Fire alarm systems are crucial components in ensuring the safety of structures and their occupants. They are early warning mechanisms that let individuals know that there is a fire, allowing for swift evacuation and activation of firefighting measures. However, a fire alarm system is not just a single device. Rather, it is a network of several accessories that work in unison to detect, alert, activate, and monitor fire events. These accessories serve to enhance the functionality, reliability, and efficiency of the overall fire alarm system.
In this article, we’ll explain what fire alarm accessories are and look at the major types.
What are Fire Alarm Accessories?
Fire alarm accessories are supplementary components and devices that support the main fire alarm system. They ensure the effective operation of the system and include alerting devices, detectors, control panels and manual activation mechanisms. Each accessory plays a specific role, ensuring the fire alarm system operates comprehensively.
An example, and one of the most important accessories, is the test key. Test keys are useful for activating or testing the fire alarm system manually without triggering a full alarm condition. Technicians can use a fire alarm key to stimulate a fire alarm scenario, check the response on the system and ascertain that all components are functioning as required.
Main Types of Fire Alarm Accessories
Fire alarm accessories can be placed into three broad categories:
Detection & Alerting Systems
At the heart of a fire alarm system are the detection and alerting systems. They can be divided into the following categories:
- Heat Detectors: These work on the basis of a fixed temperature, where they trigger an alarm if the temperature goes above a pre-set value. They usually combine this with detecting the rate of temperature change, as a fast one typically indicates a fire. Heat detectors are ideal for environments where smoke detectors may give false alarms due to fumes or dust.
- Smoke Detectors: These devices detect smoke particles in the air and trigger an alarm, giving an early warning of potential fire. These use different technologies for detection, the main ones being ionization and an LED light.
- Carbon Monoxide Detectors: These detect the presence of carbon monoxide gas, a byproduct of incomplete combustion which can be fatal in high concentrations.
- Flame Detectors: These sensors detect the presence of flames. To do so, they use optical or infrared technology to identify flames, smoke, and smokeless liquids that can start fires. This is useful in environments where smoke detection alone may be insufficient, such as industrial plants.
Manual Activation Systems
Manual activation devices are another key component of a fire alarm system, and they provide a manual aspect to the fire alarm system. Manual activation points are typically small red boxes mounted on walls of designated areas of commercial properties such as hospitals, offices, schools, etc. They are used to activate a fire warning and evacuation process by pulling down a lever or pressing a button.
There are two types of manual pull stations: single-action and dual-action pull stations. A single-action pull station is simple and attached to walls without cover. For this reason, you can activate it by simply pulling a lever in one action. A dual-action pull station, on the other hand, is usually encased in plastic or glass and requires a two-step activation sequence.
Control & Monitoring Systems
Control and monitoring systems are also an integral part of the fire alarm system. They ensure clear communication lines between components. They also play a key role in ensuring the system responds appropriately to fire incidents.
Here are the key components of control and monitoring systems:
- Control Panels: The control panel is the fire alarm system’s central unit. It receives signals from detectors then processes the information before triggering alarms and notifications.
- Annunciator panels: These display the fire alarm system’s status, showcasing the zones that are activated or faulty. They offer visual and even audible indications of the state of the system, facilitating quick response.
- Remote Monitoring Systems: These systems enable remote monitoring and control of the fire alarm system through smartphones or computer applications.
- Communication Modules: These facilitate information exchange between the alarm system’s components and external monitoring services or emergency responders.
- Power Supplies and Backup Batteries: These ensure that the operations of the fire alarm system are not interrupted by power outages.
All these work together to ensure you have comprehensive safety from fire incidents.
