Fire Alarm Monitoring in Jacksonville FL

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) founded in 1896 is a United States trade association, that develops and maintains more than 300 copyrighted standards and codes intended to eliminate injury, death, property loss and damages due to fire, electrical and other hazards. The NFPA codes and standards are administered by more than 250 technical committees, involving over 9000 volunteers who maintain and update the standards as technology advances. These standards cover everything from fire protection products and equipment, event protocols, practices and procedures for businesses, municipalities, fire departments and governments around the world.

NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code

This code provides the latest safety provisions developed to meet changing fire detection, signaling, and emergency communications demands. It defines the application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing and maintenance of fire alarm systems, fire and emergency warning equipment and their components, as well as the means for signal initiation, transmission, notification, annunciation and the levels of performance and reliability of the various types of fire alarm systems. Until 2010, building owners needed to have a minimum of one (1) dedicated telephone line called a POTS or Plain Old Telephone System and a second line (2) was required that could be a POTS or cellular line. The original purpose of the code provided for two (2) phone lines to governing communication in the event of a fire or other warning. This was a precautionary redundancy in case of a communications problem. At the time the older code was approved, the phone lines came in from different directions. Currently, both phone lines normally come in from the same phone trunk line, so in reality there is no real redundancy. This system was both cumbersome and expensive costing in most cases $100 dollars per month for these two business services lines.

NFPA 72- 2016

This newly revised code allows for the use of cellular communicators to be the sole means of communications. Businesses are now able to save a significant amount of money each month and while there is an initial installation cost for the new equipment, it won’t take long for most businesses to realize these savings once the equipment is paid for. Additionally, POTS lines are usually checked only once a day as a protocol. Cellular lines and the technology built around them, lets the monitoring center know within five (5) minutes of any failure of the communication path. Technically, the signals are sent using a GSM communicator specifically designed for UL Commercial Fire Alarm installations. This provides overwhelming protection and security for the fire alarm system monitoring and ensures detection if an emergency event occurs. Many customers have switched or are considering switching over to a VOIP or a digital phone system. This is problematic because most existing Fire Alarm Systems aren’t compatible with using VOIP as the communicating device. Those businesses who have already made the conversion have had to keep two (2) POTS lines in order to meet the monitoring requirements of their fire alarm systems.

NFPA and ESI

ESI, Emergency Systems Inc. is a recognized leader in the commercial fire alarm protection field. Since our inception in 1978, ESI has upheld its standards to the strict codes and procedures initiated by the National Fire Protection Association. ESI specializes in all types of security applications from commercial fire alarm and sprinkler systems to advanced access control, CCTV and internal and external property protection monitoring. We do offer commercial grade security applications for high-end residential properties but our business is mainly concentrated in providing security protection for commercial, industrial and warehousing properties. Give us a call at 904-388- 3975 and have one of our security experts evaluate and design the appropriate security system for you….