Q: Is there a code that states what is the height a fire fighters phone jack shall be installed and where do I find the reference.

2006 NFPA 72 Chapter 7

7.8.2 Telephone Appliances.

7.8.2.1 Telephone appliances shall be in accordance with IEA Tr 41.3. Telephones.

7.8.2.2 Wall-mounted telephone appliances or related jacks shall be not less than 910 mm (36 in.) and not more than 1680 mm (66 in.) above floor level with clear access to the appliance that is at least 760 mm (30 in.) wide.

7.8.2.3 If accessible to the general public, one telephone appliance per location shall be not more than 1220 mm (48 in.) above floor level.

New Montgomery County code requirements. Click here for a PDF of the codes

As of May 22, 2007 Arlington County will enforce a minimum of 7' to the bottom of strobes in parking garages.

New D.C. Construction codes:
We have a 30 day period that ends 5-25-08 to comment on the new DC codes.

The proposed DC Construction Codes (as reviewed and modified by DCRA) were published in the DC Register on April 25, 2008. You can view/download them at DC's website: http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/os/section/2/release/13240 This publication is for a 30-day public comment period, after which DCRA will consider and act on comments as it sees fit - and then officially submit the package to DC Council for final vote.  Apparently, unlike past cycles, DCRA has made technical changes to the document prepared by the Building Code Advisory Committee (in which DCRA participates).  So the Committee members still need to look over the document and see if there are any major changes. In any case, you will see some of the changes that we made relative to fire alarm issues - for example: clarifying annunciator requirements, eliminating special conduit requirements, and eliminating the exterior waterflow bell when the system is monitored.  There's also a new one about tapping old 120 VAC fire alarm systems ahead of the main. Please feel free to share this info with the AFAA members.  As the document gets finalized, we can help with additional information. If you have any questions, let me know.

Information from the March 2008 meeting on Mass Notification Mass Notification NFPA 72-2007 and Beyond! ( Power Point Presentation 2.9MB)

Information regarding new inspection requirement for Montgomery County. Click this link to see the document ( Adobe Acrobat PDF file 121K ).

Information regarding DC Firewatch. Click this link to see the document ( Adobe Acrobat PDF file 105K ).

Information presented at the AFAA General Meeting Dec 14th, 2006. Click this link to see the document ( Adobe Acrobat PDF file 24K ).

Presenter : David J. Thomas, MSCE, P.E., Fairfax County Fire Prevention Division

Agenda:

A. Devices in Underground Parking Garages (weatherproof?)

B. Fire Alarm Retrofit Installations

C. Elevator Fire Alarm Devices.

Montgomery County requirements for audio visual devices in open and underground parking areas ( in adobe PDF format ).

More information from Montgomer County on audio visual devices in open and underground parking areas :

It was decided that building permits with an application date after June 1, 2006 must meet the temperature and humidity requirements for strobes as specified in NFPA.

What's happening at NICET: (24 May 2006):

At the AFAA General May 2006 Meeting NICET Presented a Power Point Presention.

Click this link to see the presentation ( it is about 3.53 MB ).

For people who do not have Microsoft Power Point. This is a link to Microsoft's Power Point Viewer it will view PPT files versions 97 - 2003.

An AFAA member writes (13 October 2004):What is the maximum amount of current allowed on a Notification Appliance Circuit? Most power supplies limit the available output to 2.5 or 3 amps. We have discussed this issue today, and though several people are absolutely sure there is a 3 amp limit on Power Limited cables, no one is able to recall where that information came from.

Previous Questions (and Answers):

Q: Most fire alarms systems manufacturers list the notification appliance circuits for intelligent systems as power limited. This is not so if the circuit is protected by a fuse, do you agree?

• An Excerpt from NFPA-70, N.E.C., 1999 edition, Chapter 9, has been submitted as an answer to this NAC question: For listing purposes, Tables 12(a) and 12(b) provide the required power source limitations for power-limited fire alarm sources. Table 12(a) applies for alternating-current sources, and Table 12(b) applies for direct-current sources. The power for power-limited fire alarm circuits shall be either (1) inherently limited, requiring no overcurrent protection, or (2) not inherently limited, requiring the power to be limited by a combination of power source and overcurrent protection. As part of the listing, the PLFA power source shall be durably marked where plainly visible to indicate that it is a power-limited fire alarm power source.

• The overcurrent device, where required, shall be located at the point where the conductor to be protected receives its supply and shall not be interchangeable with devices of higher ratings. The overcurrent device shall be permitted as an integral part of the power source.

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Q: Is it necessary to highlight fire alarm devices for submission to DCRA?

• “Highlighting of fire alarm devices on submitted floor plans is not required if fire alarm devices are the only devices shown.”
• Click here to view/download the letter written to DCRA and their response.

County Codes summary

• Please email Dan Deckert if you have any answers to the blank spots in the chart.

Proposed 2002 Changes to NFPA 72

DCRA NICET Statement examples

Effective immediately in Arlington County, all requests for acceptance testing of all fire protection systems (including fire alarm, sprinkler and special hazard systems) must now be scheduled through Kelly brown at Arlington County. You can schedule requests by emailing her at kbrown2@co.arlington.va.us, by calling her at 703-228-3840 or by faxing her at 703-228-7046. Please include the FPS permit number, the exact street address and the exact list of equipment to be tested when you contact her to schedule a test.

Link to the MD State Rehab Code Handbook

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Ionization Smoke Detector vs. Photoelectric Smoke Detector Use

• Proper selection of a type of detector begins with an understanding of the operating principles of each type of detector. NFPA-72 1999, Nationla Fire Alarm Code, describes the operating principles of both ionization and photoelectric light scattering spot-type detectors in chapter 1, section 1-4, "Definitions". These detectors are further expanded in Appendix A to give more information to the user.
• In an ionization smoke detector, "a small amount of radioactive material is used to ionize the air between two differently charged electrodes to sense the presence of particles. Smoke particles entering the ionization volume decrease the conductance of the air by reducing the ion mobility. The reduced conductance signal is processed and used to convey an alarm condition when it meets preset criteria."
• The Appendix further explains that photoelectric light-scattering detectors respond more to visible particles, larger than one micron in size, produced by most smoldering fires. The respond somewhat less to the smaller particles typically produced by flaming fires. They also respond less to fires yielding black or darker smokes, such as fires involving plastics and rubber tires.
• Ionization detectors tend to exhibit somewhat opposite characteristics. In a fire yielding "invisible" particles of a size less than one micron, an ionization detecto will more likely respond than will a photoelectric light-scattering detector. Particles of this size tend to more readily result from flaming fires. Fuel in flaming fires burn "cleaner", producing smaller particles.
• Thus, the answer to whether you should choose one type of detector over another lies in understanding the burning characteristics of the particular fuel. An ionization smoke detector will likely detect a fire more quickly that produces flaming combustion. A photoelectric-type detector will likely detect a low energy fire more quickly that produces larger particles during combustion.
• Finally, keep in mind that both types of smoke detectors successfully pass the same battery of tests at the nationally recognized testing laboratories. For example, UL Listed ionization smike detectors and UL Listed photoelectric smoke detectors pass the same tests under UL 268, Standards for Safety for Smoke Detectors for Fire Protective Signaling Systems.

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