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definitions index
ALARM
NOTIFICATION APPLIANCE.
A fire alarm system
component such as a bell, horn, speaker, light or text display
that provides audible, tactile or visible outputs, or any
combination thereof.
ALARM
SIGNAL. A
signal indicating an emergency requiring immediate action,
such as a signal indicative of fire.
ALARM
VERIFICATION FEATURE.
A
feature of automatic fire detection and alarm systems to reduce
unwanted alarms wherein smoke detectors report alarm conditions
for a minimum period of time, or confirm alarm conditions
within a given time period, after being automatically reset,
in order to be accepted as a valid alarm-initiation signal.
ANNUNCIATOR.
A unit containing
one or more indicator lamps, alphanumeric displays or other
equivalent means in which each indication provides status
information about a circuit, condition or location.
AUDIBLE
ALARM NOTIFICATION APPLIANCE.
A notification appliance that alerts by the sense of hearing.
AUTOMATIC.
As applied to fire
protection devices, is a device or system providing an emergency
function without the necessity for human intervention and
activated as a result of a predetermined temperature rise,
rate of temperature rise or combustion products.
AUTOMATIC
FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.
An
approved system of devices and equipment which automatically
detects a fire and discharges an approved fire-extinguishing
agent onto or in the area of a fire.
AUTOMATIC
SPRINKLER SYSTEM. A
sprinkler system, for fire protection purposes, is an integrated
system of underground and overhead piping designed in accordance
with fire protection engineering standards. The system includes
a suitable water supply. The portion of the system above the
ground is a network of specially sized or hydraulically designed
piping installed in a structure or area, generally overhead,
and to which automatic sprinklers are connected in a systematic
pattern. The system is usually activated by heat from a fire
and discharges water over the fire area.
AVERAGE
AMBIENT SOUND LEVEL.
The
root mean square, A-weighted sound pressure level measured
over a 24-hour period.
CARBON
DIOXIDE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS.
A
system supplying carbon dioxide (CO2) from a pressurized vessel
through fixed pipes and nozzles. The system includes a manual-
or automatic-actuating mechanism.
CEILING
LIMIT. The maximum
concentration of an air-borne contaminant to which one may
be exposed, as published in DOL 29 CFR Part 1910.1000.
CLEAN
AGENT. Electrically
nonconducting, volatile or gaseous fire extinguishant that
does not leave a residue upon evaporation.
CONSTANTLY
ATTENDED LOCATION. A
designated location at a facility staffed by trained personnel
on a continuous basis where alarm or supervisory signals are
monitored and facilities are provided for notification of
the fire department or other emergency services.
DELUGE
SYSTEM. A sprinkler
system employing open sprinklers attached to a piping system
connected to a water supply through a valve that is opened
by the operation of a detection system installed in the same
areas as the sprinklers. When this valve opens, water flows
into the piping system and discharges from all sprinklers
attached thereto.
DETECTOR,
HEAT. A fire detector
that senses heat produced by burning substances. Heat is the
energy produced by combustion that causes substances to rise
in temperature.
DRY-CHEMICAL
EXTINGUISHING AGENT.
A
powder composed of small particles, usually of sodium bicarbonate,
potassium bicarbonate, urea-potassium-based bicarbonate, potassium
chloride or monoammonium phosphate, with added particulate
material supplemented by special treatment to provide resistance
to packing, resistance to moisture absorption (caking) and
the proper flow capabilities.
EMERGENCY
ALARM SYSTEM. A system
to provide indication and warning of emergency situations
involving hazardous materials.
EMERGENCY
VOICE/ALARM COMMUNICATIONS.
Dedicated
manual or automatic facilities for originating and distributing
voice instructions, as well as alert and evacuation signals
pertaining to a fire emergency, to the occupants of a building.
EXPLOSION.
An effect produced
by the sudden violent expansion of gases, that is accompanied
by a shock wave or disruption of enclosing materials or structures,
or both.
