Commercial fire alarm panels traditionally have not been one of the most dynamic product development areas within the security industry — a situation that has arisen, some say, because of heavy code requirements. In recent years, however, fire alarm panel manufacturers have introduced several new capabilities that can save business customers money, enhance system performance, and even generate new recurring monthly revenue (RMR).
At least two manufacturers — Northford, Conn.-based Notifier and St. Louis-based Potter Electric Signal — have added the ability to interface with building control systems. As Jeff Hendrickson, vice president of fire and security product development for Potter Electric Signal explains, this capability allows fire alert information to flow through into a building control system. “The guard wants to know what to do,” Hendrickson explains. “The information tells the guard who to call.”