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F I R E P R O T E C T I O N
Although a fire alarm system may be of a
reliable and state-of- the-art design, neither it
nor its peripheral detection devices can offer
guaranteed protection against fire. Any such
equipment may fail to warn for a variety of
reasons:
Control panels, communicators, dialers,
smoke detectors, and many other sensing
devices will not work without power. Battery-
operated devices will not work without
batteries, with dead batteries, or with
improperly-installed batteries. Devices
powered solely by AC will not work if their
power source is cut off for any reason.
Fires often cause a failure of electrical
power. If the system does not contain a
working battery backup power supply, and if
the electrical circuit feeding the devices is cut
or is not providing power for any reason, the
system will not detect heat or smoke or
provide any warning of a possible fire.
Telephone lines needed to transmit
alarm signals to a central monitoring station
may be out of service.
Smoke detectors, though highly effective
in reducing fire deaths, may not activate or
provide early-enough warning for a variety of
reasons: (a) they may not sense fires that
start where smoke cannot reach them, such
as in chimneys, walls, roofs, behind closed
doors, etc.; (b) they may not sense a fire on a
different level of the residence or building; (c)
they have sensing limitations; no smoke
detector can sense every kind of fire every
time.
Thermostatic heat detectors do not
always detect fires because the fire may be a
slow smoldering low-heat type (producing
smoke); because they may not be near the
fire; or because the heat of the fire may
bypass them. These detectors will not detect
oxygen levels, smoke, toxic gases, or flames.
Therefore, they may only be used as part of
a comprehensive fire-detection system in
conjunction with other devices. Under no
circumstances should thermostatic heat
detectors be relied upon as the sole measure
to ensure fire safety.
Alarm warning devices such as sirens,
bells, or horns may not alert someone behind
a closed or partially-opened door. Warning
devices located on one level are less likely to
alert those on a different level. Even those
who are awake may not hear the warning if
the alarm is obscured by noise from a stereo,
radio, air conditioner, or other appliance, or
by passing traffic, etc. Alarm warning
devices, however loud, may fail to warn the
hearing impaired.
Alarm products, as all electrical devices,
are subject to component failure. Even
though the equipment is designed for many
years of trouble-free performance, electronic
components could fail at any time.
Above are some of the reasons that fire
alarm equipment could fail. The most
common cause of an alarm system not
functioning when a fire occurs is inadequate
testing and maintenance. The system should
be tested at least weekly to ensure that all
the equipment is working properly.
While an alarm system may make one
eligible for lower insurance rates, it is not a
substitute for insurance. Homeowners,
property owners, and renters are therefore
urged to maintain adequate insurance
coverage of life and property.
LIMITATIONS OF FIRE ALARM WARNING SYSTEM
