When a fire alarm system is monitored, a signal is automatically sent to the monitoring station. With fire alarm monitoring, first responders are dispatched in mere seconds to handle the emergency.
Fire alarm systems are efficient in ensuring everyone in the building can evacuate safely. However, is it also useful in extinguishing the fire? Does the system notify the local fire department instantly? In some cases, fire alarm systems are single-station ones.
This means that they are linked to heat sensors, pull stations, smoke detectors, and sprinkler heads throughout the building. However, they don’t have the capability to communicate with the fire department instantly.
If your building has a single-station fire alarm system, you will have to call 911 or the fire department to get help. Unfortunately, not many people can keep a clear head during an emergency or while they are under duress. What’s worse is if a fire breaks out and no one is available to call the fire department to put it out.
The solution to this scenario is put fire alarm monitoring in place.
Fire Alarms in Buildings Are Important
The role of fire alarms in any fire protection system is vital. When the sensors detect fire or the sprinkler system gets activated, fire alarms start going off and alerting everybody in the building.
Manual pull stations are stationed in strategic places throughout the facilities. These let the building occupants announce the threat if they see any fire or flames before the sensors detect them.
Fire Alarm Monitoring: The Basics
When you have a fire alarm monitoring set up in your building, the fire alarm system is linked to the local fire department via a network connection, phone line, or cellular dialing system.
When the fire alarm sounds off, it communicates with the monitoring station, which then forwards the message to the local fire department.
In mere seconds or minutes, firefighters and emergency responders can be on their way to the emergency site.
The whole procedure can take place automatically. This gives you the peace of mind of not worrying about frantically calling 911 or worrying about what happens when no one can call.
A Comprehensive Fire Alarm System
Fire alarm monitoring is one crucial component in a comprehensive fire protection strategy. To get the best protection against fire emergencies, as well as peace of mind, a complete fire protection system is required.
Ideally, you will have to get all fire system components from one provider or vendor.
This ensures that all the parts and components are compatible with each other, providing efficient and effective fire fighting capabilities.
A well-rounded fire safety and protection approach entails:
Knowledge and Prevention
By fully understanding the measures you have to take to prevent fires and stay safe when one takes place, you are exponentially minimizing the threats they pose, such as property damage and death.
Fire protection system companies will usually offer code compliance services, fire system inspections, fire alarm monitoring services, fire extinguisher training, and other preventative strategies to keep the building protected and the occupants safe.
Detection and Fire Alarm Monitoring
This is where an efficient fire alarm monitoring setup comes in. The system must include heat sensors, annunciators, pull stations, smoke detectors, and notification devices, such as public address systems, bells, and strobe lights.
Active Suppression
This includes fire suppression devices, such as automatic fire suppression, fire extinguishers, and fire sprinkler systems.
Passive Resistance
More modern buildings are built to retard the spread of fire. This feature allows emergency personnel to work more effectively. It also makes the fire suppression systems and devices operate more efficiently. Fire protection contractors offer services such as installing fire dampers, fire doors, and other fire-resistant creations.
Fire Service
This component of the fire protection plan indicates the professionals involved in responding to the emergency. As long as you have fire alarm monitoring properly set up, it can communicate with the local fire department promptly. This feature gives you the best chance of limiting property damage and other threats.