FIRE ALARM SYSTEM COMPONENTS

 Fire Alarm Control Units

The system hub that monitors system integrity, inputs, outputs, and relays all
information is the fire alarm control panel, which is the brains of the entire operation.
The fire alarm control panel receives a signal from an initiating device when it is
activated, and the panel then activates the notification devices or the alarm. Standard
branch circuit wiring and replaceable circuit cards, one for each designated zone, may
be found in conventional fire alarm control panels. Digital circuits to transmit data to all
devices that can be programmed for zones may be present in more advanced systems.
The status of your system will be shown by all FACPs along with troubleshooting codes,
which may enable you to manually adjust the system by, for example, turning off an
alarm or resetting it after a problem. Always check with your fire alarm system provider
with any questions on status alerts.

 Primary Power Supply

A 120- or 240-volt AC power source provided by your power company typically

serves as the primary power source for fire alarm systems.

 Secondary Power Supply

A secondary power supply is a crucial component of fire alarm systems because

your fire and life safety system needs to continue to function in the event of a power
outage. In the event of a power outage, your system will continue to function thanks to
your backup power supply, which is powered by 6- or 12-Volt batteries.

 Initiating Devices

The system's initiation devices, which can be either manual or automatic, turn the
system on in an emergency.

o Manual – a manual pull station is an example of a manual initiating device

that requires someone to actually pull the lever, push a button or break
glass to manually initiate the alarm.
 o Automatic – automatic initiation devices include detection devices for
smoke, gas, flame, and heat. Initiation devices can be either addressable
or not addressable, with addressable devices signaling the exact location
of the emergency. There are different types of smoke detectors like air
aspirating detectors or beam detectors which is different technology to
detect smoke but send a signal to the control panel to signal an alarm just
the same

 Notification Appliances

When a fire or emergency occurs, notification devices alert all building occupants.
They consist of strobe lights, horns, sirens, bells, or strobe and horns combined.
Additionally, they might have audible alerts that give detailed directions on how to safely
leave a building. Systems for sending out mass notifications can be set up to send out
personalized audible alerts or different messages depending on the event.

Depending on the system’s design, the local alarm may either activate a single
notification appliance, notification appliances within a specific zone, designated floor(s),
or the entire facility. Notification appliances fall under the following categories

 Audible
 Visual
 Textual
 Tactile

 Additional Alarm System Functions

o Building codes have special requirements for some types of occupancies

in case of fire. In these cases, the fire detection and alarm system can be
designed to initiate the following actions:
 Turn off the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC)
system
 Close smoke dampers and/or fire doors
 Pressurized stairwells and/or operate smoke control systems for
evacuation purposes
 Unlock doors along the path of egress
Alarm signaling Systems

A remote security system that keeps an eye on the communication line between a
place of business and the ARC that manages the alarm system.

Installing an alarm signaling system with remote monitoring has huge benefits in that
if your premises are either at higher risk or in a much lower risk category, you have the
added reassurance that your property is being watched over at all times; giving you full
peace of mind throughout the year.

 Alarm Signal
oIn order to alert the crew to potentially dangerous situations that may arise
from various emergencies on board the ship, emergency signals or alarms
are installed throughout the ship's various systems and machinery.
 Supervisory Signal
o A supervisory signal indicates a problem with one of the systems
connected to and watched over by your fire alarm system. The issue could
be with valves, kitchen hood suppression, valve room temperature, fire
pump condition, and more. All of these issues could prevent your fire
alarm system from performing one of its key functions, which, if left
unattended, could cause catastrophic damage.
 Trouble Signal
o An operational problem is indicated by a trouble signal, which is typically
identified by a yellow light. The panel for some more sophisticated
 systems might display the type of issue and its location. You should inform
your fire protection company of these alerts.

Protected Premises Systems (Local)

 Conventional Alarm Systems

oA conventional system utilizes one or more initiating circuits that are wired
in parallel with sensors (also known as initiating devices). When the
environmental influence on any sensor rises above a set threshold, these
sensors are designed to reduce the circuit resistance. The information
density of a conventional system is only as high as the number of such
circuits employed. A floor plan of the building with the building's defined
zones drawn out and LEDs indicating whether a specific circuit or zone
has been activated is sometimes posted near the main entrance. Another
typical approach is to list each zone's name in a column along with an
LED to the left of it.
 Zoned Conventional Alarm Systems
o Emergency personnel can locate the general area, or zone, of alarm
device activation thanks to fire alarm system annunciation. In this kind of
system, the building, floor, fire zone, or other area that corresponds with
the location of an active alarm-initiating device is visually indicated by an
annunciator panel, FACU, or printout.
 Addressable Alarm Systems
o Addressable alarm systems, if they have one, show the location of each
initiating device on the FACU and, if one is available, the annunciator
panel. Emergency personnel can identify the precise device that has been
activated thanks to this connection. The time it takes to respond to
emergencies is shortened by addressable systems. Additionally, these
systems enable repair personnel to locate and fix systemic issues quickly.

Supervising Station Alarm Systems

 Central Station System

o A central supervising station is an independent business that is also listed
by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. A central station is
recognized as the most reliable type of supervising station.
 Proprietary System
o A proprietary supervising station is a supervising station under the same
ownership as the buildings protected by the fire alarm systems. At a
proprietary supervising station, personnel are constantly in attendance to
supervise and investigate fire alarm system signals.
 Remote Receiving System
o A remote supervising station is not listed and operates as a business.
Personnel are in attendance at all times to supervise and investigate
signals