7.9 Fire Alarm Systems
Each fire alarm system shall be provided with a power
conditioner to protect the fire alarm system from electrical
surges, spikes, sags, over-voltages, brownouts, and
electrical noise. The power conditioner shall be U.L. listed
General. Fire alarm systems shall be installed in
and shall have built in overload protection.
accordance with the requirements in NFPA 72,
Wiring supervision for fire alarm systems shall be
the IFC, and the applicable GSA fire alarm system
provided as defined in NFPA 72 as follows:
specification.
Interconnected riser loop or network (Style 7 Class A)
Special Requirements. The following requirements take
Initiating device circuits (Style B Class B)
precedence over the requirements in NFPA 72 and the IFC:
Signaling line circuit for each floor (Style 4 Class B)
All fire alarm systems shall be addressable systems.
Signaling line circuit for network (Style 7 Class A)
All fire alarm systems installed in buildings shall be an
Notification appliance circuits (Style Y Class B)
emergency voice/alarm communication system when any
All fire alarm signals (i.e., alarm, supervisory, and trouble
one of the following conditions exist:
signals) shall be automatically transmitted via a digital
The building is 2 or more stories in height above the
alarm communicator over leased phone lines to a U.L.
level of exit discharge.
listed Central Station Service and the GSA Regional
The total calculated occupant load of the building is
Emergency Management Control Center.
300 or more occupants.
All fire alarm system wiring shall be solid copper and
The building is subject to 100 or more occupants above
installed in conduit. Stranded wiring shall not be used.
or below the level of exit discharge.
Conduit shall be rigid metal or electrical metallic tubing,
The emergency voice/alarm communication system shall
with a minimum inside diameter of 19 mm (3/4 inch) that
provide an automatic response to the receipt of a signal
utilizes compression type fittings and couplings.
indicative of a fire emergency. Manual control with the
capability of making live voice announcements shall also
Manual Fire Alarm Boxes
be furnished to provide occupants notification either on a
selective or all-call basis
General. Manual fire alarm boxes shall be installed in
With the exception of mass notification, fire alarm systems
accordance with the requirements in NFPA 72, the IFC,
shall not be integrated with other building systems such
and manufacturer's instructions.
as building automation, energy management, security, etc.
Special Requirements. The following requirements take
Fire alarm systems shall be self-contained, stand alone
precedence over the requirements in NFPA 72 and the IFC:
systems able to function independently of other building
systems.
Manual fire alarm boxes shall be installed in every new
All emergency voice/alarm communication systems shall
construction project in accordance with the spacing and
be installed within a room separated from the remainder
location requirements in NFPA 72.
of the building by not less than a 1-hour fire resistance
Manual fire alarm boxes shall be double-action stations.
rated fire barrier.
Manual fire alarm boxes shall be of contrasting color to
the background on which they are mounted.
219
FIRE
PROTECTION
&
LIFE
SAFETY
7.9
Fire Alarm Systems
Revised March 2005 PBS-P100
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