The Pontifical and Royal

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
España, Manila

College of Architecture
2nd Term A.Y. 2018-2019
Building Utilities

Fire Alarm and Detection System

Research by
CHEN, Maria Jennifer B.
MANALAD, Bianca Mari
NEPOMUCENO, Maria Anika
PADILLON, Christine
2AR 1

Ar. Rafael Alli

INTRODUCTION
According to the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA), a fire alarm system is
intended to enable when a fire is to be detected at a sufficiently early stage so that people who are
at risk can be made safe either by escaping from the fire, or by the fire being extinguished (also to
prevent extensive property damage). Neither of these measures caaccn be used until people are
made aware of fire. The effectiveness of the fire detection and alarm system depends on the stage
of the fire at which it is operated. In order for all the occupants to escape without too much
difficulty, an early alarm should operate before the escape routes becomes smokelogged to such
an extent as will cause occupants to have difficulty finding their way out of the building.

In general fire alarm systems are installed to:

1. To provide for the safety of occupants in buildings, and to make provision for their
evacuation or refuge during a fire or other emergency,
2. To provide the fire department with early notification of a fire in a building and to direct
them to the area of risk,
3. To minimize risk to the public who utilize the structure
4. To reduce building damage, fire detection and alarm systems are used to compensate for
structural fire protection shortcomings or to give special cover for items of high value, and
5. To comply with the mandatory requirements by the National Building Code.

Each fire detection and alarm system therefore must be specifically designed to meet the
requirements for each building type. In designing a system particular consideration must be given
to the type of building, its construction and the purpose for which it is being used, so that in the
event of a fire, the fire detection system, combined with appropriate fire prevention procedures,
will keep fire risk to a minimum.

As provided in the Fire Code of the Philippines, RA 9514 divisions 8 through 17, activation of the
complete fire alarm system shall be initiated by, but not be limited to, any or all of the following
means of initiation;
 A. Manual Initiation
B. Automatic Detection
C. Extinguishing System Operation

SYSTEM ELEMENTS
Detection systems today vary in the complexity of detection and signal equipment. The design,
installation, and approval of a fire detection and alarm system may also require acceptance testing
by regulatory agencies before new buildings are occupied or the system is placed in service. The
system is comprised of several elements such as:
1. Reliable Power Supply
a. Primary
b. Secondary
2. Fire Alarm Control Panel
3. Initiative Devices (Inputs)
4. Notification Appliances (Outputs)
5. Auxiliary Functions (Outputs)

PRIMARY POWER SUPPLY

The Primary electrical power supply comes from the main power connection of the building to the
local utility provider. In some instances, an engine-powered generator can be used to provide the
primary power supply. If such, either an operator is on duty for 24 hours or the system must contain
several engine-powered generators; one of which must be set for automatic starting. The fire alarm
control panel (FACP), supervises the primary source supply and signal an alarm once the supply
is interrupted.

SECONDARY POWER SUPPLY

In the Fire Code of the Philippines, it is required that all fire alarm systems must have a secondary
power supply. This is so that the system will still be able to function in the event the main supply
fails. The secondary power supply should be able to provide normal (non alarm) conditions and
power to operate fully an alarm condition. Examples of a secondary power supply consists of
batteries with chargers, engine-driven generators with a storage battery, or multiple engine-driven
generators, of which one must be set for automatic starting.

FIRE ALARM CONTROLLING PANEL

The fire alarm controlling panel (FACP), contains the electronic devices that monitor the wiring
and other components of the fire alarm system. The FACP is essentially the brain for the alarm
system as it receives the signals coming from the alarm-initiating devices, processes the signals,
and produce the necessary outputs signals that then activates the audible and visual appliances.
Also, the FACP transmits the signals to an off-site monitoring station. Moreover, the power and
fire alarm circuits are connected directly to the FACP. The controls for the system is found in the
FACP and according to the International Fire Service Training Association (2014), it can also
perform other functions such as the following:
1. Controlling elevators, fire doors, dampers, and several other fire protection features
2. Providing remote annunciator integration and
3. Providing two-way firefighter communication

In some modern FACP, it can provide public service announcements through prerecorded
evacuation messages.

INITIATING DEVICES
A fire detection system consists of manual and automatic alarm-initiating devices. These devices
are activated by the presence of smoke, flame, fire, or heat. The device the send the signal to the
fire alarm controlling panel (FACP), operated by either of these methods: hard-wire system or a
generated signal conveyed by radio wave over a special frequency to a radio receiver in the panel.
The IFSTA has classified alarm-initiating devices into two; manual and automatic initiation. The
manual initiation requires human interaction as it is activated by pull station or from central point.
On the other hand, the automatic initiation requires no human interaction as it employs detection
devices and it sets a sequence of events in motion. Both automatic and manual alarm initiating
devices include:
1. Manual pull stations
2. Smoke detectors 4. Flame detectors
3. Heat detectors 5. Waterflow devices

NOTIFICATION APPLIANCES

In the event that an alarm-initiating device send a signal to the FACP, it then processes the signal
and initiates the action. Normally, the primary action initiated is usually local notification. This
usually take the form of bells, buzzers, speakers, and the like. Depending on the design of the
system, the local alarm may trigger a single notification appliance or a notification appliance
within a specific zone. These notification appliances are categorized into the following:
● Audible
Most common type used for signaling a fire alarm. This makes use of Philippine
Fire Code approved sounding devices such as horns, bells, or speaker, all of which
indicate a fire or an emergency situation.
● Visual
This makes use of Philippine Fire Code approved lighting devices such as, strobes
or flashing lights that indicate a fire or emergency situation.
● Textual
Visual text or symbols that indicate a fire or emergency situation.
● Tactile
Indication of a fire or emergency condition through sense of touch or vibration.

