As hospitals upgrade their existing life safety systems to include newer technology, designers of record may not be sure of where notification devices should be placed, given the need for quiet areas in a hospital. Since this is a non-evacuation occupancy, private mode signaling can be used for fire alarm announcements, as allowed by NFPA [Read More]
Archives for 2017
Does a sprinkler in a LULA elevator pit mandate elevator recall?
I get this question on occasion when there is confusion over the relationship between elevators and sprinklers. The short answer is probably not. The base requirement of ASME 17.1 (2007) Sec. 2.27.3.2.1(c), which calls for fireman’s service if a sprinkler head is in the hoistway, is exempted for electric Limited Use/Limited Access (LULA) elevators by [Read More]
Do single station smoke alarms have low frequency sounders?
by 6 Comments
NFPA 72 now requires a 520 hz square wave fire alarm signal in smoke detector sounder bases provided for publicly available sleeping areas. The 520 hz tone has been shown as more effective in waking people of a certain age (ahem), deep sleepers or those that may have had a few too many the night [Read More]
What Version of NFPA 72 Record of Completion is IDPH Using?
Since we service many hospitals and long term care facilities, we run into a number of different opinions on which version of the NFPA 72 Record of Completion (ROC) the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is requiring as part of its closeout documentation. You’ll get different answers, depending on the general contractor. Since the [Read More]
Can I Use VoIP to Replace My Fire Alarm Telephone Lines?
by 1 Comment
Utilizing the internet to send fire alarm signals to a monitoring station is a subject that confuses end users, designers and installers alike. Many installers will just say ‘You can’t’ regardless of the equipment currently used, even though that’s usually not the case. While it’s true that older, existing equipment probably can’t use VoIP, there are options [Read More]
Follow Us!