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Comment on How long a telephone line has to be out before a trouble or an alarm sounds from May 8, 2013 article
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Hi Ken,
Thanks again for hosting this valuable forum!
Below is a technical response from George Goral in Honeywell Fire-Lite Alarms Applications Support. George can be reached at firelite.tech@honeywell.com if there are further questions:
Gene Pecora, Director Customer Marketing
Honeywell Fire Systems
Northford, CT
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“How long a telephone line has to be out before a trouble or an alarm sounds” from May 8m 2013 article
Fire Alarm panels and Firelite in particular will display and report a “Trouble “condition rather than an Alarm at the loss of a phone line. The difference being that an Alarm (an active event) will typically sound the Notification devices (horns and strobes) and Fire Trucks will be dispatched, while a Trouble (indication of a problem with the panel or device) will simply be displayed at the panel and reported to Central Station. As to how long it takes before the panel will report this trouble is determined as follows. Firelite panels “supervise” the phone lines for voltage and dial tone every 50 seconds, usually indicated by the “active” LED next to the phone jack lighting briefly. If insufficient voltage is detected (threshold voltage varies by panel approximately 5-7 vdc.) for 3 supervision cycles (approximately 2 minutes) then the panel will display and report a “Telco” fault, or loss of phone line.
George Goral
Honeywell Fire-Lite Alarms Applications Support
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Another Fire Alarm Question
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Ken,
I have inherited a few fire alarm systems installed by other companies with gross code violations.
Is there an error and omissions contract that would cover the liability?
I try to do an in depth inspection and list all of the violations and code references on the first inspection and I suggest that the owner invest in the updates to bring the system up to code. But not all owners are willing to spend the money when they don’t understand the technical aspects of the system.
Gene B.
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Response
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By "errors and omission contract" I thought you meant an insurance contract that you can get to protect you. Your alarm liability insurance policy will cover you for E&O in fire loss cases. However, upon closer reading I see that you are asking if you can have a contract with your subscriber that will protect you from liability when you take over a fire alarm system with "gross code violations".
Tough question. I wish I could say that alarm contracts, even the best ones [which I of course offer to the industry - the Standard Form Contracts] will protect you, but the way you frame the question gives more than moment for pause. Once you take over a system you quickly become responsible for that system to the extent that there is a contract with the subscriber that you either have taken over and assumed or newly entered into. I am tempted to suggest that once you clearly put the subscriber on notice that its fire alarm system has serious deficiencies you are closer to being off the hook, but I don't think that is going to be the case when there are "gross violations".
When confronted with a seriously deficient fire alarm system I think the better course of action is to first notify the subscriber what is needed, then advise the subscriber that you believe it appropriate to notify the AHJ of the deficiencies, and ultimately, assuming the subscriber hasn't dismissed you and replaced you with another alarm co that isn't that particular or diligent, notify the subscriber that you can't continue to provide any service or have any responsibility for that fire alarm system. I suppose you can continue to monitor once you have notified the AHJ of the deficiencies.
Tread carefully. Fire alarm loss exposes you to claims not only from your subscriber but others in the building and surrounding buildings affected by the fire. Note that I said you're exposed to claims, not necessarily liability and damages, which may very well depend upon the facts of each situation. Your involvement with a fire alarm system with "gross code violations" is too risky and it's not likely that the contract benefits outweigh this extraordinary exposure.