fire sys

[CAPTAIN KOOLAID]

Why is it most posts don't give security a key to elevator or reset key to pull alarms. i hate having wait hour for the owner or manger to come out reset the pull alarm or elevator


anyone with half brain knows you have wall all the floors, stair well, look for smoke and smell for smoke and feel ever door and door handle for heat before sound the all clear
then reset the alarm


just gives me case of red ***

sgt koolaid
oh ya

[davis002]

I agree... This has happened to our company with a few of our clients. Luckily, we were able to convince those clients that we needed to either have our own key(s), or at least have access to them. If this is a frequent problem, I would suggest bringing these concerns to the attention of your supervisor.

[Eric]

When the fire alarm sounds at our building, the elevators come to ground and the doors stay open until the alarm is reset. Fire Dept (and us) have emerg. service key.
Unless instructed by building Management or the Fire Dept. you should not reset a fire alarm system. My 2 cents.

It would make sense that Security at least have access to the key, could save a trip in for someone.

[Chimpie]

In most counties/cities you can be fined for resetting the fire alarm system prior to FD arrival. With that said, since the FD is going to respond, you could probably have a reset key put in the Knox Box that only the FD can open. That way all pull stations can be reset prior to FD departure.

[HotelSecurity]

Fire response is a big part of my job. We reset the system after determining the cause of the alarm. We are presently changing our heat detectors in the guest rooms for smoke detectors, They are addressable, meaning when one is activated the new alarm panel will indicate exactly what room it is in. Right now however these new detectors are being connected to our old panel which only indicats the floor # whether it is the north end or south end. The new detectors while on the old system are super swensitive, everytime a guest takes a shower with the bathroom door open, it sets off the detector. For the past 3 or 4 months we have been averaging over 50 alarms a month because of this! It is keeping us on our toes!

[Chucky]

The University that I worked for on my second day on the job the alarm went off . It was 5 degrees outside and 11pm. All the visiting speakers that were billeted in that building were out side freezing. After a sweep of the dorm we found nothing and for the sake of the visitors the guy that was training me shut of the audible horns and told the guest to return to the lobby until the Fire Dept arrived. The Captain asked who shut the alarm off and the other guy explained why and the Captain stated short and sweet. First and only warning do it again and that person will go to jail. Good learning curve for me.

<-------- ME

[N. A. Corbier]

In most states, only the engine captain can turn an alarm off, turn off a fire pump, or otherwise disable the life safety systems on a commercial property.

I once had a client tell me to turn the fire pump off because it was flooding a floor. There was a false activation of a sprinkler due to tampering. He was lucky in that the hotel was no longer under the management of that client (they had been bought that day and we remained as a courtesy) because the new owners would of had him arrested had he turned anything off.

[HotelSecurity]

In most states, only the engine captain can turn an alarm off, turn off a fire pump, or otherwise disable the life safety systems on a commercial property.

I once had a client tell me to turn the fire pump off because it was flooding a floor. There was a false activation of a sprinkler due to tampering. He was lucky in that the hotel was no longer under the management of that client (they had been bought that day and we remained as a courtesy) because the new owners would of had him arrested had he turned anything off.

Are you saying that there are places that even when you can see that water is coming from a broken sprinkler pipe, you can be arrested for turning it off? Glad I don't live somewhere like that, Ièd be in jail by now. Or worse, fired if I didn't turn it off. I've turned sections of the systems off when pipes have frozen & broke & water was pouring into offices containing computers. If I had just sttod by & observed until the fire department arrived I would have been canned! (maybe even sued for nefligence my job is to prevent losses-water can cause more damage than flames)

[CAPTAIN KOOLAID]

A hotel detail I was working at had young mentel ill man that though it was fun pull the hall way fire alarm in he's brithday suit. After 5 time fire dept stop coming it was up to owner come out and reset the sys.
At other post we do have the pass code or key to reset the alarm and fire dept dosn't say anything most of the time when I call 911 to code 4 it. Most of the time they thank me for not wasting there time.



Sgt Koolaid
9594


oh ya

[Chadly]

Our Standard response to a Fire Alarm is obviously check the effected area for any signs of fire/smoke. If there are no signs of Fire/smoke, we can not silence the audibles until FD arrives and gives the approval to do so.

As far as Water flows, we do the same thing, except after determining that there is water flowing, and no signs of Fire/smoke we can start the process of killing the pumps and dumping the riser, which is usually done before FD arrives (Avg a 6 min response time for FD)

[N. A. Corbier]

I think that disabling the audible alarms is basically "tampering with a fire suppression or life safety device," due to NFPA rules, which states codify into their state laws.

Florida is a state that considers touching the pumps or purging the riser tampering, since if a fire condition existed (that you are unaware of, since you are not a trained firefighter, lol), you are now denying fire suppression services to an inhabited commercial structure.

[CorpSec]

We utilize a 3 minute delay with our fire systems. Once the alarm is received, no horns, strobes or announcements activate for 3 minutes. If our responders determine that the alarm is false within that 3 minute time frame, we reset the system and the building occupants are none the wiser.

Of course, we always call 911 right away so we don't waste time if the fire alarm is due to an actual fire and we also have manual overrides if the first person to the area of the alarm states that there is an actual fire. In addition, if two devices activate, the delay is automatically cancelled and the horns, strobes, announcements, and other fire system functions come online.

[HotelSecurity]

We utilize a 3 minute delay with our fire systems. Once the alarm is received, no horns, strobes or announcements activate for 3 minutes. If our responders determine that the alarm is false within that 3 minute time frame, we reset the system and the building occupants are none the wiser.

Of course, we always call 911 right away so we don't waste time if the fire alarm is due to an actual fire and we also have manual overrides if the first person to the area of the alarm states that there is an actual fire. In addition, if two devices activate, the delay is automatically cancelled and the horns, strobes, announcements, and other fire system functions come online.

In Montreal this 2-step type system is legal as long as you have at least 3 employees on duty. 2 to respond to the location of the aarm & 1 to stay at the panel. It is very necessary in an hotel, especially mine now. With our system being changed it is super sensitive. So far today (it's just after noon-we've had 4 alarms!!)