Exploring Our Expertise

Fire alarms are designed to notify occupants of a fire, giving them time to evacuate. Mass notification systems, on the other hand, communicate information about a variety of emergencies, not just fires. Both systems are governed by codes such as Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 4-021-01 and NFPA 72, which ensures their effectiveness in protecting lives. Our detailed reviews aim to empower engineers in assessing these critical systems for compliance, functionality, and precision in their calculations.

Have you ever experienced vendor submittals that required multiple field changes due to inaccurate calculations? Through our 3rd party fire alarm or mass notification plan reviews, we will help you ensure that once your approved submittals are returned, your system will function as designed.

Here are only a few of the most common errors we find consistently:

  • Inaccurate device current draws (i.e. those used in calculation do not match datasheets)

  • Incorrect current limits used for output circuits (i.e. a panel NAC output may be limited to 3A, while booster output may be limited to 2A).

  • Insufficient amplifier quantity to support audio needs.

  • Mismatched device draws on the same circuit (e.g. a 15 cd ceiling strobe that draws 60ma and a 15cd explosion-proof strobe drawing 130ma - both using the same value).

  • Incorrect standby and alarm time requirements - particularly with DOD projects.

  • “Copy/Paste” type errors, usually resulting in distance and voltage drop inaccuracies.