DENVER FIRE ALARM TEST

1. DENVER FIRE ALARM TEST FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS AND FUNDAMENTALS

2. Numbering System • Does not use the NEC format • Uses the standard NFPA format for numbering • Advantages and Disadvantages • Key Chapters for the Test • Chapter 3 Definitions • Chapter 10 Fundamentals • Chapter 12 Circuits and Pathways • Chapter 14 Inspections, Testing and Maintenance • Chapter 17 Initiating Devices • Chapter 18 Notification Appliances • Chapter 23 Protected Premises Fire Alarm Systems • Chapter 26 Supervising Station Alarm Systems • Chapter 27 Public Emergency Alarm Reporting Systems • Chapter 29 SFD and MFD Single and Multi Station Alarms NFPA 72

3. What is a Fire Alarm System? • Must have all of the following: • FCU or FCP • At least one initiating device • At least one notification device • At least one signal circuit

4. Equipment • Equipment shall be listed for the purpose used • 10.3.1 • Equipment powered from the DC IDC or SLC shall be listed with control • 10.4.1 • Designer Qualifications • Designs shall conform to NFPA 72 and be done by a qualified person Fundamentals

5. Designer Qualifications • A qualified persons varies depending on the jurisdiction. • According to NICET it is • Factory Trained • NICET Certified • Locally Licensed

6. Installer Qualifications • Installers shall be qualified or supervised by qualified persons • Qualified varies by jurisdiction but NICET defines as: • Factory Trained • NICET Certified • Locally Licensed

7. Inspection, Testing and Maintenance Qualifications • Inspection and Testing personnel shall be qualified • Qualifications vary by jurisdiction but NICET defines as: • Factory trained • NICET Certified • Locally Licensed • Employee of a NRTL

8. Types of Systems • Protected Premises (Local) Fire Alarm Systems • Auxiliary Fire Alarm Systems • Remote Station Fire Alarm Systems • Proprietary Fire Alarm Systems • Central Station Fire Alarm Systems • Emergency Voice/Alarm Communication System

9. History of Fire Alarm System Development • The Yell • The Fire Watch • The Municipal System • The Fire Alarm Box • Smell, see and run method • The Local Fire Alarm • Smell, see and run method evolved slightly • The Auxiliary Tie In • The don’t need to smell, see and most importantly run method • The Evolvement • The Local to the Firehouse • The Local to the remote monitor • The Listed Central Station

10. Protected Premises Fire Alarm System • Entire fire alarm system operates in the protected premises, responsive to the operation of a manual fire alarm box, water flow in a sprinkler system or detection of a fire by smoke or heat detection. • The main purpose of this system is to provide an evac/relocation alarm for the occupants of the building • Someone must always be present to transmit the alarm to fire authorities. This can be a remote supervising station, a central station, a proprietary supervising station or auxiliary alarm system. • 3.3.95.4

11. Auxiliary Fore Alarm System • An alarm system utilizing a municipal coded fire alarm box to transmit a fire alarm from a protected property to municipal fire headquarters (Public Emergency Alarm Reporting System) • Alarms are received on the same municipal equipment and are carried over transmission lines as are connected fire alarm boxes located on streets • Operation is initiated by the local fire detection and alarm system • 3.3.23

12. Remote Station Fire Alarm System • An alarm system connecting a protected premisis over leased telephone lines to a remote station, such as a fire station, supervising system or a police station • Includes separate receiver for individual functions being monitored, such as fire alarm signal or sprinkler water flow alarm • Requires leased telephone lines into each premise • 3.3.221

13. Central Station Fire Alarm System • An alarm system connecting protected premises to a privately owned central station whose function is monitor the connecting lines constantly and record any indication of fire, supervisory, or trouble signals from the premises. • Central has to be able to take action such as required • Must have ability to handle all types of signals • 3.3.268.1

14. Proprietary Fire Alarm System • An alarm system that serves contiguous or noncontiguous properties under one ownership from a central supervising station at the protected property • Similar to a central or remote station but operated by the owner of the protected property • Requires 24/7 staffing of the central supervising station • 3.3.267.2

15. Public Type Systems • Auxiliary Alarm System • Local Energy Type Auxiliary Alarm System • Shunt-type Auxiliary Alarm System • Type A System • Type B System

16. Local Energy Auxiliary Alarm Systems • Employs a locally complete arrangement of parts and power supplies to automatically activate a master box over circuits that are electrically isolated from the public emergency alarm reporting system circuits • In other words: reports to the public/ municipal system through a set of independent lines by sending a signal to the master box and then through the public system

17. Shunt Type Auxiliary Alarm Systems • Electrically connected to the public alarm system by extending the wiring of the master box to the protected premises. • Initiating devices when operated opens the public reporting circuit which is shunted around the trip coil of the master box which energizes the master box without any assistance from a local source power. • No power supply in the protected premises • Early type of auxiliary system

18. Type A Public Systems • Alarm signals are transmitted to a central dispatcher monitoring station and then retransmitted to appropriate fire houses • Type B Public Systems • Alarm signals are transmitted directly to a municipal fire alarm station

19. Next Class • Power Supplies • Initiating Devices Class after next Notification Appliances Signaling Circuits Practice Questions