Positive Alarm Sequence
Positive fire alarm sequence was included in the NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and
Signaling Code, in the 1980s. It provides an alarm delay of up to 180 seconds if trained
personnel acknowledge the alarm at the control panel within 15 seconds. This action provides
the responding personnel time to investigate an alarm before evacuating a building.
This delay is only permitted for automatic detection devices. If a second automatic fire
detection device is actuated during the 180-second investigation phase, all normal building and
remote signals shall be automatically activated. This is very common in large assembly
occupancies where positive alarm sequence is used to reduce the number of unwanted or
nuisance alarms. Evacuation of thousands of occupants, for instance, during a major spectator
event is highly undesirable if caused by a nuisance alarm.
Use of a positive alarm sequence in a fire alarm and detection system increases the importance
of properly designing occupant notification systems in assembly occupancies. NFPA 72 places
responsibility for acceptance of positive alarm sequence on the Authority Having Jurisdiction
(AHJ), and does not provide specific guidance as to when it should be used.
Use of positive alarm sequence may be approved on a case-by-case basis for hotels and large
assembly occupancies where significant impact may result from activation of the building
alarm. The impacts may include, but are not limited to, potential injury to occupants during a
large-scale evacuation and/or significant disruption to an event.
Buildings or structures where positive alarm sequence may be considered must have the
premises protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler system, and the fire alarm panel must
be constantly attended (24/7) by dedicated, trained emergency personnel (this may or may not
include high-rise buildings). The objective of dedicated personnel on duty is to routinely
investigate alarms anywhere in the building within 180 seconds of alarm activation. Also, the
staff must be trained to a level of competency in the operation of evacuation procedures.
When considering the use of positive alarm sequence, the fire alarm system must be an
addressable system. Automatic detectors (heat or smoke) are the only devices permitted to
initiate positive alarm sequence, which shall include an intelligible voice messaging system. The
system shall be free of trouble alarms and have the ability to deactivate the positive alarm
sequence feature. Upon actuation of manual call points, sprinkler water flows, kitchen hood
suppression, or other suppression systems, the fire alarm system should directly activate the
emergency voice evacuation system without delay. The positive alarm sequence when used
includes a “double knock” effect, i.e., if two detectors activate, the fire alarm system should
immediately activate the emergency voice evacuation system.
Alarm verification may not be used in conjunction with positive alarm sequence to increase the
alarm delay to 240 seconds. NFPA 72 expressly prohibits the use of positive alarm sequence in
conjunction with other programmable delays, where fire alarm programmer uses 60 seconds in
lieu of 15 seconds of acknowledgment time.
Alarm verification is a feature where an automatic smoke detector confirms the alarm
conditions within a given time period after being reset, in order to be accepted as a valid alarm
initiation signal. The person who investigates the positive alarm sequence condition shall be
someone other than the fire alarm system attendant, and that person shall have a means of
direct communication with the attendant. The constantly attended location shall have a means
to manually activate the fire alarm system and override the positive alarm sequence. All
building and remote signals shall be activated immediately and automatically. Any fire event,
even if the event does not result in building alarm activation, shall be reported to the fire
department.
Fire alarm systems that use positive alarm sequence are occasionally not programmed properly.
For example, the positive alarm sequence feature may not be timed correctly or the sequence
is incorrectly activated by devices specifically not approved to activate this feature.
Fire alarm system designers and contractors can avoid confusion with the use of positive alarm
sequencing by preparing sequence of operations as part of the design documents. This will help
the designer see which devices activate the positive alarm sequence and prepare the fire alarm
system for proper operation when the facility is due for final commissioning.
