The fire protection community has come to see fire detection and alarm systems in a new light. Fire protection engineers, fire officials, and building owners have gained a new appreciation for the cost-effective role that fire-alarm systems play in protecting buildings and their occupants from fires.
Recent technology advances to fire alarms include individual smoke detector sensitivity adjustment, drift compensation, and maintenance-needed indication. Such features reduce the nuisance alarms from these systems and, at the same time, shorten the time it takes alarms to detect actual fires.
The use of these so-called “smart systems” is being extended to buildings of all sizes as fire protection professionals come to understand the benefits they can provide-in small as well as midsize and large buildings. By some estimates, the use of addressable smoke detectors has increased to the point where they now account for more than 50% of the total nonresidential market.
