Fire Alarm Building System Integration

Integration in a Fire Alarm System involves connecting the system to other building systems, to help in the egress of a building, prevent fire and toxic smoke from spreading, notify people on and off site, automate evacuation produces, are the most common use of building system integration.

Codes and Standards

Some of these building systems integrations are required by code to be installed and operational depending on the building.

NFPA 72 requires the fire alarm system to remain operational even if any component not related the system is non functional.

Supervision codes depend on whether that system integration is required or not, and other codes.

Egress availability

It is a common misconception that any egress door may be electrically locked if it is arranged to unlock upon activation of the fire alarm system. However, the model codes do require certain electrically locked egress doors to unlock upon activation of the fire alarm system, in addition to meeting other requirements.

Depending on whether the lock is failsafe or fail secure, this can be accomplished by either disconnecting power to the lock or applying power to a certain input.

On systems complying with NFPA 72, if FACP power is used to keep an egress door locked, then the door must unlock within 10 minutes of AC power loss, and that any egress door unlocked by the fire alarm system must unlock no later than the activation of occupant notification and remain unlocked until the system is reset.

Delayed egress

A delayed egress lock sounds a local alarm upon an attempt to exit but remains locked for a maximum of 30 seconds. These are typically used on emergency exits and are commonly identified by signage reading "Push until alarm sounds. Door can be opened in 15 seconds."

Under NFPA's codes, delayed egress systems must unlock immediately upon activation of a sprinkler, a single heat detector, or two smoke detectors.

Under the I-Codes, delayed egress systems must unlock immediately upon activation of the sprinkler system or fire detection system and remain unlocked until the delayed egress system is manually rearmed.

Sensor-release

A sensor-release system utilizes a sensor to unlock the door upon detection of an occupant approaching the door, together with a manual release switch adjacent to the door. These are typically used on doors where traditional door hardware would disrupt the aesthetics.

Under NFPA's codes, sensor-release systems must completely unlock upon activation of any fire alarm initiating device besides a pull station and remain unlocked until the fire alarm system is reset.

Under the I-Codes, sensor-release systems must completely unlock upon activation of the fire alarm system.

Controlled egress

Controlled egress is a locking arrangement limited to health care occupancies. This locking arrangement most closely resembles the arrangement of an emergency exit to only unlock upon fire alarm activation, but it also requires facility staff to constantly carry keys to unlock the doors. The doors are also not required to unlock with the fire alarm system in tighter security environments.

NFPA's codes require these doors to unlock upon activation of the smoke detection system or sprinkler system, if the purpose of the lock is to protect the patient. This integration is not required if the lock is in use due to security needs.

The I-Codes require controlled egress systems to unlock upon activation of the sprinkler system or smoke detection system, unless such unlocking would cause security problems or the doors are controlled by a listed child abduction system.

Elevator lobbies

Doors between elevator lobbies and required exit accesses are also permitted to be locked under special provisions. In particular, in addition to unlocking automatically with the fire alarm system, a two-way communication system is needed to allow the door to manually unlock.

NFPA's codes require these doors to unlock upon activation of any fire alarm initiating device besides a pull station and remain unlocked until the system is reset.

The I-Codes require these doors to unlock upon activation of any fire alarm initiating device besides a pull station and remain unlocked until the fire alarm system is reset.

Correctional facilities

The I-Codes require egress doors in correctional facilities to unlock upon activation of a sprinkler system, a pull station, and/or a constantly attended manual release switch. NFPA's codes only allow the manual release option.

Stairwells

Due to the enclosed nature of a stairwell, if a fire were to start in a lower part of the stairwell, people on upper floors will be unable to take the stairwell out of the building. For this reason, stairwell doors are often required to unlock and allow re-entry when the fire alarm activates, so that occupants are not trapped in the stairwell. This unlocking also has the benefit of allowing firefighters easier access to every floor. Note that this only applies to the re-entry direction; the doors must be freely openable from the inside unless another locking arrangement is permitted on that side.

NFPA codes require all stairwell doors to unlock upon fire alarm activation and allow re-entry, with a few exceptions, including stairwells where a sufficient quantity of doors are always unlocked.

The I-Codes require all stairwell doors to unlock upon fire alarm activation and allow re-entry.

Elevators

Elevator recall will send and lock elevators to the ground floor during a fire alarm event, preventing people from getting stuck inside and allow firefighters quick access. Elevator recall is governed by the following requirements:

• ASME A17.1 provides requirements for fire alarm initiating devices surrounding elevators.
  • Initiating devices must be installed in elevator lobbies, machine rooms, and sprinklered hoistways, in accordance with NFPA 72 or NBCC.
  • Required initiating devices on the designated level must initiate a recall to the alternate level.
  • Required initiating devices below the lower recall level must initiate a recall to the upper recall level.
  • All other required initiating devices must initiate a recall to the designated level.
• NFPA 72 provides requirements for fire alarm integration with elevators.
  • Elevator recall initiating devices must be connected to a fire alarm system, but with AHJ approval, the elevator recall initiating devices may produce a supervisory signal instead of an alarm signal.
  • Unrelated initiating devices cannot initiate elevator recall without AHJ approval.
  • Elevator recall initiating devices must be smoke detectors unless ambient conditions prohibit them.
  • Initiating devices cannot be installed in unsprinklered elevator hoistways unless required by ASME A17.1
  • Initiating devices must be installed at the top and/or bottom of elevator hoistways, depending on where the sprinklers are located.
  • All hoistway smoke detectors must be listed for the appropriate conditions.
  • The fire alarm system must provide 3 outputs to the elevator system: designated level recall, alternate level recall, and an output for machine room devices. The designated level and alternate level recall outputs must conform to the same requirements as ASME A17.1's conditions for recall.

