Resetting Automatic Fire Alarm Systems

[Medic5274 45]

I am searching for information concerning the resetting of fire alarm systems by the fire department. Do any departments have a policy about resetting or not resetting an alarm system after they have checked and determined the reason for the alarm activation.

Is there a liability issue one way or another concerning resetting the alarm? Should the department take the responsibility or should the homeowner or buisness owner reset their alarm? My department generally helps the owner reset the alarm but we don't have a real policy concerning the issue.

Edited August 14, 2012 by Medic5274

[capt2102 64]

Good question. My job has no policy. I will always first assist the occupant in resetting, if that is not possible then I'll have my aid do it. You can't get into too much trouble with an alarm system, and I would hate to explain why we did NOTHING and later that nite there was a fire and no alarms went off. Electric; gas line and water pipes are a different issue. I NEVER turn them back on once shut off, too many things can go wrong. Call Con-Ed, United Water or an electrician. Stay safe.

[antiquefirelt 994]

We reset alarms but always require an RP to respond and "re-take possession" of the building and assume responsibility for securing the property. We have found that unless a facility has a 24/7 trained maintenance/security staff, most other employees no very little about the alarm systems, and showing them how to silence and reset alarms only leads to problems (resetting or silencing alarms prior to FD arrival). Any time a detector, device or zone must be deactivated to effect a reset we require the RP contact the alarm company and ensure a technician is responding. While we typically have far more knowledge of fire alarm systems in general than most occupants/employees, the technology and systems outpace training all officers to be up to date at all times. Our policy is based on our desire to keep the systems up and running as much as possible with as little difficulty to the owner/RP so that they remain committed to maintaining them and understanding their value. While a significant portion of these systems are required by code, many still are not and causing too much heartache could result in no0n-required systems being discontinued. Being able to silence and rest alarms quickly upon determining their cause also helps residents/occupants understand and trust the systems.

[fire 1 asst chief 49]

My former dep't had a policy that we did not reset alarm systems.

The law dep't stated that the fire dep't would be liable once it reset the system should the system malfunction.

[DaRock98 76]

My former dep't had a policy that we did not reset alarm systems.

The law dep't stated that the fire dep't would be liable once it reset the system should the system malfunction.

Can you post that law here?

We have no written policy on resetting the alarm but as long as there is no password required to reset we will do it before we clear the scene if the building is unoccupied.

[sueg 77]

If we have found the problem and resolved it, or found no problem and investigation determines it is just a malfunction or an accidental set-off, we will try to reset the alarm system for businesses, the school or homes. Sometimes for homes, we let the homeowner reset it themselves or have them contact the alarm company if there is a problem with the system. If we cannot reset it for some reason - due to a continuing malfunction or something similar - we will try again, then if we have to we silence the audible and leave the system in alarm, but notify the fire marshall and have the key holder contact the alarm company to have them come and resolve the problem as soon as possible, especially for schools and businesses.

If there is no key holder and there is no visible reason to gain entry on an outside walk-around and thermal camera search, we notify Dispatch to tell the alarm company (if there is one) the alarm sounded but there was no reason to force entry and no problem seen, and if it is an alarm with no company attachment, try to leave the same message for the key holder so they can have it reset, and then we can leave.

I would imagine there would be far more liability for not trying to reset it and just walking away than for resetting it and leaving the place with some form of protection...

Antiquefirelt - is a RP similar to a Fire Marshall, or is a RP a totally different entity with different responsibilities?

Edited August 15, 2012 by sueg

[JM15 386]

Responsible Party for RP?

[fire 1 asst chief 49]

Can you post that law here?

We have no written policy on resetting the alarm but as long as there is no password required to reset we will do it before we clear the scene if the building is unoccupied.

Since I am retired I do not have access to that info.

Check with the law dep't/counsel of your municipality and get their opinion.

[antiquefirelt 994]

Antiquefirelt - is a RP similar to a Fire Marshall, or is a RP a totally different entity with different responsibilities?

As noted above, RP stands for Responsible Party up this way. Our dispatch center maintains lists of all alarmed buildings and the RP's for each. Our fire alarm ordinance requires each building/occupancy owner report any fire alarm system that reports to 911 by any means, detailing the system, and a list of RP's with a 10 minute of less response time (or Knox Box and 20 minutes) and some other information. We often have to call multiple RP's to ensure one responds, as we require one responds everytime or the owner may be fined. While it's caused some heartburn over the years with a few owners, it's not really been too often we've not been able to get someone to come.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

In Wallingford, CT we have a policy prohibiting us from resetting fire alarm systems.

[antiquefirelt 994]

In Wallingford, CT we have a policy prohibiting us from resetting fire alarm systems.

