Unmonitored Fire Alarm / Subscriber owned Fire Alarm, DACT owned by alarm co December 1, 2025

KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
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Unmonitored Fire Alarm / Subscriber owned Fire Alarm, DACT owned by alarm co
December 1,  2025

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Unmonitored Fire Alarm / Subscriber owned Fire Alarm, DACT owned by alarm co / from article on November 24, 2025
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Ken,
   Fire Alarm Control Panels are capable of being fully functional without monitoring.
   I wholly support your assertion that the alarm vendor should not “cause harm” by shutting down an operating system. That would open up a huge liability I’m sure.
   Many FACPs out in the field are still being monitored via a simple 3-input dialer. That means the FACP itself doesn’t “know” it is being monitored (and therefore wouldn’t signal a trouble if the wires got cut) but they simply articulate a relay on ALARM, TROUBLE or SUPERVISORY. The dialer senses a closure on the circuit and dials the monitoring service to report that single input activation.
   I join the Fire Marshals in my personal dislike for this type of communication protocol, because the lack of information to the responding emergency services personnel means that the firefighters have no information other than an alarm at the address. We all prefer zone identification of the alarm so that the specific area experiencing a fire event may be identified at the moment of dispatch.
   In Texas, there is a system of AHJ notification for discontinuance of REQUIRED monitoring on systems such as on fire sprinklers. As I write this today, I believe that all fire sprinkler systems in Texas are required to be monitored. I would research this in greater detail before I opine about all other fire alarm systems. (To date, I haven’t served as an expert on a case where this topic was in question.)
   At any rate, where code exists, either city, county, or state, and the system doesn’t comply with that code, then in Texas, a YELLOW TAG would be applied to the front of the FACP, and the appropriate, required written and verbal notifications would be made to both the building owner/occupant as well as the local AHJ.
   The idea of leaving the panel in TROUBLE when the dialer is removed or deprogrammed would, in my opinion, be dependent upon the requirements for monitoring by the local AHJ. In cases of a “local only” fire alarm, then it should remain silent and normal.
   If the local code requires that the fire alarm be monitored, then I would be very much in favor of leaving the FACP in trouble. This would cause the beeping to resume and have to be silenced by the former subscriber approximately every 24 hours, and cause said subscriber to read upon the display “Fail To Communicate” and/or “Line One Fault”. And tag it. The system would be fully operational, but also tell everyone concerned that the monitoring function has been compromised. And leave your company phone number in the display so they’ll pay their bill and come back to you.
Lloyd Young, LPI, APS
Licensed Professional Investigator
Alarm Planning Superintendent
713-899-3922
SECURAC, Incorporated
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Response

   Thank you for sharing your expertise. You should be offering your expert fire alarm services on The Alarm Exchange under the category Technical Support.
   Too many of you are unfamiliar with the fire alarm regulations in your jurisdiction. Either learn them or get expert guidance. That goes for everywhere, not just Texas. I know that some jurisdictions have little or no oversight by the fire department, fire marshals or even the building department. Just be sure that's the case, and if it is then default to NFPA standards or UL standards if there are any covering your equipment, system and services.
   Also be sure to use the Fire All in One and make sure you do not check the System to Code box unless you know the system is to code, and that should mean [and the experts should correct me if it's not the case] that an AHJ has approved plans, issued a permit, inspected and approved the system and the building department issued a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion. In NYC a Terminal Number would be assigned to the monitored fire alarm account.
   Be careful with all the life safety equipment and services you perform; the warning is not limited to fire alarms. For every system you install there are attorneys waiting to come after you. How's that to start your week?

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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