Normally the owner of a building hires an architect who works with an electrical engineer who designs the fire alarm system to code.

1. The IFC/IBC International Building Code will tell you when you need a fire alarm depending on the building usage, occupancy etc….. The NFPA 72 code book will tell you how to install the system going over the code requirements such as spacing, heights etc…NFPA 70 is the NEC National Electrical code and you will find information about wire, conduit fill and cable specifications.

2. After a project is designed to code the architect/engineer will provide the drawings to the owner and he or she will have several general contractors bid on the project and as sub contractors electrical contractors will bid to the general contractors and fire alarm contractors will bid to the electrical contractors so they are sub contractors.

3. Sometimes items are left out and the system is not designed to code so often the fire alarm contractor will point out the issues and give two bids, one that meets the code and one that is as per drawings. Often the fire alarm contractors will bid as per drawings and go for change orders after. I prefer pointing out the issues beforehand.

4. Once a fire alarm contractor is contracted by an electrical contractor to provide the fire alarm equipment and programming the fire alarm contractor will begin submittals and have the system put on CAD drawings and they will submit it to the fire marshal applying for a permit and at this time often the fire marshal will require a third party review. Once it has gone through the third party review and the fire marshal review sometimes there are additions or changes. Once the fire alarm contractor has approved plans and submittals with the battery calculations and voltage line drop calculations they can order equipment and begin installation of the wire and system parts. Sometimes the review process can take up to 5 or 6 weeks depending on the backlog of the fire marshal and third party review company.

5. Once the system is installed, programmed, tested the fire alarm company can train the owner on how to the use the fire alarm system. How to react to alarms by verifying the alarm before silencing the system and making sure the authorities are notified.

6. The owner will need to provide two analog phone lines not digital, not VOIP but analog or the owner can purchase a high supervision cellular communicator from the fire alarm contractor and not have to worry about analog phone lines. Normally analog lines cost about $50 per month so it is much better to use an AES Radio or High Supervision Cellular.

7. The other item to be thought of and planned for is the annual inspection for the fire alarm. This is required by State law and the fire alarm panel needs to be tagged once a year and inspected and tested. This is not the same test or tag as a sprinkler system test. Normally the sprinkler riser is tested twice a year and the fire alarm only once a year. Be careful before insurance companies love to find reasons not to pay claims and if the system was not maintained, inspected or tested as per code they may deny a claim after a fire.

8. The same goes for the records from the central station, the insurance company will want to see the records of when the alarm was sent including the time received and the time of the dispatch and if the system did not have proper communications the insurance company may deny the claim.

Contact Larry Love at Johnson Controls 801 898 6003 Larry.Love@JCI.com