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 ****************************** What do you need to do when subscriber asks to take fire alarm off-line? August 11, 2022 ****************************** What do you need to do when subscriber asks to take fire alarm off-line? ******************************* Ken A customer has asked that we take their municipal fire alarm connection offline in the morning for some sprinkler work and return later in the day to put the system back online when the work is completed. If the customer is going to provide their own fire watch while the municipal box is offline, are we allowed to accommodate this request? If customer hasn't confirmed it intends to engage fire watch do we need to provide the fire watch or keep tech at premises while off-line, or what? Wayne ***************************** Response ***************************** Great question but I'll need some advice from the fire alarm experts for a better response. A call for test, suspending the fire alarm monitoring response, is not that uncommon. There's a number of reasons to put fire alarm on test, including of course when your tech is there working on or testing the fire alarm. Obviously other work can be going on in the premises that might trigger the fire alarm so the customer asks to suspend monitoring response. Seems to me there three sources to consider for the response: * your Fire All in One * NFPA 72 * local fire department [the AJ] requirements The Fire All in One doesn't have time frame for notifying the subscriber or AHJ of suspension of monitoring service while fire alarm is on test. I think you are supposed to restore service automatically after a number of hours and if you don't you have to notify someone, though not sure it's the AHJ. The Fire All in One does require you to comply with NFPA 72 and also provides that the Monitoring Center monitoring and dispatch policies will be followed, but no detail is specified for those requirements. The Fire All in One does authorize you to notify the AHJ upon termination of service, something the AHJ likely expects or requires. You would also be at liberty to notify any insurance company to whom you have issued a Certificate of Service, a form you can find at www.alarmcontracts.com NFPA 72 does address this. You need to check when and who you are supposed to notify when the monitoring is suspended. Local AHJ requirements in case they differ from NFPA 72. I am confident that it's not your duty to provide fire watch, unless that's something you included in your contract. Better responses are welcome. *************************** To order up to date Standard Form Alarm / Security / Fire and related Agreements click here: www.alarmcontracts.com *************************** 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 ww.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-articles updated daily ******************** THE ALARM EXCHANGE - the alarm industries leading classified and business exchange - updated daily ************************* 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 / Email 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. You can read articles and order alarm contracts on our web site www.alarmcontracts.com ************************** 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
