Professional Fire Alarm Design Study Guide

1. Codes, Statutes & Stakeholders

Statutory requirements: Adopted building/fire codes (e.g., IBC), state/local fire codes, and referenced standards (NFPA 72) are mandatory. Customer preference is not statutory.
AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction): Reviews, interprets, and enforces code; can approve alternates/equivalencies with documentation.
Stakeholders: Owner, architect, general contractor, fire alarm installer, insurance rep, sometimes local/state agencies. Restaurant patrons and neighbors are not project stakeholders.
Project docs to justify actions/omissions: Adopted codes, contract requirements, and as-built plans—not verbal instructions or notes.
Performance standards: NFPA 72, UL 864, IBC. OSHA is not a fire alarm design standard.
Shop drawing submittals: Must include floor plans, device locations, riser diagram, wiring/circuit class, and sequence of operations.

Code/Standard	Application
NFPA 72	Design, installation, testing, maintenance
IBC	Building construction/fire protection
UL 864	Fire alarm control units
ADA	Accessibility (federal law)

IBC Use Groups: Assembly (A), Business (B), Educational (E), Factory (F), Residential (R), Mercantile (M), Day-care, etc.
Occupancy drives requirements: Occupant load, hazard type, and building use affect system coverage and notification appliance needs.
Special hazards: Unique areas may require performance-based design or combination detectors (e.g., warehouse with dust/high ceilings).
Insurance/owner may require: Supplemental detection beyond code minimum, extra appliances, or enhanced features for specific hazards.

Use Group	Example	Note
Assembly (A)	Theater, auditorium	Often needs voice evacuation
Factory (F)	Manufacturing plant	Special hazards
Residential (R)	Hotel, apartment	Sleeping rooms: strobes required
Business (B)	Office building

Design methods: Prescriptive (code minimum), performance-based (fire modeling, unique layouts), or owner-enhanced.
Early warning: Reduces property loss, speeds evacuation, improves firefighter safety. Increases system cost is NOT a benefit.
Partial coverage: Code allows in some occupancies; "selective" = partial, "total" = all spaces.
Combination/multi-sensor detectors: Used for difficult areas (e.g., warehouse); consider environment, ceiling height, airflow.
Avoid nuisance alarms: Don’t place smoke detectors near dust, steam, high airflow; use heat detectors in food prep areas.

Initiating devices: Manual pull stations, smoke, heat, duct, combination, and specialty detectors.
Selection factors: Room use, hazard, response time needed, environment. Device cost/paint color are not primary factors.
Code-mandated for manual systems: Pull stations, notification appliances, control unit—not voice evac unless specified.
Addressable devices: Allow pinpoint identification, status monitoring, easier troubleshooting, but not always lower cost.

Circuit types: IDC (initiating), NAC (notification), SLC (signaling line, addressable).
Supervision: EOL resistor, addressable polling, isolator modules. Paint color/wire color is NOT supervision.
Class A: Looped, survives single open. Class B: Open disables downstream devices. Class X/N: Advanced/ethernet.
Notification appliances: Strobes (UL 1971), horns/speakers (UL 464), dBA/candela rating, mounting height, coverage area. Appliance color is not a code criterion.
Addressable notification: Allows monitoring of individual status, faster fault isolation, not always lowest cost.

Notification types: Audible (horns, speakers), visual (strobes), directional sounders for egress paths.
ADA: Applies to public spaces, >15 employees, new construction—not single-family homes. DOJ enforces ADA.
Audibility: 75 dBA at pillow in sleeping rooms, coverage for hearing-impaired via strobes.
System upgrades/retrofits: Triggered by code change, occupancy/use change, insurance requirement—not by color repaint.
Supplementary appliances: For high noise, large areas, ADA compliance, insurance requests.

Documentation: Scope of work, approved plans, shop drawings, as-built drawings, product data, test reports, warranty info.
Project management phases: Initiation, Planning (schedule, task list, resource estimate), Execution (install), Closing (as-builts, test results, training).
Closeout package: As-built drawings, test reports, record of completion, warranty—not lunch schedules or insurance policies.
Change management: Document all changes, update as-builts, get owner approval—never rely on verbal only.
Commissioning/system acceptance: Final test, deliver docs, sign record of completion, train owner.
Building owner: Is responsible for maintenance, retaining docs, and future testing after project closes.

Phase	Primary Activity
Planning	Schedule, task breakdown
Execution	Install devices, wiring
Closing	Collect as-builts, test, train owner

Notification Appliance	Requirement
Strobe	UL 1971, required in sleeping rooms, visible from all areas
Horn/Speaker	UL 464, 75 dBA at pillow in hotels
Mounting height	Per mfg/ADA, avoid obstructions