ALARM SIGNALING SYSTEMS

Fire detection and alarm systems are designed to receive signals from devices and to perform an
action based on the signal received (Fig. 1). Some signals may indicate a fire condition, while
others may indicate that a device on the system needs to be serviced. The FACU should be
programmed to respond to different signal types in an appropriate manner. Fire detection and alarm
systems are equipped with three types of specialty signals, depending on the type and nature of the
alarm they are reporting

ALARM
SIGNAL
An
alarm signal is a
warning of a fire emergency demanding immediate response or attention. The Philippine Fire code
requires alarm signals from systems monitored by a supervising station to notify the responding
fire department (Fig 2). Activation of smoke detectors, manual pull stations, waterflow switches,
and other fire extinguishing systems are all initiating devices that send fire alarm signals.
SUPERVISORY SIGNAL
According to the IFSTA, a supervisory signal indicates an off-normal condition of the
complete fire protection system. Supervisory signals also include a returned-to-normal signal,
meaning that the condition has been resolved. These signals are used to monitor the integrity of
the fire protection features of the system.

TROUBLE SIGNAL
A trouble signal indicates a problem with a monitored circuit or component of the fire
alarm system or the system’s power supply. Each signal must be audibly and visually displayed at
the FACU in a distinct manner that differentiates one type of signal from another. Trouble
conditions include loss of primary power or failure or removal of an initiating device, such as a
smoke detector.
PROTECTED PREMISES SYSTEM (LOCAL)
Protected premises systems is the system is inside the walls of the property, not transmitting
signals to a central alarm point, either on the property or off premises. Protected premises systems
can be interfaced with any other type of fire alarm or fire safety system, such as elevator recall,
and can be provided with emergency voice alarm systems for occupant notification. The level of
requirements that have to be met by the protected premises system is determined by reference to
other codes and standards, such as the local building code requirements.
CONVENTIONAL ALARM SYSTEMS
Conventional panels are no longer used frequently in large buildings, but are still used on
smaller sites such as small schools, stores, restaurants, and apartments. A conventional system uses
one or more initiating circuits, connected to sensors (initiating devices) wired in parallel (Fig.5).
These sensors are devised to decrease the circuits resistance when the environmental influence on
any sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold. In a conventional system the information density is
limited to the number of such circuits used.

Fig.
5 Diagram showing the parallel connection of a conventional system

ADDRESSABLE ALARM SYSTEMS

 Addressable fire alarm systems use digital encoding and multiplex technology to more
accurately identify alarm locations and device conditions (Fig.6). Each fire alarm device in a
system is programmed with a unique address and the status of the address is identified by zone.
The fire alarm control panel is capable of communicating with a single address or a group of
addresses depending on the functions required. A significant component of addressable fire alarm
system is the software programming necessary to make the system function correctly. The
programming allows for flexible applications where you want to have specific control over the
inputs and outputs. In application, each fire detector is given an address and the system is able to
indicate and record when signal is detected.

Fig.6 Diagram showing the application of an Addressable Fire Alarm System

HYBRID SYSTEM
According do the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a hybrid system has a
combination of features from both the conventional and addressable alarm systems (Fig.7). In
practice, it can either be built from a basic conventional system with add-on hardwire
addressable features or built from an addressable system with a conventional module and event
recording and alarm management event recording and alarm management feature feature.
Fig. 7 Typical hybrid fire alarm system configuration Fig. 8
Conventional with addressable add-on

Fig 9. Addressable configuration with conventional module add-on

In comparing the three alarm systems available in use today, conventional are more cost efficient
to buy, however, the installation is expensive as each device is connected to the control panel
through its own wire, as opposed to a shared one in an addressable system. With addressable
systems, one wire loop will connect several devices. This means conventional systems require
more wire and more man hours during the installation phase.

Overall the addressable alarm system is also the more reliable of the two. This is because the
wire connects to the control panel at both ends (Fig. 10). This means that If one end of the loop
becomes severed, signals can still be sent to the control panel via the other end of the loop. Loop
isolation modules are also used to separate devices on the loop. This means that if one device
becomes disconnected, it won’t disable the circuit. With a conventional system, if a wire has
become severed, the device will become disconnected.
Fig. 10 Wire connection diagram of the alarm systems

SUPERVISING STATION ALARM SYSTEMS

CENTRAL STATION SYSTEM

A central station burglar alarm system is one in which the operation of protection devices
and circuits is automatically signaled to a commercial agency, called a central station, whose sole
purpose is to provide protective services to subscribers. The central station itself consists of a
physically secure, fire-resistive structure in which the alarm receiving equipment, annunciators,
recording equipment, and associated test and power supply facilities, are housed. At the central
station, trained operators and alarm investigators are in attendance at all times to supervise, record,
and respond to the signal.