I've heard of many places having these policies, do you have issues from it? I mean are there times the building personnel cannot readily reset the system and what happens? Does the FD leave the premises before ensuring the system is activated again? As i said, we've found many levels of competence (from totally incompetent to fire alarm masters) in dealing with owners/occupants/employees/personnel thus we seem to reset more often than letting them, unless they are proficient.

I'm not questioning other people's/state's/cities policies, but I'm trying to understand the liability of performing the reset? In my mind, leaving a property where we (by being the AHJ) required an alarm system, without ensuring the system is active seems to carry some liability, unless they maintain an approved fire watch or remain evacuated. As I said above, when we perform a reset if it doesn't restore properly we require a service technician respond and/or detail exactly the parameters of continues building use without a full system activation. The parameters range from total evacuation until correction, an approved fire watch with times/checklists or other as determined by the perceived hazard to life.

[STAT213 332]

Odd. Here in NH, by law, property owners are not allowed to touch their own FA systems unless they are a listed agent. We do all the resets on these systems.

I don't see how you'd want to take on the liability of leaving a building with no protection as opposed to resetting the system.

[Rescue97 6]

That’s a good question. We normally investigate then reset and hold off on scene for about 5, 10 minutes to see if it holds. We never turn off a specific head or loops. If it’s a dorm type dwelling or commercial building we order a fire watch and the alarm company puts the panel into walk mode if the problem keeps accoring.

[jack10562 414]

In my opinion no fire department should ever "reset" an activated fire/smoke/water-flow alarm condition, commercial, residential, or otherwise. It should be entirely the responsibility of the property/system owner to have the system restored to proper function, and only by someone who is competent in doing so. There is entirely too much liability.

This is not to say that there aren't knowledgeable fire department personnel who may in fact be familiar with a particular system or control panel, but God forbid something goes wrong afterward, the onus invariably falls on "who was the last person to touch it?".

I would not want to be that person.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I think that Jack nailed it on the head, from our town's perspective anyway.

I see both sides of it, but for the CYA factor I'm kind of glad we have the policy.

[antiquefirelt 994]

In my opinion no fire department should ever "reset" an activated fire/smoke/water-flow alarm condition, commercial, residential, or otherwise. It should be entirely the responsibility of the property/system owner to have the system restored to proper function, and only by someone who is competent in doing so. There is entirely too much liability.

This is not to say that there aren't knowledgeable fire department personnel who may in fact be familiar with a particular system or control panel, but God forbid something goes wrong afterward, the onus invariably falls on "who was the last person to touch it?".

I would not want to be that person.

Interesting theory. I get the last one to touch it, but then we seem to do a whole lot of that in the various incidents we run on. In my mind, there's very little to go wrong with resetting alarms once they've been thoroughly investigated. 99% of the time it involves no more than pushing RESET and entering a code. The system does everything else. It's hard to imagine causing a problem.

Maybe it's a different breed of people or lack of more rules, but we too often seem to find the people who are responsible for the building are the lowest employee on the totem pole or a building tenant who's agreed to respond. Again too often these people have not been granted the authority to make decisions that cost the owner money, thus asking them to call out a fire alarm technician or sprinkler contractor takes far longer as they try and get a hold of the owner. It's a large responsibility to investigate and with authority declare an alarm in a large elderly housing project to be false, allow or effect a reset and leave. There's times when a cause for an activation is not found, and we have to chalk it up to moisture/humidity, dust/dirty or other. Too me the declaration that it's safe to reset the alarm and allow occupants to return is far more a liability issue than the simple task of pushing Reset, one, two, three, four, Enter( yes that's the actual code for many buildings. Real imaginative.)

Again, in buildings that have trained staff we allow them to do their jobs, but 90% of our systems are in smaller businesses, multiple occupancy buildings, light industrial or non-high rise apartment buildings, and none have paid 24/7 security or maintenance staff.

Edited August 15, 2012 by antiquefirelt

[wraftery 1,275]

We face liability in everything we do. Why don't man-up on auto alarms, reset the alarm system and advise the RP as you say.

There's Liability if we stay and wait for the RP, Liability if we reset and leave.

The Gamewell box system hit the streets in the late 18oo's, and FireMEN have been resetting systems ever since until you and your city attorney got a brainstorm that a no touch policy will get you off the iability hook.

Wrong! If anything happens, and I do mean anything, somebody might wind up suing you. If you are right of wrong, it is still going to cost you money. And your city attorney? He is often in his position because he was unable to start or buy into his own practice. In a couple of years he will save enough money to go into private practice and will "jump the fence." He will be the one suing you and taking your money.

Maybe we should stop calling ourselves "The Bravest."