KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE
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Comments on Surfside FL building collapse / new owner takes over fire alarm
December 11, 2021
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Comments on Surfside FL building collapse from December 4, 2021 article
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Ken
            Florida condo collapse fire alarm. This is just my opinion, not an expert comment. We should look at the fire alarm sensing devices. Heat and smoke. There was no heat or smoke to detect. Dust may have caused device trouble and send "clean me" report but it was no reason to sound fire alarm. The fire alarm did what it was designed for.
            Alarm systems are manufactured to be cost effective and affordable. End users would spend thousands of dollars on new phone, entertainment, Alexa, etc. but hesitate to pay couple of hundreds on security. Technology is getting better with demand for IoT (internet of things) but sensors are still in early stage and not 100% reliable, so implementing extra features into alarm system would just add cost and increase liability. There are big players sinking millions into weather forecast, earthquake detection and prediction, but still no cigar. Animals are better at detecting danger than people, so we use dogs for search and rescue, drug sniffing and help for the disabled.
Dusan
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another comment
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Ken
            Assuming the fire alarm in this building was an addressable system, what was the signal reported by the fire alarm?   Was it a fault, trouble or supervisory condition that most likely would not have sounded the horns to alert the occupants?
Cordially,
Jason Alcock
Wayne Electric & Alarms, Inc.
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another comment
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Ken
           This situation was awful. With respect to to sensors that could detect movement, I suppose an accelerometer could be used or some type of seismic sensor but keep in mind buildings do have some movement and some buildings are designed to move so the calibration of how much  movement would be subjective task on an alarm installer level.

           I'm curious who's opinion it is that any alarm sound would have made a difference?  I would assume some people may have had the opportunity to evacuate in that 7 minute window but how many really would have at 1:15AM with no conformation of an actual fire lacking any other information and if the stress on the building and the tremors the building would have had, common sense would have said get out if they were awake.
           I was in a building that was starting to collapse, noise and movement woke me, common sense told me get out. What caused the fire alarm to activate ? Was it actuated by a fire or from something catastrophic that it was not intended to monitor and If it was not a Fire what duty or reliance was there on the fire alarm, was it water flow o a sprinkler system that activated the alarm? 

Anonymous 
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Response
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            According to the article there was about 7 minutes between the first signal, a "distress signal" [likely a trouble signal] and building collapse.  I doubt any signal would have made much if any difference.  Proper maintenance and inspection would have made a difference,  I hope someone - the elected board or municipal employees who didn't do their job - are held accountable and criminally prosecuted. 
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Comment on new owner takes over fire alarm from December 3, 2021
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Ken
            AFA Protective Systems sees this all the time.  Pretty good advice (although not always practical).  Are you sure you shouldn’t check with the guru (Stu) before handing out this information?
RDK, former CEO, retired
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Response
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            The bottom line advice was get the new owner to sign a new contract or at very least assume the existing fire alarm contract, and do it fast to avoid potential liability. 
            I didn't need to check with any higher authority for that advice, but I am happy you concur.  Thanks as usual for your valuable input.
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Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
200 Garden City Plaza
Garden City, NY 11530
516 747 6700 x 301
ken@kirschenbaumesq.com
www.KirschenbaumEsq.com