FIRE ALARM
BOX, MANUAL. See
“Manual Fire Alarm Box.”
FIRE ALARM
CONTROL UNIT. A system
component that receives inputs from automatic and manual fire
alarm devices and is capable of supplying power to detection
devices and transponder(s) or off-premises transmitter(s).
The control unit is capable of providing a transfer of power
to the notification appliances and transfer of condition to
relays or devices.
FIRE ALARM
SIGNAL. A signal
initiated by a fire alarm-initiating device such as a manual
fire alarm box, automatic fire detector, water flow switch,
or other device whose activation is indicative of the presence
of a fire or fire signature.
FIRE ALARM
SYSTEM. A system
or portion of a combination system consisting of components
and circuits arranged to monitor and annunciate the status
of fire alarm or supervisory signal-initiating devices and
to initiate the appropriate response to those signals.
FIRE COMMAND
CENTER. The principal
attended or unattended location where the status of detection,
alarm communications and control systems is displayed, and
from which the system(s) can be manually controlled.
FIRE DETECTOR,
AUTOMATIC. A device
designed to detect the presence of a fire signature and to
initiate action.
FIRE PROTECTION
SYSTEM. Approved
devices, equipment and systems or combinations of systems
used to detect a fire, activate an alarm, extinguish or control
a fire, control or manage smoke and products of a fire or
any combination thereof.
FIRE SAFETY
FUNCTIONS. Building
and fire control functions that are intended to increase the
level of life safety for occupants or to control the spread
of harmful effects of fire.
FOAM-EXTINGUISHING
SYSTEM. A special
system discharging a foam made from concentrates, either mechanically
or chemically, over the area to be protected.
HALOGENATED
EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.
A
fire-extinguishing system using one or more atoms of an element
from the halogen chemical series: fluorine, chlorine, bromine
and iodine.
INITIATING
DEVICE. A system
component that originates transmission of a change-of-state
condition, such as in a smoke detector, manual fire alarm
box or supervisory switch.
LISTED.
Equipment,
materials or services included in a list published by an organization
acceptable to the building official and concerned with evaluation
of products or services that maintains periodic inspection
of production of listed equipment or materials or periodic
evaluation of services and whose listing states either that
the equipment, material or service.
MANUAL FIRE ALARM BOX. A manually
operated device used to initiate
an alarm signal.
MULTIPLE-STATION ALARM DEVICE. Two or
more single-station alarm devices that are capable of
interconnection such that
actuation of one causes all integral or separate
audible alarms to operate. It also can consist of one
single-station alarm device having
connections to other detectors or to a
manual fire alarm box.
MULTIPLE-STATION
SMOKE ALARM. Two or more
single-station alarm devices that are capable of
interconnection such that
actuation of one causes all integral or separate audible
alarms to operate.
NUISANCE ALARM. An alarm caused by
mechanical failure, malfunction,
improper installation or lack of proper
maintenance, or an alarm activated by a cause that
cannot be determined.
RECORD DRAWINGS. Drawings (“as builts”)
that document the location of all
devices, appliances, wiring
sequences, wiring methods and connections of the components
of a fire alarm system as installed.
SINGLE-STATION SMOKE ALARM. An assembly
incorporating the detector, the control equipment and
the alarm-sounding device in one
unit, operated from a power supply
either in the unit or obtained at the point of installation.
SMOKE ALARM. A single- or
multiple-station alarm responsive
to smoke and not connected to a system.
SMOKE DETECTOR. A listed device that
senses visible or invisible
particles of combustion.
SMOKE PROOF
ENCLOSURE. An exit stairway designed
and constructed so that the movement of the products
of combustion produced by a fire
occurring in any part of the building
into the enclosure is limited.
STANDPIPE SYSTEM, CLASSES.
