Fire alarms are really important for the safety of a building. They let people know if there's an emergency and help keep everyone safe. Fire alarms are a good start, but building owners should also think about using fire alarm monitoring to get more benefits. So, when is fire alarm monitoring required, and how does it work?
Many know about fire alarms and what to do when they sound during a fire emergency. However, what comes after? In certain cases, employees or building managers might need to dial 911 quickly to ask for assistance. If that call is postponed, serious damage could happen, jeopardizing people and property.
The fire alarm monitoring system works like this: when the fire alarm goes off in the building, it immediately notifies a selected third-party monitoring company about the emergency. Then, the monitoring company can send the right people to the location. Because the fire alarm monitoring is automatic, there's no delay between the emergency starting and the first responders getting there.
You can communicate with the monitoring company using regular phone lines (POTS Lines), internet protocol (IP), and cellular transmission. This means any building can set up a fire alarm monitoring system, regardless of where it is or its current IT setup.
A system for monitoring fire alarms keeps your building safe 24/7, even when the office is closed or during weekends.
There are six major components to a fire alarm monitoring system.
This part is the control center for your fire alarm system. It is the center of operations, monitoring all other parts and protecting your building.
Ensure your fire alarm system can get power from two sources. One is the primary power it always uses, and the other is a backup in case the main power goes out. Usually, the main power comes from your building, and the backup is often a battery.
The starting device is what makes the system realize there's a fire. It could be manual, where someone needs to take action, like pulling a lever or breaking glass. Or it could be automatic, like heat, smoke, or flame detectors. Consider getting a commercial fire alarm system with both types based on your building's needs.
The device that sends out alerts in the building for a fire is called the notification appliance. It ensures everyone knows about the fire so they can safely leave the building. This is the alarm you hear and see when there's a fire: lights that flash and make loud sounds like horns, bells, chimes, or sirens. Sometimes, there's also the Emergency Voice Alarm Communication System (EVACS), which has a recorded message telling people where to go and how to get out of the building. This is helpful in offices where people might need help knowing what to do during a fire.
Dialers or communicators in fire alarm monitoring systems contact monitoring centers or alert receiving stations. Communicators can maintain communication by using phone lines, radio signals, or an active internet connection.
The building's safety system lets the fire alarm control other parts of the building when necessary. For example, a fire in one spot can change the air movement to prevent dangerous smoke from spreading to other places and hurting people. Additional systems like lighting, process control, transporting people, and others might also be part of this setup, depending on your system type.
Fire alarm monitoring is necessary for various reasons. An important factor is the type of building where you're installing the system.
The answer varies based on where you live and the rules in your area. Every building might have different rules because of this. Fire alarm methods change for different types of buildings, so it's good to figure out what you need beforehand. NFPA 101 has a lot of the necessary info for various occupancy types.
A dependable fire alarm monitoring setup in your building will keep the people inside safe. It'll also safeguard your business property by sensing even small amounts of smoke in case of fire incidents.
It will also be beneficial to teach the occupants of the building the right way to monitor and have a professionally installed fire alarm system to guarantee that they can prepare themselves for emergencies. If the alarm senses smoke, people must know how to get out of the building. They should use these routes to stay safe.
Your fire alarm system keeps you safe all day and night, and when you guide other people correctly, everyone will be secure, and we'll call the fire department as quickly as possible.
There are numerous benefits to installing a fire alarm monitoring system, including the following.
24/7 monitoring allows for full building protection and ensures emergencies will be addressed, even when no one is present.
Isn't that what we all want? To be safe and protected at all times. With fire alarm monitoring, dedicated experts are working round-the-clock to keep you and your property safe.
If a commercial fire starts in the middle of the day, plenty of people are around to hear the alarm and take action. But if the fire breaks out at night, when the place is empty with no one nearby to respond, the alarms are only useful if monitored and connected to the fire department.
Fires are vicious, and every second counts. Professional monitoring services are trained to act fast without wasting a single second.
As soon as the system detects the first signs of a fire, the monitoring station is at its feet to ensure your safety and security.
At times, even when fires break out in the presence of people, it causes so much chaos and panic that they often forget to call the authorities and try to flee.
With professional fire alarm monitoring, you never need to rely on someone to call the authorities.
Fire alarm monitoring services indeed help in cost minimization. When you consider the benefits that it provides you, you'll realize that an effective fire alarm system can lower your costs.
Compare the costs of fire alarm monitoring services with the potential losses you might face in a fire, and you'll get your answer.
Additionally, with proof of a well-maintained fire alarm security system, you may qualify for lower insurance premiums and protect yourself from fines during inspections for not having a proper system.
If you depend only on a fire alarm to protect the workplace in an emergency, responding to a fire promptly may be a challenge in one way or another. A delay in contacting emergency services could damage your property or loss of life.
Installing a fire alarm monitoring system within the establishment can be an important aspect of the building's fire protection and life safety system. Trusting experienced technicians to install and maintain the system is a worthy investment to protect the business and employees.
Fire alarm monitoring allows fast and thorough communication between your setup and the central security provider's monitoring station. The control panel in the monitored alarm system acts as a central point for various components like motion detectors, smoke detectors, door/window sensors, and tamper sensors. It transmits a signal to the monitoring center based on the triggering incident.
Using modern fire alarm systems, you can monitor your property using your phone. If a fire happens, the alarm can send a message, video, email, or alert through an app on your phone to tell you about the situation at your property.
Fire alarm monitoring is more about quickly responding to emergencies than security monitoring. When a fire alarm goes off, we immediately call the fire department for help. This gives you peace of mind that you'll get the best possible emergency response in case of a fire.
