KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE
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When is fire alarm communication unreliable
January 27,  2025
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When is fire alarm communication unreliable
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Ken,
           A subscriber changed phone vendors to save money and now central station signals sometimes fail.  This is for a NYC Fire Alarm in a hi-rise nursing home and rehab facility, a critical situation.  Many letters and correspondence have gone back and forth, meetings, tests, etc.  We have repeatedly advised that the phone lines are not reliable, that a back-up plan based on the old way FDNY required be implemented (upon any alarm a responsible person must call the FDNY on the phone and a second go to and activate the fire street alarm box). 
      We have proposed and supplied estimates to replace the phone lines with alternate methods; the facility keeps saying the phone vendor has fixed the problem.  The phone vendor has repeatedly made changes, says all is good and closes out the work report.  This has been going on for months.  Sometimes the daily tests and other signals work for a few weeks, then another failed signal.
    The question is, at what point do we consider the lines reliable?  FDNY considers the vendor acceptable; they are an MFVN and approved for fire alarm transmission in NYC.
    What is "reliable", how long without a problem is acceptable to be considered reliable?
Jeff 
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Response
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          What constitutes a reliable phone line or path of communication?  Conversely, and perhaps better considered, what constitutes an unreliable communication pathway?
          I hope the answer does not depend on what a lawyer, even me, or some judge, has to say on the matter.  I’ll be surprised if NFPA hasn’t addressed this question.  I know NFPA has guidelines on when and what to do when the system is on test or not reporting.
          Does anyone have comment on whether NFPA or other NRTL has guidelines on what would be unreliable communication for a fire alarm?
          It’s interesting the detail the NYFD goes with directives when the fire alarm isn’t reporting.  If I am reading your comment above the customer will need to call the fire department and also go out to the street and find a fire alarm pull station.  Seems to me the NYFD would have directive on unreliable communication.
          As between you and the end users it’s important that you notified the customer of the communication problem.  On your next inspection or repair see if you can get the customer to sign a Disclaimer Notice in which you detail the problem and your solution that the customer has declined to accept.  If the customer accepts then the details go into the Fire All in One.
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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