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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:
Go-Anywhere Hubs (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,
effective in reducing fire deaths, may not
F I R E P R O T E C T I O N
LIMITATIONS OF FIRE ALARM WARNING SYSTEM
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
though
highly
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
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.
property owners, and renters are therefore
urged to maintain adequate insurance
coverage of life and property.
all
electrical
Homeowners,
15
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