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Fire
Alarm Systems
Commercial fire alarm systems are required to be installed by the
mandates of local Fire Marshal or Building Inspector. The systems must
meet rigid standards set by Federal, State and local agencies. What can
a business owner expect to be required?
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Control
Equipment
Control Panel:
The control panel must be "commercially rated"
by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). It is the "brain" that
controls the fire alarm system’s operation. It also must provide a
calculated standby battery time in case of power failure.
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Display Console:
Display consoles are located near the front door
of the business or the common lobby, for the purpose of identifying the
location of the fire. The responding fire fighters have an indication
where to focus their attention. |
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Initiating
Devices
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Smoke Detectors: Smoke detectors will be specified throughout the
building as per local requirements. The smoke detectors are
"zoned" to pinpoint the location of the fire. |
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Heat Detectors:
Heat detectors will be specified in areas that
smoke detectors will not perform well, such as a cold unheated warehouse
or dusty areas. For attic situations, special 194°F
high temperature heat detectors provide protection where temperatures
normally reach 150°F
on hot summer days. Although they are not as fast-acting as smoke detectors, they
provide stable protection.
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Duct Detectors:
Duct detectors are specifically designed smoke detectors that are
installed in the heating and air conditioning ductwork. If a duct
detector senses smoke, the duct detector shuts down the building’s
heating and air conditioning system to stop the spread of smoke to
other areas. |
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Manual Pull Stations:
In order to provide a manual means of
signaling the occupants of building a fire, manual pull stations are
installed near the exit doors.
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| Notification
Devices |
| Audible Alarm:
Horns and Bells
generate a system-wide building evacuation signal. Fire Bells have been
used in the past extensively, but are now rarely used. Horns have taken
their place as the sounder of choice because they emit a special 3-pulse
temporal pattern of sound. Eventually, all fire sounders will have this
3-pulse temporal pattern so that the sound is readily identifiable by
the public. This will eliminate any confusion to the occupants of a
building that the fire alarm has activated, so that they can exit the
building quickly. The audible
horn is normally combined with a strobe light for a combination
horn/strobe unit.
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Strobe Units:
The Federal Law "Americans with
Disabilities Act" (ADA) requires that hearing impaired persons
must have notification of fire. Hence, blinking strobe lights must be
installed throughout the building so that hearing impaired persons will
have notification of fire. In ADA constructed bathrooms, a
"strobe only" is specified for the benefit of the
hearing impaired. An outdoor strobe light is sometimes required
outside the building for the benefit of the responding fire-fighters.
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| Sprinkler
Supervision |
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Sprinkler Water Flow Alarm:
Sprinkler valves must be monitored for actual water flow. If a sprinkler
head activates, the "water flow valve" will sense the flow of
water in the pipe, and the Central Station will respond for a dispatch
of the fire department.
Sprinkler Supervisory:
A sprinkler supervisory switch should also
be installed to detect the accidental or intentional closing of the
water supply, or the air pressure drop in dry sprinkler systems.
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Wet vs. Dry Systems:
Wet sprinkler systems cannot be used in
unheated warehouses because the water would freeze in the pipes below 32
degrees Fahrenheit, causing the pipes to burst. Hence, "dry"
sprinkler systems are specified that pressurize the pipes with air,
holding back the water. If a sprinkler head "pops", the air
escapes, and the water enters the pipes permitting the water to flow to
extinguish the fire. With a dry sprinkler system, the air pressure must
be supervised. |
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Fire
Inspections
Fire Inspections: The fire alarm system must be tested
periodically according to the schedule prescribed by the local Authority
Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Citadel’s technicians are available to test
and inspect the fire alarm, correct any fire system violations, and
issue the required certificate.
Quick Link:
System
Sensor |