Turnstiles

Turnstiles that utilize a physical barrier may be used in a means of egress if the turnstile opens upon activation of the fire alarm system (excluding pull stations) and upon activation of a manual release switch.

Revolving doors

Revolving doors are required to be collapsible under a 130 pound force. However, if the revolving door is not part of the required means of egress, then the limit increases to 180 pounds, and the collapsing force can be increased past this limit if it becomes possible to collapse under a 130 pound force upon activation of the sprinkler system and smoke detectors in the area.

Mitigation of fire impact

Elevator shutdown

Elevators may also completely shut down in the presence of a fire to mitigate safety hazards caused by sprinkler systems. This is governed by the following requirements:

• ASME A17.1 imposes the basic requirements for the shutdown function:
  • Shutdown is required on elevators with recall functionality in sprinklered hoistways if the activation of the sprinkler heads poses a safety hazard, except in NBCC jurisdictions.
  • The power must be disconnected no later than the activation of the sprinkler head.
  • Sprinklers outside the elevator hoistway should not disconnect elevator power, nor should smoke detectors.
  • Heat detectors and flow switches used for elevator power shutdown must comply with the NFPA 72 requirements.
• NFPA 72 provides requirements for the functionality of the fire alarm system:
  • If heat detectors are used for shutdown, then they must be supervised, have a lower RTI and temperature than the sprinkler head, and be within 24 inches of the sprinkler heads.
  • If pressure or flow switches are used for shutdown, then they must be supervised and cannot have any time delay.
  • A supervisory condition must occur if a circuit controlling the shutdown loses power.

HVAC Shutdown

HVAC Shutdown shuts down air vents to prevent the spread of smoke in response to a duct smoke detector. The following code requirements dictate this integration:

• NFPA 72 includes requirements related to the duct smoke detectors:
  • Section 17.7.4 includes basic environmental compatibility requirements of the detectors.
  • Duct smoke detectors must produce supervisory signals instead of alarm signals, unless nobody is present to receive the supervisory signal or another code requires an alarm signal.
• NFPA 90A requires duct smoke detectors in all sufficiently large supply and return ducts, although the detectors may be omitted from return ducts if open area protection is provided.
• IMC includes requirements for the operation of the duct:
  • Duct smoke detectors complying with NFPA 72 are required in all sufficiently large return air systems, unless open area smoke detection is provided in relevant areas.
  • These smoke detectors (either open area or duct detectors) must either shut down the HVAC system or activate a smoke control system, and they must either report a supervisory signal at a constantly attended location or activate the building fire alarm system.

NFPA 72 also requires system designers to consider the effect of an HVAC system on the spread of carbon monoxide, and if necessary, provide carbon monoxide detectors that will shut down the HVAC system.

Door Holders

Door holders keep fire doors open during a normal condition using electromagnets, and during a fire, the magnets loose power, shutting the doors and preventing fire and toxic smoke from spreading.

Communication systems

Background music

Background music systems may be automatically disabled upon fire alarm activation to make the fire alarm tone more apparent. This can be accomplished by disconnecting the speakers used to produce the background music; alternatively, many voice evacuation systems allow background music to be played through fire alarm speakers and overridden by fire alarm signals.

Several codes dictate the disconnection of background music systems.

• NFPA 72 states that if background music is disabled upon fire alarm activation, then the average and maximum ambient sound levels used to determine audibility requirements are permitted to be measured without the background music, provided that the area is covered with visual signals.
• NFPA's main codes require conflicting sounds and visuals in special amusement buildings to be terminated upon suppression or smoke detector activation, unless provisions for an attraction operator to manually terminate the features are approved by an AHJ.
• The I-Codes require conflicting sounds and visuals in special amusement buildings to be terminated upon any activation of the fire alarm system.

Exit marking and illumination

NFPA codes allow exit signs to begin flashing upon activation of the fire alarm system. It is recommended that the illumination cycles for 0.75 seconds on and 0.25 seconds off. This option is not permitted by the I-Codes.

NFPA's codes require special amusement buildings with light levels below the required emergency lighting level to have the required level of lighting activated upon activation of the fire alarm system, unless provisions for an attraction operator to manually activate the lighting are approved by an AHJ.

In new buildings, NFPA's codes require sensor-activated automatic lighting control devices for emergency lighting must fully illuminate the lights upon activation of the fire alarm system.

Mass notification

Main article: Mass Notification Systems

Many MNS Systems can be connected to the Fire Alarm System to notify more people on or off site, about the a fire emergency. MNS Systems typically involve IP Speakers, IP Displays, IP Phones, TV's, Computer/Phone apps, SMS/Email notifications, and incident management software. This allows for better notification of a fire emergency across a campus or company.