KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE You can read all of our articles on our website. Having trouble getting our emails? Change your spam controls and whitelist ken@kirschenbaumesq.com ********************** Does Fire Marshall have to be notified prior to termination of commercial fire alarm monitoring May 16, 2023 ************************** Does Fire Marshall have to be notified prior to termination of commercial fire alarm monitoring ************************* Ken: I have a customer, a pizza place that is a tenant in the building that we have been monitoring for 3 years. He paid for a while then quit, telling me to shut it off. We did not since it’s a fire alarm. The owner of the building is not interested at picking up the monitoring. There are other tenants in this strip that we provide fire alarm monitoring to and they too have stopped paying. I have not shut any of them off because I think that i have to notify the fire marshall, the one who we were involved with when we put the fire alarm systems in. Do most states have this rule in place? We are in TN. PM *************************** Response *************************** There are a few guiding principles here, likely leading us to the same answer. You’ve got: * local codes and laws governing commercial fire alarm installation and monitoring which may have adopted NFPA 72 * you’ve got NFPA 72 and UL * custom and practice in the industry and particularly in TN * you should have a Fire All in One in place Anyone or all of these will apply and they all will require that you notify the AHJ if you are terminating fire alarm monitoring. I don’t know if there is any specific time for the notice or manner of notice, but it should be prior to termination of monitoring if possible. Seems like you have separate fire alarm systems [and customers] in the same strip center; just surprised it’s not one fire alarm monitoring the entire building. Anyway, give the Fire Marshall a heads up that monitoring will terminate so he do his follow up. I have heard of a Fire Marshall telling an alarm company that they couldn’t remove their leased fire alarm or terminate monitoring without approval from the AHJ since approval was required to install the system. Not sure I agree with that but maybe others have had interesting experiences; let us know. ********************** STANDARD FORM AGREEMENTS: To order up to date Standard Form Alarm / Security / Fire and related Agreements click here: www.alarmcontracts.com *************************** CONCIERGE LAWYER SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE ALARM INDUSTRY - You can check out the program and sign up here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/concierge or contact our Program Coordinator Stacy Spector, Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304. *********************** ALARM ARTICLES: You can always read our Articles on our website at www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-articles updated daily ************************* THE ALARM EXCHANGE - the alarm industries leading classified and business exchange - updated daily. https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-exchange ************************* Wondering how much your alarm company is worth? Click here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/what-is-my-alarm-company-worth ****************************** Getting on our email list / Articles archived: Many of you are forwarding these emails to friends or asking that others be added to the list. Sign up for our daily newsletter here: Sign Up. ************************** 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