A fire alarm monitoring system consists of fire alarm devices, a fire alarm control panel, a communicator (DACT, Cellular, IP) and a central monitoring station. When a fire alarm event occurs in a building where the panel is being monitored, the monitoring panel/communicator will automatically relay a signal to the central station. At the central station, a live operator will receive the signal and the system will immediately make a call to the appropriate personnel.
Fire Alarm System vs. Monitored Alarm System
In a typical local premises fire alarm system, when a fire alarm goes off it will alert the building occupants of a fire and someone in the building is responsible for calling 911 to alert the authorities of a fire. A monitored fire alarm system ensures that the fire department is alerted to the fire as quickly as possible, without someone in the building having to make a call. Many commercial facilities are required to have monitored fire alarm systems.
Benefits of Alarm Monitoring
Fire alarm monitoring is very beneficial in buildings that are not constantly occupied and where there may not be someone around to hear or see that the fire alarm system has activated. In a standard local fire alarm system, if the building is unoccupied at the time of a fire, the fire department will not be alerted to the fire. Monitored systems are beneficial to unoccupied buildings because there is an operator monitoring the fire alarm system 24/7. The fire department will be called even if no one is around to hear the alarms go off which helps to minimize damage caused by a fire.
In addition, a monitored system allows building occupants to exit the building without worrying about having to call 911. Monitoring can help to decrease the fire department response time because a call can be made as soon as the alarms start to go off. The sooner the fire department can arrive, the less damage a building may have from a fire.
24/7 Alarm Monitoring with IFP
International Fire Protection provides fire alarm monitoring to make sure your building is being watched 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our monitoring services will give you peace of mind that your building is protected even in the hours when it is unoccupied. At IFP, we can design and install a fire alarm system with the built-in communicator, or we can simply add a communicator to your existing fire alarm panel. After installation, we will test your system to make sure they are ready to go in case of an emergency. Our system will immediately alert the appropriate authorities in the event of a fire. We also have the capability to monitor sprinkler and security systems. We have installed fire alarm monitoring systems in commercial, residential and industrial facilities. If you are interested in alarm monitoring services, contact us today!
