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AMPS-24 Manual —
P/N 51907:J2 02/26/2014
Fire Alarm & Emergency Communication System Limitations
While a life safety system may lower insurance rates, it is not a substitute for life and property
insurance!
An automatic fire alarm system
—typically made up of
smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual pull stations, audible
warning devices, and a fire alarm control panel (FACP) with
remote notification capability—can provide early warning of a
developing fire. Such a system, however, does not assure
protection against property damage or loss of life resulting
from a fire.
An emergency communication system
—typically made up
of an automatic fire alarm system (as described above) and a
life safety communication system that may include an autono-
mous control unit (ACU), local operating console (LOC), voice
communication, and other various interoperable communica-
tion methods—can broadcast a mass notification message.
Such a system, however, does not assure protection against
property damage or loss of life resulting from a fire or life
safety event.
The Manufacturer recommends that smoke and/or heat
detectors be located throughout a protected premises
following the recommendations of the current edition of the
National Fire Protection Association Standard 72 (NFPA 72),
manufacturer's recommendations, State and local codes, and
the recommendations contained in the Guide for Proper Use of
System Smoke Detectors, which is made available at no
charge to all installing dealers. This document can be found at
http://www.systemsensor.com/appguides/. A study by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (an agency of the
United States government) indicated that smoke detectors
may not go off in as many as 35% of all fires. While fire alarm
systems are designed to provide early warning against fire,
they do not guarantee warning or protection against fire. A fire
alarm system may not provide timely or adequate warning, or
simply may not function, for a variety of reasons:
Smoke detectors
may not sense fire where smoke cannot
reach the detectors such as in chimneys, in or behind walls, on
roofs, or on the other side of closed doors. Smoke detectors
also may not sense a fire on another level or floor of a building.
A second-floor detector, for example, may not sense a first-
floor or basement fire.
Particles of combustion or “smoke”
from a developing fire
may not reach the sensing chambers of smoke detectors
because:
• Barriers such as closed or partially closed doors, walls,
chimneys, even wet or humid areas may inhibit particle or
smoke flow.
• Smoke particles may become “cold,” stratify, and not reach
the ceiling or upper walls where detectors are located.
• Smoke particles may be blown away from detectors by air
outlets, such as air conditioning vents.
• Smoke particles may be drawn into air returns before
reaching the detector.
The amount of “smoke” present may be insufficient to alarm
smoke detectors. Smoke detectors are designed to alarm at
various levels of smoke density. If such density levels are not
created by a developing fire at the location of detectors, the
detectors will not go into alarm.
Smoke detectors, even when working properly, have sensing
limitations. Detectors that have photoelectronic sensing
chambers tend to detect smoldering fires better than flaming
fires, which have little visible smoke. Detectors that have ion-
izing-type sensing chambers tend to detect fast-flaming fires
better than smoldering fires. Because fires develop in different
ways and are often unpredictable in their growth, neither type
of detector is necessarily best and a given type of detector
may not provide adequate warning of a fire.
Smoke detectors cannot be expected to provide adequate
warning of fires caused by arson, children playing with
matches (especially in bedrooms), smoking in bed, and violent
explosions (caused by escaping gas, improper storage of
flammable materials, etc.).
Heat detectors
do not sense particles of combustion and
alarm only when heat on their sensors increases at a predeter-
mined rate or reaches a predetermined level. Rate-of-rise
heat detectors may be subject to reduced sensitivity over time.
For this reason, the rate-of-rise feature of each detector
should be tested at least once per year by a qualified fire pro-
tection specialist. Heat detectors are designed to protect
property, not life.
IMPORTANT! Smoke detectors
must be installed in the
same room as the control panel and in rooms used by the sys-
tem for the connection of alarm transmission wiring, communi-
cations, signaling, and/or power. If detectors are not so
located, a developing fire may damage the alarm system,
compromising its ability to report a fire.
Audible warning devices such as bells, horns, strobes,
speakers and displays
may not alert people if these devices
are located on the other side of closed or partly open doors or
are located on another floor of a building. Any warning device
may fail to alert people with a disability or those who have
recently consumed drugs, alcohol, or medication. Please note
that:
• An emergency communication system may take priority
over a fire alarm system in the event of a life safety emer-
gency.
• Voice messaging systems must be designed to meet intelli-
gibility requirements as defined by NFPA, local codes, and
Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
• Language and instructional requirements must be clearly
disseminated on any local displays.
• Strobes can, under certain circumstances, cause seizures
in people with conditions such as epilepsy.
• Studies have shown that certain people, even when they
hear a fire alarm signal, do not respond to or comprehend
the meaning of the signal. Audible devices, such as horns
and bells, can have different tonal patterns and frequen-
cies. It is the property owner's responsibility to conduct fire
drills and other training exercises to make people aware of
fire alarm signals and instruct them on the proper reaction
to alarm signals.
• In rare instances, the sounding of a warning device can
cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.
A life safety system
will not operate without any electrical
power. If AC power fails, the system will operate from standby
batteries only for a specified time and only if the batteries have
been properly maintained and replaced regularly.
Equipment used in the system
may not be technically com-
patible with the control panel. It is essential to use only equip-
ment listed for service with your control panel.
Telephone lines
needed to transmit alarm signals from a
premises to a central monitoring station may be out of service
or temporarily disabled. For added protection against tele-
phone line failure, backup radio transmission systems are rec-
ommended.
The most common cause
of life safety system malfunction is
inadequate maintenance. To keep the entire life safety system
