Does the Brand of Fire Alarm Matter?
When you install a proprietary fire alarm or intrusion system that often means you are limited as to which companies can sell you parts and program or service the alarm system.
There are specific proprietary brands that are able to do specific things like smoke control or complicated integrations or systems like Simplex that have addressable horn strobes where most brands do not. There are brands that have more capacity than others.
All commercial fire alarm manufactures that are UL listed meet the requirements of the National and Local code when installed properly although not all brands will have all the features such as automatic sensitivity testing and testing all the horn strobe circuits with the addressable horn strobe test features.
Some of the companies that can service specific brands are as follows:
FCI Gamewell - Nelson Fire Systems - Many of the systems at the U are installed by Nelson Fire and a large number of schools use this system.
Simplex Grinnell - Simplex Grinnell BY JCI JOHNSON CONTROLS - Larry Love Larry.Love@jci.com 801 898 6003
Notifier Fire Alarm - Mountain Alarm (FPS Fire Protection Systems)
EST - There are a few EST dealers: Wasatch Electric and others
Potter, Silent Knight & Fire-lite have several dealers and included in the list is Peak Alarm
MIRCOM - PST
This is not a complete list but an example only.
When you need bids for a TI or addition to a system often it is best to go to the company that installed the system because they have the battery calculations, voltage line drops calculations, CAD and the ability to add on to the system easier than a company that did not do the installation.
If I have made an error or if you would like to be added to any of these lists let me know.