1.    The  technician  shall  opera+onally  test  the  fire  alarm  control  panel.    The  
fire  alarm  control  panel  shall  be  tested  to  verify  correct  receipt  of  alarm,  
supervisory  and  trouble  signals,  opera+on  of  no+fica+on  appliance  and  
auxiliary  func+on  outputs,  circuit  supervision  and  AC  power  loss.  
       
•  2.    Fire  alarm  panel  baderies  shall  be  inspected  for  corrosion  or  leakage  
and  tested  under  full  load  with  the  primary  power  disconnected.    The  
badery  charging  circuit  shall  be  tested  to  ensure  correct  voltage  output  to  
the  baderies.      

•  3.    The  digital  alarm  communicator  shall  be  opera+onally  tested  to  ensure  
receipt  of  the  correct  signal  to  the  central  sta+on  within  90  seconds  of  
going  off-­‐hook.    The  digital  alarm  communicator  shall  be  tested  to  ensure  
line  seizure,  line  failure  detec+on,  and  the  ability  to  transmit  line  failure  
within  4  minutes  of  detec+ng  the  line  fault.    
•  4.    The  sprinkler  alarm  and  supervisory  ini+a+ng  devices  shall  be  
func+onally  tested  per  NFPA  72  standards  and  manufacturer’s  instruc+ons.    
Sprinkler  alarm  and  supervisory  ini+a+ng  devices  include  but  are  not  
limited  to  waterflow  switches,  high/low  pressure  switches,  valve  tamper  
switches  and  room  temperature  switches.      

•  5.    Waterflow  switches  shall  be  tested  by  flowing  water  through  the  
inspectors  test  valve.    Ini+a+on  of  the  waterflow  alarm  signal  shall  occur  
within  90  seconds  of  opening  the  inspectors  test  valve.      

•  6.    High/low  pressure  switches  shall  be  operated  and  verified  that  receipt  
of  the  signal  occurs  when  the  required  pressure  is  increased  or  decreased  
a  maximum  of  10  psi.      

•  7.    Valve  tamper  switches  shall  be  operated  and  verified  that  receipt  of  
signal  occurs  within  the  first  two  revolu+ons  of  the  hand  wheel.      

•  8.    Room  temperature  switches  shall  be  operated  and  verified  that  receipt  
if  signal  occurs  when  the  room  temperature  decreases  to  40°F.      
 Annual  Func+onal  Inspec+ons:  
•  1.    The  technician  shall  opera+onally  test  the  fire  alarm  control  panel.    The  
fire  alarm  control  panel  shall  be  tested  to  verify  correct  receipt  of  alarm,  
supervisory  and  trouble  signals,  opera+on  of  no+fica+on  appliance  and  
auxiliary  func+on  outputs,  circuit  supervision  and  AC  power  loss.      

•  2.    Fire  alarm  panel  baderies  shall  be  inspected  for  corrosion  or  leakage  
and  tested  under  full  load  with  the  primary  power  disconnected.    The  
badery  charging  circuit  shall  be  tested  to  ensure  correct  voltage  output  to  
the  baderies.        
•  3.    The  digital  alarm  communicator  shall  be  opera+onally  tested  to  ensure  
receipt  of  the  correct  signal  to  the  central  sta+on  within  90  seconds  of  
going  off-­‐hook.    The  digital  alarm  communicator  shall  be  tested  to  ensure  
line  seizure,  line  failure  detec+on,  and  the  ability  to  transmit  line  failure  
within  4  minutes  of  detec+ng  the  line  fault.    

•  4.    Alternate  communica+on  methods  and  devices  shall  be  tested  per  the  
current  revision  of  NFPA72  and  the  manufacturer’s  instruc+ons  
•  5.    The  alarm  and  supervisory  ini+a+ng  devices  shall  be  func+onally  
tested  per  NFPA  72  standards  and  manufacturer’s  instruc+ons.    
Alarm  and  supervisory  ini+a+ng  devices  include  but  are  not  limited  
to  system  spot  type  smoke  detectors,  heat  detectors,  duct  
detectors,  projected  beam  smoke  detectors,  manual  pull  sta+ons,  
waterflow  switches,  high/low  pressure  switches,  valve  tamper  
switches  and  room  temperature  switches.    

•  6.    System  spot  type  smoke  detectors  shall  be  tested  in  place  to  
ensure  smoke  entry  into  the  sensing  chamber  and  an  alarm  
response.      

•  7.    Restorable  heat  detectors  shall  be  tested  with  a  heat  source.    

Non-­‐restorable  heat  detectors  shall  be  tested  electrically  and  
mechanically.      

•  8.    Duct  detectors  shall  be  tested  to  ensure  that  the  device  will  
sample  the  airstream.    
•  9.      Projected  beam  smoke  detectors  shall  be  tested  per  the  
manufacturer’s  recommenda+ons.      

•  10.    Manual  pull  sta+ons  shall  be  operated.      

•  11.    Waterflow  switches  shall  be  tested  by  flowing  water  through  the  
inspectors  test  valve.    Ini+a+on  of  the  waterflow  alarm  signal  shall  occur  
within  90  seconds  of  opening  the  inspectors  test  valve.      

•  12.    High/low  pressure  switches  shall  be  operated  and  verified  that  receipt  
of  the  signal  occurs  when  the  required  pressure  is  increased  or  decreased  
a  maximum  of  10  psi.        

•  13.    Valve  tamper  switches  shall  be  operated  and  verified  that  receipt  of  
signal  occurs  within  the  first  two  revolu+ons  of  the  hand  wheel.      

•  14.    Room  temperature  switches  shall  be  operated  and  verified  that  
receipt  if  signal  occurs  when  the  room  temperature  decreases  to  40°F.        
•  15.    The  alarm  no+fica+on  appliances  shall  be  func+onally  tested.    
Alarm  no+fica+on  appliances  shall  include  but  are  not  limited  to  
bells,  horns,  horn/strobes,  and  strobes.      

•  16.    Audible  no+fica+on  appliances  shall  be  tested  to  ensure  proper  
sound  pressure  and  verified  that  the  sound  is  dis+nguishable  from  
other  audible  devices.      

•  17.    Visual  no+fica+on  appliances  shall  be  tested  to  ensure  that  the  
light  flashes  and  has  the  proper  intensity.  
 Semi-­‐Annual  Visual  Inspec+ons:  

•  1.    The  fire  alarm  control  panel  and  

annunciators  shall  be  visually  inspected  to  
ensure  they  are  secure  and  accessible.      

•  2.    Fire  alarm  ini+a+ng  devices  and  no+fica+on  

appliances  shall  be  visually  inspected  to  
ensure  there  are  no  changes  that  affect  
equipment  performance  
What’s  required  to  be  red?  
•  Per  NFPA  72,  the  fire  alarm  disconnec+ng  
means  (circuit  breaker)  must  be  red.    Per  the  
IBC,  manual  pull  sta+ons  must  be  red