Fire Alarm Design

Noob here. We are not an alarm company but have been tasked with oversight of a sub that is. My research has yielded the necessary information relating to experience/length of service/verification requirements for each of these CFAT levels I-IV. We certainly don’t possess those requirements. What we would like to do it take as much academic fire alarm training as possible in order to be able to relate to, and have technical discussions with these subs. While we will still need to rely on their experience expertise to complete these missions, we still need to be able lead them from the office and keep their tasks lined out. We also need to understand their design requirements so that we can maintain oversight and QC/QA their work at an industrial level.

Concerning the FA, VESDA, EWFD, and VEWFD, is it possible to learn the design components aspects, per local codes of course, but have our designs certified by a third party? Many of us have been in industrial/commercial telecoms/electrical for 5-25 years.

In my state it’s illegal to have drawings stamped by an engineer that did not design or have part in the design of the system. I would recommend having an engineering firm or fire alarm designer produce the drawings with your and the installing companies input . Bottom line it depends on what the requirements of the AHJ, building and fire departments in your area are.

Thank you for that insight! We would DEFINITELY rely on those experts. We want to help, not hurt.