Integrating Fire Fighting System with Fire Alarm Panel

Firefighting systems are used to prevent and extinguish fires and minimize the damage caused by fire. Automatic Sprinkler system, Hydrant system, gas based Fire suppression system are some of the fire fighting systems. These systems have built in mechanisms to monitor the air or water pressure in the systems, so that the system will help to extinguish the fire effectively.

Water based fire fighting systems have a pump room and water storage tanks & sumps of required size to store adequate water to fight the fire as per suggested guidelines. Water levels in the tanks, the pressure level in the pipe line and the water flow status in the pipe are to be maintained for effective fire fighting. Basically the Fire Alarm systems will be located in a 24 hours manned fire control Center. Hence the Fire fighting systems are to be integrated with the Fire alarm Panel to monitor any fault in the systems. Eg: low water level in the tanks using level switches and water flow status in the sprinkler pipe line using flow switch can be monitored and any fault in the system can be immediately brought to the notice of the fire command center operator. The Operator can then inform the facility management team and action can be taken quickly.

Similarly the gas based Fire suppression system will have gas cylinders filled with pressurised gas of required volume to extinguish the fire in the protected area. The cylinder pressure status should be monitored by the fire alarm panel through the pressure switch in the cylinder, which will indicate the low pressure due to leakage or damage in the cylinder. Extinguishing gas needs to be discharged immediately after the programmed delay time, so that the fire will be extinguished effectively.  By interfacing the fire alarm monitor module with the pressure switch in the manifold gas discharged status can be updated in the fire alarm Panel.

So it is mandatory to interface the fire fighting systems with fire alarm panel so that any fault in the Fire fighting system can be rectified at the earliest. The integration the fire fighting system with Fire alarm panel is mandated by NBC 2016 Part 4.Cl# 4.9 b as below.

Fire detection and alarm systems in buildings shall be so planned and programmed so as to enable operations of various systems and equipment to facilitate requirements leading to  life  safety,  compartmentation  and  fire protection. These systems and equipment may include electromechanical systems such as air handling units; pressurization systems; smoke management  systems;  creation  of Compartmentation through the release of fire barrier, hold-up fire doors, etc; and monitoring of  fire water  storage  tanks  and  pumps, pressures in hydrant and sprinkler system, etc. These planning and requirements shall be based  on  building  occupancy  and  other requirements on case to case basis.