PROPRIETARY SYSTEM
Proprietary station fire alarm systems are used by owners of properties that want to control
the fire alarm signaling systems themselves. Basically, the owner establishes the fire alarm
monitoring station in one of their properties and connects all of their buildings to that system. The
properties can be in the same geographic area, in different areas, or in a large single building or
campus, such as a high-rise structure or college campus.

REMOTE RECEIVING SYSTEM

A system of devices that uses a fire alarm control unit to produce an alarm signal in the
household for the purpose of notifying the occupants of the presence of a fire so that they will
evacuate the premises.
PUBLIC EMERGENCY ALARM REPORTING SYSTEMS
Public emergency alarm reporting systems consist of alarm boxes and alarm processing
equipment that communicate on a wired or wireless network(s).

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS.

An emergency communication system (ECS) is any system (typically computer-based) that
is organized for the primary purpose of supporting one-way and two-way communication of
emergency information between both individuals and groups of individuals. These systems are
commonly designed to convey information over multiple types of devices, from signal lights to
text messaging to live, streaming video, forming a unified communication system intended to
optimize communications during emergencies.

Voice Notification System

The voice notification system allows customers to communicate to other users with a
spoken message. It is perfect for the public sector when they require to inform the public regarding
issues like water cut-off, etc. This system can also be used as a reminder system in which
companies can remind their customers for their appointments and such. Schools can use this
system to disseminate local news in relation to their classes, special holidays, etc. The voice
notification system is very convenient and is not time consuming, one can spread an information
in less time than that of texting their message to a number of people.

Two-way communication system

The two-way communication system is a system that involves two parties sharing
information. It happens when the sender dispatch the message to the receiver. When the receiver
gets the message, they sent back a message acknowledging the message of the sender. Most
common example of this system are radios and telephones.

Mass Notification System (MNS)

A mass notification system is a platform that transmits one-way messages to inform the
public most probably due to emergencies or announcements. Organizations best served by this
system includes fire and police departments; state and local governments; cities and communities;
emergency management organizations; building owners and building management companies. It
basically has a database of numbers, names and email address. Emergency notification software
must have a strong communications structure to be able to transport thousands of messages. The
National Fire Protection Association's National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 72) gives
general instruction on planning, designing and executing an MNS that is activated when a fire
alarm sounds.

INSPECTION AND TESTING

Fire alarm systems demands regular inspection, testing and maintenance since it is
significant especially in case of emergencies. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
and other code making organizations require annual inspection and testing as a way to make sure
these systems will operate as intended to inform the building occupants of fire or other emergency.
Fire alarm systems operational reliability is only as good as the maintenance program used for
inspection and testing. This is why regular inspections are important.
In order to perform the inspection and testing of the fire alarm, one must be qualified. “NFPA 72
strictly defines the means of personnel qualification as either:

● Trained and certified by the system manufacturer, or;

● Certified by a nationally recognized organization, or;
● Affiliated with an organization that is registered, licensed or certified by a state or
local authority, or;
● Employed and qualified by an organization listed by a nationally recognized testing
laboratory.

FALSE ALARM MANAGEMENT

Fire alarm and detection systems are crucial for the safety of everyone. However, due to
several factors a lot could be at risk. A false alarm causes disruption to the normal operation of
business and create a drain to the fire services. Moreover, this creates unnecessary havoc in the
workplace, school, or at home. This is why the reduction of false alarm rests on the design,
specification, installation, and more importantly, the maintenance of the systems.

False alarms can be due to several unwanted factors such as: environmental influence, fire
like phenomena, being set by the people in the building, accidental damage, and most commonly,
faulty equipment. All these can be prevented if the system design takes into account of the
guidance provided the Code of Practices. The Code dictates the standards to be followed by the
designer. Locally, we have RA 9514 which is the Fire Code of the Philippines and the Philippine
Electric Code as the standard for system designs. It is also important to note that the building owner
and users are responsible to engage with reputable manufacturers and contractors.

To reduce the effects of transient environmental conditions which may cause various types
of detectors to be activated, an automatic fire alarm system may be provided with an alarm
verification feature, subject to the approval of the relevant authority.The provision of following
components of the fire alarm system shall not be subject to this feature;

a) Alarm Zone facilities containing only manual call points;

b) Circuit between sub-alarm panels and the main alarm panels;

c) Detectors used to activate fire suppression systems;

d) Detectors installed in high risk areas; and

e) Alarm zone circuits from fire suppression systems.

 Reference

International Fire Service Training Association. (n.d.). Fire Inspection and Code

Enhancement(8th ed.). International Fire Service Training Association.

Philippine Electrical Code[PDF]. (n.d.).

Revised Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008[PDF]. (n.d.).

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(n.d.) Emergency Communication System retrieved from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_communication_system

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