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 white list ken@kirschenbaumesq.com ****************************** Still more on fire alarm and Surfside FL building collapse December 14, 2021 ************************* Still more on fire alarm and Surfside FL building collapse from December 4, 2021 ************************* Ken Re: in Surfside building collapse: Don’t know if it was established if any fire alarms actually activated or not but I would imagine if sections of the building started to come down and disintegrate then probably supervisory circuits within the fire alarm were severed and caused a trouble condition to possibly be reported to the central station. Generally with trouble conditions they don’t activate NAC circuits to alert occupants of a specific condition. The other possibility would be that fire sprinkler lines were severed and in that respect water would flow and typically cause Fire alarm annunciation to activate. I don’t know the full history or what information was reported to the central station and I guess in that respect it would probably be a place to start. Does anyone know exactly what conditions were reported to the central station? Even if the fire alarm had activated who’s to say if NAC circuits weren’t so severely impacted and damaged that they couldn’t do what they were designed to do given the fluid conditions in this tragic circumstance. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families left behind and the people lost in this unfortunate and terrible situation. Danny P. Security 1 ************************* Ken I was not aware a fire alarm system was supposed to activate when the building collapsed ----I'm pretty sure the central station may have received a trouble signal which would have been a phone call to the management of the building ---by the way what is a distress signal from the fire alarm control panel? Hank Luks, f.a.s.t. ************************* Ken He should specify what the distress signal was for? Ground fault, troubles, or fire alarm signal. Anon ************************** Response ************************** As previously mentioned, it's doubtful the fire alarm has any role in this terrible tragedy. Hopefully Jeff Zwirn will let us know what he figures out. ******************************** more comments ******************************** Ken This was a horrible tragedy but I personally think that any mention of a fire alarm failure in this situation is a terrible precedent. Was there a fire? I have not heard that there was. It is a fire alarm system, not a building collapse warning system. A fire alarm distress signal sounds to me as a trouble signal, such as a low battery or some type of smoke detector trouble, maybe from dust and debris. To rely in any way, shape or form on a fire alarm system to convey a building failure such as what happened on that night in my opinion is ridiculous. Megan Lohmiller Philadelphia Detection Systems Inc. ************** Ken Yes, there are stress detectors available. In hindsight, it would have been just the devices needed. Zeke **************** Ken He should add ambulance chaser to the letters after his name anon ********************** Response ********************** So there are "stress" detectors and that undoubtedly will be found to have been useful here, not the fire alarm. Expect new code requirements for stress detectors, if they aren't already in place. ********************** 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
