Fire Alarm Application Note; Code Enforcement - ADT FOCUS 200 PLUS Installation And Setup Manual

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About Fire Alarm Codes
There are various fire alarm codes written by industry associations and institutes; for
example, the National Fire Alarm Protection Association writes the National Life Safety
Code, also known as NFPA 101. Other fire alarm codes written by other associations or
institutes, such as BOCA and ICBO, specify whether or not a given building or structure
type is required to have a fire alarm system and, if so, what fire alarm system functions must
be supported. Each state and local government jurisdiction adopts in part or in entirety
these codes, which become that jurisdiction's code.
In addition, there are standards that govern the design, installation, and service of fire alarm
systems. For instance, the use and placement of smoke and fire detection devices is specified
in the National Fire Alarm Code. The most popularly adopted code is the National Fire
Alarm Code, commonly referred to as NFPA 72.

Code Enforcement

Codes are enforced by the person who is designated by the state or local government as the
"Authority Having Jurisdiction," also simply referred to as the "AHJ." The AHJ has the
delegated power to review and interpret the code as it may pertain to a particular structure.
The AHJ must interpret codes because structures often are not uniform. Therefore, the AHJ
will review, for example, a fire alarm design for the correct number of smoke detectors and
their placement in relation to the structure's layout.

Fire Alarm Application Note

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