Chapter 14: Inspection and Maintenance

NFPA 72 establishes the frequency of
inspection and testing
◦ Initial installation
◦ Monthly: Supervising station receivers (ie: DACT
test signals), batteries
◦ Quarterly: Supervisory signal equipment
◦ Semi-annually
◦ Annually: Initiating devices, supervisory station
equipment

NFPA has established methods for testing
components of a fire alarm system
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Lights
Fuses
Power supplies
Batteries
Initiating devices
Notification devices
Transmission equipment


Service personnel shall be qualified and
experienced in the inspection, testing, and
maintenance of fire alarm systems.
Examples of qualified personnel shall be
permitted to include, but shall not be limited to,
individuals with the following qualifications:
◦ (1) Factory trained and certified
◦ (2) National Institute for Certification in Engineering
Technologies fire alarm certified
◦ (3) International Municipal Signal Association fire alarm
certified
◦ (4) Certified by a state or local authority
◦ (5) Trained and qualified personnel employed by an
organization listed by a national testing laboratory for
the servicing of fire alarm systems

A fire alarm system can have one of a number
of different types of transmission systems

This method uses a "party line" that connects
several businesses to a monitoring facility.
When an alarm signal is received via the
dedicated party line, the monitoring facility
checks a code to identify which business was
compromised.

This system also operates like a "party line,"
using one dedicated telephone line to
connect several businesses to a monitoring
facility.

The alarm signal is transmitted over the
business's regular telephone lines (rather
than over a dedicated line), which transmit
them to the monitoring facility. The system
can be compromised by cutting the line.
◦
◦
◦
◦
Digital
Digital
Digital
Digital
alarm
alarm
alarm
alarm
communicator transmitter (DACT)
radio transmitter (DART)
communicator receiver (DACR)
radio receiver (DARR)

A Reverse Polarity Signaling Module
communicates system conditions (alarm,
trouble, and supervisory) from a compatible
control panel to a monitoring station by
reversing or interrupting the polarity of a
steady signal it sends over leased telephone
company lines.

This system transmits status signals via radio
wave to a receiving antenna, which relays the
signal to the monitoring facility. In a two-way
radio system, the monitoring facility can
receive the alarm system's status signal as
well as send a signal to ask for the status or
confirm an alarm condition, thus, providing
line security.







Manual Fire Alarm Boxes
Ionization Smoke Detectors
Photoelectric Smoke Detectors
Duct Detectors
Heat Detectors
Waterflow Switches
Supervisory Switches





Bells
Horns
Chimes
Strobes
Speakers












Building Temp
Site Water Temp
Site Water Level
Fire Pump Power
Fire Pump Running
Fire Pump Auto Position
Fire Pump or Pump Controller Trouble
Fire Pump Running
Generator in Auto Position
Generator or Controller Trouble
Switch Transfer
Generator Engine Running

Quantity and style of signaling line circuits
connected to system

Primary
◦ Voltage
◦ Amps
◦ Over current Protection

Secondary
◦ Second line
◦ Generators
◦ Battery

Used as a backup to primary power supply,
instead of using a secondary power supply
◦ Examples:
 Battery






Alarm Signal
Alarm Restoration
Trouble Signal
Trouble Signal Restoration
Supervisory Signal
Supervisory Restoration

Fire alarm system equipment shall be
maintained in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions.




A set of reproducible as-built installation
drawings, operation and maintenance manuals,
and a written sequence of operation shall be
provided to the building owner or the owner’s
designated representative.
For software-based systems, a copy of the sitespecific software shall be provided to the owner
or owner’s designated representative.
The owner shall be responsible for maintaining
these records for the life of the system for
examination by any authority having jurisdiction.
Paper or electronic media shall be permitted.

Records shall be retained until the next test
and for 1 year thereafter