Like other major metropolitan areas, the city of Chicago requires emergency voice and communication systems in its high rise buildings (over eighty feet in height). Rather than sound a general alarm when a detection device activates, the fire department is notified without any audible warning provided to the high rise occupants until the fire department [Read More]
Do fire alarm horns have to be synchronized?
Since 1996, NFPA 72 has required the use of the temporal 3 pattern for the audible fire alarm signal. NFPA 72 Chapter 18.4.2.3 requires the standard temporal 3 evacuation signal to be synchronized within a notification zone. As an example, a zone would be the devices in an apartment corridor. Each apartment would also be [Read More]
Can I use a PBX phone line for a DACT connection to the fire department?
With the impending discontinuation of the hard copper (POTS) phone lines, and in fact many municipalities already no longer have hard copper pairs from end user to the fire department dispatch center, is it a violation of NFPA 72 if the DACT connections to the fire department use PBX phone lines? Some fire alarm system [Read More]
Do fire alarm strobes always have to be synchronized?
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I was recently asked a question about whether two strobes had to be synchronized if they were the only two in a field of view . The facility’s fire alarm vendor told him that if a field of vision had just two strobes in it, they did not need to be synchronized. When he tried [Read More]
Do single station smoke alarms have low frequency sounders?
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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?
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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]
If I Have Sprinklers, Do I Also Need Smoke Detectors? Part 2
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In our previous blog on this subject, we addressed whether smoke detectors are required in business, healthcare and assembly occupancies if they have sprinklers installed. In this edition, we’ll look at general requirements for educational and residential occupancies, based on the IBC/IFC and NFPA 101. As mentioned in Part 1, it’s important to remember that sprinklers are [Read More]
If I Have Sprinklers, Do I Need Smoke Detectors? Part 1
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It can be hard to separate life safety code requirements. Much of it can seem redundant, leading some to over-design when they’re not sure what the requirements are. This can be especially true where sprinklers and detection are concerned. It’s important to remember that sprinklers are meant to control the spread of fire, providing occupants that [Read More]
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