Fire Alarms are all about public safety. Fire code typically dictates that a fire alarm system is run on its own Class A loop. This means that the fiber optic cable for the fire alarm should only support the fire alarm. It should not share conduits. It should not share the data network back bone, or security system back bone. It is one closed loop that is designated for a fire alarm system. The loop extends between buildings linking them all to one system. This is the preferred design because it ensures the greatest reliability for the fire alarm system.
If your fire alarm system shares a fiber optic cable with other things the risk of problems increases. If, for example, the fire alarm system and the data network share a fiber optic cable, any potential issue affects the performance of both systems. The data network may run poorly and there are public safety issues if the fire alarm system is not running properly. Additionally, any repairs or adjustments to the data network that require splicing, terminations or patching the fiber optic cable could potentially lead to a failure on your fire alarm system. And of course, there is the unexpected – someone needs to dig for another reason and cuts through the underground cabling leaving data and fire alarm networks down. A failure of your fire alarm system is a public safety issue.
When we install cabling for fire alarm systems, we work closely with fire alarm specialists. They – and we – recommend that as a best practice fire alarms should be on a separate, closed-loop fiber optic cable. We often find in older systems the data network and the fire alarm are sharing the same cable.
If your campus is expanding or remodeling, this is an ideal time to evaluate your fire alarm system and your data network. Creating a safe, class A, closed-loop fire alarm system and, on a separate fiber optic cable, separating the data network that will need increasing data speeds in the future and last for several decades are two valuable investments in public safety and the reliability of your campus networks.
If you have any questions or concerns about your fire alarm system contact us. We’d be happy to evaluate your system and make recommendations or just ease your mind that everything is as it should be. It is a matter of safety.
