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 ****************************** commercial fire with no AHJ requirements; what's exposure / AIN Convention January 16, 2026 ***************************** AIN Convention ***************************** I look forward to seeing the AIN Members at the AIN Buying Group annual Live and Learn Convention starting January 21, 2026 in the Bahamas. If you have time in your Passport meetings please add Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum to your schedule. If more convenient contact Stacy Spector, Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304 for other available times to meet. I'm sure it's going to be a first rate great convention. ***************************** commercial fire with no AHJ requirements; what's exposure for minimal system ***************************** Ken I was curious if you know or could ask the hive mind about this situation. We have a commercial burglary customer that has asked about fire detection, mostly so they would know if something happened. This location is a laundromat that is sometimes unattended. There is no requirement from the AHJ for fire so nothing was installed. I asked another contact about a fire system and he stated that since the minimum is nothing, a panel and some detectors would be ok since that is technically above and beyond the minimum. My question for you, what liability would we have if we used a non listed smoke detector on the burglary system for this purpose? The system and detector are both listed for residential fire, just not commercial. Realistically my preference would be add a fire system and gain more RMR, but I am also curious on the other option. Thank you name withheld *************************** Response *************************** You've asked for response from the fire alarm experts on this forum and hopefully we will hear from them. I suspect that, for the most part, we [meaning all of us] will be surprised to find out that there really isn't any fire code for this commercial establishment; no municipal or state wide code. Let's assume that's true. You are not being asked, or paid for, a fire alarm system. You've been asked to provide and monitor smoke detectors and maybe heat detectors and connect them to the intrusion system panel and presumably put them on a separate zone that you will let the central station know is a fire alarm signal. You need to make it very clear to your customer that you have not installed an acceptable fire alarm system; not per NFPA 72. That disclaimer would be in the contract and it would be in the Disclaimer Notice that you better use for this one. When installing commercial fire you should use the Fire All in One. In this case many of the provisions will highlight the non-compliance with NFPA 72 standards; in fact that is one of the first paragraphs in the agreement. You will be adding to the agreement the disclaimer I mention above. If your customer has signed a Commercial Security Agreement All in One you should be adding the same disclaimers and using the Disclaimer Notice too. If you word the disclaimer and contract disclaimers properly it's likely that your customer will wake up and install a more substantial and compliant fire alarm system with a properly rated panel. ************************* STANDARD FORMS 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 Sign up for emails from our Mail Chimp service: http://eepurl.com/i-Opgw ************************** 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