An
arrangement of vertical piping
located in exit stairways that allows
fire-fighting personnel to connect hand-carried hoses
at each level to manually extinguish fires. Section
905 and NFPA 14 recognize three
different classes of standpipe
systems.
Class I
system. A system providing 2
1/2-inch
(64 mm) hose connections
to supply water for use by fire departments and
those trained in handling heavy fire streams.
Class II
system. A system providing 1
1/2-inch
(38 mm) hose stations to
supply water for use primarily by the building
occupants or by the fire department during
initial response.
Class III
system. A system providing 1
1/2-inch
(38 mm) hose stations to
supply water for use by building occupants
and 2.5-inch (64 mm) hose connections to
supply a larger volume of
water for use by fire departments and those
trained in handling heavy fire streams.
STANDPIPE SYSTEMS,
TYPES.
Section 905
recognizes five types of standpipe systems.
The use of each type of system depends on specific
occupancy conditions and the presence of an automatic
sprinkler system.
type i, Automatic dry.
A dry standpipe system, normally filled
with pressurized air, that is arranged
through the use of a
device, such as dry pipe valve, to admit water into
the system piping
automatically upon the opening of a hose valve.
The water supply for an automatic dry
standpipe system shall be
capable of supplying the system demand.
type ii, Automatic
wet.
A wet standpipe system that has a
water supply that is
capable of supplying the system demand
automatically.
type iii, Manual
dry.
A dry standpipe system that does not
have a permanent water
supply attached to the system. Manual dry
standpipe systems require water from a fire
department pumper to be
pumped into the system through the fire
department connection in order to meet the
system demand.
type iv, Manual
wet.
A wet standpipe system connected to
a water supply for the
purpose of maintaining water within the system
but does not have a water supply capable of
delivering the system
demand attached to the system. Manual-wet
standpipe systems require water from a fire
department pumper (or the
like) to be pumped into the system in order to
meet the system demand.
type v, Semiautomatic dry.
A dry standpipe system
that is arranged through
the use of a device, such as a deluge valve,
to admit water into the system piping upon
activation of a remote
control device located at a hose connection. A
remote control activation device shall be
provided at each hose
connection. The water supply for a semiautomatic dry
standpipe system shall be capable of
supplying the system
demand.
SUPERVISING STATION. A facility that
receives signals and at which
personnel are in attendance at all times to
respond to these signals.
SUPERVISORY SERVICE.
The service
required to monitor performance of
guard tours and the operative condition
of fixed suppression systems or other systems for the
protection of life and property.
SUPERVISORY SIGNAL.
A signal indicating
the need of action in connection
with the supervision of guard tours, the
fire suppression systems or equipment or the
maintenance features of related
systems.
SUPERVISORY SIGNAL-INITIATING DEVICE.
An
initiation device, such as a valve supervisory
switch, water-level indicator or
low-air pressure switch on a dry-pipe
sprinkler system, whose change of state signals an
off-normal condition and its
restoration to normal of a fire protection or
life safety system, or a need for action in
connection with guard tours, fire
suppression systems or equipment or maintenance
features of related systems.
TIRES, BULK
STORAGE OF. a
storage space that is larger than
what would be found in most typical mercantile
and storage occupancies.
Storage of tires where the
area available for storage exceeds 20,000 cubic feet (566m3).
TROUBLE SIGNAL. A signal initiated by
the fire alarm system or device
indicative of a fault in a monitored circuit or
component.
VISIBLE ALARM NOTIFICATION APPLIANCE. A
notification appliance that alerts by the sense of
sight.
WET-CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM. A
solution of water and potassium-carbonate-based
chemical, potassium-acetate-based
chemical or a combination thereof,
forming an extinguishing agent.
WIRELESS PROTECTION SYSTEM. A system or
a part of a system that can
transmit and receive signals without
the aid of wire.
ZONE. A defined area within the
protected premises. A zone can
define an area from which a signal can be received, an
area to which a signal can be sent or an area in
which a form of control can be
executed.
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