Napco Security Technologies GEM-RP3DGTL manual Limitations of Fire Alarm Warning Systems

FIRE PROTECTION

LIMITATIONS OF FIRE ALARM WARNING SYSTEMS

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 de- vices will not work without power. Battery- oper- ated devices will not work without batteries, with dead batteries, or with improperly-installed bat- teries. 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 sig- nals 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 ther- mostatic 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 de- vices 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 compo- nents 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 insur- ance. Homeowners, property owners, and renters are therefore urged to maintain adequate insurance cover- age of life and property.

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GEM-RP3DGTL.pub	Wednesday, August 18, 1999 14:03
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