Fire, life safety: Notification systems and NFPA 72-2022

1 AIA CES approved LU/HSW available for attendees upon successful completion of an exam.

NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code provides design and installation provisions for fire signaling, emergency communication and mass notification systems. These systems are used not only to notify occupants of fire emergencies, but also cover emergencies such as weather events, terrorist events and other threats.

In 2022, several changes were made to NFPA 72. Chapters 12 and 14 have notable changes. The survivability requirements have undergone a major update this cycle. The task group spent hours meeting to understand the history, potential failures, material installation requirements and revising the current requirement.

Primarily institutional occupancies including health care facilities and high-rise building’s use relocation and partial evacuation strategies. These buildings are designed with compartmentation. The fire alarm system must be able to evacuate occupants that are not notified during the initial alarm.

Learning objectives:

• Explain the model building code requirements that govern notification systems, and design and installation criteria of NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
• Recognize how the potential NFPA 72 revisions impact the design, installation, inspection, testing and maintenance of fire alarm systems.
• Determine how application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing and maintenance of notification systems will be handled.
• Examine fire alarm notification objectives, along with occupant behavior patterns in emergencies, to determine the best design for achieving system goals.

Presented By:
Ray Grill, PE, Principal, Ray Grill Consulting
Chris Campbell, PE, Principal & Founder, Campbell Code Consulting

Moderated By:
Amara Rozgus, Content Manager, CFE Media and Technology