14/12/2023
You must have heard about fire alarms and might even have them in your building, but what are they exactly? How do they work? If you hear one, will you even recognise it?
Well, their job is pretty straightforward: they detect fires and yell out loud to let everyone know there's trouble brewing. Understanding these systems might just be the key to keeping everyone safe.
🚨 Three Fire Alarm Modes
There are three states in any fire alarm: Normal (no worries), Alarm (heads up, there's fire!) and Trouble (uh-oh, something's off)
🚨Components of a Fire Alarm System
Initiating Devices:
These are the detectives of the squad, sniffing out smoke or fire. Smoke detectors, heat detectors, sprinkler water flow sensors and fire alarm pull stations – they are the ones who shout, "Danger!"
Indicating Appliances:
When trouble's brewing, it's these members who sound the alarm – horns, chimes, bells, even strobe lights for those who might miss the noise.
Fire Alarm Panel:
The control centre which displays the system's status, allows programming, troubleshooting, silencing and resetting.
Power Supplies:
The powerhouse covers main power, backup batteries and sometimes a generator. When the lights go out, the batteries take over, ensuring 24 hours of uninterrupted protection.
Auxiliary Devices:
The extra support team – visual LED indicators, remote annunciators, alarm silence switches – adding layers of protection tailored to specific needs.
🚨What happens when the fire alarm goes off?
When the system sees a fire, two things happen:
Indicating appliances sound the alarm: Loud and clear, urging everyone to evacuate.
A call goes out to the monitoring company: Emergency personnel get the heads up, ready to swoop in and save the day.
🚨How do you shut it up?
In case it is a false alarm, on the panel’s touchpad, there are buttons – alarm and trouble silence, and a system reset. Hit those only when you know why the alarm went off without any reason. If you are not sure, follow the appropriate security drill.
Still have questions about fire alarms? Unsure of how the fire alarm in your building works? Or looking for an upgrade?
Get in touch with us for an extended discussion.
